Stop and Smell the People

The Hands of God

It’s the sweet eyes that get you. Windows to the soul. Souls almost lost.

Once you look into those eyes it’s hard to turn away. It’s hard to stop seeing their souls even after you’ve looked elsewhere.

And their kind faces belie the story behind those smiles.

They are children with AIDS.

It’s not their fault. They’ve done nothing wrong. They didn’t choose their parents or where they would be born. They didn’t deal the cards. They just have to play them.

I know we’re going through tough times here in the good ole U.S of A. but no matter what our problems, they probably look mighty puny to a five-year-old with HIV/AIDS.

When Tanya Weaver looked in their eyes she knew what she had to do… help them. Why a person gives up the pursuit of the “American Dream” and spends all her time trying to change the world for the most innocent is a question to which I may never understand the answer.

I have a nice house and nice clothes and a fridge full of food and when I get sick my Doctor writes me a prescription and I drive

to a pharmacy and hand them my insurance card. I live a life apart from real suffering. I live in a fantasy world compared to these kids. I got lucky. I was born here and not there.

Look at these young faces and know this about them: “They came to the hospitals half dead… thrush, lesions, starving, really, really bad… and now look at them.” Tanya Weaver is watching lives change. Watching the left-for-dead resurrected, “They are gorgeous children who play and run and do all sorts of things because of the meds they receive from American Foundation for Children with AIDS. I love my job.”

If there is a God, and I personally believe there is, Tanya Weaver and her co-workers are his hands.

So what can we do? We can take a couple dollars out of our Starbucks fund and hand it to Tanya and say, “Please take this and help those kids.”

Here’s how we can do that: Tanya’s organization, American Foundation for Children with AIDS, is holding a couple fundraisers in Charlotte this week.

The first is on November 6th at 6pm at the Neighborhood Theater. The second is at Inner Peaks on the 7th.

Friday night November 6th join them at the Neighborhood Theatre for “A Taste in NoDa.” It’ll be a fun evening of music, food and wine tasting, and an auction (see items here). Restaurants from NoDa and surrounding areas are providing tastes for all to sample, local wineries will be handing out wine samples and local bands will provide entertainment.

It is $5 to enter the Theater (payable at the door or on the NT web site.) It is $1 per ticket to taste the samples. All proceeds will benefit children with AIDS, so come and have fun while making a difference!

Saturday, November 7^th the Inner Peaks Climbing Center will host “Climb Up So Kids Can Grow Up.” Climbing fees from anyone attending will go directly to help children with HIV/AIDS. This thrills me because this is my climbing gym. I’m proud of how Doug Cosby and his crew are giving their facility and their time to help out. To register for classes, please visit or call…

Inner Peaks Climbing Center

9535 Monroe Road, Suite 170

Charlotte, NC 28270

(704) 844-6677

If you want more detailed information about Tonya’s group, click here. You can get more info about Friday night in NoDa here and details about the climbing fundraiser here.

If you have the time, come on out. If not, click Tanya’s website and find out where you can send a check for a few dollars. Every penny you send matters.

Climb on… so they can live on… MR