Embrace AIDS. HIV/AIDS was identified and named in 1982.  Since then, it has spread at alarming rates around the world.  Today, AIDS is impacting millions of people in thousands of communities – many of whom were already struggling with poverty.  It is time that the Christian community embrace those living with this disease and take it on as a cause that we are willing to do something about.

Embrace AIDS.  In many developing countries, AIDS is now the number one factor hindering food production, income earning, education, and community growth.  Moreover, as income-earners pass away and health and funeral costs rise, many family members are forced to make difficult decisions that may put them at risk for contracting AIDS.  The church has a long tradition of reaching out to those in need, it is time that we also embrace AIDS as a significant component of this ministry.

Embrace AIDS.  Today, millions of people have been orphaned by AIDS.  Thousands more have been widowed by this disease. Today, grandparents are raising grandchildren, and kids are forced to be breadwinners.  It is time for Christians to embrace these individuals and be examples of Christ’s love to them.

God's Love Embraces People With AIDS.  Will You?

Fast Facts About AIDS

According to UNAIDS (the joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS), during 2005:

• An estimated 38.6 million adults and children were living with HIV
• Approximately 4.1 million became newly infected
• Approximately 2.8 million died due to AIDS-related illnesses.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the epicenter of the AIDS pandemic, yet no country is unaffected. Incidences of HIV/AIDS are rising in many Asian, Latin American, and Eastern European countries as well. CRWRC is working to mitigate the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS in 13 countries:

• Kenya
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• South Africa
• Zambia
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Haiti
• Bangladesh
• India

What CRWRC Is Doing

The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is taking steps to reach out in love to those who are hurting from HIV/AIDS. This includes programs:

For Persons Living with HIV/AIDS

• Encouraging home-based care programs and training additional community health care workers to provide regular support to those in need.
• Facilitating access to clinics, antiretroviral drugs, and other treatments.
• Providing start-up money for small business programs so that families have funds to pay for medications as well as basic needs.

For Caregivers

• Training caregivers how to effectively offer support and care to people living with HIV/AIDS.
• Offering loans to groups of people (e.g. widows) so they can collectively own oxen and a plough to greatly increase the amount of land under production.

For Children & Youth at Risk

• Promoting HIV/AIDS education and values formation in schools.
• Giving teen-aged heads of households vocational training.
• Doing training for youth at risk through lessons, stories, songs, and skits
• Decreasing malnutrition in children less than five years through growth monitoring, education for parents, and better access to food.
• Enabling orphans and vulnerable children to cover the costs of going to school.

For the Community

• Engaging community members in awareness exercises and discussion groups to break down stigma and misunderstandings associated with HIV/AIDS
• Supplying food and seeds to HIV/AIDS communities affected by drought and other disasters.
• Providing families with improved nutrition through more productive agriculture.
• Including HIV/AIDS education in materials used in adult literacy classes.
• Providing immediate relief assistance to communities affected by both drought and HIV/AIDS.

For Churches

• Bringing church leaders together for training and education in the following areas: prevention, care and support, pastoral care, counseling, treatment, leadership, and advocacy.
• Training partner staff in how to incorporate HIV/AIDS interventions into all their core programs.
• Providing education to reduce the stigma of HIV/AIDS and training in ways to care for the community as Christians.

What You Can Do

Learn more – Find out more about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, how it impacts people in poverty, and what you can do. Many resources are available on this site.

Advocate – Hold your government accountable for the promises it made to eradicate AIDS. A sample letter is available for you to view on the AIDS Resource page, but you can also draft one of your own and send it to your elected representative. For tips on how to advocate or for a list of names and address of Canadian MPs and US Representatives, click here.

Pray - Pray and get others to pray about the AIDS crisis.  You can pray for widows, orphans, those infected, and those caring for those infected by AIDS around the world.  You can also pray for churches and communities who are actively working to lessen the impact of AIDS in their regions, and for government officials who have the power to draw attention to this crisis and increase global funding for aid. To receive regular prayer request from CRWRC, sign up to receive CRWRC's electronic newsletter.

Give - CRWRC is hoping to raise an additional $3 million for CRWRC’s AIDS programming over the next two years.  This will enable CRWRC to expand existing programs and start new HIV and AIDS initiatives all over the world.  To make a donation, click here.