Traveling by bike with CaregiversI recently traveled with a group of donors who have supported the vision of a now 14 year old kid from Arizona - Austin.
When Austin was 9, he heard about the plight of HIV/AIDS and the many kids who have been left behind when their parents passed away. He decided to combine his love of basketball with fundraising - and asked other kids to join him in shooting hoops - and raising money for HIV/AIDS work. To date (5 years), his organization - all kid run - has raised nearly $ 1 million.
He came to Zambia to officially open an HIV and AIDS counseling and testing lab in Sinazongwe, in the Southern Province of Zambia. We also walked and biked alongside Caregivers who are caring for children left vulnerable due to HIV/AIDS - and people who are HIV positive.
The Caregivers - Mary and Richard (left) are caring for Midia (center) who is HIV positive along with her three-month old son, Joshua - both are on anti-retroviral meds. Maxeem (right) was the Caregiver for Richard - who is also HIV positive. Richard decided to become a Caregiver after being cared for by Maxeem - and realizing he wanted to help others in the same situation he's in. This is truley Zambians caring for Zambians.
This is the rainy season (although you wouldn't know it from this photo) - but this normally dry river bed was flush with water (it had rained the night before) - and our car got stuck! It took about 3 hours to get it out. Two weeks earlier, in another part of the World Vision ADP, a WV car was crossing something similiar when a torrent of water came down and pushed the WV vehicle over six times! Thankfully, the three staff in the vehicle left with only minor bruises and cuts.
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