MEET ANNA

MEET ANNA*:
(*name changed to protect privacy)

Anna was orphaned when her parents died of AIDS and lives with relatives.  We sat down to talk one day and she began relaying some horrific events from her childhood.   I couldn’t hold back tears.  What do you say to someone who’s endured the unimaginable?  What do you say when you know that when she leaves, she’s going back to an unsafe environment?   Feel better?  I realized that sometimes when you don’t know what to do, you can listen.  As it turned out, she’d never had that before.  She’d never told anyone.  We open and close each day of camp with a series of “I AM STRONG” chants and in that moment I wondered how could she be that strong?  When I asked if she was worried about the safety of her younger sister she said ‘no, not at all.’  Her sister after all, was born with AIDS and that made her safe.  It gave her peace of mind.  Who knew that having the most dreaded disease in the world could be a blessing?

The fortitude of Anna is typical of the Yayaz Girls, and as much as they think this is the best program ever, we think they’re the best people ever.