Life can get very busy and as we go about our business we sometimes forget the people who have lives that are very different from ours due to illness and poverty. The oversight is not intentional. We simply do not have enough time to consider one more thing.

This past weekend I was reminded about people in Los Angles living with HIV/AIDS. Thanks to the Just Faith group of St. Mary Magdalen Church in Camarillo and the Serra Project, the realization that HIV/AIDS is real and still very much a part of the life of Los Angles became evident. According to AIDS Project Los Angeles, there are approximately 54,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Los Angeles County.

Just Faith, under the sponsorship of Catholic Charities USA in partnership with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development and Catholic Relief Services, is a program designed to expand parish commitment to social ministry. Participants spend 30 weeks studying Scripture and the social teachings of the Church through lecture, books, videos, discussion, retreats and acts of social ministry.

The idea is to educate individuals as advocates for the poor and seekers of justice. Typically, small groups of parishioners join the yearlong study and action group and as they are transformed through their study they are also transformed into a cohesive group --- a true small faith community. The participants in the current Just Faith process at St Mary Magdalen spoke of this connection as a wonderful benefit of their learning experience.

A few weeks ago this group decided they would like to reach out to the women and children living at one of the homes sponsored by the Serra Project, a nonprofit agency established by the L.A. Archdiocese and Catholic hospitals that provides safe, caring homes for people living with HIV/AIDS who would otherwise have no place to live. After it was decided that an Easter activity would be appropriate, the Just Faith group collected 60 Easter baskets (to be filled) and all the goodies needed to make them special.

The trip to Los Angles started early Saturday morning and (after a few wrong turns) arrived at Casa Madona, the group home run by the Serra Project specifically for women and their children who are living with HIV/AIDS. They were warmly welcomed and there was a genuine feeling of excitement and anticipation as the residents gathered to assemble Easter baskets.

The garage had been set up as a work area and everyone joined in an assembly line. Bags of candy, beautiful foil-wrapped chocolate bunnies and all 60 colorful baskets were set out. The first task was for each woman and child to make her/his own basket. It was wonderful to see the joy this simple joint endeavor brought to people who carry burdens most of us cannot imagine --- especially the children --- as they carefully picked out candy and arranged it among the plastic eggs and colorful Easter grass.

The end result: Easter baskets worth displaying in fine candy stores. Those for Casa Madona residents were wrapped in cellophane and carefully stored for Easter Sunday; the remainder of the baskets were filled and will be distributed to residents of the other two homes run by the Serra Project, Casa Long Beach and Casa Los Angeles, and to children in their CHOISS (pronounced choice) program. This program was developed for individuals (or their children) who have a confirmed diagnosis of symptomatic HIV or AIDS and are able to live on their own with the assistance of social workers who help them access public assistance benefits (food banks, clothing vouchers, parenting classes, educational opportunities and jobs).

My personal interest in HIV/AIDS started many years ago when my now-deceased brother was diagnosed with the deadly disease. He lived only three years from the time of his diagnosis. He was not homeless. He had good medical care and was surrounded by family and friends.

Today, due to medical advances and better understanding of HIV and AIDS many people survive for longer periods of time. However, if you are poor, do not have health insurance or are homeless or close to it, there is little you can do to help yourself. That is why agencies like the Serra Project are so appreciated and why the waiting list is so long for the Serra Project's services.

I nearly stayed home this past Saturday due to "busy-ness." Thanks to the inspiration of the St. Mary Magdalen Just Faith group and the Serra Project, I decided "busy" could wait.

For additional information, visit www.serraproject.org and www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/justfaith/.

Anne Hansen is a parent education consultant and a parishioner at Blessed Junípero Serra Church, Camarillo. Her e-mail address is familymail@aol.com.