Saidet is sick. To look at her, you’d never know.She is one of millions in Uganda who are infected with HIV. She knows that one day, she’ll die from an AIDS related illness. She worries about her children and if she’ll live long enough to see them grown or if they will end up orphans.
The clinic where Saidet was tested for HIV offers free antiretroviral medicine. This medicine is changing the look of HIV across the continent of Africa. Uganda is one of the few countries offering it free. Saidet admits that in the past, everyone knew who had HIV because they had “the look” (losing weight, could see their bones, etc.), NOW, no one knows. The new drugs help keep you healthy and living longer.
Despite these n
ew drugs, Saidet still felt sad. She still worried about her kids. She wandered what happened when you die. She went to mosque a faithfully every Friday, searching for answers.One Friday morning, a counselor from her clinic came to visit. He talked about keeping a healthy diet, checked up on her medicines and talked about God. Saidet was more interested in the “God-talk” than the health stuff and invited them to come back.
The counselor returned. This time, there were several other women gathered from this Muslim village. They also wanted to know about living a healthy life with HIV and about God. A small Bible study began in the shade
of Saidet’s tree.Soon, Saidet asked Jesus to be her Savior. Her whole outlook on life changed. She no longer wondered about death because she knew she would have a new life in Christ. She still worried about her children, but began the task of introducing them to her new friend.
The Bible study continued to grow in number. This caused the surrounding Muslim community to take notice. They sent some women to the study to “spy” on the proceedings. The “spies” took the Bibles they received at the study to the mosque and read them aloud to the entire community.
Saidet was forced to defend herself before the village elders. She explained her new faith flawlessly. She spoke of how Jes
us had already made a difference in their community with people learning how to forgive as Jesus forgave.The village elders warned Saidet that the counselors from the clinic could not come back. But, Saidet held firm and said these counselors would always be welcome on her land. While the elders continued to threaten the counselors, they softened some and asked Saidet to return to defend herself again by telling more stories.
"I will proclaim Jesus until the day I die,” Saidet said.
Pray for Saidet that she will have the physical strength to fight this spiritual battle. Pray that the ears of her Muslim community will open and their hearts will be touched by the Holy Spirit.
