The House of Moses

Shelle Schwamberger
Medical College of Georgia, MS1

Ruth HIV infects approximately 25% of the population in Lusaka, Zambia, which leaves no one's life untouched by the disease. Ruth was our full-time housekeeper in Lusaka, a study member in the HIV research project where we worked, and a friend. Always kind, cheerful and hardworking, it was heartbreaking to see Ruth's health deteriorate as she developed AIDS. Her suffering and death brought the HIV pandemic into my home and personal life for the first time, impacting my life forever.

House of Moses Playtime The AIDS epidemic in Africa has left millions of orphans behind. The House of Moses was one of many orphanages in Lusaka with children starving for love and attention. There simply aren't enough caretakers to satisfy all of the children's longings for the human touch.

Bath time at the House of Moses At no time in the orphanage was the lack of caretakers more obvious than during bath time. All of the babies were lined up on the floor to be undressed, bathed, dried and redressed in an assembly line fashion. Many times undressing the babies tragically revealed nothing but skin and bones, suggesting that the HIV virus was already manifesting itself in these innocent children.