Abstracts from

"Challenges for the Church:

AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis"
ABSTRACTS: HI!AIDS

It is hoped that the reader will find the following
abstracts of the presentations and discussions both
reassuring and provocative: reassuring that the
Christian community is struggling (and triumphing) as
they meet the challenge of HIV/AI!" malaria" and #$
around the world" and yet provocative enough to
challenge the reader to not only reflect" but to become
personally engaged in the struggle with us% #he Abstracts
are arranged by topic (HIV/AI!" &alaria" #$" and
Cross'Cutting Issues)%
"lenar# $: The Challenge of AIDS to the Church, M# Stor# %Re&erend 'ideon B#amugisha, (ganda)
The challenge of HIV/AIDS is to everybody, but more so to those in the church. HIV/AIDS, TB, and
malaria are all reventable and manageable diseases. In !""# he faced death. Because of the
intervention of friends $ho considered his HIV/AIDS ministry imortant, he is alive today.
He tal%ed about three tyes of death& reventable, ostone'able, and irresistible or inevitable death.
The first t$o are not the $ill of (od as some li%e to say, and the third one is the only one that $e need
to reare to accet. He e)lained that the reason he stood before us in his vestments this morning&
astors reach in the church, leave to remove their vestments, come bac% to the church to ma%e the
announcement that there $ill be a meeting about AIDS later in the other building * not the church+. Is
it any $onder that no one comes,
(od has given us the information, resources, tools and s%ills necessary that $e can/$ill ma%e a
difference in fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB. -e haven.t used our full otential. The church has
additional resources that no one else has to $or% $ith in this fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and
TB& faith in (od. /ur hoe is that the 0hristian church $ill be vocal at the 1une 23(ASS meeting on
HIV/AIDS, and the otential of the church $ill be recogni4ed. 5inally, $e need to learn from each
other and to re'strategi4e.
"lenar# *a: The Disease Burden of AIDS, Malaria, and TB, and the Massi&e +ffort to Combat
Them %Dr, +lil Renganathan, -H.)
Burden of disease for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB is enormous. HIV/AIDS has become a
develoment issue because of its economic imact. These diseases disroortionately affect oor
eole. -e have the %no$ledge and resources to revent most infectious diseases. There is a move
to$ards scaling u the resonse no$ to address HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB because there is an
increased understanding that health is at the center of develoment success, and there is an increased
olitical $ill no$.
During the ast si) months there has been a call for the establishment of a global fund for AIDS and
Health. These should be ne$ funds, not 6ust a reallocation of e)isting funds, and they should be used
initially for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB. The fund also needs to be seen in a broader develoment
frame$or%. The (lobal 5und $ill be an alliance of artners. A small 7)ecutive Board, reresenting all
constituencies *develoing country and donor governments, foundations, cororate donors and other
rivate sector bodies, civil society and 3(/s, 23 agencies and Bretton -oods institutions+ $ill
initially establish the fund and the governance structure.
The guiding rincile of the efforts to scale u the resonse to these overty'lin%ed diseases $ill also
be to romote articiation of 3(/s and communities, recogni4ing that e)tended health services are
often missing, healthy behavior are often missing, and that effective interventions and global suort
for these interventions must be in lace. It is also recogni4ed that 5B/s are critical in the health care
of many develoing nations, and that they are a roven channel for effective health care delivery.
"lenar# *b: The (ni/ue Contribution Christian .rgani0ations Can Ma1e in Health in
De&elo2ing Countries %Dr, Carl Ta#lor, 3ohns Ho21ins)
8roblems in the ast associated $ith AIDS, malaria, and TB rograms& !+ To'do$n and run by
outside rograms, 9+ :Silver bullet: aroaches in $hich the reality of multicausality $as ignored, and
;+ :bluerint: imosition of rigidly imlemented rograms based on an effective aroach in one area.
-e are moving into the develoment of artnershis and more integrated aroaches. The fle)ibility
of 5B/ aroaches has been areciated. Solutions to these do$nfalls include romotion of
artnershis, community emo$erment, better suort of community health $or%ers, and loo%ing for
synergistic $ays to use successful aroaches to one roblem to loo% at other roblems.
<egarding community roles in artnershis& :comliance: becomes a contradictory term in the
evaluation of artnershis= financing is often contradictory $hen funders dictate $hat they $ill and
$on.t fund= revention often gets ushed aside once a cure is found, $e still need to focus on
revention. There are three tyes of artners& !+ Donors and government *to'do$n+= 9+ 0ommunity
*bottom'u+& to rovide a frame$or% for action that romotes o$nershi that leads to sustainability=
and ;+ 7)erts *outside'in+& to hel donors, governments, and communities to artner $ith 3(/s.
5B/s are esecially effective in this role.
"anel A$: Multi4sectoral A22roaches to HI!AIDS
In&entor# of Christian AIDS Acti&ities %Da&id 'ettle, Samaritan5s "urse)
The overall goal of the ro6ect is to identify the net$or% of 0hristian faith'based resonse to
HIV/AIDS. This information $ill be used to facilitate the mobili4ation of human and financial
resources and establish a cooerative movement to address HIV/AIDS through churches and other
0hristian institutions. At the time the resentation $as made there $ere !>?? entries in the database.
Micro46inance and HI4AIDS in Cambodia %7eal 8oung/uist, -orld Relief)
This ro6ect is a 23D8 funded initiative to build artnershis bet$een AIDS organi4ations and micro'
finance agencies and efforts. It rovides credit at affordable rices so that eole can $or% their $ay
out of overty. /ne challenge has been to hel the financial sector see HIV/AIDS as a ris% to
economic health and develoment. There are t$o artnershis at $or% $ithin this initiative& -orld
Vision and -orld <elief. Brief conclusions include that small HIV/AIDS efforts in the micro'finance
sector can yield significant results.
The +cumenical HI!AIDS Initiati&e %Doroth# Bre9ster4:ee, "resb#terian Health Ministries,
:ouis&ille)
The -orld 0ouncil of 0hurches. ne$ HIV/AIDS Initiative is no$ being established on the foundation
of t$o documents both generated at meetings called for by the All Africa 0ouncil of 0hurches& The
@amala Declaration and the Da%ar Declaration. The goals of the initiative are to combat denial, train
and build caacity, encourage south'to'south e)change of information, address stigma and barriers,
and advocacy and action in regional and continent settings. 5inally, it is imortant that the initiative be
an Africa led, not (eneva led ro6ect.
"anel A*: The Church "rotecting 8outh Against HI!AIDS
Mobili0ing and +/ui22ing Congregations to "rotect 8outh from AIDS, The R9anda +;2erience
%+mmanuel 7goga, -orld Relief!R9anda)
The rogram began as a result of the over$helming need for a coordinated effort in <$anda to
address HIV/AIDS. At the heart of the ro6ect is the mobili4ation of churches. (overnment officials
and 3(/s $ould be mobili4ed to areciate the otential of the churches and their uniAue role in
revention, suort and care. The %ey comonents of this initiative are eAuiing the church through
training in a$areness raising, counseling, home care, radio rograms, food distribution, information
dissemination, materials roduction, radio rograms, and $or%ing $ith youth. In addition, funds have
been made available to the churches for revention, suort and care ro6ects. 0hurches are no$ at the
front line of the battle $ith HIV, suorting and caring for eole living $ith HIV/AIDS.
Creating a Culture for Res2onsible Se;ualit# b# "romoting Abstinence, the True :o&e -aits
+;2erience in <en#a %Tom -atua, True :o&e -aits!<en#a)
The :True Bove -aits: rogram addresses the roblem of HIV infection among @enyan youth
through media, tal%s $ith youth and mini forums. 2sing analogies comaring :fire: and :se),:
rogram leaders e)lore the good and bad asects of these concets. The ro6ect includes activities
such as Vision Victories, Soccer Tournaments, 2nited Couth 8ioneers, -orld AIDS Day 0hastity
8ro6ect and case studies based on the e)erience of secondary school students. The ro6ect is no$ in
the rocess of establishing a resource and activity center.
Contribution of 6B.s to HI!AIDS: +&idence from (ganda and 3amaica %+d9ard 'reen,
S#nerg# "ro=ect, T&T Associates)
The vast ma6ority of HIV revention resources have gone to condom romotion, and more recently, to
the treatment of the treatable se)ually transmitted infections as $ell. 5e$ in ublic health circles really
believed'or even believe no$adays''that rograms romoting abstinence, fidelity or monogamy, or
even reduction in number of se)ual artners, have real imact on behavioral change. This aer
resents evidence of ositive imact on behavior resulting from the revention efforts of faith'based
organi4ations *5B/s+ in t$o countries that have e)erienced stabili4ation or decline of HIV infection
rates& 2ganda and 1amaica. 5rom this reliminary evidence it is concluded that 5B/s can have
significant imact in HIV revention, esecially among youth, $hen they ma%e sustained efforts to do
$hat they are already inclined to do, namely romote :fidelity,: *$hich can result in reduction in
number of se)ual artners+ and :abstinence: *$hich can result in delay of first se)ual e)erience
among youth+.
"anel A>: Treatment and Care for HI!AIDS Affected Indi&iduals
Christian Caring Through Hos2ice for the D#ing %I&# A22olis, St, 6rancis Hos2ice, "ort
+li0abeth, South Africa)
Ivy Aolis rovided a descrition of the Hosice rogram established in !"#? for the care and
suort of terminally ill atients and their families. It became one of seven hosice sites to ilot a
government funded integrated home based care rogram. The $or%ers trained became $age earners,
care roviders and valued members of the community. Several case histories $ere described. 0hurch
involvement began after church families became infected. Dembers resonded by volunteering for
training, develoing feeding schemes and allo$ing day cares to oerate in church facilities. 0hurch
continues to be challenged to sea% more oenly of family roblems, se)ual behavior, violence and
drug use.
Church4related Home Care: The Thailand +;2erience %3anet 'u#er, "C?(SA@)
The ro6ect began as an a$areness rogram for astors. It e)anded to rovide comassionate care
$ith the goal of :meeting needs as they found them, $here they found them.: A local church began a
day care rogram for AIDS infected children that $as suervised by an HIV ositive teacher. They
also started a clinic $ith a sliding fee scale and eer suort. 3o$ the rogram is suorting churches
$ith AIDS outreach for the infected and is moving to more community based care suort. They are
also beginning to address the needs of orhaned children as $ell as :older orhans: *grandarents of
victims+.
HI!AIDS Care and Su22ort: :essons from the (S %Re&, Robert Hensle#)
<everend Hensley described the involvement of AIDS related rograms $ithin the 7iscoal 0hurch
and secifically the formation, $ith hel from 2SAID, of the AIDS Interfaith 3et$or% *AI3+ in
Dallas, Te)as. AI3 develoed 0are team rograms that include a broad range of training for lay
volunteers and clergy, including self'care for volunteers. This articular ministry rovides an
oortunity for volunteers to engage at $hatever level they feel comfortable and encourages all
articiants from a variety of faith bac%grounds to :be $ho they are called to be.:
"anel AA: Caring for .r2hans and ulnerable Children
The Challenge of .r2hans Affected b# HI!AIDS %I#eme +fem, ":A7 International)
The resentation focused on the realities faced by children affected by HIV/AIDS $ithin their
communities. The %ey areas of intervention are !+ rotection of children.s rights, 9+ inheritance rights,
;+ rights to family health, E+ memory boo%s, and >+ suorting aging grandarents, and ?+ greater
community involvement $ithin the African 0onte)t. The session ended $ith the resentation of the
0ircle of Hoe Dodel for community interventions involving young children.
-or1ing 9ith Communities to Su22ort Children Affected b# HI!AIDS %Moses Dombo, -orld
ision! (ganda)
Doses Dombo $as sent to $or% in a district in 2ganda $here AIDS $as so ramant that he $as
constantly attending funerals. The rogram focuses on emo$ering children affected by HIV/AIDS
*orhans, those $ith infected arents and the one infected themselves+ and their households, to coe
$ith the challenges of the andemic and to stay safe. 8rogram activities include heling children to
stay in school for as long as is ossible, imroving health care services, and suorting households to
increase their food security and disosable income. Households are also assisted to imrove their
shelters and are rovided $ith counseling and siritual suort. The rogram also $or%ed to imrove
the social infrastructure and leadershi of communities.
"ersonal Challenges in Caring for AIDS .r2hans %Bisho2 3eremiah and Alice Mu1u, Methodist
Church! <en#a)
There are many ersonal challenges in caring for AIDS orhans. Africa has one of the highest
oulation gro$th rates annually in the $orld. !.> million eole have died leaving !.F million
orhans. 5or the church health is an integral art of ministry. In the bisho.s area they are caring for
9GG orhans. All members of the family are $or%ing to care for these children.
The (0umba .r2hans Trust in Bimbab9e %Sarla Chand, (nited Methodist Ch,)
The ambassador.s $ife organi4ed small grous $ith a astor. Through community leaders they
coordinated !> $or%ers to go home to home $here families are caring for orhans $ith assistance
from volunteers. They used income generation activities li%e a oultry farm and grinding mill to
suort orhans. A video $as sho$n to describe and illustrate the imact that the rogram is having
on the lives of children.
"anel AC: .&ercoming Religious .bstacles in 6ighting HI!AIDS
The African Church Confronting AIDS: An Assessment of "rogress and .bstacles %7icta
Ma1ii1a :ubaale, .rgani0ation of African Instituted Churches, <en#a)
7volution of the confrontation of AIDS *theologically+ in the African Indeendent 0hurches has
moved through several hases& from silence, confusion, fear, and condemnation *!"#>'!""G+= to
brea%ing the silence in early !""G.s $ith emhasis on education, training'of'trainers, and the
beginnings of revention and care, but no in'deth cultural analysis= to the late !""G.s $hen the
churches began to loo% at cultural ractices such as olygamy, $ife inheritance, and se)ual cleansing,
resulting in the churches ma%ing their first olicy document on HIV/AIDS= to the current situation
$here although the theological issues are still not clear, HIV/AIDS is being included in the rayers
and songs of the church. They are $or%ing to enable churches to go beyond sensiti4ation and to
develo concrete HIV/AIDS rograms and to thin% long'term. They are also $or%ing to enable the
churches to revie$ their theological ositions and develo :aroriate theologies: in HIV/AIDS
revention, care, and suort. .
Church4related As2ects of Denial and Stigmati0ation in India %Dr, 7,M, Samuel, India)
Dr. Samuel resented a case study about a young man $ho e)erienced stigma as a result of his HIV
ositive status. His girl friend re6ected him, thin%ing that he had been sleeing around. His church and
riest re6ected him by ublic announcing his status and denying him communion. 5amily and friends
heled him to discover that he became infected by an unscreened blood transfusion during an
oeration years ago. This made no difference to the e)'girlfriend or the riest. The young man has said
that he had been made to feel li%e 6un%. Dr. Samuel has been involved in seminars to train riests
about HIV/AIDS and ho$ to counsel $ith ersons living $ith HIV/AIDS .
Church4related .bstacles in Confronting HI!AIDS in Bimbab9e %Alec Musii9a, Bimbab9e
Association of Church Hos2itals)
In !"#> the first AIDS case $as reorted in Himbab$e. In !"#? the first doctor *an e)atriate+ to
sea% loudly about HIV/AIDS $as as%ed by the government to leave the country. In !""9 a astor
as%ed :is there really AIDS,: There has been a lac% of commitment by astors to become engaged in
the fight against HIV/AIDS. Tal%ing about AIDS *se) and human se)uality+ has been taboo in our
culture and in our church. The condom issue has been divisive. 0hurch doesn.t $ant :$illy'nilly:
distribution of condoms. Couth get the $rong message about the :safety: of condom use. The church
says they are not safe and give false hoe to the youth. There $as mention of some 3(/s telling their
donors of their good results, $hen it has been the result of the $or% of the church. 2rban AIDS
atients are going to the rural areas for home'based care and using u rural resources.
.&ercoming Resistance to "olic# 6ormation %Meredith :ong, -orld Relief)
Ho$ do $e mobili4e the church in a lace li%e @enya $here # of !G say that they.re 0hristian, 5irst,
the ro6ect team at DA8 International, built uon its credibility as a 0hristian organi4ation that shared
basic values $ith the articiants. They selected church reresentatives $ho $ere oen to change and
not already olari4ed in their vie$s. The meetings reflected both 0hristian $orshi''they $ere
unctuated $ith rayer and $orshi''and African values of community and relationshi. DA8.s
ro6ect team reorted on data collected from among churched young eole in @enya, in order to san
the boundaries bet$een community realities and the tendency of some church leaders to minimi4e its
imact in the church. The challenge is to lin% information $ith olicy issues. The ro6ect team
ermitted ambiguity on some issues such as condom distribution. The resenters taught accurately
about condoms but did not try to force a consensus $here there $as none. Inclusion of %ey medical
and clerical articiants has heled to correct certain misinformation about HIV/AIDS. 8articiant
church leaders have been able to commit to resulting olicy statements because they have heled to
develo them. -e resent scriture and as% the right Auestions at the right time.
Discussion "oints: Duch of the ensuing discussion centered on condom use and alternatives.
8articiants shared concerns about romoting oen dialogue about se) and condoms, about the safety
of condoms, about different church vie$s about condoms, about $hy $e focus on youth $ho are
se)ually active $hen $e need to focus on those $ho are not, about alternatives li%e :True Bove -aits:
rograms, and about $hat the local church is contributing to the rotection of their youth. Advocacy
for Anti'<etroviral theray is needed to imrove Auality of life. 8overty and other social issues must
be addressed.
"anel AD: "re2aring Church :eaders Theologicall# and "s#chologicall# to Become :eaders in
6ighting HI!AIDS
Mobili0ing and +/ui22ing Church :eaders in (ganda %Re&erend 'ideon B#amugisha, Anglican
Church, (ganda)
The church leaders in 2ganda have become active in fund raising to rovide care and suort to
families affected by HIV/AIDS, hold days of fasting and rayer, and are mobili4ed to sensiti4e eole
and rovide training. 0hristian church leaders need to be met $here they already have strengths, in
using the Bible, before training about research and statistics. Training involves values e)ercises and
ris% sessions to determine levels of value and ris% of leaders.
If HIV/AIDS is a roblem of youth, then it is a roblem of leaders because they should be according
to 8roverbs, :training children in the $ay they should go.: -e use different $eaons $hen ris% is far
*arro$'abstinence+, closer *sear+, and in the house *condoms+. Se) outside of marriage is sin, %illing
is a sin, safer se) is not safer sin. A condom does not mean the act is accetable outside of marriage.
"re2aring Clerg# through Seminar# Training %:ee .9en, MA" International)
DA8 International began its $or% on HIV/AIDS in !""E $ith the Association of 7vangelicals in
Africa *A7A+ and 7vangelical 5ello$shi 3et$or%, $hen it heled to assemble !>G articiants from
9# African nations $ith delegates from 3orth and South America, 7uroe and Asia at the All Africa
Church and AI! consultation in (ampala . DA8 then initiated a ro6ect& :Integrated Action Against
AIDS $ith @enyan 0hurches: $ith 2SAID funding through 5amily Health International.
/f ;!! @enyan astors and church leaders across denominations in urban and rural areas surveyed,
over ?GI had received no counseling or information on AIDS or STDs. 5orty'four ercent sa$ AIDS
as a curse from (od. 3early one'half of the resondents said their churches rarely or never discussed
AIDS, yet nearly three'Auarters of the astors and church leaders surveyed said they %ne$
congregation or community members $ho $ere infected. /ne in five said they %ne$ fello$ astors
and church leaders $ith the disease. 5ear of associating $ith :sinners: $as indicated as the reason
$hy astors felt that the churches $ere not resonding adeAuately to the eidemic, $hile !;.#I
maintained that AIDS $as not a roblem for the church to get involved.
In !""F, DA8, in artnershi $ith a select number of theological institutions in @enya, began the
develoment of a curriculum on HIV and AIDS targeting astoral and theological institutions,
develoed a series of eight curriculum modules, collectively called& : Choosing Hope: Curriculum
&odules for #heological and )astoral #raining Institution%* The modules address the biblical
foundations for an HIV/AIDS church ministry, facts about HIV transmission, advice on mobili4ing
church resources, information about home'based care, astoral counseling, influencing feelings and
attitudes on HIV/AIDS and se)uality as a $hole, and giving hoe to arents and youth for an AIDS'
free generation.
In early 9GGG, a re'test too% lace at St. 8aul.s 2nited Theological 0ollege in Bimuru. In 1une 9GGG,
DA8, in artnershi $ith the -orld 0ouncil of 0hurches and 23AIDS hosted a forum that attracted
academic deans, rincials, and reresentatives from 9G theological institutions from !E countries in
7ast and Southern Africa across denominational divides. The need for a cadre of facilitators, trained in
the use of the curriculum for future sustainability $as aarent along $ith the develoment of
:0hurch in AIDS: net$or%s. 3ine sub'Saharan countries are targeted.
Theological Reflections on :o&e, Health, Healing, Sin, 6orgi&eness, and Care %7,M, Samuel,
India)
This resentation illustrated the gas bet$een %no$ledge and love, care, and healing. An anonymous
survey $as conducted in India from $hich ?#I of resondents said that they thought HIV/AIDS $as
unishment for sin and F>I said that the church should not be used as a forum for se) education.
Training in theological institutions should include se) education, social and ethical teaching, and
sychology. The role of the church is to resect atients, to sho$ 0hrist.s love, to develo olicy on
HIV/AIDS, and to romote revention and care.
S2ecial :unch Session: Anti4retro&irals ?AR@ %Dr, Bob <ent, "roHealth International,
Baltimore, MD)
There $ere conflicting vie$s about imending availability of Anti'<etroviral *A<V+ theray. Dr.
@ent believes that it $ill be available in Africa by December 9GG! at J K;>G/yr. Dr. 0herian Thomas
*India+ says that India is ready to mar%et generic A<Vs that $ill be available soon in India. Dr.
Samuel reorted that testing of 0ombivir in rural Indian setting on $omen has done $ell out of an
3(/'run day care center. India is also using 3eviraine on regnant HIVL $omen $ith free testing.
Both are successful, but there is a need for constant counseling. The international community is
utting ressure on drug comanies to get rice do$n to around K!/day. Although A<V has been very
effective in urban Bra4il rogram, D. Bryden $asn.t as otimistic about the availability of A<Vs in
Africa by December 9GG!. He noted that the 2S government has not been favorable regarding generic
roduction. The 0hristian community has not been vocal in suort of A<V theray. The 2S
arguments against resonsibility to hel are $ea%.
S2ecial :unch Session: 6acts and 6igures from 7igeria %Ba#o .#ebade, Mashiah 6oundation,
3os, 7igeria)
The Dashia 5oundation is involved in ministry and care areas& counseling, free medical care for
ersons living $ith HIV/AIDS *8B-HAs+, educational rograms in schools on abstinence, home'
based care, and $ido$ emo$erment.
0ounseling of 8B-HAs or their souses hels them to live $ith the disease, to overcome stigma, and
ma%e decisions about the care of their children $hen they die. Because many of them have difficulty
staying emloyed and have used u their financial reserves, Dashia 5oundation rovides free medical
care and rovides free home'based care. Visitation of ro6ect $or%ers to the homes of 8B-HAs hels
them to see roblems first'hand. They are finding $ays to tal% about se) and se)uality $ith teens in
schools to revent HIV infections among youth. The $ido$ emo$erment includes training of
$ido$s/$ido$ers in small microenterrise s%ills and $ith small loans to get started.
In 3igeria a million children have been double'orhaned because of HIV/AIDS. <ural areas are
becoming :hiding laces: for those $ith AIDS. 5or this reason, AIDS ministries in rural areas need to
be intensified.
S2ecial :unch Session: Christian Information Resources on HI!AIDS, Malaria and TB
A small grou convened during the Saturday lunch brea% to discuss and share information on the
various inventories, databases and resource comilations on AIDS and other health challenges
currently under$ay.
.b=ecti&es of the arious +fforts include learning= sharing information= better telling our stories=
suorting community initiatives and learning= advocacy and enhanced visibility= the hugeness and
duration of the andemic calls for our suort in artnering / establishing artnershis= facilitating the
oeration of local focal oint ersons= lin%ing to donors= fostering South to South lin%ages= being in
touch and reaching out= recording and accessing $hat has been done ' monitoring and evaluating at
ro6ect level ' communicating results and imroving ro6ect, for inclusion in larger evaluations.
Christian Information Resources:
Samaritan.s 8urse maing of 9GGG 0hristian grous $or%ing on HIV/AIDS
00IH bibliograhy on $eb :HA<8: HIV/AIDS, Dalaria and TB <esources
-00 M-orld 0ouncil of 0hurchesN detailed inventory of all AIDS'related 5B/s in Africa
Interfaith Health 8rogram at 7mory 2niversity
00IH lans to develo a comendium of good/best ractices
0omrehensive Interfaith <esource 0enter currently being develoed by the 5uture.s (rou
International $ith funding from 2SAID, including email grous, listservs, ne$sletters, and lin%s
-orld Ban% conducting inventory of 5B/s in health'related $or%
-0<8 M-orld 0onference on <eligion and 8eaceN list of 5B/s in Africa concerned $ith
care to children affected by AIDS
5OB AIDS orhan assistance database *Boston+
23AIDS considering community inventory
I0AS/ MInternational 0ouncil of AIDS Service /rgani4ationsN e)tensive database that
includes 5B/s
Euestions Raised:
-here are these various lists, inventories and resources hosted,
Ho$ does one access the info $ithin them,
Ho$ does one contribute to them,
Ho$ is information consulted *%ey $ords/authors/ region or country, health toic+,
-hat is the level of detail available,
Ho$ are lin%s to other teams and sites established and managed,
-ho is the audience, -ho are the %no$n / e)ected users,
Seed and fluidity of the medium is an asset, sloiness can be tolerated. Ho$ever a need for
reflective %no$ledge is aarent after 9G years of AIDS, $ith the oortunity to roduce academic
$or% *such as doctoral theses+ $ith $orld relevance.
Highlights and Discussion of Christian Role and Future Directions in the Fight against AIDS
There is an unrecedented urgency for 0hristians to resond ositively and comassionately
to the current HIV/AIDS crisis, $ith a vision for a long'term, sustained resonse.
HIV/AIDS is ine)tricably intert$ined $ith human se)uality. Through the indiscriminate
ractice of se) outside of marriage, HIV is ta%ing advantage of one of the most beautiful (od'gifted
e)ressions of love that can be shared by t$o eole. The church.s uniAue Biblical ersective can
serve to both reserve the loving e)ression of human se)uality intended by (od and rotect human
relationshis from the destructive and divisive nature of HIV.
(od has called the 0hurch to various ministries through $hich $e e)ress His comassion
and love to$ards eole infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS. Ho$ever, 0hristian HIV/AIDS $or%
needs to become more collaborative, $hile resectfully allo$ing for theological differences bet$een
various denominations and 0hristian aid and develoment organi4ations.
The 0hurch has uniAue gifts&
a+ A (od that desires to have a ersonal relationshi $ith each of us through faith in
the life, death, and resurrection of 1esus 0hrist, His son.
b+ A $ritten guide''the Bible''for living according to (od.s $ill.
c+ A o$erful means by $hich 0hristians have direct access to (od''rayer.
0hristian HIV/AIDS $or% romotes oen, active, and on'going inter'faith dialogue
to collaboratively address HIV/AIDS revention, and romotes the develoment of
a rich variety of 0hristian resonses to HIV/AIDS.Dany churches have already
roduced reventive educational materials.
/n'going develoment of culturally sensitive, and develomentally aroriate 0hristian
educational materials on HIV/AIDS needs to be romoted, suorted, and sustained.
Some 0hristian organi4ations have informally shared their educational materials, research
findings, and ro6ect rofiles and evaluations, leaving others relatively ignorant of these ioneering
efforts. The 0hurch needs to develo $ays to net$or% and ma%e these resources available to the $ider
0hristian community and others.
The develoment of materials on human se)uality, HIV/AIDS, and biblical ersectives are
needed to eAui and train astors and church leaders to teach and model behavior that $ill rotect
eole from HIV infection.
The 0hurch needs to move on from $aiting for the :silver bullet:''a miraculous cure''to
a$areness that it can be instrumental in romoting behavioral changes that can revent HIV infection.
8roactive HIV/AIDS educational rograms need to emhasi4e that HIV is a reventable infection, and
that the 0hristian rinciles of abstinence before marriage and fidelity during marriage are the only
behaviors that are highly effective in reventing HIV infection.
0hurches, individuals, and 0hristian organi4ations disagree over the romotion of condom
use as an HIV reventive measure. The urgency of the current situation suercedes such arguments,
and calls the 0hurch to be actively engaged in other reventive and caring measures, no$, even as an
oen dialogue on condom usage continues.
Discrimination based on HIV status has no lace among 0hristians. 3ot only should
0hristians ta%e a ersonal stand against discrimination and stigma based on HIV status, but they
should also advocate for and romote olicies in the church and civil society that eliminate
discrimination and stigma.
/ur individual efforts to address issues that adversely affect ersons living $ith HIV/AIDS
*8B-HAs+ and lace eole at a greater ris% of HIV infection are often undermined by more globally
ervasive issues, such as overty and access to health care. The united voice of the church advocating
on behalf of 8B-HAs, $ido$s, orhans, and the oor, can often have a greater imact on government
and civil society institutions.
0hristians have a moral resonsibility to be good ste$ards of the gifts and resources that (od
has given or made available to the 0hurch for use in the fight against HIV/AIDS and for the care of
those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. The 0hurch has a record of good fiscal resonsibility and a
self'imosed mandate to use the resources for the most needy.
The church has a history of continuity and longevity in resonding to difficult situations,
often going $here other institutions $ill not and staying the course $hen others tire, droout, or shift
energies to other crises. The church has al$ays been concerned about having a sustained resonse, not
simly in self'suorting or sustainable ro6ects and rograms.