Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day. While that may not seem like it has a whole lot to do with transracial adoption, it actually has much to do with transracial adoption.

The AIDS crisis in Africa, Asia and other parts of the world is one of the biggest "creators" of orphans out there. It is one of the biggest tragedies of our times. AIDS is killing moms, dads, aunts, uncles, teachers, doctors, nurses and others in big numbers.

Countless children are being left behind as orphans, sometimes in good health, sometimes HIV+ themselves.


While HIV/AIDS goes after the poor and the rich without discrimination, the rich have the opportunity to get life-saving medications and live for extended periods of time in good health, while the poor often have no choice other than to die a shameful death.

Here are some statistics from the UNAIDS 2007 AIDS Epidemic Update.

Every seven seconds someone contracts HIV.

Every eleven seconds someone dies from AIDS.

In 2007, there were 33,200,000 people living with HIV. That number includes 30,800,000 adults and 2,500,000 children. Two of those children are mine.

In 2007, 2,100,000 people died from AIDS. That is close to 6,000 people dieing every single day from AIDS. That number includes 1,700,000 adults and 330,000 children. I am grateful every day that two of those children were not mine.

It has been estimated that every 15 seconds, a mother or father dies from AIDS.

And while HIV/AIDS is surely a threat to people living anywhere and everywhere, approximately 95% of people living with HIV/AIDS today are living in developing nations.

World AIDS Day was started on December 1, 1988 and the day is about raising money to fight HIV/AIDS, increasing awareness, fighting the horrible prejudice and stigma that exist against people with HIV/AIDS and improving HIV/AIDS education. World AIDS Day serves as an important reminder that HIV is still a huge world-wide problem and is still killing thousands of people a day, and that there are many things still to be done.

The theme for this year's World AIDS Day is "Keep the Promise - Leadership", which is a call to governments around the world to keep HIV/AIDS a priority and to fulfill the promises they have made.

If living with this deadly virus was not enough, HIV/AIDS also carries with it a social stigma unlike any other. I have heard it referred to as the "leprosy" of our times, and it is true that people with HIV/AIDS are often shunned much the way that people with leprosy were shunned in biblical times.

People who are HIV+ often live in fear of other people "finding out". They worry about being unwanted in school, church, work and other social environments. Many people are unaware that you can not contract HIV through social settings or any type of casual contact and many people still see HIV as a disease that only affects people with "risky" lifestyles and therefore many do not have any compassion for people who are HIV+.

The truth is that HIV/AIDS affects those with risky lifestyles and those who live very traditional life styles. HIV/AIDS affects older people and newborn babies, it affects the rich and the poor, it affects people of all races and in all places. It is a virus, not a condemnation.

This World AIDS Day we can all do something to help fight this disease. We can encourage our government officials to renew their commitments to fighting against HIV/AIDS. We can educate ourselves and those around us about HIV. We can sponsor a child that has been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. We can donate money to projects that provide medications for those who are HIV+ and cannot afford to buy the medications.

I know that at least three of the children I have been lucky enough to adopt were orphaned by the AIDS crisis. Today I remember and honor their first parents, and all of the other families that have been destroyed as the result of HIV/AIDS.

Avert: How to Help

Get Educated - Some basic information

Sponsor an AIDS orphan - AHOPE

International HIV/AIDS Alliance - How You Can Help

*Picture from Liquid Library