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AIDS, Spirituality and the African American Church:
A Call for a Greater Response

In biblical scripture, God gives balm (oil) to heal the land (Gilead) - a land that was ravaged by plagues, poor health care, racial discrimination, ethnic cleansing, ruthless treatment of women and violence. In Gilead, the people suffered not only because of the inhumane political consciousness of those times, but because of a lack of information and the people's inability to organize themselves to take political action. Today, in the furrow of the AIDS epidemic, many African American communities nationwide are identical to the land of Gilead. The stench of pain, sickness and death fills our nostrils with every breath we breathe.
We must build upon the spiritual consciousness of our ancestors who were bound in the shackles of slavery. In pain and sorrow, they reached into the scriptures and wrote a song that bears witness to God's omnipotent and omnipresent nature that heals, forgives and loves unconditionally. Our ancestors, in the text of the song, gave instructions to go, teach and to take responsibility for each other. The balm, the healing oil, flows through each of us as energy, anger, courage and strength. This balm enables us to fearlessly fight AIDS - whether on the front line of political action and HIV/AIDS education; in the trenches with opportunistic infection; or in the mine fields of a person's discriminatory thoughts against those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. Our churches, mosques, synagogues, and community-based AIDS organizations must become a fountain of balm that forever flows.

The Balm in Gilead is a non-profit organization whose mission is to mobilize the African American community through prayer, HIV prevention education, advocacy and service. You are invited to participate in The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS beginning Sunday, March 5, 2000. For more information, please call (212) 730-7381 or write The Balm In Gilead, 130 West 42nd St., Suite 450, New York, NY 10036

by Pernessa C. Seele, Founder/CEO
The Balm in Gilead, Inc., New York, NY

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