To all WAIT friends and family:

As the first-ever WAIT Year of Service comes to a close, we can look back on just how many people we've spoken with; how many hearts we must have touched through the message we strive to give. It evidence enough just by how many people receive this newsletter every week. If we've been able to connect with this many people after one year, think of how many more will come with the coming year, because the next Year of Service is just beginning! We truly hope to find those who want to commit themselves to a year of learning, teaching, and working together with their brothers and sisters, so please, if you have anyone out of high school in mind who would like to participate, or if you would like to yourself, be sure to let us know. Thank you all so much for your continued interest in putting an end to AIDS!

Washington AIDS International Teens

WAIT teaches people of all ages, races, religions, and cultures about the science of HIV. We advocate getting tested, living abstinent until a lifetime partnership, and good health care for those infected. We teach through the performing arts and other talents and skills, including electronic media and communication. WAIT works with anyone wishing to stop to AIDS in their communities and across the globe.

The End and Beginning of the Year of Service

By Joshua Herstein

On Saturday, July 21, the DC WAIT team celebrated the coming conclusion of the first-ever Year of Service. The families of most of the trainees were in attendance, as well as many of the local WAIT members and youth who were visiting from Japan and who had an interest in WAIT. Kicking things off were a great bar-beque and potluck dinner, and a massive game of backyard volleyball.

After eating, we viewed the PowerPoint all the trainers had worked on explaining all of our accomplishments during the year. Sun Jae and Mie had also spent the last two days taping and editing and fun WAIT “mockumentary”, and we saw the fruits of their work as well: the first episode of “The WAIT Office”, detailing our frequent need for food and our many other eccentricities, which we all had a good laugh over.

The evening ended with each of the WAIT Year trainers giving testimony to what they had gained from their year of service, and each had something inspirational to add. We concluded with a song all together before cleaning up and saying good-night and saying good-night. Certainly it wasn’t the end of the year just yet, as we still have a number of trips left to go on, but it was a chance to all make one more great memory all together, as well as a mark of the beginning of the next year of service.

WAIT UK Uganda Report (July 4-17, 2007)

By Ikki Sato and Kathleen Moloney

Wednesday, 4th July
After 25 hours of travelling we landed in Uganda and were warmly welcomed by Reverend Isaac. After freshening up, we met for orientation. We had introductions and were meant to eat at 7pm but that didn’t really happen, (African time!) After food and a lot of sharing it was time for the WAIT team to catch up on their rest in preparation for the long days ahead of us!

Thursday, 5th July
After taking the whole morning for travelling to Peace House in Kampala, the UPF headquarters of Uganda, we were introduced and testimonies were given as an opening to the two day trainer’s workshop. The WAIT youth left to visit the zoo, an educational centre of Uganda. Uncle Marshall and Connie explained how the WAIT team is organised and gave a larger picture as to how the country of Uganda could create their own team. In the afternoon the team prepared for their first performance, which was to be after a marriage ceremony. We were asked to perform for the newly-married couples, and afterwards to attend their party.

To read the rest of this report, click here.

Performance in Columbus Circle, NYC

By Soin Alexander

The day that the New Jersey WAIT members performed in New York City turned out to be one of the most interesting experiences that we’ve ever had. Our performance took place at Columbus Circle of Central Park in front of a fountain. It was on a sunny, Saturday afternoon on June 23, and the park was packed and busy, but what else can you say about New York City?

When we first arrived, Eun Hwa Mouada declared we should start setting up. This has greatly proven that the members have started to take ownership for their responsibility. As we were getting started, we noticed that there were two other performances happening around us: a group of breakers called the Transformers were performing on the other side of the fountain, and a bunch of hip-hop rap singers were right next to us. Eun Hwa, going up to them with great determination, bravely asked the hip-hop dancers to move when they’re finished.

We began the performance with some uplifting acts such as the dance A Rose is Still a Rose, then the song Wait for Me, which was sung by Hanna Hendricks, Julie Owens, Eun Hwa Mouada, Sara Roghanian and Karina Carmichael. We then performed One Girl Revolution, Hero, and finally Beauty From Pain sung by Karin Carmichael. While not performing, the other NJ WAIT members went around handing out pamphlets and receiving donations. Although our sound system wasn’t so loud and was hard to hear, the audience enjoyed our performance and appreciated WAIT’s purpose. The final act was also a glorifying achievement; by inviting audience members of all ages and with different talents to come up, we were able to reach out to the people. We also should thank the Transformers who let us use their sound system for Rose is Still a Rose.

Afterwards, Mrs. Santiago invited the NJ WAIT team members to her house to party. We ate some yummy dinner and sang karaoke as we chatted away about our summer holiday.

Share your heart! Contact us on what you think!

E-mail: info@waitteam.org

Phone: (301) 577-1094

Address: 7752 Decatur Rd., Hyattsville, MD 20784