LOOKING BACK

Six weeks was a long time to be on the road, away from family and friends, in unfamiliar territory, and far away from home.

But the team made it through, working together as a family with ups and downs, highs and lows. We all brought our own talents and skills to the table and learned a great deal about and from each other.

We didn't just work together: we prayed, played, laughed and cried, held each other up when we were dragging and offered kind words and encouragement to lift each others' spirits. It's amazing how much we were able to do as a team!

We worshipped together all over the continent! We listened to services in French, English, Swahili, and Shona. We prayed with the Catholics, Methodists, Protestants, United Church of Christ, Anglicans, Pentecostals, and the Africa Inland Church, watching women and young people take the lead in many of these services.

We visited hospitals and hospices, orphanages and centers that help empower widows, and we met with young people and schoolchildren. And most importantly, we shared information and strategies on how to save ourselves and our communities from the devastation of HIV/AIDS.

In Côte d'Ivoire, we pulled out our rusty high school French skills while navigating our way around Abidjan and Yamoussoukro. The Balm received endorsements from the Catholic Conference, the Council of Churches, and First Lady Madame Simone Ehivet Gbagbo. High-ranking leaders from the Catholic, Methodist, and Pentecostal Churches and the Imam of one of the largest Mosques in Abidjan came together to show their unity in this fight against the scourge of HIV/AIDS and to endorse the partnership with The Balm In Gilead. And the Methodist, Catholic, and Pentecostal Churches issued a declaration and committed themselves to mobilizing people in their congregations and in their communities, stressing the need to be at the forefront of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

In Nigeria, we partnered with the Christian Health Association of Nigeria, the Catholic Episcopal Conference, the Christian Association of Nigeria, and representatives of the Islamic Group working on HIV/AIDS, among others, in Lagos, Abuja, and Jos. The Balm facilitated the creation a joint body of Christian and Muslim faith leaders, the first of its kind. We attended church services where the pastors preached their whole sermons about HIV/AIDS, addressing their role in combating stigma and truth-telling about how the virus can and cannot be contracted and spread.

In Tanzania, the Balm supported the Bishops' Consultation on HIV/AIDS, in partnership with the Christian Council of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma. This consultation marked the first time the bishops from numerous denominations have come together ecumenically to talk about HIV/AIDS education. Tanzanian Prime Minister Frederick Tlrway Sumaye, who spoke at the consultation, intensely thanked The Balm for showing their commitment to joining hands, particularly in the rural areas of Tanzania. We heard sorrowful testimonies from people living with HIV/AIDS, urging the churches to open their doors to them and to help end stigma and discrimination.

In Zimbabwe, the Balm sponsored the Church Leaders' Summit on HIV/AIDS in Harare, in partnership with the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the Zimbabwe Episcopal Conference. Bishops, reverends, pastors, and sisters met for an all-day session at the Chishawasha Seminary outside of Harare to discuss the theological aspect of HIV/AIDS work. Balm team member Dr. Randall Bailey, from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, led a bible study to help religious leaders think through what the churches' response should be and forcing the faith community to deal with very tough issues, including creating safe spaces for people living with HIV/AIDS in the church.

And finally, in Kenya, we realized how critical it is to engage young people in faith communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Balm team has made extraordinary strides during their six-week, five-country tour to expand the Africa HIV/AIDS Faith Initiative.

Our bags are packed and we're ready to go home. We are all quite eager to get back to work in the U.S., and to continue building the initiative with our brothers and sisters on the mother continent.