I knew today was World AIDS Day. What I didn't realize was that the day began in 1986 as a joint faith initiative between the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community Churches and over 5000 other churches and faith communities. By 1988, the observance became an international event sponsored by the UN and WHO.
For so many reasons, there is growing complancency today about the HIV/AIDS epidemic, in both the GLBT and faith communities. Consider just a few reasons why we mustn't remain complacent:
- 20 million people have died from HIV/AIDS, and another 40 million people are living with the HIV virus today.
- 5 million people were newly infected with the HIV virus this year alone.
- Over 700,000 of those new cases were children under the age of 15.
- HIV and AIDS have left behind more than 14 million orphans, 12 million of them in Africa.
- In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 8% of the adult population carry the HIV virus.
- Only one in seven people with HIV/AIDS in developing countries will have access to life saving antiviral drugs.
- Most of the AIDS funding promised by the US and other western governments to the most needy countries has never been provided.
A former acquaintance and pastor of MCC Sydney, Rev. Greg Smith, recently moved with his partner to Cambodia so they could work with children affected by HIV/AIDS. Greg writes:
Things are going well here although the job is definitely a challenge. I spent the last week in the provinces visiting some of our HIV projects. I have never seen such tragedy and poverty in my entire life. There are whole villages where men, women and children are infected and dying from AIDS. Some of the families live in nothing more than a rough timber and grass hut. Countless children have lost their parents and are cared for by grandparents, aunts and uncles or family friends…The monks I am working with are doing wonderful work and they are a great joy to work with. In the midst of this tragedy they are still able to smile and joke and have a gentle calmness about them which just seems to put people at ease. Needless to say there is a great shortage of funds and resources and it is amazing how much is achieved with so little.
Stop AIDS. Keep the promise.
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