I no longer wonder what it felt like for David to come against Goliath. I, too an unlikely choice, have been asked and have committed to fight a battle that is much bigger than myself. I must confess it seems absurd to throw the few small stones I’ve been given at this giant killing Africa; but then again, I need not forget that the battle is not my own. The longer I remain in this little village, the more God is awakening me to the reality of how big an enemy AIDS really is. The love of God continues to compel me to follow the model of Jesus Christ “who walked thousands of kilometers, held hundreds of hands crushed by calamity, ate with prostitutes & thieves, and marched into big churches to tell the religious leaders that the kingdom of God was upon them- outside in the community where the blind and lepers lay”.
The nature of HIV is to hide itself within an individual’s body as well as a community & continent until it has spread to unfathomable proportions. By the time it shows its indiscriminant and ugly face, life is quickly stolen striking a fear so deep within those left behind. The fear factor, associated with AIDS, has caused even the word Ukimwi (Swahili for AIDS) to rarely be mentioned; instead, we talk about “the sickness”. This silence and refusal to recognize the reality of HIV/AIDS continues to nourish its spread in Africa.
Two weeks ago, as I sat with yet another family experiencing the devastation of AIDS, my heart was broken again. The family is comprised of a man in his forties who is struggling to hold onto life, two wives already infected, and a beautiful three month old baby named Brian whose status is yet to be discovered. On that day, I wasn’t alright with simply sitting beside them as they die. I desired for there to be hope restored. I told the family that I had heard about a clinic in the neighboring town of Turbo offering services to HIV patients on Friday’s. I had no idea what to expect, but we decided it was worth a try.
Friday morning, I woke up early and was encouraged as I read in the Psalms that God does not forget the cries of the humble (9:12). I needed to be reminded of that. Upon arriving to the Turbo clinic, an older gentleman from the States welcomed me graciously and introduced himself as Dr. Joe, the physician in charge of the clinic. As I stood in an office full of antiretrovirals and other medications, he asked what I thought. Tears streamed down my face as I told him, "I sit with people every day as they struggle to live & it's horrible." As the day continued, it was very evident that God was opening doors for us to partner together to care for & treat AIDS patients.
Through grants & other funding sources, Dr. Joe has been able to open multiple clinics & give free testing & treatment to thousands of HIV patients throughout Kenya. The services offered include medical treatment with access to HIV medications, laboratory services, nutritional support & counseling, and other social supports. That day, I returned to the village in awe of the possibilities for providing care that had been revealed.
Since my first visit to the Turbo clinic two weeks ago, we have begun a HIV/AIDS Awareness Counsel that is made up of 8 dynamic people from Kipkaren who are passionate about caring for the needs of those infected & affected within this community. With a renewed sense of hope, we are looking for ways to battle the fears associated with HIV/AIDS.
This week, HIV testing & counseling has been started within the village. Even this morning, I sat with a young man who came requesting to be tested. He was obviously frightened by what the results would be; when the test results were negative, he pulled condoms out of his pocket and shared that he needed to throw them away & begin to live in a way he knew Jesus had called him to. I spoke frankly with him & told him that he was responsible to make choices that would protect his family & himself from HIV and encouraged him to find someone he could talk with to hold him accountable for his actions. As we shared, I felt led to pray for him. His reply was that we needed to get on our knees. In my little hut, we asked God to lead, to provide strength in weakness, & thanked Him for grace and protection. It was an amazing moment of truth.
For those that test positive, access to medical treatment with Dr. Joe is offered & coordinated for any who are willing to go. We’re finding home based care to be a valuable way to monitor medication compliance in between visits as well as to follow up on other needs within the family. Pastoral support and counseling are also available to encourage the patient & family.
Needless to say, there are many exciting things happening within the health ministry of ELI these days. I am seeing visions become realities & watching God grant dreams greater than I had dared to dream. I covet your prayers for continued strength & wisdom as I continue to fight this battle & learn to love. God is at work, and I want to join Him
