Blue Roof Pride….from Alicia

(written on June 14th, 2010) Today is one of the most exciting days of the journey for me! I’ve been looking forward to this part of the trip with great anticipation. About 4 years ago in 2006, the last time I came to Africa, I’d helped to purchase a building called “The Blue Roof” that used to be an old night club/sports bar in an area called Wentworth, Durban, where the prevalence of HIV infection was said to be at almost 50%. This area did not have a place where people who were infected and affected could go to get tested or treated or anything! A place one could go to was extremely far away and even if one could make it, it was pretty much a guarantee that the service would be sub par at best. Also, because of the separation that the Apartheid demanded, there were a lot of residual racial barriers and people still categorized themselves and each other by color or race. This meant that if you’re “Black” you wouldn’t go to a “White” facility. Or if you were “African,” you wouldn’t go to an “Indian” facility. Not because it was against the law, but because that was the mentality. Deeeeeeep! It’s a sad thing to see someone who desperately needs to receive treatment NOT go to a location that is outside of their racial description and risk death because of it. Identifying this issue was a very powerful reason why we wanted to obtain the building. BUT we also had BIG dreams of building a world class facility that would provide the BEST FREE treatment and care to ANYONE who walked through its doors—no matter where they were from or what “color” they were! We also dreamed of providing meals, short stay beds, therapy & counseling, testing, treatment, and courses & classes that would educate and empower all who came to The Blue Roof. I remember vividly (just a few years ago) walking into a totally EMPTY shell of a building with my arms outstretched, rattling off all of these dreams and ideas Leigh and I had for this space! So today, you can see why I’m so excited. Fast forward 4 years and I’m about to see all of these once-upon-a-time-dreams come to life right in front of me! As we pulled up to the Blue Roof—I can feel the energy build. It is already surrounded by so much love. A gorgeous, healthy garden is right outside and is the place where much of the food that is served is grown and the patients themselves actually help to grow.

As I walk around towards the front door, I felt my heart race as I opened the door to find this phenomenally colorful place, with people singing with hope, life and possibility. And running through the center of the structure were tall, beautiful, REAL trees representing oxygen, air, strength, and life! I took one look at all of those people, REAL people, of all different backgrounds, there that morning to receive their treatment. Alive, well and strong because of it, singing with the voices of angels and I couldn’t take it! It all welled up inside of me and tears of joy ran down my face…. It took me awhile to get myself together. Just the thought alone that THIS is what can happen when we all care enough to work together and build something that never existed before, gave me such an indescribable chill. I was a bit in a daze, in awe….walking around what was once an empty shell and what is now, the only wellness center of its kind! I walked around the entire facility with Mama Rhona, the Director and heart of the clinic; I met the doctor, Dr. Smith, a young, vibrant, brilliant woman who cares for every being who walks through the front doors. Auntie Audrey, who’s one of the warmest and most encouraging women I’ve ever met. Veronica, in the kitchen, who has lost 4 of her 5 kids to HIV/AIDS and now works in this kitchen to help nourish those beautiful bodies that need love and nutrition; who understands the situation like no other, and Gina, who was so moved by what The Blue Roof was, she packed some belongings and sold everything in her native home of Mexico to move here to South Africa to volunteer with this mission. Every single person in The Blue Roof building is a loving and caring beautiful HERO! I was so moved by every one of them and proud that when people come here, they will be treated with Respect, Dignity, Love and Compassion! That is more than I can say for most medical facilities I’VE seen anywhere around the world. And everything was there. The free treatment, the counseling rooms, the testing rooms, the short stay beds, a class room where you go with a buddy to learn all about HIV, the regimen for treatment and how to live a long life with it, a beautiful kitchen with food cooking, and rooms upstairs filled with donated clothes for men, women and children (for anyone who comes in and needs to be cleaned up). They get tremendous love. There is an empowerment room where different people in the community come and help to teach a specific trade to those at the wellness center along with a computer room where you can learn computer skills. Everything I dreamed of was there….. This is what can happen when there is a vision, the drive and the support of some unbelievable everyday souls!! My heart is FULL! Alicia