It was very dark that night. We were all gathered around the fire outside. Mom was serving tea with leftovers from lunch and was telling a story of long ago. Everyone was quiet and interested in the story.
But before she could go any further, my young brother Aaron asked a shocking question. "Dad, why do diseases like AIDS spread so fast now when it was not like that long ago?".
Everyone's attention shifted to Dad who looked at Aaron in silence for a long time. Dad then said "OK, off to sleep everyone. That's it for today." He looked at me. "You too Salome, you must be up in time for school tomorrow. You are always running late".
He stood up and went inside the hut and everyone followed. Inside, it was dark, with only one lamp on. Richard, the older brother that Aaron follows around all the time asked for a lamp from Mom so he could arrange his rugs for sleeping.
Mom was coughing severley. While she coughed often, it became worse near the lamp. Mom told Richard to wait as she was also arranging her bed and dad's. Dad was sitting on the stool nearby. Mom eventually gave Richard the lamp. Aaron and Richard said goodnight to Mom and Dad, and went to sleep.
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I woke up and walked to the corner where Mom and Dad slept. To my surprise, I couldn't see either of them. I went to the kitchen but saw that no smoke was there. I was confused. Where were Mom and Dad?
I went to get my two brothers up. Aaron swept the compound and Richard went to fetch water from the wwell. I collected firewood from the nearby forest. We then sat down to enjoy fruit collected by Richard and ate cooked cassava left over from tea for breakfast.
I was glad that Aaron did not ask me about Mom and Dad, but after breakfast we were all glum and felt weak from lack of food. We sat around not speaking, just staring at each other.
At around 6pm, Richard and Aaaron went out into the neighbourhood to play with other children. I cooked lunch. Dad came home and seemed in a rush. Before I could ask him where Mom was he told me to put the cleanest mat we had in the house. I turned to see a group of people approaching the house crying loudly. I knew something was wrong and though immediately of Mom, of her constant coughing, of how thin and frail she had been, of her endless visits to the hospital. "She's died", I though to myself.
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I stood beside the hut for a long time, thinking. Then I rushed to the neighbourhood, calling Richard and Aaron.
Aaron was not playing. He was sitting by himself, and looked like he was thinking hard. He took a long time to respond to me. He asked me "Where is Mom and Dad. Why haven't we seen them since last night?"
Before I could answer, a neighbour rushed up and blurted it out to Aaron! "Aaron, you are only six years old, but now you must be a man. Your mother has died. I have been at the dispensary with your Dad since 2am. The doctor really tried to save her but perhaps it was just her time. She fought hard and said that she did not want to leave her children to suffer. So stand up, and go and help your dad with burial arrangements. Maybe when he gets over this he will tell you everything."
By the time the neighbour had finished, a crowd had gathered, and we were all crying. Except for Richard. He had gone home to see what was taking place. Uncle Sam, another neighbour, told us to stop crying and led the way home.
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The burial took place on that same day in the evening. After the burial, I looked at Dad. It seemed to me that he too was becoming sick. Uncle Sam went with him to the dispensary for a check up.
A week later, Dad went to to get the results. He was HIV positive.
That evening we gathered around the fire. We told some jokes. Aaron laughed a little, but not with the real laughter he used to have when Mom was alive.
Dad lost his job and had to try to feed us from our small piece of land around the house.
Richard was forced to leave school because Dad couldn't afford the fees. Eventually Aaron and I also had to quit school and work with Dad in the field.
Eventually, Richard spent extended periods of time away from home.
Dad grew sicker and sicker, and became very weak. He developed the same cough that Mom used to have.
Uncle Sam and his family stopped visiting and when Aaron went to visit them Uncle Sam's children chased him away, telling him that we were not allowed to visit any more because we were all HIV positive.
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One evening we were around the fire and Dad began to tell a story about Mr Hare and Mr Hyena. "They began their friendship", he said, "on great terms. But eventually they fought and became worst enemies". After this story we were all quiet for a long time.
Dad said "My children, you must understand that even though Richard is not around any more he is looking for work and maybe one day he will return and we will be a family again.".
Before he could continue, Aaron asked him "Dad, why are you telling this to us?". Dad ignored him and continued. "Love one another", Dad said. "And respect your elders Aaron. I am very weak and cannot look after your properly any more but it is important to me that you respect each other."
I knew what was coming next, and I did not want to hear it, so I said "Dad, you must be very tired. Let's all go to bed and I will bring you a nice hot cup of tea to help you sleep." I thought this would make him stop, but he kept going. "Try to keep up hope because your situation will soon change. Remember, that God said that he never promised day without night, laughter without tears, and sorrow without happiness. I pray that you will have a happy life."
As Dad was speaking, Aaron began to cry. Dad got up and went into the hut. We didn't speak much. Dad had his tea and went to sleep.
In the middle of the night Dad woke up, calling my name in a weak voice. I was up in a flash, rushing to him . He was very hot so I soaked a cloth in cold water and wiped his face, hands and legs. He said, "My daughter, I do not want to disturb Aaron but I would like you to know that I love you so much and I did not intend for this to happen. I am going to die. Take care of your brothers, be honest. There is no more I can do for you, but I want you to always pray for me. I am the one who caused all this pain and suffering. I had an affair with another women while I was with your mother. I did not know she had AIDS. I only discovered when you Mom started getting sick, and then I heard rumours that the woman was sick with AIDS too. I told your mother and she was angry but I ask the same thing of you as I asked of your mother: forgive me. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me."
I was crying very hard by the time he stopped talking. He began to breathe heavily and deeply. He asked me to leave him alone, but I could not bring myself to leave his side. He died that night with me beside him.
****************
In the morning, neighbours and relatives gathered for the burial. The priest said last workds and Dad was buried. It seemed to me that the look on Dad's face as he was buried was peaceful.
Home was no longer home for Aaron and I, with Mum, Dad and Richard gone. Dad's relatives said that we had to leave the land after 5 months and told us that we should go and make our way in the world on our own!
Our uncle came to the house a few months after Dad had died. An old man was with him who looked like he was very wealthy. Our uncle told me that I had to marry this old man. I told my uncle that I would not, that I could not. My uncle was furious. He slapped me and told me that I did not know how much money he would lose if I refused!
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One day I came in from the field very tired to find Aaron with a group of people. They greeted me and told me they had some good news. I apologised to them for having no food or drink in the house. They looked at me in pity and gave me money from their own pockets, telling me it was all they had.
These people told Aaron and I to join a club such as 'Orphan units' where we could learn how to make art and crafts. We became hopeful, wondering if we could still live a good life. We joined this club with the help of these people.
We thanked God that these people had come into our lives, saving us from the neglect and cruelty of our relatives. We marvelled at God's blessing and the nature of his plans.
From working with the club, Aaron and I were able to purchase the necessities of life: rice, sugar and so on.
Eventually we met some of the sponsors of the club, who live overseas in the West. One of them, a young lady from England, became a good friend. She visited our village and aksed to see the place where Aaron and I lived.
I asked Aaron to clean the house and prepare some food for our guest. When she arrived, she was surprised to find that we were living alone without parents. We told her how our Mom and Dad had died of AIDS. I struggled with my grief as I told her.
As we told our story to her, she cried. She told us that it was time for us to raise our heads from out of the deep waters of sorrow and pain.
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A month or so later, the club found Richard and brought him home. He was suprised to see us alive and well, and told us that he thought we might have died from starvation.
The lady who visited Aaron and I became our sponsor. We returned to school and became an important part of her family's life.
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Although this story is fictional, it is the story of many children orphaned by AIDS. In particular, the cruelty and neglect of relatives and guardians can be shocking.
How is it that so many Ugandan children become orphans? It is because of these circumstances in the story.
But I have told this story because I do not want Ugandan orphans to give up hope. Many don't believe they will survive and prosper but I say to them that there are people out there who care and who can help. It is possible for orphans to make something of their lives. And to those of you who have not heard these kinds of tragic stories before, I urge you to think of helping others.
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