James 2:14-26
My Testimony
In November 2010 I was placed on Ohio’s ADAP wait list. It was a scary thing because medication adherence is crucial to those living with HIV/AIDS. Though I was on the patient assistance program, my thinking was that these programs would only be able to bear so much weight and with ADAP lists continually growing the thought of the program collapsing and possibly having to go without my medication for any length of time scared me. So, I prayed and I advocated and I worked. You see, I am a strong believer that faith is not just about being on our knees. I believe that we have to move in our faith, I believe God wants us to “Work with Him”. So in my movement, a couple of things happened. One, I got a better job with insurance. But even with insurance, I could not afford the co-pay for my meds, so I prayed and I continued to advocate. And in June, 119 people were taken off the wait list and on to OHDAP and I was blessed to be in that group. I have been in Women’s group and too many times I hear women say to each other get on your knees and stay there, but this is where I must interject, that’s dead. When we feel that things get that bad or just in general, getting down on our knees is definitely the first step, but faith is not just a one step process. Eventually, we have to rise and show God that we believe He is going to work it out and we have to move like we believe it. I will continue to pray and advocate for those on wait list across the country.
Elaine, we praise him that you are finally off the waiting list. i know what it means to be able to access these drugs. A few years ago i was priveledeged to join a clinic in my country and back then it seemed such an easy thing. 3 years down the wrong its a different story, its rather difficult because i have a close girl friend that we have failed to get a clinic for as i speak. Like you said its not just about faith we have visited different places and made several phone calls. its our hope that we shall soon get her a place before her CD4 gets to a dangerous level. i encourage people that are on medication not to take it for granted because there are many people in several parts of the world like my country Uganda that have to wait for a while and are struggling to be able to get access to these life prolonging meds. Its one of my blessings i never forget to count!