It’s a Matter of Faith

The facts are overwhelming and incomprehensible. Every 18 seconds, someone will die of AIDS. During the course of this service, almost 300 people will die. It’s been almost 25 years now since the first case of HIV/AIDS was diagnosed, and it is found in almost every country and every community in the whole world. There are now over 44 million people who are living with the HIV virus in their bodies.

There is no country, no culture, no religion, and no ethnic group that is spared this deadly disease. The number of HIV infections is growing rapidly in India, China, Indonesia, Central America, and countries of the former Soviet Union. There is an alarming rise in the rate of new infections in the United States, as a new generation of young people is not aware of AIDS, or believes it is not deadly.

The hardest hit part of the world however is sub-Saharan Africa. 60% of all the people in the world with AIDS are in southern Africa, a region with only 10% of the world’s population. AIDS in Africa is burning through communities like a raging fire, destroying a whole generation of young people and adults that can never be replaced. AIDS is killing teachers, doctors, leaders of all kinds and places, fathers and mothers, leaving millions of orphans in every country across the continent.

It was once thought that AIDS was only a disease of homosexual men and intravenous drug users. But now we know that AIDS affects everyone and can infect anyone. The overwhelming majority of the transmissions are between heterosexual men and women. In Africa, women make up over 60% of the cases of AIDS.

Let us be clear: AIDS is spread by sexual intercourse or the exchange of any bodily fluid in intimate contact. It does not matter if you are a man or women, gay or straight, old or young. AIDS can be spread from an infected mother to her children as they are born or in her milk as she breastfeeds. There are important steps that can be taken to minimize such transmission, but it remains a risk. AIDS can be spread through sharing needles with an infected person. In a small percentage of cases, AIDS can be spread to health care workers through accidental needle sticks or blood and fluid splashes. Doctors, nurses, and other health care workers must take special precautions.

Touching someone with AIDS does not spread AIDS. Hugging someone with AIDS does not spread it. Living with someone with the infection does not spread AIDS.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus told us the story of the Good Samaritan. A man traveling between cities was set on by thieves, beaten severely and left to die. A priest passed by, saw the man hurt and injured, but did not stop to help. A Levite, a leader in the religion, passed by but also failed to stop and help. Then a Samaritan came by and immediately came to the man’s aid, bound up his wounds, put him on his donkey, carried him to the next town and paid for his care. “Love your neighbor as yourself” says Jesus, and then he asks, “Who is the neighbor in this story? The one who stopped and gave help to one in need.” Who is our neighbor in the crisis of AIDS?

The truth is that we all have been affected by the AIDS epidemic. We all know someone who has died because of the HIV infection. I have no doubt that there are HIV positive people here today. They may have been diagnosed or they may be unaware that they have the virus. We all have lost someone we know. SSPC has lost members. You have lost friends, family members, neighbors, and co-workers. How many times have we received the call saying that someone has died and when we ask about the cause of death, there is no answer? Or when the immediate cause of death (a cold, an infection, a rash) seems an unlikely cause of death for someone 24 years old? Hiding the real cause of the death only serves to continue the spread of the virus. It protects no one and leads to more suffering and death.

As Christians we must all step forward and fight the AIDS epidemic – out of love for our sisters and brothers who already have the virus or who may contract this disease, out of love for all the children left without parents who may still die themselves or suffer hunger and deprivation without support, and out of love for future children and community that will never be because of the firestorm of this disease. We must lead in the education of our friends, our family, our children about the causes and effect of HIV/AIDS. You must talk to your husband, your wife, your brothers, your sisters, your parents, and friends about AIDS. Don’t be afraid. Don’t think it is not your business to talk about what they do with their bodies and whom they do it with. It is your business. It is a matter of life and death. Their life, their death. It may be your life, your death.

We must teach the ABC’s of AIDS prevention. It works and it is right. “A” is for abstinence, refraining from engaging in sexual relations until you are married or committed to a partner in a permanent, monogamous relationship. If you don’t do it, you can’t get it. “B” is for behavioral change, being faithful to your spouse, your husband, your wife, your life partner. That means a commitment to one person—no side affairs, no girlfriends or boyfriends on the side, and no one-night stands. This is right, it works, and it is faithful living. And “C” is for condoms. Using condoms is the only way to engage in sexual relations and be secure that you are protected. They are not 100% effective, but they are close to that.

The Presbyterian Church (USA) has made the fight against AIDS one of its highest mission priorities in national and global mission work. We work with our partner churches around the world to support their education, treatment and relief for those affected by AIDS. We are working with the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon directly on AIDS education and relief. Rev. Nyansako-ni-Nku, the moderator of the PCC who visited with us in September, has made AIDS education a part of every program and function in the church. CWF, CMF, Christian Youth all talk about AIDS prevention and relief in their programs.

The young women’s name is Precious. She is 20 years old and she lives in southern Africa. Her parents died of AIDS and she is now caring for five younger brothers and sisters, as well as a niece and nephew whose parents also died of AIDS. It is a heavy burden for a young person. But with help from the church and a community-based orphan program, she is not alone. The younger children are receiving day care and food assistance in a town center. She is receiving help and resources for food, school fees for the older children.

Owen is a 44 year-old father of seven in Malawi. His wife died of AIDS in 2000. He is also HIV positive. He is thin and too weak to work. He depends on home-based care of volunteers to help with everyday life and to care for his family. There are thousands of Christians across Africa who serve AIDS patients as home-based care volunteers. They administer pain medications, change bandages, apply ointments, clean houses, gather firewood, and cook meals. They are the good Samaritans. There are thousands more volunteers needed.

There are church groups in many places working every day, promoting prevention, holding the hands of dying, and caring for those left behind. We believe that behavior can be changed because the gospel can change hearts. We call people to responsible sexual behavior not just to avoid disease, but also to urge everyone toward faithful living. Hearts changed by the gospel of Jesus Christ extend welcome and acceptance to those with AIDS, people who are often stigmatized. Hearts changed by the gospel raise the status of women who are often trapped in relationships without choice and life of poverty.

The fight against HIV/AIDS is about much more than distributing anti-retroviral drugs and condoms. It is about delivering hope. Hope rooted in Jesus Christ. Hope arrives with a pastor who rides a bicycle to visit a dying patient. It comes with a home-based care volunteer carrying a backpack full of bandages. It comes with a teacher who leads Bible Studies that promote faithfulness and proclaim God’s care. Bicycles, backpacks, and Bibles Studies . . . unlikely but powerful tools in the fight against AIDS.

Fighting AIDS, here in the USA, around the world, is a matter of life and death. It’s a matter of faith.

[Parts summarized and excerpted from It’s a Matter of Faith, PDS#74330-05-001]