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Right Reading for RVers Revisited – view two related posts on this blog on this issue.

This is my favorite poem about the holiday season.  It epitomizes the sacrifice that each soldier, male or female, makes every day of the year.  Whether there is a war or not, these gentle warriors willingly live apart from their loved ones in less than optimum conditions.  These brave soldiers live like this so that you and I may remain free.

Santa Claus and the Soldier

T’was the night before Christmas,

• He lived all alone,
• In a one bedroom house, made of plaster and stone.
• I had come down the chimney, with presents to give,
• And to see just who, in this home, did live.

I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,

• No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
• No stocking by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
• On the wall hung some pictures of far distant lands.
• With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,

A sober thought, came through my mind.

• For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,
• I found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.
• The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
• Curled up on the floor, in this one bedroom home.”

The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,

• Not how I had pictured an American soldier.
• Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
• Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?
• I realized the families, that I saw this night,

Owed their lives to these soldiers,

• Who were willing to fight.
• Soon round the world, the children would play,
• And grownups would celebrate, a bright Christmas day.
• They all enjoyed freedom, each month of the year,

Because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

• I couldn’t help wonder, how many lay alone,
• In a cold Christmas eve, in a land far from home.
• The very thought brought, a tear to my eye,
• I dropped to my knees, and started to cry.

The soldier awakened, and i heard a rough voice,

• “Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice;
• I fight for freedom, i don’t ask for more,
• My life is my god, my country, my corps.”
• The soldier rolled over, and drifted to sleep,

I couldn’t control it, i continued to weep.

• I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,
• And we both shivered, from the cold night’s chill.
• I didn’t want to leave, on that cold, dark, night,
• This guardian of honour, so willing to fight.

When the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,

• Whispered, “Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas Day & all is secure.
• “One look at my watch, and I knew he was right.
• Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night.

Heroes at Home Wish Registry

Sears Heroes at Home registry was started to help service families keep close together in spirit even if they are separated by 1000s of miles.  Visit the website and read the wish lists of many soldiers and their families.  No one asks for anything exotic like a Mercedes Benz or a Recreational Vehicle.  No, there are wishes for necessary items, such as baby safety seats, clothing, shoes, dishes, cookware, sheets and bedding, small electrical appliances, coats and boots.  Of course, there are wishes for Wiis, Play stations, dolls, bikes, doll houses, train sets and cameras.  But then, what would Christmas be without children and toys?

I hope you feel called to help this worthy cause. You may donate any amount to the Heroes at Home Wish Registry online.  The donations are not tax deductible because your money will be used to purchase gift cards that will be distributed equally to all the Heroes at Home.

If you cannot afford to give money, please take a moment to leave a message of support for our Heroes on the website.  You may also email your friends about specific families in your state.  Make sure you spread the word about the Heroes at Home Wish Registry

Just because Christmas Day is over, does not mean the need has lessened or the joy of giving has diminished in any way.

This post on AIDS/HIV is made in support of Bloggers Unite. On December 1, 2008, bloggers from around the world are uniting for World AIDS Day 2008. Why? To help raise awareness about the 33 million people in the world who are living with HIV. In the United States, an estimated one million Americans are living with HIV.

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When I was growing up, the danger of unprotected sex was pregnancy or perhaps a nasty STD or Herpes. Intravenous drug use put you in danger of overdose, adulterated drugs or Hepatitis.
Today, you can contract HIV from one risky sexual encounter or one needle sharing incident.
Make sure you, your children and grandchildren know the dangers and protect themselves.
Also, ensure that they are educated about HIV/AIDS so they do not hold outdated ideas that could harm them or cause them to isolate friends and family that are infected.

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What is HIV/AIDS?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).  Unlike most viruses, HIV attacks the human immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infection and is severely compromised by HIV. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-retroviral therapies can dramatically slow the destruction of a person’s immune system and the onset of AIDS.

AIDS is the final stage of the HIV virus, where the immune system is compromised, multiple systemic infections exist and T cells are almost non-existent. T cells belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, which are crucial to the normal function of the human immune system.

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The Past

Being diagnosed with AIDS used to be an automatic death sentence; a painful, lingering death.  Many people died from AIDS without ever having a diagnosis of HIV first.

The Present

With access to treatment, people live for years with HIV without developing AIDS.

The Future

With research, hopefully a cure will be found for HIV/AIDS.  Hopefully we will share this cure with countries whose populations are being decimated by AIDS.

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Facts From aids.gov

HIV can be found in body fluids, including:

• blood
• semen
• vaginal fluids
• breast milk
• some body fluids sometimes handled by health-care workers (fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord, bone joints, and around an unborn baby)

HIV is passed from one person to another by:

• having sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) with a person who has HIV
• sharing needles with a drug user who has HIV
• during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding if a mother has HIV
• getting a blood transfusion from a person with HIV

Abstaining from (not having) sex is the most effective way to prevent HIV transmission. There are several ways to protect yourself or to prevent transmitting HIV during vaginal, oral, or anal sex if you choose to have sex:

• Get tested for HIV and know the HIV status of yourself and your partner
• Be faithful to your sexual partner
• Use condoms or other latex barriers during vaginal, oral, and anal sex, and never reuse condoms or latex barriers

HIV cannot be transmitted by casual contact. Here are the facts:

• You cannot get HIV from shaking hands or hugging a person with HIV/AIDS
• You cannot get HIV from using a public telephone, drinking fountain, restroom, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, or hot tub
• You cannot get HIV from sharing a drink
• You cannot get HIV from being coughed or sneezed on by a person with HIV/AIDS
• You cannot get HIV from giving blood
• You cannot get HIV from a mosquito bite

Transmission of HIV while getting a tattoo or through a body piercing is possible, but it can be prevented through:

• Single-use instruments intended to penetrate the skin being used only once, then disposed of
• Reusable instruments or devices that penetrate the skin and/or contact a client’s blood should be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized between clients according to medical guidelines

These guidelines are the same as those practiced within any medical facility where there is a risk of instruments coming into contact with blood.

On December 1, 2008, bloggers from around the world will unite for World AIDS Day 2008. Worldwide an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV. In the United States, an estimated one million Americans are living with HIV. Please return on December 1, 2009 to read my post on AIDS/HIV. For more information on this blog event, please visit Bloggers Unite.

About 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes, according to the United Nations. This is one person every three and a half seconds. Unfortunately, it is children who die most often.

Yet there is plenty of food in the world for everyone. The problem is that hungry people are trapped in severe poverty. They lack the money to buy enough food to nourish themselves. Being constantly malnourished, they become weaker and often sick. This makes them increasingly less able to work, which then makes them even poorer and hungrier. This downward spiral often continues until death for them and their families.

There are effective programs to break this spiral. For adults, there are “food for work” programs where the adults are paid with food to build schools, dig wells, make roads, and so on. This both nourishes them and builds infrastructure to end the poverty. For children, there are “food for education” programs where the children are provided with food when they attend school. Their education will help them to escape from hunger and global poverty.

Hunger and World Poverty Sources: United Nations World Food Program (WFP), Oxfam, UNICEF.