AFRICA MEMORY #1: LUCY

Although 5 year old Lucy was HIV positive, unable to talk and barely able to walk, being abandoned and left to die, she had a smile that would light up a room. No matter what kind of bad day you might have had, just seeing her smile made the negativity disappear. One day while holding her she began to try to pull her little ankle sock over a sore on her shin. She seemed very concerned about this sore which had a little bit of blood on it. I finally realized she was not concern for herself but for me...I had forgotten she had AIDS...but she hadn't.

I wonder if Lucy thinks of me the way I will always think of her.