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Educating and Empowering Religious Leaders

During The Balm In Gilead's plenary discussion, Seele addressed the most basic impediment to prevention efforts: "AIDS is a disease, not a sin. It is 100 percent preventable and 100 percent out of control among black people all over the world. We must wake up. We are in denial all over the world, and HIV/AIDS won't go away because we refuse to talk about it. We have confused our theological and religious beliefs with the facts. HIV/AIDS will not be stopped by our beliefs. We respect these beliefs, but this will not save our brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers. Education will."

She continued to address the religious leaders on this issue. "If the church says it's a sin and those with AIDS are sinners, who wants to be identified that way? We must tell the whole story. Blood supplies are contaminated and there are dirty needles in hospitals. Is someone who contracts HIV/AIDS this way a sinner?" she asked. "Our people have the right to know the facts," Seele urged. "They can make their own decisions but we have to give them the information. All of us must be responsible for saving ourselves and the next generation," she said.

The reality is that churches have the potential to reach more people than any health clinic ever could. When the door of the church is closed, people can't come in. People with HIV/AIDS must be allowed to come in and every church should be a community center for AIDS education.

It takes considerable financial resources to implement these kinds of programs, and Rev. Mugarura, Director of The Balm In Gilead's Africa HIV/AIDS Faith Initiative, addressed this issue. "There are plenty of folks claiming they're helping Africa fight AIDS, but the money is not reaching the folks who need it. The Balm In Gilead is not saying, 'Here's the money, now let's go.' We want to sit with you and work on what you can do best. We can agree and disagree - we want to listen to Tanzanians."

As the discussions continued through plenary and tea breaks, it was clear that people were listening and learning. The successes in Uganda and in the black community in the U.S. were held up as models. Rev. Mugarura continued, "When talking about young people and condoms, you have to give them the facts and let people make their own decisions. In Uganda, when young people were given the facts, they listened and chose abstinence. If you're hiding information and someone dies because of it, aren't you killing them? If you have a solution and don't share it, aren't you committing murder? With God's help, we can do it."

The Balm In Gilead Board Chair Erline Belton provided invaluable facilitation skills during the planning committee meetings in both Nigeria and Tanzania. Many religious leaders expressed excitement about moving forward and appreciation that black people in the U.S. care about what happens to Africans.

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