HIV/AIDS
Touching Bottom
“I remember days as a young boy, swimming in the ocean off the coast of southern Maine. The exhilaration of that first step beyond the hard sand. I would stand on the soft ocean sand looking toward the shore, and let the din of body surfers, sand castle builders and even the sound of small transistor radios on the blankets of sunbathers all become a muted echo. When I was younger, I loved to sway back and forth as the gentle current caressed my scrawny little body. It was a sanctuary… until it wasn’t.”
The Experts Are Not Who You Think
The question that should pop up in your brain at this point is, “Has the international development community largely operated without elevating the importance and integral role of local expertise?” And the answer to your question is a resounding and painful, “yes.”
On The Frontlines In Uganda, Our Partner Is Taking Action
While COVID-19 still presents a serious threat to them and the people they serve, our partners have been proactively fighting to contain the disease in their corners of the world. And we are excited to highlight the efforts of one such partner to show you how, despite all of our current challenges, we can still band together to help. Partners for Community Transformation (PaCT) has been one of Uganda’s leaders in health for some time now, and they are going above and beyond to proactively address this new pandemic.
Dying to Live
The physiological description of the brutal death of Jesus has always challenged me. There is something about John’s telling of Jesus’ crucifixion that felt connected to the work of helping people gain access to clean water in communities where a virus found in the blood stream was doing it’s best to destroy the immune systems of it’s targets.
We Take It For Granted, But It’s Saving Our Lives
How many sinks in kitchens and bathrooms have that long forgotten bottle of hand sanitizer or hand soap tucked in a dark corner? Is there dish soap somewhere near a dishwasher? Is there body wash and shampoo in a shower? How many bottles in how many showers? If it was truly a life and death situation, how far would you need to go in order to gain access to the soap you needed?
COVID-19 Is New. The Impact Is Not.
The societal impact that COVID-19 has had gives us a rare opportunity to personally empathize with our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who have not had access to good health care, clean water, and proper sanitation facilities for years. As sub-Saharan Africa currently holds almost 50% of the global burden of the water crisis and almost 70% of the global burden of HIV, it is a highly vulnerable area – which is why we partner with grassroots organizations on the ground in that region.
The Superhero You’ve Never Heard of – Dr. Deborah Birx
For her contributions to the field of HIV/AIDS research, Blood:Water awarded her the William H. Frist Award at our Red Tie Gala in 2015, and honored her in our office, and we are proud to have a connection to such an influential figure in the field of global health.
A Tale of Two Viruses – Coronavirus and HIV
Today we find ourselves in a unique space. Over the last few weeks and months, we have wandered into a “new” environment. It is not new to everyone. And I hope we can explore this newish place together because I think we can both learn something and grow something in the midst of this new experience together.
Prayers for 2020
We know that it is easy to forget the Lord in the midst of all the busyness and chaos of everyday life, and difficult to feel the calm of His grace. We hope that you will join…
