Pondering...

So on my way to Chobe park, I had an hour ride to the Zambia-Botswana border. A lot of time to think. I was thinking about Africa, the people, me, what I was doing here, and how would Africa play a role in my life. I first fell in love with Africa in seventh grade. We had to learn about Africa and I remember staring at the map, memorizing the country names, and picking out what countries I would visit. Botswana was one of them. I remember reading tons of books on slavery and apartheid. And from then on, Africa has always captured my heart. HIV and AIDS has also always interested me. A disease that has caused such social and economic ramifications. This country has between a third to a half of the population infected. That is incredible. I have met so many orphans. It is wiping out an entire generation. Even the children, it is not often discovered they are positive until they are malnourished and/or sick. This leaves many of them developmentally delayed. How could Africa have it so hard? Such a poor continent with such incredible disease burden that such a horrific history (and recent) of slavery and genocide. This beautiful magical place with incredible people and culture. What is different here? Mothers still care deeply about thier children, weeping for them, wanting a great future. Fathers still smile when their children laugh, cry when they're in pain. Children still dream big dreams. So what is the difference here? Why is there so much wailing, suffering, and death?