African countries facing HIV/AIDS medication shorteage

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, O Good and gracious God, you are the God of health and wholeness. In the plan of your creation, you call us to struggle in our sickness and to cling always to the cross of your Son. Father, we are your servants. Many of us are now suffering with HIV or AIDS. We come before you, and ask you, if it is your holy will, to take away this suffering from us, restore us to health and lead us to know you and your powerful healing, love of body and spirit. We ask you also to be with those of us who nurse your sick ones. We are the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, and friends of your suffering people. It is so hard for us to see those whom we love suffer. You know what it is to suffer. Help us to minister in loving care, support, and patience to your people who suffer with HIV and AIDS. Lead us to do whatever it will take to eradicate this illness from the lives of those who are touched by it, both directly and indirectly. Trusting in you and the strength of your Spirit, we pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

-The African American AIDS Taskforce

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Here we are, nearly thirty years of known HIV/AIDS. It's been an uphill battle yet, once the reality that this is not simply a disease of the gay community, there has been a tremendous outreach here in the USA toward providing medical care, services, and support for all of those who are impacted by AIDS.

In stark contrast, is Africa. Stigma, living in rural areas, lack of adequate sanitation, and other conditions, have made possible the obliteration of families and communities. The news yesterday reported that funds for HIV medications are running out in Africa and that thousands of persons living with HIV/AIDS may be without medication; Africa has not run out of those living with HIV/AIDS.

Using a somewhat overused question, I ask, "What would Jesus do?" From this question, each of us must begin to ask, "How can I help?" "What can I do?" Certainly there is no immediate "cure" for the problems facing persons living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. We can pray for changes of heart that slow the process of relief for this infection: governments, churches, poor living conditions, lack of understanding and others.

In order to impact the HIV infection rate as well as the AIDS death rate in Africa, the Roman Catholic Church especially, must understand that encouraging the use of condoms is one of the most effective means to this end. We must move from an unbending understanding of moral behavior to a compassionate understanding that we don't have the time to change some behaviors, but we do have the ability to lessen the number of those becoming infected by HIV.

The people of Africa who are impacted by HIV/AIDS (which is basically all of Africa in one way or another) are the poor. I don't believe for a mili-second that Jesus would ever prohibit a product that would greatly lessen infection by a deadly virus. Along with allowing condoms, encouraging, education, and providing compassionate care, Jesus would educate and would encourage compassionate educators to begin a process of change leading to safer sexual practices, better hygeine, improvements in living conditions (cleaner water, better housing, and so on).

I fully believe that WE, the people of God are often responsible for keeping the poor in that condition! It's easier to have the government provide services for the poor and for us to feel good when we drop a handful of change into the hand of someone on the street. We don't have to know "those people" and we don't have to remember them.

Write unceasingly to your US congresspersons. Learn the facts regarding HIV infection in poor countries. Be attentive to the attitude of Jesus as presented in scripture, as he relates to the poor, the destitute, the unwanted, the misunderstood, the sick and wounded. You and I have the ability to make a difference. Most importantly, we have a responsibility as godly persons to do so.