AIDS Conference in Bangkok

[This article is cut-and-pasted from the daily email newsletter put out by Mission Network News. Most valuable newsletter that I receive.]http://mnn.gospelcom.net/The 15th International AIDS Conference begins SundayThailand (MNN) -- Next, World Vision[3] will be playing a major part inthe 15th International AIDS Conference, taking place in Bangkok beginningSunday. Several World Vision staff members have been influential on theplanning committee. which is different from other years. This will be thefirst time faith based organizations will be featured at the conference. Many who attended two years ago faced hostility. There is some concernthat this could happen again. Pray that World Vision will be a testimonyto those participating who don't know Christ.Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/6212

Brothers and Sisters:AIDS is the most deadly epidemic of all time. It is creating orphans and widows without number. Every developing nation is being decimated. The numbers are so unbelievable, it is hard to grasp.Here are links to information. I'm posting part of the global summary about Africa, the hardest-hit continent. In many villages, there are no wage earners between the ages of 15-45 left. They have all died of AIDS. The only ones remaining are orphans and widows, many themselves HIV-infected and needing care.http://www.unaids.org/bangkok2004/report.htmlAfricaAn estimated 25 million people are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. There appears to be a stabilization in HIV prevalence rates, but this is mainly due to a rise in AIDS deaths and a continued increase in new infections. Prevalence is still rising in some countries such as Madagascar and Swaziland, and is declining nationwide in Uganda. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to just over 10% of the world’s population – and almost two-thirds of all people living with HIV. In 2003, an estimated three million people became newly infected and 2.2 million died (75% of the three million AIDS deaths globally that year).There is no such thing as the ‘African’ epidemic; there is tremendous diversity across the continent in the levels and trends of HIV infection. In six countries, adult HIV prevalence is below 2%, while in six other countries it is over 20%. In southern Africa all seven countries have prevalence rates above 17% with Botswana and Swaziland having prevalence above 35%. In West Africa, HIV prevalence is much lower with no country having a prevalence above 10% and most having prevalence between one and five percent. Adult prevalence in countries in Central and East Africa falls somewhere between these two groups, ranging from 4% to 13%.African women are at greater risk, becoming infected at an earlier age than men. Today there are on average 13 infected women for every 10 infected men in sub-Saharan Africa – up from 12 for 10 in 2002. The difference is even more pronounced among 15 to 24 year olds. A review compared the ratio of young women living with HIV to young men living with HIV; this ranges from 20 women for every 10 men in South Africa to 45 women for every 10 men in Kenya and Mali.In North Africa and the Middle East, around 480,000 are living with HIV but systematic surveillance of the epidemic is not well developed, particularly among high-risk groups such as injecting drug users. Yet in much of the region HIV infection appears concentrated among this group. There is also concern that HIV may be spreading undetected among men who have sex with men, as male-male sex is widely condemned and illegal in many places.========end of U.N. AIDS clip===========This Christian missionary website (Serving in Missions or SIM) has tons of articles about the tragedy, up close and personal. Please take time and read some. http://www.hopeforaids.org/~Mrs. Fred

Where I live, the big problem that we face is Aids orphans. It is common to find 7-8 kids staying with there old Gogo(grandmother) who receives nothing as a pension which is about $125 per month. When they are old enough they hit the streets.In our Church we have homes for babies with Aids, mothers abandon their children they are then passed on to the home. In some cases they look after them till they die, which is really a strain on the people that work there.A lady has started a hope centre which goes into the rural areas to train people how to basically look after themselves. e.g growing vegetables etc. The goverment has turned to the Church to try and help it cope with the amounts of people who are left without support. In some of the communities around here they kick the people out of the villages so they have to fend for themselves.We had a couple of cases last year of grown men rapeing little babies because they believed that it would take the disease away, so the side affects are quite dramtic.It is quite something to see someone dieing of Aids. I think the only thing that is going to stop it is a revival of some sorts because cultural practices of sex before marriage and multiple partners doesn't help much. These are things that are entrentched into the way they think so we must believe that GOd will breath his holiness into these situations.Zeke

Christian play role at International AIDS ConferenceThailand (MNN) -- We begin today in Thailand as the International AIDSconference has come to a close. Unlike two years ago, Christian groupsplayed a major role. More than 100 faith-based organizationsparticipated. Lynn Arnold with World Vision[1] says they led 19tracts. He says the secular world is becoming more acceptant ofChristian assistance. "They can see the value of a faith basedorganization when they actually witnessed a World Vision staff being witha person dying of AIDS. They said at that moment it was only anorganization like World Vision that could provide the support that aperson needed." But, Arnold says the International Christian communityisn't doing enough to help AIDS orphans and widows. "If Christians aren'tprepared to be there for them, as orphans in their distress -- or, whatare we to do in the case of widows whose husbands have died of AIDS. Arewe to shelter behind the judgmental attitude, or are we to follow whatwe're called to do?" If the church fails here, many who are searching willdie without Christ.Full Story: http://mnn.gospelcom.net/article/6236