We wanted to share this story of victory with you today. As we often see, HIV/AIDS can take away a lot from a person, but it cannot steal his or her spirit, love, courage, or faith.
This is *Noxolo*’s testimony, and she lives in a slum area of Cape Town, South Africa near the Living Hope Community Center, which is being served by Mocha Club funds. Her home is about 6′X 6′, with a small bed for her and her children to sleep together. Her first lanaguage is Xhosa, so this testimony is in broken English, but the beauty of her story is clearly understood…
“My name is Noxolo. I’m 40 years old. Mother of 3 children. I live here at Masiphumelele. By the time I’ll find out I’m HIV Positive it was 2001. I was very sick. And I decided to go to the clinic. I was so sad because I was not feeling [okay]. I met a sister at the clinic and I told her about my problem. So the sister told me about Blood test. So I told her to do the blood test. And after that she told [me] to wait outside for 15 minutes for my results. I was so stressed but I told myself if I’m Positive I can’t do nothing. Positive is Positive. It was the 23rd March 2001. The sister called me to the ward, and she told I’m HIV Positive. I was shocked and I cried. The FIRST thing come on my mind was my children’s future.
After a month I decided to tell my family at home. It was a difficult time for me. Because by the time I disclosed, my family chased me away and my children. I was looking for the place to stay. I was not working.
And it was the time I join the Support Group at Living Hope. And the name of group is Masonwabisane [Xhosa word meaning "we must make each other happy"]. I was so scared from the first time I saw the people sitting around the table. But by the time goes on I was feeling free and the stress goes away.
[On] 2002 1st December THE AIDS DAY I was disclosed in front of my community. It was the day I told myself I’m going to do this, because the people of my community didn’t understand about HIV. And they didn’t know there are people living Positive in our community. But by that time I stood up and talk about my status they understand that HIV is here at Masiphumelele.
Instead of [treating me] funny, they just come to my house and talk to me, support, and encourage me. And the others disclosed to me about their status. It was wonderful to me and I feel very strong and brave. But the important [thing] I want to tell is that Living Hope is very important to all of us who are living Positive because if you have a problem you can go and share to the Support Group. And after that you feel comfortable.
I want to [tell] the people who are living Positive. You must accept your status. Tell yourself you are HIV Positive and no one can change that. And after that, fight for your life and join support Group. Try to do something like doing beads, sewing, knitting, that means you can’t always think and stress yourself. I was also working for Memory Box Project. It helps me.
And I made the Memory Book for my family. Memory Book is very important because sometimes you don’t want to share your problem to anybody. But you can write it down, to take it out of your heart. And you can feel better because you take it out of you mind. I feel free and I always share my feelings to everybody in my community. Today I’m the hero: HIV Positive means nothing to me.”
