"To be honest, I don't think I comprehend the dimensions of havoc, disruption, discontinuity. . . . We say it disrupts the social fabric but we don't go deep enought to say what this means. It will be a different society." These words are from Nelson Mandela's wife, Graca and quoted in Twenty Eight Stories of AIDS in Africa. Mrs. Mandela went on, " . . . the grandparents have to fill the void, have to try to connect the chain of knowledge, experience, values, that goes from one generation to another--when you jump a generation, there is a void and you can't fill it."

Graca Mandela's accents the importance of the work Fabulous African Fabrics and groups like ours are making in Africa today.

Stephanie Nolen's book cited above has given me a lot to think about in the last week as I read the stories of AIDS impact. Be looking for more from this beautifully written book with its broad window to the struggle that is AIDS in Africa. And read Twenty Eight Stories of AIDS in Africa for yourself if you can.

Laura Salazar, FAF Executive Director