I held my breath as I followed Suresh into the ward of the women's HIV/AIDS hospital. Garbage and pools of dirty water lined the broken walkway leading to the entrance. Sorrow hung like a heavy cloud in the air all around us. Suresh and I were here to visit Pushba. To my surprise when we approached her bed I realized she was only about 17. She started talking to Suresh in Tamil and slowly tears streamed down her face as she struggled for breath enough to tell him about her failing health. I waited for Suresh to translate her words.
Pushba is an AIDS orphan herself. Both her parents have died and now she is all alone dying in an AIDS hospital, in some of the most deplorable conditions I've ever seen.
As I stretched my hand out and began to pray for my new friend, peace came like a light in...