Worldwide AIDS Day Vigil

December first is World AIDS Day, a day to raise awareness and today marks the start of a worldwide vigil. Why think about this day as any different to any other? How does it matter to me? Well when I think about the fact that every day 6,000 children will lose a parent to AIDS and the reality is that the AIDS pandemic hits children the hardest. Another stat that I came across recently was that every 70 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with HIV --every 70 minutes! As of yet there may not be a cure but there are certainly things we can all do to ease the suffering of those with or as a result of the disease. "Observance of this day provides an opportunity for governments, national AIDS programs, faith organizations, community organizations and individuals to demonstrate the importance of the fight against HIV/AIDS." -from the World AIDS Day website.

You can visit websites like the one above to find out how to help out, or you can also get involved in your local community which may participate in making care packages, with life giving supplies in them. Several events will be happening in major cities in the states, including Chicago. There will be many church services/vigils around England and the world wide vigil starting in Toronto today at 9am Nov. 29, and making its way to New York City, and then through several key U.S. cities and across the globe through international cities until each of 6,000 children's names (that have been orphaned by AIDS) have been read. The event ends tomorrow -Friday, Nov. 30, at 9 a.m. back in New York.