Over the past three years, I have had the privilege of leading this remarkable community in an endeavour that has just succeeded at raising $1 million — funds that will keep 17,000 people alive in 2009 at the Tsepong HIV/AIDS clinic in Lesotho, Africa.

I expected to take a moment this Christmas season and enjoy the victory, the accomplishment, maybe relax a little and appreciate how tremendous a feat this was, but the wisdom and knowledge that myself and my team have gained have taken away some of our naiveté, some of our joy.

We have learned that the world is a very difficult and troubled place. We have witnessed unimaginable suffering and we have been seasoned by the tenacious almost herculean persistence and determination that is required of us as we continue to struggle against one of the world’s largest and most daunting crises: the AIDS pandemic.

We have been humbled.

At the annual general meeting of the Masai for Africa board this month, we raised a glass to our successes, rejoiced for those whose lives our efforts will sustain and then humbly — and respectfully — mourned the thousands upon thousands of young lives that have already been lost and will be lost in 2009. Five million to be exact.

Guelph can be proud, very proud. The entire community heard the call to create a better world for those suffering the devastation of the AIDS pandemic half a world away.

Citizens from every church, every school, our university, every service club and every business stood up and became part of this compassionate revolution.

People of all ages across this city took part, all wearing red and white click here.