What is the “Good News” Coming from Southern Africa…

by Global Ministries | published on Oct 10, 2014

Adora Iris Lee – South Africa

Many of you have been supportive of my ministry in Southern Africa over the past three years, and for that I am deeply grateful. Some of your local congregations have kept me in prayer. And, Lord knows, we all need that! Others have visited with delegations from your Region or Conference, and your presence has been uplifting! Still others have made donations to Global Ministries to “help Africans who are helping themselves” to respond to HIV and AIDS in their churches, communities and countries.

Adora Iris Lee – South Africa

Given your interest, concern and support, I thought I’d give you a brief update on some of the good things our Partner Churches are doing in this region of the world. Particularly, in light of so much news being broadcast on Africa that only highlights wars, conflicts, famine, drought, disease, corruption, poverty and violence. Not to say that these issues are not critically important, because they are. But, I am here to tell you that there is also some “GOOD NEWS” coming out of Africa! And some of this news is in how people of faith are responding to HIV and AIDS. While we are still facing an ‘uphill battle’, at least many people here in local churches have made a firm commitment to journey uphill!

I am pleased to inform you of several HIV/AIDS initiatives that are underway in the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA), which is one of Global Ministries’ longtime Partner Churches in Southern Africa. Following are just a few ways that people in this region of the world have decided to respond “positively” to the AIDS pandemic which has adversely affected African families, churches, economies and societies:

1. The “Lead by Example” HIV Testing Campaign

As you may know, voluntary counseling and testing is a global strategy used in the fight against HIV/AIDS. It is believed that if a person knows their HIV-status, they can then be provided with the necessary care and support. Even if a person tests HIV- negative, by learning their status, they can be counseled to practice those behaviors that will help them to remain negative.

In Southern Africa, there has been a lot of emphasis on HIV testing, but most times, this comes from health officials and NGOs. Churches, for the most part, have not been actively involved in promoting HIV testing among their congregants. However, at the 33^rd Assembly of the UCCSA held on September 24, 2005, an HIV testing campaign was launched. On the day of the testing, nearly 100 clergy and lay leaders got tested to learn whether they were HIV-positive or HIV-negative.

This campaign, which involved on-site, confidential testing, is appropriately called the “Lead by Example Campaign” and is now being implemented by churches in Botswana and South Africa. The launch of this project was a huge success!

2. The “Faithful Response in the Face of HIV/AIDS” Directory

Because of the efforts of two Global Ministries Interns (Shanya Luther and Kim Harris) and one volunteer from Michigan Park Christian Church (Toni Ross), a much needed directory will be disseminated to churches in Southern Africa in time for World AIDS Day 2006. It will include HIV/AIDS projects and ministries being implemented by congregations in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. This promises to be a great tool that congregations can use to learn from one another’s witness in the face of HIV/AIDS.

3. Plan of Action for Responding to Clergy who are HIV-Positive

Currently, work has begun on a resource for clergy who are HIV-positive. It will be disseminated to all ministers and seminarians in the denomination, providing them with useful information on what to do if they, or a family member, become infected with HIV. It is our Partner Church’s way of responding to the “Who ministers to the minister?” question.

4. UCCSA HIV/AIDS Indaba on World AIDS Day 2005

In several of the indigenous cultures of Southern Africa, an “indaba” (pronounced, inn-dah-buh) is a gathering of the elders or traditional leaders to discuss some important topic affecting the community. On 01 December 2005, World AIDS Day, the UCCSA hosted an HIV/AIDS Indaba outside Johannesburg. The indaba included representatives from Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana who shared information about their AIDS ministries and discussed ways to better coordinate and collaborate. As a result of this denominational indaba, a similar gathering was held in Zimbabwe during March 2006 for local congregations.

5. HIV/AIDS Library

During 2004, because of a generous gift to Global Ministries , an HIV/AIDS library was established at the denominational office in Johannesburg. It was launched with a candlelighting service remembering those who lives were lost to HIV/AIDS. Many thanks to UCC-related Elmhurst College and to the Christian Theological Seminary (a DOC/CC theological institution) for their donations of library books.

6. The “HIV/AIDS Partner-to-Partner Project”

This new initiative was launched last summer. The idea came from the UCC Central Atlantic Conference, which recently entered into an HIV/AIDS partnership with the South Synod of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa. Over the next few years, UCCSA AIDS projects will link with CAC local congregations. More partnerships are welcomed by churches here.

So you see, there is “GOOD NEWS” coming from Africa in the midst of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Even national governments here are turning to faith-based NGOs and organizations to help them implement AIDS programs related to prevention, treatment and care. The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) has been particularly active in the following areas:

Providing meals and vegetable gardens for families impacted by AIDS and poverty:
Educating young children and high school students about abstinence and delay of sexual activity:
Making home care visits to people with AIDS living in townships and villages who don’t have immediate access to nursing care:
Counseling persons infected with HIV and holding support groups;
Caring for orphans when they lose one or both parents to the pandemic;
Initiating income-generation projects for unemployed, HIV-positive people;
Making coffins for poor families to be able to bury their dead;
Ensuring that clergy, seminarians and lay persons are educated about HIV and AIDS; and
Establishing health facilities like clinics, hospices and counseling centers to address the needs of those impacted by HIV/AIDS in the church and the community.

I hope this give you some idea of some of the things that are being done in Southern Africa to respond to AIDS which don’t often make it to the 6 o’clock nightly news. Please continue to pray for the missionaries here, but most of all for our Partner Churches who are doing extraordinary ministry, in extraordinarily challenging situations.

Peace & Blessings,
Rev. Adora Iris Lee

Adora Iris Lee serves with the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa. She serves as an AIDS consultant for the Southern Africa Region, which includes Lesotho and Swaziland.