HIV and AIDS Challenges and the Church

Since the outbreak of HIV/AIDS, the average church leader’s work in the African continent has doubled; there are more sick people who need to be visited and prayed for; there are more grieved relatives who need to be visited and encouraged; and there are an increasing number of orphans who cannot be absorbed by their overburdened extended families and who need to be comforted, cared for, guided, loved and put in day care-centers. There are more desperate widows who are grieved and who may be impoverished by the sickness of their former husband or dispossessed by relatives, and who need counselling care and support. There are more grandparents grieved by the death of their children and burdened by care for their orphaned grand children. There are many who are dying and need to be prepared to die peacefully and with dignity; and there are many who are dead, who must be buried. There are millions of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) who are confronting enormous stigma, and who need counselling. Whole communities are lost in hopelessness, despair and fear, and must be brought to see and know God’s unfailing presence even at this tragic time. Lastly, there are the majority, who are not infected and who must be helped to stay safe.

One can go on outlining. The work is enormous. Of course, there are many other HIV/AIDS prayers; the governments, NGOs and the private sector all doing their parts in restoring healing to a broken people. Yet the church and its leaders, by virtue of their community centeredness, their close relationship with individuals and families, their value of holding each person as God’s person, and their role as servants of God, bearers of salvation and hope, have much expected from them. Much is laid at the feet of the church in the HIV/AIDS struggle. The challenge is in confronting the African church.

Silence and denial, or pointing a finger in blame and shame, are not helpful responses to HIV/AIDS. Christians are not only affected by the pandemic; many of us are also infected. The body of Christ is suffering from HIV/AIDS. As followers of Jesus, we have a duty to respond.

Many people claim to have no faith, and even we who believe in God and in the promises of Jesus find the existence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic a challenge. We don’t find any easy answers in the person of Jesus, but we do see one who himself was unfairly labelled and discriminated against. If we examine the life of Jesus, we find someone who suffered physically and emotionally. In Jesus, we can also find healing and strength. (Africa praying, Musa W. Dube; WCC,2004; Jack Messenger, Listening with Love, Pastoral Counselling, WCC, Geneva).

Church Leadership has facing the big challenge in mobilizing members to be involved in that struggle. From 2000, the Anglican Church in ANGOLA STARTED WOKING IN THAT AREA when the program was opened, supported by ALMA and then by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Since there Christians were called to fight against stigma, discrimination and to mobilize all members of church for change. So it was not easy to do because of the difference of tradition, culture and understanding about HIV and AIDS. But in spite of all those problems, many people accepted the challenge and since that something has been done.

Today it is not problem in the parishes speaking about HIV and AIDS. People know that is not a punishment from God but yes it is a disease like malaria, TB, leprosy and so on. But other challenge is how to accept doing test, as the prevalence rate says that 2.1% of Angolan People are infected. To be sure of that rate, the church together become and created the NGO called REDE ESPERANÇA.

With this the churches have a great opportunity for testing people as the Government gave two mobile clinics to serve the faith community.

This Thursday 25 February the Anglican Bishop André Soares went to be tested with other 15 spouses of priests and deacons based in Luanda, after there was a workshop held in the Church of St. Joseph in Rocha Pinto, about HIV and AIDS. The clergy spouses have had the challenge to organize their local churches or parishes for the next step.

Please see some pictures taken during the event for your appreciation and Prayer. Many thanks go to ICCO who has granted this project and our call is that the Anglican Diocese of Angola need more grant for HIV and AIDS for transforming the human dignity and supporting those who are living with HIV.