The November St. Thomas Newsletter contained an article concerning the challenges posed to Christians by the worsening HIV/AIDS pandemic. This pandemic has already become one of humanity's worst disease problems. Statistics compiled by UNAIDS are appalling: approximately 40 million people around the world are living with HIV or AIDS; 4.8 million individuals became newly infected with HIV and 2.9 million people died from AIDS in 2003. Most of this human devastation and suffering is occurring in the developing world, especially sub-Saharan Africa.
The scale of the pandemic, and the extent of the societal dislocation and human suffering it causes, are nearly overwhelming when considered from the perspective of one individual or one parish. The article in the St. Thomas Newsletter indicated that the response to this pandemic has to mirror how disease epidemics spread-through individual acts that seem insignificant on their own until they are aggregated together. The article argued that progress was possible through a "P3 strategy": prayer—as individuals and a congregation; politics—engaging political leaders to ensure this plague is addressed; and pockets—financial contributions to organizations battling to save lives and reduce suffering.
December 1 is World AIDS Day. As this date approaches, worshippers at St. Thomas can practice P3 as their contribution to coming to terms with the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Below information and other sources of information are provided on ways to use the P3 strategy.
Prayer is the channel to God's grace, and the form prayers for those suffering from or vulnerable to the ravages of HIV/AIDS take matters less than beseeching God for help in confronting the pandemic and comforting those affected. Those infected with HIV, those living with AIDS, those working day-in and day-out with persons living with HIV or AIDS, children orphaned by AIDS, and scientists searching for a safe and effective vaccine deserve prayer attention.
Below are three prayers offered to Christians by the organization Christian Aid:
Loving God,
As we hold before you a world confronted by AIDS,
we pray in hope for your will to prevail:
Where lives are short,
may they yet be full.
When a cure is far off,
may there yet be healing.
Where bodies are weak,
may spirits yet be strong.
When silence is destructive,
may there yet be courage to speak out.
Where judgements are hasty,
may minds yet be open.
When reality is overwhelming,
may there yet be response.
Where faith is tested,
may we yet find you there.
In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Simeon Mitchell, Christian Aid
Lord, help us to accept the challenge of HIV/AIDS:
to protect the healthy, calm the fearful;
to offer courage to those in pain;
to embrace the dying as they flow into love's unendingness;
to console the bereaved;
to support all those who attempt to care for the sick and dying.
Amen.
Bill Kirkpatrick, quoted in Christian Aid's Choose Hope worship resources
Gracious God,
May we be bold in speaking about the spread of HIV,
tender in caring for those affected
and faithful in praying for a generation free from AIDS;
that when Christ comes again
he may find us, his worldwide church,
bound together in love for one another and for him.
Amen.
Paula Clifford, Christian Aid
Those working on HIV/AIDS around the world frequently argue that this pandemic has long since ceased being simply a health issue. Rather, the HIV/AIDS problem has become so immense that it has entered the world of "high politics," directly affecting national security, foreign policy, human rights, social justice, and economic development. One of the more interesting, and controversial, aspects of the responses to HIV/AIDS have been the increasing importance the pandemic has in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. The campaigns of both President Bush and Senator Kerry produced detailed positions on the importance of U.S. involvement in tackling the global AIDS problem.
Although political sensitivities about HIV/AIDS are perhaps historically high, the danger exists that the pandemic will slip from the world of high politics and be treated as an issue of "mere humanitarianism." In connection with the growing HIV/AIDS problem in the developing world, charity without compassion or conviction may constitute little more than cynical expediency. There exists the need to "scale up" political commitment, and parishioners at St. Thomas can individually and collectively lobby our national leaders to help ensure that the HIV/AIDS pandemic remains a leading political priority. A possible sample letter is provided below:
[Senator Richard Lugar]
[Senator Evan Bayh]
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
[Rep. Mike Sodrell
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515]
Dear [Senator] [Representative] [NAME]:
As the President and Congress have previously recognized, the HIV/AIDS pandemic constitutes a threat to people in the developing world and to American interests around the globe. The threat, unfortunately, continues to grow, requiring that the United States maintain and expand its efforts to fight this global plague.
Thus, I urge you to make sure that U.S. commitments to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria are fully funded and, if possible, increased, and that Congress fully funds the $15 billion Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief proposed by President Bush. In addition, Congress can help accelerate the search for a HIV vaccine by supporting the Group of Eight's proposal at the 2004 Sea Island Summit for a Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise.
Although the United States has been a leader in international responses to HIV/AIDS, the scale and trajectory of the pandemic demonstrate that more from the United States is required. We have a special role to play in the planetary responsibility that HIV/AIDS has become. Please use your influence and votes to make sure that the United States does not fail or falter in the struggle to reduce the human suffering caused by HIV/AIDS.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
Although financial resources from governments to fight HIV/AIDS have increased significantly in the past five years, experts continue to lament the inadequacy of the money pledged to date for this effort. While parishioners at St. Thomas are unlikely to make up the gap of billions of dollars experts have identified, individual contributions to the live-saving and health-preserving work of Christian organizations and other charitable causes do make a world of difference, one person at a time. Donations to many organizations involved in this work, such as Christian Aid or Doctors without Borders, would produce results. In addition, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria allows individuals (as well as governments) to contribute to its work. Information about giving to the Global Fund can be found at www.investinginourfuture.org/give.html.
One idea to consider is informing friends and family members that, this Christmas season, you will be making donations for HIV/AIDS relief instead of buying them presents. You could also provide friends and family members with information on HIV/AIDS giving and tell them you would like them to make donations as their present to you. What better way to celebrate Christmas than giving the gift of life?
Last update: Thursday 11 November 2004 21:46
