The rate of prevalence of the deadly AIDS disease in Angola is very high. A Christian approach to the problem is vital if society is going to deal with it effectively.

Religion pertains to “structural representation of personal faith within people”. Religious groups received some lashing because of their long-overdue response in containing AIDS in South Africa particularly Angola.

Christians seem to turn a deaf ear to the Angolans’ struggle against AIDS at first. It is no secret that religious groups seem to view the issue of HIV negatively. There are several factors that brought this dilemma. First, AIDS is a very controversial illness considering, more often than not, it is caused by sexual relations. Religious leaders voiced judgmental comments on AIDS, perhaps as a way of discouraging others from committing the same mistakes. Unfortunately, it also drives the very people it intended to help away.

Church leaders were wary about HIV/AIDS issues for some time. They also preached the biblical teachings that elicited feelings of stigmatization of people living with HIV /AIDS.

Another reason is that the use of condoms is encouraged by anti-AIDS or AIDS/HIV secular prevention movements. Christianity frowns on the idea of using condoms. They do not support the need for condoms since they prefer to promote abstinence and faithfulness rather than prevention through safe sex.

Christianity is also reluctant to tackle issues and formulate policies with regards to current and pressing concerns such as drug use and commercial sex. Both, by the way, have direct influence on AIDS prevention. Christianity is wary of supporting laws or policies that seem to compromise moral values. Consequently, people afflicted with HIV find themselves shun by religious people and society in general.

This scenario may not be true at all times but it took fifteen (15) years for the role of religion to be affirmed in Africa. Christianity took an active role in promoting community based care and prevention and helps in the process of stigma reduction.

Introducing necessary changes in curbing or preventing AIDS spread is not easily attained. For instance, drug use and sex behaviors are long-term processes requiring programs and methods. This is where capacity for personal faith is of most use. Faith-based inspirational allows powerful internal response from the person. This is an aspect that is seldom tapped but holds great promise for AIDS resolution.

Politics, social status, environment, gender and power struggles are all important motivators. Personal faith, however, provides a much greater impact than all the other factors. Fostering family and community spiritual relationships are important in achieving results in the fight against AIDS.

Perspectives began to change when Christian church leaders took time to be with people inflicted with HIV. Exposure visits which occurred prior to the consultation of church leaders in Botswana in September 1999 were instrumental in bringing about this postive change. During exposure visits, church leaders were given the chance to meet families with AIDS/HIV in their homes. Discussions regarding their predicament were the turning point in gaining the much-needed sympathy from them.

Leaders of Christian faith saw the pain through the witnesses’ eyes, brought out compassion in them and spurred them to action. The consultation in Botswana was an African initiative to motivate Christian people to act and help address AIDS/HIV problems in local communities and it paved the way for the active involvement of Christian community.

In a parable in the Bible, Christians call to service has always been greatly stressed by Jesus to his disciples.

“Jesus sent out the first disciples with the commission to preach and heal. When confronted by John’s disciples asking if He was the Messiah, Jesus replied “The blind can see, the lame can walk, lepers are made clean, the deaf can hear, the dead are raised and the Gospel is preached to the poor” (Luke 4: 16 – 21).

Jesus stood up in the synagogue and he proclaimed in Isaiah 61: 1 – 2 recovery of sight to the blind, and care and freedom for the poor and oppressed, he was telling the world that healing, care and proclamation of the Good News must go hand in hand.

The social, emotional and spiritual death caused by stigma of AIDS/HIV is an important part of the mission aside from administering physical aid. The “wholistic” approach of Christianity is a part of life of the early church and is deemed the most effective way in addressing problems, health or otherwise.

Community fear, exclusion and stigma have been the struggles AIDS-stricken patients in Angola faced in the past. But Christian churches address these problems by promoting confidentiality and response of inclusion for patients. Christian groups are often part of a larger community and this made the job a bit easier.

In 2002, Operation World released the following statistics with regards to the

10 most Christian countries in Africa and their corresponding adult HIV/AIDS infection rate:

Christians (%) HIV/AIDS rate (%)

• Congo (Dem. Rep.) 95.3 4.9
• Equatorial Guinea 95.1 3.4
• Angola 94.1 5.5
• Congo 91.3 7.2
• Burundi 90.1 8.3
• Uganda 88.7 5.0
• Zambia 85.0 21.5
• Swaziland 82.7 33.4
• Rwanda 80.8 8.9
• Malawi 80.0 15.0

Factors Contributing to AIDS/HIV in Angola

• Poverty due to unemployment, lack of education and skills, poor government system, laziness among the youth and other factors. Poverty puts people in grave risk of contracting HIV/AIDS because of the poor state of sanitation and the general weakening of the body’s immune system due to lack of food and other basic necessities.
• Civil war in Angola which bombed hospitals and clinics, also transport facilities
• Lack of proper management among the political and church institutions on addressing the spread of HIV/AIDS
• Lack of leaders has led to misuse of public funds. It also contributed to lack of transparency and accountability in financial matters. This particular factor affected budget and financial programs for HIV/AIDS
• Cultural and traditional practices which still prevail in Angola such as wife inheritance, sexual cleansing, circumcision, and sex rites, further exposing people to HIV/AIDS
• Lack of training for Christian groups helping in AIDS matters. This has led to ineffective handling of the situation because the church leaders lack the accurate information, education and skills to respond well.
• Gender imbalance brought about by marginalization of women has excluded women in important AIDS/HIV prevention processes
• Youth and children do not have voice in the community structure since they often lack representation particularly in the church. Responsible parenting is also a problem that could lead to HIV.

Christian Response

Christian church provides an interesting facet in addressing the HIV/AIDS problem in Angola. Being largely faith-based some important variations in the approach of disease prevention have been introduced. For instance, the efforts of Christian community enable people to seriously consider other options in preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS such as abstinence and faithfulness. The use of condom though is still subject to debate and is one aspect where secular preventive measures do not jibe with the Christian methods.

The Christian community however is doing its best within the theological context to do what needs to be done in preventing the illness and extending support to those affected by it.

The secular community also recognizes the unique position Christian groups have carved for themselves. Christian groups have been very effective in reaching out to communities to spread methods of prevention, treatment, extending care and assistance. The Christian efforts are subject to limitations though since their access to information, training and financial support is not as extensive as that of the larger NGOs.

The one great advantage Christian churches have over their secular counterparts are their ability to give long-term commitment through their medical facilities and community churches, volunteers, the knack for maximizing the use of resources, multi-national support and networking.

Christian Solutions to HIV/AIDS in Angola

In order to address HIV/AIDS in Angola, churches include training of clergy and missionaries in the curricula. There are numerous examples of innovative participation, through which shared response is encouraged that includes religious organizations and faith motivated neighborhoods and other communities, within societal and political response.

• The Africa Regional Forum of Religious Health Organizations in Reproductive Health is a partnership of religious health networks composed of Christian and Islamic. The Forum, facilitated by International Family Health was launched at the International Conference on AIDS and STDs in Africa, September 1999.
• The UK NGO AIDS Consortium sponsors meetings on responses to HIV/AIDS by church groups
• The draft declaration of UNGASS (April 2001) recognize the need of aid from faith based organizations

These examples represent the enhanced confidence among secular organizations on the help extended by Christian church groups, faith based communities and persons of faith.

Other Christian Activities to Curb HIV/AIDS:

• Promoting change in sexual behavior so that the transmission of the virus is reduced
• Enhancing healthy relationships between young men and young women
• Aiding in emotional, social, psychological, and spiritual needs of AIDS victims also others concerned
• De-stigmatization of HIV/AIDS through promoting acceptance
• Promoting willingness to discuss HIV/AIDS by individuals affected
• Stressing the difference between care from cure
• More cooperation between churches, healthcare and other institutions in addressing the needs of the community even beyond the HIV/AIDS crisis
• Compassion and extending assistance to those suffering from AIDS
• Promoting openness to the gospel of Christ through love, compassion, and truth

Addressing the AIDS/HIV Stigma

Care

Christian care for AIDS/HIV victims in Angola is beyond extending medical aid alone. Care refers to the support extended to AIDS/HIV patients such as paying them. Care is synonymous with love and coursed through actions. Support includes the family, neighbors and community. This act of care goes beyond providing physical treatment to the patient alone as it also addresses the emotional, mental and spiritual needs of the person.

Change

Christians also strive to implement change in addressing the Angola AIDS/HIV problems. Through the care they provided, they expect change to occur. The kind of change they are after is propagating awareness of HIV and helping the people accept and cope with reality. Consequently, this will lead to changes in attitudes and views among the people. The care they provided is intended to initiate and maintain this change they aspire for. Isolating persons with the disease will not make them change. Change is more apparent when care is applied to relationship between the patient and the community.

Link between care and change

Care and change is mostly noticeable in the relational aspect. Care witnessed in the household and community is a very effective motivation that can generate change. This can quickly turn around the situation which is characterized by stigma to acceptance and shared responsibility. The care to change association is also known as “care/prevention” linkage. It is an important strategy in expanding involvement of local community and organizations to HIV/AIDS.

Recommendations

• Addressing the problem of poverty through enhancing food security, economic activity, skill training and using financial resources and human resources to help end the HIV/AIDS problem
• Listening to the voices of marginalized groups such as women, youth and elderly in coming up with decisions that affects the person and the community as a whole
• Putting an end to traditional practices that posed great risk to the health and lives of people such as widow inheritance, sexual cleansing and female circumcision, which increases women’s risk.
• Empowerment of women and the youth in the economical aspect to be able to take control of their lives. Church resources are also being used to be able to address their concerns.
• Re-assessing the church’s theological position that causes stigma to persons afflicted and does not sufficiently tackle and extend help in facing the danger of harmful cultural practices that could lead to HIV/AIDS
• Building the ability for church leaders through equipping them with accurate knowledge, education and skill on the addressing HIV/AIDS, leadership training to strengthen democracy in church structures, and promoting transparency and accountability with regards to financial matters used in HIV/AIDS pandemic
• Building the capacity of church groups in extending proper emotional and spiritual care HIV/AIDS victims particularly family life issues, youth concerns and sexuality. Guidance and counseling based on Christian principles are encouraged. Counseling and HIV testing for people who wants to marry in church are also encouraged. Church leaders also agreed to play an active role in promoting HIV testing within the church premises to lower the impact of stigmatization.
• Helping and equipping women and youth with skills and information on the prevention of HIV/AIDS
• Networking with other HIV/AIDS support organizations to improve and facilitate exchange of services and information

Conclusion

Church leaders look at HIV/AIDS as a spiritual, economic, leadership and governance, cultural and gender issue. This view paves the way for better understanding of the problem which goes beyond the moral issues that churches have focusing on as the cause for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The holistic view on HIV/AIDS by church leaders results in holistic responses. This is apparent in the above mentioned recommendations which the church leaders have committed and strive to attain in the midst of the struggles. The participatory approach used during the Leaders meetings has helped address critical issues effectively. Due to these, Christian assistance has effectively curbed the AIDS/HIV problem in Angola.