EMBRACING HIV IN CHURCH
By Julius Nguku
Sunday 9th April, 2006 was a day with a difference in the East congregations of the Nairobi Christian Church and the culmination of several weeks of teaching. For the first time ever, a mobile Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) service was made available after service. Rather than the apathy and fear previously evident with regards to the subject of HIV and AIDS, there was such a great turn-out for HIV counseling and testing that the counselors were not able to see everyone who lined up for their services. More than a hundred of the disciples wanted to know their HIV status.
So, what had happened to the normally HIV-fearful and apprehensive members of the church? How did such a phenomenal response come to be?
That morning a sister in the church, had shared her moving story during the service. HIV-positive for several years, she eloquently and confidently described how she had run away from home and church due to fear of being stigmatized after finding our her status.
So, what had happened to the normally HIV-fearful and apprehensive members of the church? How did such a phenomenal response come to be?
That morning a sister in the church, had shared her moving story during the service. HIV-positive for several years, she eloquently and confidently described how she had run away from home and church due to fear of being stigmatized after finding our her status.
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The sister shared how after the initial shock of finding out that she had HIV, she adopted a positive attitude and accepted her status when she became a member of a support group. In time she came back to the faith and was restored. She had previously disclosed her status in public to various groups but had never done so in church among the disciples.
As the sister shared her moving experience she called on the Christians to give those like her a haven of peace within the church. "When one tests HIV positive, God is their only recourse and refuge," she said. She reiterated that the HIV positive had not always found it easy to relate within the Kingdom of God but was hopeful that that will now be history. She encouraged as many people as possible to take advantage of the VCT services and know their status after the service.
At the previous four Sunday services Julius Nguku, member of the East churches and having worked in the field of HIV/AIDS for many years, had spoken from Scripture about HIV, stigma and the value of knowing one's status.
The sister's father, a member of the church, described his daughter as "a girl with a big heart" as he followed her in addressing the congregation. He later added, "I spoke up to support my daughter. I was encouraged by her heart in going public. For our entire family it was a great encouragement to see her boldness and her decision to help others who are living with HIV.
"Our mission as Christians is to help people, and that requires a lot, including helping people know how to handle the diseases they live with."
The sister says, "I wanted people to know that there is life after turning HIV-positive and wanted to help eliminate stigma in church towards those living with HIV."
Evangelist George Irungu shares, "Many people who volunteered to go for testing after the series of classes attributed their sudden courage to the sister's sharing."
"The challenges that come with HIV/AIDS affect both Christians and non-Christians. It has become apparent that more and more disciples are dying of HIV-related diseases despite the easily accessible HIV/AIDS interventions, and as the bible rightly says, most people perish for lack of knowledge. If disciples get to know their status early, those who are HIV-positive will get an opportunity to effectively manage their health by tapping into the wealth of support that is readily available in the church and other referral points.
Julius Nguku, who pioneered the idea, says, "George and I discussed the need for the church to be empowered to face the challenge of HIV/AIDS." The classes he taught for five consecutive Sundays were tailored to move individuals to want to know their status, embolden HIV-positive disciples not to be fearful of going public and sensitize all to overcome the evil of stigmatization of the HIV-positive individuals, culminating in the formation of a support group for all the HIV positive in church to facilitate the addressing of discipleship-specific issues with respect to living with HIV.
"This approach was as lacking as it was needed in the church," says Julius.
George continues, "The impact was first seen by the overwhelming number of people who volunteered to be tested and the considerable number of people who for the first time volunteered to disclose their HIV positive status. The impact has remained inspiringly evident by the formation of a support group for those living with the virus. It has started successfully and many disciples are already getting both physical and emotional support that they otherwise would not be enjoying."
The support group, named, "Saved Plus," conducts group therapy sessions, facilitation on issues like nutrition, referrals for antiretroviral therapy and CD4 count monitoring. They will also have fun activities like sports days and parties. The group will benefit from therapy sessions, topical issue facilitation, referral for anti-retroviral (ARV) and CD4 count monitoring and discipleship-specific issues being tackled. This will help them be vibrant and have "life to the full" as Jesus promised to all his followers (John 10:10). Others like them will be reached out to become members of the Kingdom, the ultimate reward of God's grace to mankind.
Just as in Jesus' time leprosy was a pariah disease, in our day AIDS has often been so treated. But just as it was Jesus' wont to help, hold and heal the sick, we, as disciples, are to not only reach out to those challenged by illness and disease, but to set the pace in doing so, and extend to them the opportunity to experience the welcome, warmth and well-being that is found in the family of saints.
Summary Of The Five Classes Taught
As the sister shared her moving experience she called on the Christians to give those like her a haven of peace within the church. "When one tests HIV positive, God is their only recourse and refuge," she said. She reiterated that the HIV positive had not always found it easy to relate within the Kingdom of God but was hopeful that that will now be history. She encouraged as many people as possible to take advantage of the VCT services and know their status after the service.
At the previous four Sunday services Julius Nguku, member of the East churches and having worked in the field of HIV/AIDS for many years, had spoken from Scripture about HIV, stigma and the value of knowing one's status.
The sister's father, a member of the church, described his daughter as "a girl with a big heart" as he followed her in addressing the congregation. He later added, "I spoke up to support my daughter. I was encouraged by her heart in going public. For our entire family it was a great encouragement to see her boldness and her decision to help others who are living with HIV.
"Our mission as Christians is to help people, and that requires a lot, including helping people know how to handle the diseases they live with."
The sister says, "I wanted people to know that there is life after turning HIV-positive and wanted to help eliminate stigma in church towards those living with HIV."
Evangelist George Irungu shares, "Many people who volunteered to go for testing after the series of classes attributed their sudden courage to the sister's sharing."
"The challenges that come with HIV/AIDS affect both Christians and non-Christians. It has become apparent that more and more disciples are dying of HIV-related diseases despite the easily accessible HIV/AIDS interventions, and as the bible rightly says, most people perish for lack of knowledge. If disciples get to know their status early, those who are HIV-positive will get an opportunity to effectively manage their health by tapping into the wealth of support that is readily available in the church and other referral points.
Julius Nguku, who pioneered the idea, says, "George and I discussed the need for the church to be empowered to face the challenge of HIV/AIDS." The classes he taught for five consecutive Sundays were tailored to move individuals to want to know their status, embolden HIV-positive disciples not to be fearful of going public and sensitize all to overcome the evil of stigmatization of the HIV-positive individuals, culminating in the formation of a support group for all the HIV positive in church to facilitate the addressing of discipleship-specific issues with respect to living with HIV.
"This approach was as lacking as it was needed in the church," says Julius.
George continues, "The impact was first seen by the overwhelming number of people who volunteered to be tested and the considerable number of people who for the first time volunteered to disclose their HIV positive status. The impact has remained inspiringly evident by the formation of a support group for those living with the virus. It has started successfully and many disciples are already getting both physical and emotional support that they otherwise would not be enjoying."
The support group, named, "Saved Plus," conducts group therapy sessions, facilitation on issues like nutrition, referrals for antiretroviral therapy and CD4 count monitoring. They will also have fun activities like sports days and parties. The group will benefit from therapy sessions, topical issue facilitation, referral for anti-retroviral (ARV) and CD4 count monitoring and discipleship-specific issues being tackled. This will help them be vibrant and have "life to the full" as Jesus promised to all his followers (John 10:10). Others like them will be reached out to become members of the Kingdom, the ultimate reward of God's grace to mankind.
Just as in Jesus' time leprosy was a pariah disease, in our day AIDS has often been so treated. But just as it was Jesus' wont to help, hold and heal the sick, we, as disciples, are to not only reach out to those challenged by illness and disease, but to set the pace in doing so, and extend to them the opportunity to experience the welcome, warmth and well-being that is found in the family of saints.
Summary Of The Five Classes Taught