The front page of the July 5th edition of The Washington Post carried an
article about the terrible AIDS epidemic that is ravaging Africa. Oh, I'd
heard about it before, but seeing the staggering numbers of the infected,
and the pace of the spread of this devastating disease gave me a sudden,
sobering jolt of reality. The headline read: "The World Shunned Signs of
Disaster." And I admit candidly you could have numbered me with the rest
of the world.
Consider this from the article: "Last year, HIV/AIDS reached a
long-expected milestone in the WHO's surveillance of disease and death: It
surpassed all other causes of death in Africa." To emphasize the world's
nonchalance in the face of these mounting negative statistics, the Post
reported, "in a secretariat of 2,000, the WHO has nine professionals who
work full time on AIDS." Less than one half of one percent.
And what does the "world" consider the answer to be to rein in AIDS in
Africa? Again, this comes from the article:
"A multibillion-dollar prevention program in sub-Saharan Africa, according
to plans now under preparation by the White House, World Bank, USAID and
UNAIDS, would include hundreds of millions of dollars in youth-focused
education, intensive counseling of sex workers, provision and "social
marketing" of condoms and much more aggressive treatment of lesser venereal
diseases, which speed transmission of AIDS. Other programs would provide
low-cost drugs to slow transmission of the virus in childbirth, blood
testing and improvements in blood bank quality controls."
Let's see. Education, counseling sex workers, providing condoms, treatment
of lesser diseases, drugs, and testing and improving the blood bank. I
guess that about covers it.
Oh, what about advocating abstinence or encouraging monogamous
relationships between married couples? I wonder if those preventives could
have an effect on the spread of HIV.
My hunch is that an education program stressing these alternatives could
help, but somehow these possible remedies seem to have escaped the
attention of the secular community.
So, how about the Christian community? Are there any Christian
missionaries in Africa? I seem to recall there are a few. Could they
profit from, even help spread the gospel through a plan that offered a
Christian answer to the spread of AIDS?
Is there an organization today that offers a game plan to educate Christian
missionary agencies?
And if not, could the ASA be such an organization? Is it beyond our
mandate. Or are we too involved debating whether God is detectable in
nature, or how old is the planet, or where and when was the
flood? (Forgive me, I digress.)
Would you mind batting this around a little as to whether such an endeavor
would be feasible for the ASA?
The second question is would you mind fleshing out this idea? I have only
a rough sketch of what such a program would entail. For example,
missionaries could be prepared to:
1. Counsel young Africans that Christ has provided an escape for the
ravages of this dread disease. It is either to remain single with total
abstinence, or to marry and live a monogamous lifestyle with your marriage
partner.
2. Missionary agencies could sponsor or assist with blood testing for
singles. Those testing positive for the disease (probably, one test is not
enough) should be given drug treatment and educated in how to prevent the
spread of the disease. Those testing negative should be encouraged to seek
and court a helpmate who also tests negative, or remain single if that is
their preference.
3. Uniting young couples in Christian marriage should include explaining to
them the joys of a faithful union and the possible penalties of the sin of
promiscuity.
4. By establishing Christian families who honor and glorify Christ through
their profession of faith and adherence to His precepts, they will create
tiny islands that can grow into entire communities which will remain free
of this disease in the face of its onslaught.
5. Evangelist efforts would be enhanced by providing public examples of
Christian faith with living evidence of the validity of the Christian message.
Anyway, that is all I have off the top of my head. So, what do you all think?
Dick Fischer - The Origins Solution - www.orisol.com
"The answer we should have known about 150 years ago."
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