Our HFL followers never cease to amaze us! Bear with us as we explain….
One of our HFL “Causes” involves supplying 100 school children in the Limpopo Province with the book entitled, ‘Brenda Has A Dragon in Her Blood’ which we affectionately call our “Brenda Book”. “Three-year-old Brenda is an ordinary little girl who likes to fly a kite and look at the clouds, but people are sometimes frightened by the dragon (HIV) in her blood…”
The ‘Brenda Book’ is a precious, colorfully illustrated picture book with a story and a message about the misconceptions of HIV and/or AIDS that even the youngest child can understand. This true story of a little girl from Africa, written by her adoptive mother Hijltje Vink, deals with the day to day social and emotional challenges of a child and family living with HIV and all of its unfounded associated fears.
There are multiple purposes to this book. Through Brenda’s story, children learn they are not alone living with HIV/AIDS. The book addresses the stigma of living with HIV and the importance of the ARV medication regime to “keep the dragon sleeping” and remain healthy.
AIDS hits children in South Africa in different ways. Children become orphans when they lose their parents or caretakers to the disease, and they are immediately discriminated against. They are often ignored or shunned by friends, neighbors and even by their own family members. Even the youngest orphaned children are often abandoned and must either find a way to survive on their own or perish. The fear is that great!
Additionally, Brenda’s story encourages HIV positive children to learn, at a very early age, to be responsible for taking their own life-saving meds. Frequently children young and old, as well as adults infected by the disease, try to hide this fact by refusing to get and/or regularly take the necessary medication. Certain death follows and the misconceptions persist.
This is where our own HFL “Heroes” enter the picture. Anaia Miller’s family celebrated her first birthday with donations of 136 Brenda Books decorated with her name. Recently we received a donation that allowed us to purchase 130 additional Brenda Books memorializing their beloved mother who has passed away but who “fervently loved her children and ALL children”. We gladly created bookplates in her name and had one lovingly inserted on the title page of each book. These meaningful donations helped us to exceed our goal of purchasing 100 ‘Brenda Books’! Thank You!
Our new goal is to provide EACH child in the Limpopo province with one of these life-altering Brenda Books. Brenda Has A Dragon In Her Blood has been translated into several African languages including TshiVenda,one of the primary languages in the Limpopo Province.
The GIFT-GIVING season is upon us! What better way to remember and honor a loved one at any occasion including Christmas, Birthdays, or “Just Because” than with a donated book with their nameplate inscription? The cost of these books is a mere R35 or approximately $5.00 USD.
Please think about giving the Most Important Gift you’ll ever give! Thank You!
