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Once silent on crisis, they are now playing a stronger role
Milwaukee (WI) Journal Sentinel (WWW)
By FELICIA THOMAS-LYNN / of the Journal Sentinel staff
3.12.02
African-American churches, once silent on AIDS, have opened HIV testing sites
and assisted with housing for those with the disease - now the leading cause of
death among blacks between the ages of 25 and 44.
Nationwide, African-American churches have been slow to respond to the AIDS
epidemic, said Pat McManus, executive director of the Black Health Coalition
of Wisconsin.
Quotable
Some still believe there is no place in the church for people who have AIDS,
but you have other churches who are providing comfort and love to people without
being judgmental. - Pat McManus, executive director of the Black Health Coalition
of Wisconsin.
Although African-Americans make up about 5% of the state's population, they
compose 28% of all AIDS cases in Wisconsin and 32% of those infected with
HIV, according to the Wisconsin AIDS/HIV Program of the Department of Health and
Family Services.
Human immunodeficiency virus infection is now the leading cause of death nationwide
among blacks between the ages of 25 and 44, said Kathryn Bina, of the
national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"It's such a taboo topic in our community," McManus said. "Some
still believe there is no place in the church for people who have AIDS, but you
have other
churches who are providing comfort and love to people without being judgmental."
The state has helped in the endeavor with a $40,000 grant to six Milwaukee-area
churches for counseling and testing.
Progressive Baptist Church, 8324 W. Keefe Ave., is one of them. The church
recently held a fund-raiser with proceeds going toward housing grants totaling
$3,000 to two transitional living centers for those with AIDS.
Pat Evers, part of the AIDS ministry at the church, said the program, which
began last month, is discreet.
"There's not going to be any large signs with arrows. That would make
people less inclined to come," Evers said. "We want Progressive to be
known as a church that is welcoming to people living with HIV/AIDS. We're approaching this through
fliers and word of mouth.
"There's a host of problems that come up as a result of stigmatization,
and lack of housing is one of them."
Evers said people who want to remain anonymous will only be given a number.
Those who are tested are asked to return in two weeks for the results. Thus far,
one person has been tested.
The five other churches participating in the grant are Evergreen Baptist Church,
St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Church, St. James United Methodist
Church, New Hope Baptist Church and St. John Baptist Church.
Shirley Gladney, a member of the Milwaukee Chapter of the National Black Nurses
Association, was one of several members of the organization trained by the
state in January to administer the AIDS/HIV testing.
Gladney, who has watched black men and women die from AIDS, said she is getting
involved in an effort to break the silence. "People never talk about it,
even
though they know their loved ones died of AIDS. They are afraid people may not
want to be around them."
But, she said, "you don't know who is infected. You can't tell by looking
at them. People aren't protecting themselves against the disease."
Other churches have pioneered outreach for blacks with AIDS.
The Rev. Walter Bates, pastor of The Balm in Gilead for All People, has seen
a church member and relative die recently of AIDS. He explained the reluctance
of
churches to deal with the disease.
"A lot of pastors strive to present a strong black image," Bates
said. "They don't want to come in contact with people who have an alternative
lifestyle. A lot of
them shy away from that."
The Rev. Rick Daniels, pastor of Covenant Community Church, has had an AIDS
program for a number of years.
"What churches have to get past is the stigma of the behavior and deal
with the disease," said Daniels, who lost an uncle to AIDS. "We can't
close our eyes to this
anymore."
Appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on March 13, 2002.
(C) Copyright 2002 Journal Sentinel Inc. All rights reserved.
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