Stories of strength in a time of crisis

Mennonite Central Committee
Monday, 23 July 2001

AKRON, Pa. -- In the face of desperate circumstances caused by AIDS, many African Christians are choosing to be God's light, report Stan and Delores Friesen, who recently returned from a three-month trip to Africa for Mennonite Central Committee, where they gathered information on responses to HIV/AIDS.

Florence, a counselor in South Africa, told of her life's changes. She grew up in abusive circumstances with an aunt and uncle, became pregnant while at university, then discovered she was HIV positive. Her baby died of AIDS in less than two years. She found a healing community in the church and trained as a counselor to work with AIDS sufferers. "God was able to forgive me, but it was hard to forgive myself," she said. "What I needed from the church were acceptance, love and hope, not judgement."

In Zimbabwe an articulate mother living with HIV told Friesens she used to be shy. Her husband brought AIDS to the family, and anger kept her from caring for him while he was dying. "I was angry at my husband, myself, God." Between the anger and disease her health deteriorated. With help from her pastor and church family, she was able to forgive her dead husband and come to restored faith in God. Her health was restored, though she remains infected. She said she decided to live hopefully and "as long as I have the gift of life, to speak of God's grace and mercy."

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org