God Breaks the Silence
by Li Xue
Following an invitation of the Amity Foundation, people from more than 10 different countries in Africa, Europe and Asia met in China to discuss ways of confronting the spread of AIDS and caring for the infected.
Judith Kamala Bukambu from the western shores of Lake Victoria in Tanzania traveled half the world to share her experiences on home-care for HIV/AIDS patients. First, there was the flight over Lake Victoria to the capital Dar es Salaam. There she boarded a plane to Paris and later Dubai and Beijing, at each stop presenting a new visa, until, after days, she finally arrived in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province.
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Judith Kamala Bukambu meets members of the Shangqiu church congregation |
Judith went out of her way to join an international conference on AIDS prevention titled "God Breaks the Silence - the Churches and HIV/AIDS", hosted by the Amity Foundation and attended by members of the Protestant Church in China, the United Evangelical Mission and Mission 21 between 22 January and 2 February 2007.
Church workers from Africa like Judith, who are experienced veterans in fighting against the spread of HIV/AIDS, reducing stigma and caring for the infected, served as a resource group for churches and organizations from Asia during the conference. Since Asian countries now face many AIDS-related problems that Africa has been struggling with for a long time, the conference aimed at offering a platform for advice from the Africans and a mutual exchange of ideas among all members.
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Raising pigs with special fodder in an income-generating project gives AIDS patients new hope |
Behind the neon lights
Like many other participants from Africa, Europe, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong, Judith was amazed at how fast China had developed. There were wide highways, skyscrapers, flashy neon lights, and masses of automobiles - all testifying to China's new wealth. Moreover, staying at a comfortable hotel makes anyone believe that China is not so poor after all.
Yet, a field trip during the conference to several so-called AIDS villages, where more than 50% of the population are HIV positive, changed this impression among conference members.
Visits to AIDS patients
As the bus with members of the conference left the highway heading for one of the AIDS villages the road became narrow and bumpy. Slowly, a village emerged out of the dusty air. The bus stopped at a tiny cottage beside the road where an old couple, the Wangs, lived. They had been infected with AIDS after selling their blood. Their one-room home was dark and cold with thick blankets piled up on the bed. On one of the walls hung a big poster of Jesus with the sentence "God loves the world". Christians lived here, obviously.
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Amity's Zhao Jingwen talks to Mrs. Wang |
Mrs. Wang had tears in her eyes when she told their story: "When our children learned in 2003 that we were infected with HIV/AIDS, we were kicked out of the house. We had no choice but to wait for death." But life changed fundamentally for them when Pastor Yan from the church in Shangqiu visited them one day, suggesting that they try to raise pigs as part of Amity's income generating project. This, together with a monthly free dose of antiretroviral medicine provided by the government, has greatly improved their lives.
The Wangs also became Christians during that time: "If it hadn't been for God," said Mrs. Wang, "we wouldn't have survived. We really thank the Amity Foundation. We can earn a living now, and we regained the hope to live." For a last goodbye, everybody sang "Lord of Lord and King of Kings" for Mr. and Mrs. Wang.
Home visits to Chinese AIDS victims who have received help made a deep impression on the conference members, especially on people like Judith, who cares for AIDS patients in her home country every day. Her long journey was worth the effort. For her and all the other conference members it became obvious that, no matter where people live, in Tanzania, Congo, Namibia, Indonesia, Germany, the Philippines or China, we are not alone in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Bio:
Mrs. Li Xue is currently working for the publicity division of Amity and is mainly concerned with the Chinese Amity Newsletter. Before joining the Amity Foundation in December 2006 she graduated from Hong Kong City University where she studied Communication and New Media.
