Faith based initiative seeks to combat AIDS
When you think about those institutions in society that are leading the fight against HIV and AIDS, the church is not likely to be the first one to come to mind. But things are not always what they seem, as News Five’s Kendra Griffith discovered this morning.
Canon Leroy Flowers, Pres., Belize Council of Churches
?I am amazed that people talk about the church not being there. Who are the ones who sit at people?s bedside, who are the ones who comfort family members when they have lost a loved one. When all the hype and they have left and their services are no longer there, who are the ones? It has been pastors and church members.?
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
And today the religious community launched its latest effort in the fight against HIV entitled ?The Faith Based Manual for the Response to HIV and AIDS.?
Rt. Rev. Phillip Wright, Bishop of Belize
?The manual is hopefully will give churches an opportunity to improve and better minister to those infected and affected with HIV and AIDS, so that there is somewhat of a consistency. And also I believe the manual will help us to move forward together in terms of our contribution to the fight against this dreaded disease.?
The manual is the result of a year and half of meetings and workshops between the different denominations that comprise the Council of Churches. It includes basic information about the virus and offers tips on how to counsel and handle infected persons and their families.
Rt. Rev Phillip Wright
?It?s for pastors and it?s for other members of the church, who are perhaps directly involved in the care and ministry to the sick and those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.?
And the move could not have come at a better time, as statistics continue to cause concern.
Rt. Rev Phillip Wright
?Recently it was noted that Belize has the highest prevalence in Central America and is ranked fifth in the Caribbean I believe in terms of rate of infections. Globally of the forty or so million people living with HIV/AIDS, more than twenty-five percent I believe are between the fifteen and twenty four. This age group represents approximately one-third of the Belizean population. We can therefore my friends appreciate the impact HIV/AIDS is already having on our country as it is.?
UNICEF Representative in Belize, Rana Flowers, is banking on the church?s influence and large following to reduce that impact, especially in the areas of infection rates, stigma and discrimination.
Rana Flowers, UNICEF Rep in Belize
?The answer to halting HIV lies in this room; it lies with the churches. It lies with the voice of the churches being raised powerfully, strategically, honestly and in ensuring that from the smallest of their congregation to the oldest. We are not only giving them the information to prevent the spread of HIV, but we are giving them the information that makes them care for those people in their community who are affected by HIV. And with the grace of God we will exceed expectations and not just to be a significant player, but I believe THE significant player that contributes, that makes THE difference in this fight against HIV.?
It?s a challenge that the Council of Churches is willing to take on … starting with a change in attitude on some touchy subjects.
Canon Leroy Flowers
?The church has got to recognise that young people are sexually active. Now how do we bring that across in terms of a theological response in terms of maintaining the human dignity. That is a challenge to us, but I am happy to say that we have made great strides as a council and as a faith-based community to trying to put our differences aside to address the needs of young people because at the end of that day that is why we are called to serve. This is a disease, this is not a punishment from God as was originally put forward in the Christian community, but is a common understanding that it is affecting?as the main speaker said this morning, this disease has no respect of gender, race, creed or religion. It is like every other disease and if we begin to approach it from that angle they will then stop being so judgemental.?
The Belize Council of Churches has established an umbrella organisation, COMFORTH, the Community for a Faith-based Response to HIV/AIDS, which will be responsible for carrying out the church?s projects. At today?s launch a signing took place in which UNICEF agreed to provide funding for the HIV-related activities of the Council of Churches.
Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.
COMFORTH’s next move is to train one hundred and seventy-five church leaders from around the country in pastoral counselling. The seminars begin August fifteenth and run through the end of the year. Notably absent from today’s gathering were officials from the better known secular HIV/AIDS community.
