it just got personal

I just heard
a friend tested HIV positive
I was just about to write "a friend has AIDS"
but I guess it's not the same thing
I know it is not
shows how little I'm really connected to these diseases
how far away I've been
it's all been limited "head knowledge"
but that is about to change

a weird situation
I know before the patient
and before his wife
am part of the discussion about how to tell them
but what do I know?

HIV positive 
I wonder what this will mean
for him
for his family
for the church
I wonder how he got it
how long he's had it
they will be wondering and asking all these questions
hopefully the doctor will tell them
with lots of answers
and lots of compassion

how many people will they tell
how will others react

what a blow
their lives will be forever changed

Lord have mercy
Christ have mercy

update:  An initial test looked positive, another turned up negative, waiting for the official results from the disease control centre.