She was just skin and bones. Her body lay motionless on the clean white bed. Her arms tucked close to her, as if she was hugging herself. She shook a little, but not much. Her face was completely hallowed out. All the color was gone from her checks. And her eyes. I will never forget those eyes. Big and bugged out. The look in her eyes said it all. They just kept moving back and forth. Trying to look for something. Anything. She had a look of utter horror. A look I had never seen. A look that most of us have never seen.

I came to see her while visiting an AIDS hospice as part of my service work for Marquette's new service learning program in South Africa. This unknown woman is just one of a 1,000 people that die each day of AIDS in South Africa.

I talk with people daily about how HIV/AIDS has affected their lives. I learn how so many of the people who are sick can't afford the medicine to keep them alive. And I have met many who have AIDS but have no where to go. They are living and dying on the streets. But the spirit of these same people, dealing with this enormous devastation is amazing. They do not wallow in depression or self pity. They fight with every fiber of their being. They take life day by day, trying to survive and fight for themselves and others.

HIV/AIDS affects everyone. No matter who you are. No matter if you live in Africa or at Marquette. Last year Wisconsin saw a 16 percent rise in new HIV infections and 99 percent of those infections came from Milwaukee. HIV/AIDS is everywhere. That is why it was so important that "The Road to Hope Tour" came to Marquette. It gave students an opportunity to hear from people living with HIV/AIDS and the issues that they face daily.

AIDS has ravaged the world now for twenty five years and it shows no signs of stopping. In fact it only seems to be getting worse. I am reminded everyday of the experiences I have had with those living and dying of this unbelievable disease. Whether they live in Africa or in the next dorm room over and I can't help but wonder when will we, the world's future citizens, say no more.

We have to want and believe we can save people from this horrific destiny. We have to make it more then just an issue for Africans, liberals, gays, African Americans or the urban poor. It needs to be on everyone's mind. It is a human issue. To ignore this devastation robs us of our own human spirit. And if we don't have that, then what have we?

We must not look away from these faces anymore. We must meet this crisis with the courage, compassion and determination they have shown me.

Once we do that we will all be the faces of AIDS.

Frank McAlpin is a junior education major and studying in South Africa this semester.

This viewpoint appeared in The Marquette Tribune on May 5 2005.