What is AIDS?

AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a viral infection spread through blood and sexual fluids.  It is invariably fatal, and no cure is yet available.

Virtually every African is affected by AIDS in some way.

Whilst many myths surround the AIDS pandemic, the reality is that the virus is spread through sexual transmission, child birth, infected blood transfusions and occasionally through breast feeding.

AIDS is no respecter of persons!  Millions of those who suffer from the disease are innocent of any wrong doing.  Many African women with HIV are infected by their unfaithful husbands.  Children are infected during birth, breast feeding or through other factors over which they have no control.

 

AIDS in Africa

Since the first diagnosis of the HIV virus in the early 1980's, over 20 million people have died from the disease.  Nearly 40 million people worldwide are living with the virus today with Sub-Saharan Africa being the worst impacted area with 22.5 million people infected.  4,300 people die each day in Africa from AIDS (UN statistics). 

An estimated 2.9 million people suffer from HIV/AIDS in Nigeria alone, with over 600 dying from the disease each day (UN statistics).  By 2020, without change from today's trends, 75 million Nigerians will be infected.

 

The Terrible Reality of AIDS

Many are dying alone because they have been rejected by their families and communities.  This is the Church’s opportunity to show God’s grace to those who are hurting.

In several African countries, between one-fifth and one-third of all children have already lost one or both parents to AIDS.
If predictions are correct, by 2010 there will be 40 million AIDS orphans in Africa.  Who will care for them?  Who will provide food, shelter, school fees, medical care, spiritual and emotional care or love for these children?  Who will prevent them going on the streets and begging or becoming street boys or prostitutes in order to survive? 

Mission Africa’s AIDS Widows and Orphans Fund helps to provide some of the basic necessities for those most in need. 

“This is our true religion - to look after the widows and orphans in their distress…” James 1:27

What is Mission Africa Doing? 

AIDS leaves people marginalised, destitute and helpless.  We believe that we have a responsibility to act on behalf of those affected by, and infected with, HIV/AIDS in Africa.  Our desire is to see ignorance about AIDS stamped out and lifestyle changes made to prevent the further spread of this life shattering pandemic.  We seek to do this through education which helps prevent the further spread of AIDS, along with care and counsel for those suffering with AIDS.  Mission Africa works in partnership with various ministries to bring hope into this situation. 

STILL WATERS

Billy and Linda Abwa, of Mission Africa, have led this project, working in partnership with the local Church.  STILL WATERS stands for Supporting The Infected Life Long, Warning All To Eliminate Risks.  This is a relatively new Mission Africa ministry in Nigeria which seeks to enlighten and empower the church to protect and care for the communities in which they are placed.  The project aims to prevent the further spread of HIV/AIDS through education, reduce the stigmatization of people living with HIV/AIDS and enable the church to compassionately care for the infected and affected.

STILL WATERS educates and trains workers within the church, thus maximising the effective spread of AIDS Education.  It also forms AIDS Care Centres and arranges training programmes throughout the country.

F.C.S.
Working with the Fellowship of Christian Students (F.C.S.) through schools ministries, student conferences and church youth fellowships, Mission Africa encourage sexual abstinence until marriage and faithfulness in marriage whilst explaining what HIV/AIDS is and how it is transmitted.

To support this work Jean Garland has written a book “AIDS is Real and it's in our Church” along with other teaching literature;these resources now widely in use across Africa (see www.aids-is-real.com for details).

Spring of Life

Mission Africa supports care projects such as Spring of Life in Jos, Nigeria.  Here patients are counselled from the point of diagnosis and given practical advice and comprehensive medical care.  This is a much needed service in a society where those with AIDS are so often ostracised and despised by those whom they need most.

Spring of Life offers spiritual help and prayer and as many as 80% of those cared for at Spring of Life come to know Jesus as their Saviour.   Mission Africa’s approach to those affected by AIDS is holistic: addressing both the physical and spiritual needs of the individual.

 

Prayer

Pray for Mission Africa staff as they care for those living with, and dying from, HIV/AIDS and as they bring the message of hope found in the Gospel.

Pray for Africa’s children that they will be able to grow up in a loving home, have a good education and come to trust Jesus for themselves.

Pray that the financial needs of these ministries and Mission Africa's AIDS Windows and Orphans Fund will be met by the faithfulness of God’s people.

Opportunities

Consider joining one of our teams ministering to Africa’s children. There are both long and short term opportunities to work with AIDS orphans in Nigeria.

There is also the opportunity to work with the Fellowship of Christian Students as an AIDS educator.  This involves extensive public speaking and travel within Nigeria to provide life education, from a Christian perspective and thereby help address the pandemic of AIDS in Africa.  There are also opportunities for nurses and counsellors to help those suffering and to train others in AIDS care.