WaysToMakeTheWorldABetterPlace

Christmas Trees

Treelight
(in Covent Garden)

Tree Treets
(Made of Rice Krispies & melted mallow & green food dye @club)

Tree Baubles
(actually as tall as the building behind)

Recycled Tree
(design that should be on all Christmas cards - needs no explaining)

Hand Tree
(hands of all ages from all clubs put together to make this tree)

Angel Tree Topper

(otherwise known as Paul aka Nativity Angel 08)

Labels: Christmas, Trees

World Aids Day 2

Jane was with a friend who was working at a tatoo studio. A client came in in good spirits looking for a tatoo. He filled in the form and gave it in. As he waited Jane noticed he wasn't so bubbly and looked nervous as he heard people in the back discussing his form. He had ticked YES for HIV/AIDs.

Jane watched as he turned from a confident, open engaging young man into someone almost have his own physical size.

He could have lied. But he didn't.
He could have gone to a studio that didn't ask that question. But he didn't.

Despite the stigma and hurt he experienced he was still honest. Jane wanted to hug him. She was amazed that he would put himself through this.

Some of the artists refused to work with him. One ignored other's comments and prejudice and went out and dealt with the the young man in a friendly professional manner as he put on his gloves and got on with the job. The young man that came in the door of the tattoo studio started to unfold again.

Labels: AIDS, stigma

World Aids Day 1

Today at 2am, I came across one of our locals who was dazed and confused and bleeding profusely from his head, having had his "head kicked in" as he said. I bandaged his head, trying to keep the plaster on my cut thumb from slipping and listened as he told me why he didn't want and ambulance - they would involve the police and he couldn't tell who had beaten him up and he was worried about not being able to get his methadone in the morning. He was convinced otherwise and as he talked of wanting to return to his homeland Ireland and going straight and as the police asked him questions and the ambulance finally arrived and took him away I wondered what was to become of him.

Could he ever be able to deal with his addictions?
Would he ever get back to Ireland?
How was he going to survive?
Would the drugs or violence or neglect or disease kill him?

Before I had realised that he had been hurt I asked him if he wanted some food...he said no thanks that I had already given him some.....that had been nearly two weeks before.

Hand woven Kenyan Aids badge

Labels: AIDS, First Aid

Place Holder

I have been trying to get posts to fill in August, September, October & November but was getting so blogged down in trying to do Kenya justice that time had stopped at that point. So I am starting afresh from today and will fill in the gaps as time goes on cos if I don't I will be forever trying to catch up on time.

Labels: Blog, Kenya, Time