5.2 Attitude towards the Necessity of the Church to Respond to HIV and AIDS
5.2.1 Poorly Enlightened Approval
In response to segment a) of the above question, all the participants in individual interviews and FGDs agree that the Church should respond to the pandemic. Concerning the reason why the
115
Church should respond, five explanations were given. Firstly, participants understand that the Church should respond because HIV and AIDS is a threat to everybody, including church members. In expressing this view, one young person from FGD32:165 stated that,
Because as we know that we all are human beings, when we are in Church we are in this [physical] body [...]. It means that we are also being affected and infected with this HIV and AIDS [...] instead of just ignoring the fact that we can also be infected or affected by this HIV and AIDS. It means that we are deceiving ourselves if we say maybe that as we are Christians we do not have to talk about these things because back in our families, we do face with such issues and such diseases that attack us in our families [...]. So, that is why we have to tackle the issues that concern ourselves [...].
This participant emphasises that because the Church itself is under attack it has to take a stand and defend itself.
Secondly, participants stated that the Church must respond to the pandemic because it is its duty and responsibility to do so. Some maintain that the Church has the responsibility to care for the sufferers. For others, caring and defending the weak and doing justice to them are God‘s commandments. Thirdly, participants think that the Church has to become involved simply because there are HIV positive people who seek its assistance and that therefore it has to answer to this demand. Other participants mentioned that some people still do not know how to face the disease and that the Church should orient them. Fourthly, participants stated that the Church should intervene because HIV and AIDS is similar to other diseases. They point out that this pandemic should not be seen as an isolated issue from other health challenges that the Church is concerned about. Lastly, the Church is expected to respond to HIV and AIDS because it is the right structure where good and trustworthy people are found. From this perspective, the Church is viewed as a second family.
In observing these responses from different categories of participants, it appears that the responses are almost equal among the church leaders, caregivers, ordinary adult members66 and the youth67 yet do not have the same popularity. Table 5 illustrates the frequency and related percentages of these responses in each group and in all sessions.
65 This is the code of this particular FGD. In fact, in writing the results of the study, all the names of participants and most of the names of circuits and places are hidden for research ethics purpose. Where the names are hidden, only their codes are used.
66 See FGDs with adults.
67 See FGDs with the youth.
116
Table 5: Frequency and Percentages of Responses on Reasons for the Church to Respond to HIV and AIDS per Categories of Participants
Reasons for the Church to Respond to HIV and AIDS
Freq and % per Categories of Participants
Total [40]
CL [17] CG [15] FGD Y [4] FGD Ad [4]
Freq % Freq % Freq % Freq % Freq % 1. Church is itself attacked 10 58.8 9 66.0 4 100.0 2 50.0 25 62.5 2. Church's responsibility 4 23.5 4 26.7 2 50.0 2 50.0 12 30.0 3. People seek the Church's
support 2 12.5 2 13.3 2 50.0 0 0.0 6 15.4
4. HIV and AIDS is similar to
other diseases 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 25.0 1 25.0 2 5.1
5. Church is the right place
for support 0 0.0 1 6.7 1 25.0 0 0.0 2 5.1
Source: Field Research Results, 2011, 2012
Legend: CL=Church Leaders; CG=Caregivers; Y=Youth; Ad=Adults; Freq=Frequency
It emerges from this table that all categories of participants mostly understand that the Church has to respond to HIV and AIDS because it is also threatened. Likewise, HIV and AIDS viewed as any other diseases and the Church viewed as the right place for PLWHA‘s support were less frequent in all categories. It is noteworthy that each category has found at least three reasons why the Church should be involved in addressing HIV and AIDS.
Another point to notice is that in almost all sessions, participants referred to the social context when searching for reasons for the Church‘s involvement in addressing HIV and AIDS. Very few relate this action to theology, God or any form of spirituality. In this regard, only one participant, CG7:1, refers to the Bible in the Book of Isaiah 58 and to Jesus. His point is expressed in the following excerpt of his interview:
CG7:1: I think the Church should respond to the problem of HIV [...] because we are commanded in the Bible that we should stand in for those who are weak, and we should also serve justice where there is no justice. That‟s what – this is our call. Our God is calling us to do that. Even if you read the book of Isaiah 58, the proper fast that God is calling us to [...]68
68 The Chapter 58 of Book of Isaiah is about God challenging people about the fasting. Verses 1-5, expresses opposition to their efforts to seek God in fasting, bowing heads, and wearing sackcloth while during this same time they also exploit workers and end in quarrels and strife. From verse 6 to 14, God instructs them on the right fasting and advantages of such fasting. Here, God lists setting oppressed free, sharing food with the hungry, clothing the naked, and providing shelter to the poor wonderer among the component of true fasting (Revised Standard Version).
117
Interviewer: Do you mean that the Church should combine the spiritual and the social?
CG7:1: Yes, because Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. And the people right now need salt.
This is a young man who recognises the response to HIV and AIDS as God‘s calling and command. He was interviewed as caregiver. In this regard, it was realised that no church leader has linked the reason of the Church‘s involvement in responding to HIV and AIDS to religious belief.
Besides the reasons given for why the Church should become involved in addressing HIV and AIDS, participants expressed their views on how the Church should effect this. Observed together, these contributions display three kinds of insights. Firstly, they identify actions that can be conducted by the Church, especially for PLWHA, that include providing them with medical treatment or supporting them with transportation means to medical centres when they need medical care; organising awareness and VCT campaigns; providing material support such as food and clothes; providing them with care such as counselling and spiritual support; and empowering them economically. One church leader, CL4:1, mentioned some of these actions as follows:
Depending on the means, they know how care can vary. Some can show sympathy by giving some relief, some can take really care by being part of alleviating the pains or [...] if we have a medical centre, we can also give treatments. Some churches are even opening shelters or houses to host those who are ill; some are giving social help, or social workers, for those who are abandoned. So many [ways can be used]; there are various ways of the Church to show the sympathy and care towards people who are suffering.
This church leader expects both palliative and medical treatments in the scope of intervention.
Secondly, participants identified strategies to be used in addressing HIV and AIDS. These comprise having proper structured comprehensive programmes instead of working with isolated cases, combining spiritual and social intervention, and starting with sensitizing church leaders.
They also include intervention before HIV develops into AIDS, support of the most vulnerable persons, and the creation of safe spaces for expression on HIV related issues. Organisation of activities within different groups such as the youth, women, adults, children, non-church members; partnership with professionals or specialists who can address the people; and inclusion of attractive programmes such as sport, music, role play and sketches, and ballet were also identified as strategies to be used to address the pandemic.
Lastly, participants identified individuals who should participate and provide leadership to this health challenge on behalf of the Church. Three categories of people were suggested. These are the pastors who should introduce the programme in the Church, the parents who should talk
118
about HIV and AIDS as a way to create awareness amongst children, as well as the youth who should participate in organising events and other activities within and outside the Church. It appears that everybody in the Church is expected to be involved in responding to the pandemic.
It is also noticeable that few of the comments focus on issues that relate to HIV prevention.
After this overview of the participants‘ responses as to whether, why and how the Church should respond to HIV and AIDS, it is important to interrogate the meaning of their comments within the existing knowledge of HIV and AIDS and the response of churches to the missio Dei.
5.2.2 Reflection on the Participants’ Attitude towards the Necessity to Respond