Workshop Descriptions
AIDS, Poverty, and Justice.. HIV/AIDS is a holistic problem that demands a holistic response. The Bible speaks clearly about poverty, injustice, and oppression. Our theology must demand the same. In this workshop, expect to be challenged by learning how our affluence and lifestyle choices have a direct relationship to the spread of HIV/AIDS in the majority world.

Integration of Community Health Evangelism (CHE) with HIV/AIDS Care. This workshop will briefly review basic foundational principles of CHE, then explore the ways in which this ministry model is very applicable to HIV/AIDS ministry. There will be sharing of very practical examples by people experienced with this strategy. Preventive education and empowerment of communities is foundational to this ministry.

HIV/AIDS 101.This workshop will address the basic facts about HIV/AIDS, including: statistics about the global crisis; manners of spread of the disease; basic medical information about diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of the patient; and unique physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the person living with HIV/AIDS.

The Problems of AIDS Orphans and Their Appropriate Care. The numbers of AIDS orphans worldwide are growing rapidly. This presents unique challenges for training up these children, providing for education, healthcare, physical needs, and helping them understand the disease at an early age in order to stop the cycle of transmission into another generation. We will explore right and wrong ways to address orphan care and unique differences in various cultures.

Ethical Issues in the Care of People Living with HIV/AIDS. People who live with HIV/AIDS, as well as their families, face difficult prejudices, misconceptions, and judgmental attitudes as their disease process progresses. Healthcare workers, social agencies, family and friends, the church, and other community agencies face difficult ethical issues in the care of these people. Above all, it must be remembered that these are real people with real stories who need the love of Christ as we reach out to them.

“Some Specific Ways Our Church has Responded to the AIDS Crisis.” When you look at the worldwide AIDS pandemic as a big picture, it immediately becomes overwhelming . Yet there are very specific things the individual Christian and the local church body can do to make a difference. None of us can do it all, but working together and each doing something can make a difference in the lives of many. We will explore some specific ideas for your involvement from one church that has done much.

Ministry to People Living with HIV/AIDS in our Home Communities. While we read and hear much about AIDS in Africa or India or some other country “over there,” let us not forget that there are people in our own communities, maybe our own neighborhoods, in America who are infected with HIV and facing an uncertain future – both physically and spiritually. How might the lay person reach out in practical ways to those in our communities who need an extra measure of Christ’s love?

Cultural Traditions and Misconceptions that Propagate this Global Pandemic. Worldwide, the AIDS crisis has not spared one single nation on earth. There are so many unique cultural traditions and misunderstandings about this disease that actually contribute to the spread of the disease. We will explore some of these factors, which are aiding the spread of the disease, and how we can integrate this information into effective, preventive education, from the perspective of a veteran medical missionary.