July 23: AIDS HIV Conference in Gaborone

For the past two days we have all participated in a workshop on HIV AIDS. It was an eye opening experience and we realized how ignorant we actually were about the disease. We now see that more awareness needs to be spread especially across the UK and North Carolina as the people of Botswana seemed to know so much more than us. All three dioceses really bonded in this time and we learnt loads about each other, for example how HIV AIDS has affected us all in different ways. During the couple of days we did a variety of exercises. Two that stood out to us were one where we had to write down a gift that we feel we possess and what that brings to the youth. However the best exercise was the closing one. Where we all had to stand at one end of the room and Beth and Tim would read out some statements. If that applied to us we would cross the room. Certain questions, for example one asking if we had ever laughed at a racist joke, were hard to admit to. The one that really brought HIV AIDS into perspective was the question "Do you know anyone affected or infected by HIV AIDS" and everyone from Botswana walked across the room. It just made the situation so much more real and made us determined to do something about it and change the world. We would like to thank everyone who helped make this workshop possible, because we have come away with so much from it. Emma, Sally and Lydia.

This has been a greatest experience ever! It's always great to new people.. Having these guys as guests at our guilds annual camp was anise touch! This was something different for us to have guests from over seas at our camp! It gave a bit of morale! (LOL)ESP my Choir! We sang like we have never sang before! The 2 day workshop we have at the cathedral was simply amazing. We learnt so much it's now that I realize that you can never learn enough. I hope this is not the last of this kind of exchange. I had fun fun and more fun. God bless these wonderful group of people and shower them with blessings! Ralphy

 

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