Posted by Laura on August 22, 2003 at 04:07:38
On the http://fly..to/familymemorial site, there is a memorial to Maria Bauer (a/k/a Maggie) who I knew well and loved dearly.
I remember the day she told us, at an area shepherd's meeting, that her AIDS test had come back positive. We eventually guessed she had gotten AIDS by sharing with a new brother who had been into homosexuality before he joined.
It was shortly thereafter that the "no sharing with outsiders" rule came about Familywide. And we had to explain to everyone in our area (Puerto Rico) that there was a special rule just for our area (and we made up all kinds of reasons- high risk area, etc.- 'cause we were not allowed to say that Maggie had AIDS) why there was also to be no sharing whatsoever unless you were married for one year and until everyone had an AIDS test at the end of the year.
Maggie and her family went off to "pioneer" a Home on the other end of the island. Requests to join them or even visit them had to be turned down without giving the truth. Against counsel, one sister who I admired greatly continued to visit them regularly. Maggie fought about 5 or 6 years, as I recall, against the AIDS before passing away. She was a beautiful young woman, wonderful mother of 5, and this is one of those bittersweet memories that has me in tears. But seeing her photos on the site was wonderful.
-Laura