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Global AIDS: "The Greatest Humanitarian Crisis of All Time"
WASHINGTON, DC (June 17, 2003) - Evangelical leaders meeting at a global AIDS
forum issued a statement of conscience last week declaring the disease
"may be the greatest humanitarian crisis of all time."
The statement was released as about 200 evangelical leaders met June
11-12 with representatives of AIDS ministries, along with officials from
Africa, the US Congress, and the White House to discuss how to address
the pandemic. Event sponsors included the National Association of
Evangelicals (NAE), World Relief (NAE's humanitarian arm), MAP
International and World Vision.
"The church was not the first to the front lines of this conflagration,"
the three-page statement reads. "However, we believe the church is
uniquely positioned to serve as the pivotal agent in turning the tide
against AIDS through its message of reconciliation, faithfulness, hope
and compassionate care."
Jim Sundholm, director of Covenant World Relief (CWR), was not at the
forum last week, but said that the Evangelical Covenant Church has been
active in the "war on HIV/AIDS" on several fronts, particularly in the
CEUM (Covenant Church of Congo).
"The medical director of the CEUM hospital and clinic ministry has
communicated to us that at least 25 percent of their medical dollar goes
toward the HIV/AIDS pandemic as it confronts Congo," Sundholm said. "It
has been suggested that related illnesses take will take up to 40
percent of the medical dollar this year. This is why we work diligently
with the church to foster prevention and education. The most common
'victim' is a mother of one husband-CWR is conscious of the thousands of
orphans being left on this massive continent by this pandemic."
Along with its work in Congo, CWR has tried to assist in HIV/AIDS
education wherever it is involved in ministry. CWR supplied reading
materials for the Community Health education workers in Ethiopia, and
underwrote a youth education health ministry in Nekempte, Ethiopia. CWR
also sponsored a family education program in Gambella, Ethiopia,
Sundholm reported.
CWR has also supports the work of Bridges of Hope, an AIDS ministry
started by Community Covenant Church in Santa Barbara, California.
Pastor Dennis Wadley and his family left the church in February to work
fulltime on HIV/AIDS ministry with Bridges of Hope
(www.bridges-of-hope.org) in Philippi, South Africa, a township outside
Cape Town. Bridges of Hope will be featured in the cover story of the
July 2003 Covenant Companion.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
