Three Types of Miracles
I am happy to have my friend, Nathaniel Dunigan, as a guest blogger on my site as we approach World AIDS Day. Nathaniel is founder of AidChild, an organization that serves orphans living with HIV/AIDS who do not have the support of extended families in Uganda, East Africa. AidChild is committed to empowerment, quality medical care and education within a proven framework of self-sustainability. In other words, they work hard to provide 70% of their support through entrepreneurial businesses: an art gallery and three restaurants in Uganda.
AidChild was the first to provide free antiretroviral medication for children in Uganda, and among the first in the world to do so. Again, within a framework of self-sustainability.
Nathaniel writes:
In the lead up to World AIDS Day, Saturday, December 1st, I am reflecting on three types of miracles I have experienced in my life in Africa as founder of AidChild.
Miracles, Type 1
Meet my oldest kids, Ritah and Rogers. (Yes, Rogers. With an ‘s.’) This picture was taken more than a year ago when they left home to begin their studies at Makerere University, one of Africa’s top-ten institutions. (Sorry, I know I sound like a proud Papa.) Ritah is at the School of Education, and Rogers is at the Business School. Last weekend, Rogers ran in a marathon in Kampala while Ritah hit the books. They’ll soon be coming home for Christmas, and I can’t wait.
Sounds like a pretty normal life, right?
What I haven’t told you is that, like all of my kids, Ritah and Rogers were orphans before I found them, and they are living with HIV/AIDS.
With the marvelous introduction of treatment for HIV, fewer patients are on hospice care. Instead, they are busy planning productive, long lives.
In short, it’s a miracle. A miracle that we never forget.
But there are more than 33 million people in the world living with HIV/AIDS, and 97% of them are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Estimates are that only 8 million of them are receiving treatment.
The miracle has not yet reached everyone who needs it which is why we must work as hard as we can.
Miracles, Type 2
And I am privileged to witness miracles of a different sort. Miracles like the time my little Ivan, who was about 10 years old, had compassion for one of my newest kids, Mzee (pronounced “moo-ZAY-ee”), also about 10.
Mzee had just come to us, and was very sick. Sadness oozed out of him as he suffered in a very weak body, and as he dwelt within the reality that he had lost everyone in his family—to death.
Ivan’s body was weak, too. But with great struggle, he pulled himself up and out of his seat. Then, gingerly and with tremendous difficulty, he padded his way across our living room to where Mzee was seated. With the same difficulty, Ivan lowered himself to his knees, directly in front of Mzee. Making eye-contact with him, Ivan said,
“You’re going to be okay now. I was like you when I came here. And look! They love us here, and they help us feel better.”
He then repeated,
“You’re going to be okay now.”
With that, Ivan laid his hands on Mzee’s tiny knees, and he prayed a blessing upon him.
In the weeks that followed, both boys became stronger, happier—better.
And then within the space of a just a few days, both spirits came to the end of their human experiences.
Miracles, Type 3
And that brings me to a third type of miracle: the miracle of faith, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1). The miracle of “knowing” that which cannot be “known” about what comes next.
The marvelous miracle of heaven.
As we transition from Thanksgiving and Black Friday to World AIDS Day, may we embrace all three types of miracles: treatment, human engagement, and heaven.
And may we be as careful as Ivan was—to be a part of creating such miracles.
For others.
(I told more of Ivan’s story when I testified before the United States Congress. If interested, read the transcript here.