"The One With HIV Is Me" The Church's Response To HIV/AIDS
February 14th, 2008
Yesterday as I was sitting in my office (I am an Academic Advisor for a large urban community college in Kansas City, Mo), a student stopped by my office she wanted to ask me about the HIV/AIDS event that I was speaking at on campus.
The student wanted to know why I got involved in HIV/AIDS. She wanted to know was it a personal reason, etc. I get that question a lot but something about her made this time different. As I explained how and why I do what I do, she shared with me that HIV has hit her family but she could not tell me who. Of course I understood, especially with the stigma attached with this disease.
So we talked for about 20 minutes about HIV/AIDS and the stigma attached with this disease and as we talked instead of saying "this person" or "them" she started to say "she and her". She told me how her family member has been HIV positive for two years, had not slept around and only had sex with four guys in her entire life and she was 30 years old. The guy that infected her had lied about his name and everything although her family member had knew this guy for a year.
As we talked I was blown away by the amount of support that the student and her family showed for her sister. I shared with the young lady how I know some great people who could be mentors for her sister and God just led our conversation as we talked about how powerful He is through all we go through.
Time ran by and our conversation was growing to a close when the student looked at me and said, "Gerald I am going to be honest and I trust you, the one with HIV is me". Even as I write this I am holding back the feelings that I felt yesterday. This young lady is divorced and has six kids with her ex-husband, she is a great mother, great student and had always been the follow the rules type of person. But the only thing she did wrong was love and trust a man two years ago; who did not love or trust himself.
He knew his status but did not tell her.
My soul cried out because this young lady has to hide her status, she does not know anyone else who is HIV positive. This young lady represents a growing number of African American women who are HIV positive. You know what many of these sisters are sitting in our churches. Many of these brothers are sitting in our churches. And yet we say nothing.
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How do we get a handle on HIV/AIDS in the Black community? Should the church be involved?
Yesterday as I was sitting in my office (I am an Academic Advisor for a large urban community college in Kansas City, Mo), a student stopped by my office she wanted to ask me about the HIV/AIDS event that I was speaking at on campus.
The student wanted to know why I got involved in HIV/AIDS. She wanted to know was it a personal reason, etc. I get that question a lot but something about her made this time different. As I explained how and why I do what I do, she shared with me that HIV has hit her family but she could not tell me who. Of course I understood, especially with the stigma attached with this disease.
So we talked for about 20 minutes about HIV/AIDS and the stigma attached with this disease and as we talked instead of saying "this person" or "them" she started to say "she and her". She told me how her family member has been HIV positive for two years, had not slept around and only had sex with four guys in her entire life and she was 30 years old. The guy that infected her had lied about his name and everything although her family member had knew this guy for a year.
As we talked I was blown away by the amount of support that the student and her family showed for her sister. I shared with the young lady how I know some great people who could be mentors for her sister and God just led our conversation as we talked about how powerful He is through all we go through.
Time ran by and our conversation was growing to a close when the student looked at me and said, "Gerald I am going to be honest and I trust you, the one with HIV is me". Even as I write this I am holding back the feelings that I felt yesterday. This young lady is divorced and has six kids with her ex-husband, she is a great mother, great student and had always been the follow the rules type of person. But the only thing she did wrong was love and trust a man two years ago; who did not love or trust himself.
He knew his status but did not tell her.
My soul cried out because this young lady has to hide her status, she does not know anyone else who is HIV positive. This young lady represents a growing number of African American women who are HIV positive. You know what many of these sisters are sitting in our churches. Many of these brothers are sitting in our churches. And yet we say nothing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How do we get a handle on HIV/AIDS in the Black community? Should the church be involved?
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