AIDS Village Experience

Menlo Park Presbyterian Church: 950 Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025
October 2 - October 7 2006: One hour sessions Monday - Friday

Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri - 9am-11am, 1am-3pm, 7pm-9pm
Thurs - 7pm-9pm
Sat 9am-11am

Purpose

• Raise awareness and education about the global HIV/AIDS crisis
• Give insight into the lives of others around the world
• Personalize statistics and facts that tend to be daunting
• Respond to the global crises in a meaningful and personal way

What it is

The AIDS Village Experience is a free interactive exhibit (watch preview video) designed to lead participants through the true stories of two African children living in villages that have been affected by HIV/AIDS. Over the course of the week, MPPC hopes to host 1,000 participants from within MPPC, other Bay Area churches, local schools, and the community in general. Churches are encouraged to send parishioners and leaders to the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church campus to partake in the hour long exhibit and engage in the wider campaigns for HIV/AIDS awareness and action in the Bay Area. Schools are encouraged to send Health, Social Studies, World Studies, Science (biology), and other courses to the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church campus to partake in the hour long exhibit.

The initial entry into the experience will involve a Pre-Brief session to introduce the issue of global HIV/AIDS. Using videos, posters, photos, statistics, and stories, participants will begin to understand the facts about HIV/AIDS and how the epidemic has affected both the US and the Global communities.

Participants will move from the Pre-Brief area into the "AIDS Village Experience" - a large hut amphitheatre filled with artifacts, photos, benches, and a dirt floor. Once participants are seated the multi media presentation will begin. The 12 minute presentation will open the door to a new perspective on how HIV/AIDS myths and facts reshape the life of an individual.

Following the presentation, participants will be invited to step out of the hut and re-engage with the reality of their lives as residents of the Bay Area. In order to assist the process of integrating one reality into another, a reflection wall with thoughts from other individuals as well as blank paper and pens will be provided for personal thoughts. Additionally, discussion questions and areas for group and personal involvement will be provided.

Other opportunities will be available for both individuals and groups to take action to respond to the crisis in a meaningful way: On December 1st - International World AIDS Day - individuals or groups have the option to sign up to sponsor and built Caregiver Kits. A Caregiver Kit is a resource created by World Vision to supply their Caregivers on the ground with basic medical supplies to serve members of their communities living in the last stages of AIDS. Caregiver Kits cost approximately $16 per unit and include: towels, cotton balls, anti-fungal cream, Vaseline, a flashlight, batteries, pens, paper, latex gloves, and soap. Participants/Organizers may sign up for an hour and half long kit-build on Friday December 1st or Saturday December 2nd.

When and Where

Menlo Park Presbyterian Church: 950 Santa Cruz Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025
October 2 - October 7 2006: One hour sessions Monday - Friday

How to sign up or for more information

Contact Eliza Kienitz, 650.575.7795 or eliza@realizeaids.org

Image from World Vision