AIDS education

This was taken at one of the local churches. If you notice the white woman on the right that is Inez Hart.














Debbie, sitting next to me in the blue dress, is my partner in the HIV/AIDS education work. We work well together, we constantly keep each other laughing. She's quick to apprectiate the humor of a situation and has a huge heart.














Kennedy is our translator and a very important part of the team. I am thankful to be working with both of them. The HIV team includes 3 people--myself, Debbie and Kennedy

As I mentioned in my previous entry, I am now working as part of the community HIV/AIDS education team. This is a temporary change until January when the lady I am replacing returns from her holiday in S. Korea. So what does this new job entail? It means I am off the ship several nights during the week teaching about HIV/AIDS in the community. We are partnering with local churches and teaching on the issue of AIDS in 3 specific areas—education (awareness/prevention), caring and counseling; the goal is to train people within the local churches to be able to teach on the subject of AIDS in their community.

The issue of AIDS is so complex, and the economic and social implications of this devastating disease are overwhelming. In many African countries AIDS has affected the working population the most—the young people, the middle age adults. As a result, millions of children have been orphaned, elderly grandparents who have no income are struggling to care for their grandchildren, older children are assuming the role of a surrogate parent to their younger siblings, extended families who struggle to feed their own families trying to feed orphaned nieces and nephews, widowed women are forced to sell their bodies to provide food for their children. Governments are grappling with the challenge of how to begin to respond to such enormous social issues.

There is widespread public awareness of AIDS here in Ghana but there is much fear, stigma, and discrimination towards those infected with the virus. The prevalence of AIDS will continue to increase in the face of such silence and denial; and people will continue to die alone and isolated from society. I guess the mindset towards the issue of AIDS here in Ghana (within the church) is similar to what it is at home in the US—if people are infected with AIDS it is God’s judgment on them for the sexual sins they have committed. Oh my friends, we can’t just say this and walk away from the issue as if we aren’t called to love our neighbors. Our desire as the AIDS education team is to inspire the local churches, to encourage them with the message of hope: “you can make a radical difference in your community in the battle against AIDS through the power of Jesus Christ which dwells in you. And Christ is able to bring about change in peoples’ hearts!” The way in which a person has contracted the disease should be irrelevant to our response once they are infected. In my mind I try to make myself feel better about the high prevalence of AIDS in Africa by reasoning that so many people contract the virus because they are a victim of other peoples actions (rape, unfaithful spouse, etc), but that only reflects a pharisaical attitude in my own heart that demands a certain moral standard be met before I respond with compassion and love.

The last several weeks I have struggled with the Lord about the issue of AIDS. My heart cries out “Lord if you are completely sovereign why don’t you fix the brokenness of this world? It isn’t fair that children are growing up without their parents, that women who have been faithful to their husbands are being infected by the promiscuous behavior of their spouse! Lord this issue is too overwhelming, there is too much hurt. Lord what do you think about this? What is your heart on the issue of AIDS? What would you have us do that would make a lasting impact?” Again and Again I am being confronted with my own smallness and my inability to bring about change in anyone’s heart…BUT GOD…He can and will accomplish His purposes. I lack experience in the area of AIDS and I definitely feel inadequate to the task but I finally told the Lord the other day, “If you will supply the grace and the strength, I will move forward in what you have called me to do”. I go back to the fact that we live in a fallen, broken world and that the Lord has done something—he sent His son Jesus to reconcile this lost and hurting world. At times, I struggle with seeing the reality of grace amidst the pain of this world…

Pray
That the Lord would raise up leaders among the churches we are working with, people of vision.
That the Lord would stir hearts where the issue of HIV/AIDS is concerned.
That He would open hearts and minds to understand the information we are teaching
That Ghana would set an example for all of Africa in its response to AIDS
That the Lord would give us inspiration as we teach in the communities
That the spirit of fear and denial surrounding the issue of AIDS would be replaced by a spirit of boldness and love.