The Presbyterian Church's financial support for HIV/AIDS programmes around the world has topped the one million pound mark over the last two years.
That was the announcement made in Belfast this week by Presbyterian World Development convener Hazel McCall when Margaret Bowden from Christian Aid and Andrew McCracken of Tearfund were in Church House to be given cheques totalling £500,000 to support their HIV/AIDS programmes.
"Last year Presbyterians responded magnificently to our appeal and we were able to divide £0.5m between Tearfund and Christian Aid. This year they have be even more generous," explained Hazel. "Through our partners Tearfund and Christian Aid we are supporting 24 anti HIV/AIDS programmes in countries including Argentina, Ethiopia, India, Cambodia, Kenya, Uganda and Serbia,'
When confronted with the huge figures that make up the HIV/AIDS statistics including 42 million people presently HIV positive and 8000 people dying daily from HIV related illness it can be hard to convince people that they can have any effect.
However the Presbyterian campaign which used the slogan 'AIDS matters to people who are positive' aimed to show that with the right resources a difference can be made.
'Uganda is a good example,' says Hazel McCall. ' Once regarded as the epicentre of the AIDS pandemic the HIV infection rate has been dropping every year for the last ten years largely as a result of the government being fully supportive of the education and care programmes run by churches and other organisations. Now other countries want to replicate these programmes.'
The publicity material for 'AIDS Matters' was displayed in Presbyterian Churches during the Advent period and featured the work of three people positively involved with HIV/AIDS projects in India including Dr Matthew Santhosh who works at the Emmanuel Hospital in Delhi.
He has helped develop a bible based training curriculum for community health workers currently being implemented by 17 hospitals and a further 17 community health centres which will both educate the community about HIV/AIDS and offer care to those who have to live with it.
Dr Santhosh's positive approach comes from his faith and desire to follow the example of Christ. 'His ministry was one of touching, healing and teaching, creating a culture and a life of caring. As people who ask 'what would Jesus do?' we have no option but to follow the model he set for us,' he says.
'It's programmes like those run by Matthew Santhosh that we are helping through AIDS Matters,' says Hazel McCall. 'Christian communities have been reluctant to talk openly about HIV/AIDS but now many churches in developing countries are implementing health education programmes. It is vital that churches here are positive in supporting their fellow Christians through informed prayer and direct financial giving and that's what our campaign was designed to achieve.'
Since beginning World Development appeals some years ago the Presbyterian Church which has no programmes of its own has channelled some £5m through Tearfund and Christian Aid in support of developing countries in all continents.
PIC CAPTION: Christian Aid's Margaret Boden (left) and Andrew McCracken from Tearfund were in Church House this week to receive a total of £500,000 from Hazel McCall, convener of the Presbyterian World Development and her committee, to support their anti HIV/AIDS programmes around the world. In the last two years Presbyterians in Ireland have donated over £1m through their 'Aids Matters' campaign and are assisting 24 anti HIV/AIDS programmes run by the two development organisations in countries including Argentina, Ethiopia, India, Cambodia, Kenya, Uganda and Serbia.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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