So, according to FXB International (www.fxb.org), today is World AIDS Orphans Day. I think it was last week that I came across a banner about WAOD on another site. I haven't researched much about either WAOD or FXBI, nor had I heard about either before that. But, I have a very visceral response to these things. You see, both of Pence's parents died from complications of AIDS. Even before he entered our lives, the AIDS pandemic sickened me, but now it is painful as well as sickening to hear how AIDS is stealing away the lives of an entire generation and leaving the next generation orphaned.

So, whether "World AIDS Orphans Day" is legit or not, or somewhere between, I feel a need to do something today. I just don't know what. For all that I consider myself an advocate, I'm just at a loss today.

If you're considering adoption, or looking for a child to adopt, check out www.ChancesByChoice.org. They are an organization dedicated to finding families for HIV+ children (fortunately only 25-40% of babies born to HIV+ moms contract the virus from them, but with somewhere between 15 and 100 million children orphaned by AIDS, 25% turns out to be huge numbers of actual children) and they have a waiting child list on their website. Perhaps your child(ren?!) are waiting for you there. Medications are common in the US which control HIV to such an extent that the virus is undetectable in the blood and people with treated HIV have a normal life-span. It's not difficult or scary or even expensive (with grants, etc) to raise a child with HIV. If you want to know more, comment or email me (my address is in the sidebar) and I'll point you to a slew of great resources.

I'm sorry if this post is scattered. I'm just typing with my heart more than my mind. I'm not even sure what to say, much less what to do. I'll be back if a stoke of brilliancy hits me.