College students serve HIV/AIDS patients, learn compassion

Photo courtesy of Carla Mendez

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Father Peter Do (back right) and college students from Westminster College, the University of Utah and Salt Lake Community College spend their spring break caring for others.

SALT LAKE CITY — This year college students from the University of Utah, Westminster College, Salt Lake Community College accompanied Dominican Father Peter Do, associate pastor of Saint Catherine of Siena Parish and Newman Center, spent their spring break serving those who are HIV positive at a Dominican-run center in Las Vegas March 20-26.

The center is one of three started by Victory Father Joseph O’Brien in the Las Vegas area; a fourth is in Laughlin. They serve people of all faiths who are infected with HIV/AIDS and provide spiritual, physical and emotional support as well as educational and social services.

"We had such a great trip last year that we decided to go back again this year," said Carla Zilaff, Newman Center campus minister. "There was a lot of work for us to do such as bagging groceries, loading and unloading trucks, and painting the center. We were at the main campus in Henderson and helped in the food pantry. The clients have to prove with a doctor’s note or test results that they are HIV positive in order to shop for free once a week for themselves and their families."

Zilaff said the volunteers bag their groceries, which allows them a sense of dignity. The amount of food they receive depends on the size of their household. They can come in every day for as much bread as they want. They also can come for clothing, new underwear and new socks.

"The first day we had an introduction and learned that about half the staff is HIV positive," Zilaff said. "They told their stories, what the disease means to them and how it affects their daily lives, which made us feel more comfortable to ask questions during the week. We asked questions about the difference between being HIV positive and having AIDS, about medications and a predicted life span.

"HIV is an uncomfortable and scary disease, but being around the clients made it very human and less scary, although we would not want to have it," said Zilaff. "We saw them as great people who happen to have the disease. It was fun and an incredible experience."

Karla Mendez said the trip was a great experience because she got to see the world in a different perspective. "I’ve never worked with HIV people before, and seeing them with all their problems, made me feel so blessed just to be there," she said. "I really want to work with them and help them."

Mendez is studying biology at Salt Lake Community College but said she now wants to go into neuroscience to try to help AIDS patients.

"I could see the difference between someone who is just starting the disease and someone who is more advanced in the disease," said Mendez. "Some of them could not carry their own bags, so I helped them. There were many Hispanic people who had the disease," she said. "I am from El Salvador, so it was great for me to talk with them in Spanish."

Mendez said she knew she was helping these people for a good reason. "I could see their pain and their suffering, and knew that some of them were alone without the support of their families," said Mendez. "I learned a lot about HIV and I want to learn more about how the disease affects them. I also take psychology and it makes sense to me why some of them might be angry with the disease or why they have differing moods. All I can do now is pray for them and ask God to help them."