AAIM News release

World AIDS Day - December 1, 2007

Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise – "Take the Lead"

This year, World AIDS Day —December 1, 2007 — will focus on leadership. This will form part of the theme set by the World AIDS Campaign under the five-year slogan, "Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise."

World AIDS Day is a day when people from around the world come together to express solidarity with people living with HIV.   As an institution, the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) fully supports this concept and is very much committed and involved in programs of prevention, care, and support.  

The Church recognizes that in the areas of the world most severely impacted by HIV and AIDS, such as the continent of Africa, Adventists are in a position of making a very substantial contribution to the global fight against the HIV pandemic; bringing hope, love and comfort to those affected and infected by the disease.

AAIM – the Adventist - AIDS International Ministry office is based in Johannesburg , South Africa and is currently very busy assisting congregations and communities get organized to deal with the HIV pandemic. AAIM works through the extensive Adventist Network in Africa.

So far, AAIM has established HIV/AIDS programs in 20 countries of the sub-Saharan Africa . In addition, and in order to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, AAIM's action plan includes the organization of "Church or Institutional Based HIV/AIDS Support Groups."  These groups participate in activities such as home based care, orphans care, visiting and distribution of food and clothing parcels, and  income generating activities. Consequently, each church or institution becomes a support center for the community.

Because the HIV pandemic is a problem which mainly affects youth, in particularly young women, which count for more than 50% of the infections, AAIM has applied, during 2007, a very strong emphasis on those vulnerable groups through several programs implemented all over Africa.

An innovative program with African grandmothers was continued and expanded this year with excellent results. Grandmothers are key players in controlling the impact of the epidemic among family members and orphans.

We need to keep reminding ourselves that the HIV epidemic is not a single problem, but it is a multiple epidemic with elements of denial, stigma, poverty, ignorance, prejudice, fear, etc. which compels us to fight several fronts at the same time.

We are still battling congregations with judgemental attitudes and discrimination against people living with HIV, and also poor understanding of issues related with HIV prevention.

In keeping with this year's World AIDS Day's focus on leadership, we at AAIM want to make a special call to church leaders, particularly lay leaders, Elders, Deacons, Sabbath School Superintendents, etc., who are the backbone and foundation of the church, to take the lead and set an example.   We have an opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus spreading his loving care and compassion to others and bringing hope and healing to those in need.

Often when confronted by challenges as large as the global challenge of HIV, where millions upon millions are infected and tens of millions more affected, there is a tendency to see the challenge as so big that we think, "I can do nothing about it".

It is true that I may be able to do very little about the global HIV pandemic or end world poverty or global hunger, but I can help the person that is near me and is in need.   Jesus could have ended world hunger and satisfied all of people's needs.  But that was not his plan.  Instead, He showed us to love and have compassion to those in need on a daily basis.     

That is all that He expects from us (Matthew 25:35-36, :40)

May God bless you!

Oscar Giordano

AAIM Executive Director

Additional ideas and suggestions to commemorate this important day can be downloaded here

World AIDS Day December 1, 2006

"Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise"

AAIM News release - December 1, 2006
Today, December 1st. the world commemorates the International AIDS Day.

According to the latest statistics released on November 21, 2006 by UNAIDS, it shows that in 2006:

• An estimated 39.5 million people are living with HIV.
• There were 4.3 million new infections in 2006 with 2.8 million (65%) of these occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Infection rates in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have risen by more than 50% since 2004.
• Globally, 2.9 million people died of AIDS, including 380,000 children under 15.

:: Sub-Saharan Africa

In 2006, almost two thirds (63%) of all persons infected with HIV are living in sub-Saharan Africa—24.7 million. An estimated 2.8 million adults and children became infected with HIV in 2006, more than in all other regions of the world combined.

The 2.1 million AIDS deaths in sub-Saharan Africa represent 72% of global AIDS deaths. Across this region, women bear a disproportionate part of the AIDS burden: not only are they more likely than men to be infected with HIV, but in most countries they are also more likely to be the ones caring for people infected with HIV.

Southern Africa remains the epicenter of the global HIV epidemic: 32% of people with HIV globally live in this subregion and 34% of AIDS deaths globally occur there. Last week, we came back from Angola, where AAIM held a very successful program on HIV/AIDS with 129 participants representing our churches from all over the country.

Angola is the 14th. country reached by AAIM in less than three years. HIV/AIDS prevention and impact mitigation are the main goals of this ministry's action plan. The level of HIV/AIDS awareness is being raised throughout our churches and institutions in Africa.

We thank God for the many blessings received during this time.

World AIDS Day December 1, 2005

AAIM

Adventist-AIDS International Ministry

Tri-Divisional Africa Office

"Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise"

Dear friends, 

Greetings from AAIM!
We are rapidly approaching the AIDS International Day on December 1st.   

This is a reminder of this important occasion, when all around the world, people will commemorate the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our societies. The theme for 2005 is: "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise"

December 1st is a special opportunity for HIV/AIDS Awareness for our church members and the communities they represent.  It is also a great opportunity for witnessing and sharing Jesus' love and compassion toward the people infected and affected by this disease.

Some fields prefer to prepare a program only for December 1st, while other fields prefer to hold programs that will last the entire week before or after December 1st. It is suggested that a strong accent should be put on:

1)    "Healthy Lifestyle", The SDA Health Message

2)    STIs and HIV/AIDS Prevention and Education

3)    How to become involved in the AIDS Ministry and help people living with HIV and AIDS

4)    Reaching out to the communities touched by the HIV/AIDS epidemic - HIV/AIDS Impact Mitigation - Matthew 25:35-36

5)    Living with HIV - How to overcome HIV/AIDS with the help of the Great Healer, Jesus-Christ - Participation of PLWHA

6)    HIV/AIDS, A Ministry of Love and Compassion - Spiritual support and assistance for PLWHA and Orphans

7)    "Each SDA Church a Support Center for the Community" through “church based HIV/AIDS support groups” (for more information on this item, you can contact us at: ogiordano@aidsministry.com )

These are just some examples of focus areas that could be developed in short presentations/debates, together with other activities. Public presentations, parades, and advocacy represent successful avenues to reach a greater number of people and improve the public perception of this problem and the Adventist approach to it.

Additional ideas and suggestions to commemorate this important day can be downloaded here

We hope and pray that through your programs many people all over the continent of Africa will receive Jesus' touch of love and compassion and become fully aware of this terrible scourge that is decimating entire populations in the world and most particularly in this continent. 

May our Lord Jesus-Christ inspire and empower each of us as we share His unconditional love and acceptance for each and everyone suffering from HIV/AIDS.  "...When He saw the multitudes, Jesus was moved with compassion for them..." Matthew 9:35-36 

Let our churches become refuges of healing and hope for all people and active support centers for the communities. "Our Father in Heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost..." Matthew 18:14 

May God bless you as you prepare for this important event! 

With kind Christian regards, 

Oscar Giordano

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Dr. Oscar A. Giordano, MD., MPH.
AAIM Executive Director
GC, Adventist-AIDS International Ministry
Tri-Divisional Africa Office
30 Peter Place, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
Mailing address: P.O. Box 1823 – Cramerview  - 2060

Johannesburg – South Africa

Office: (+27) 11-463-1501
Cell: (+27) 728210429
Fax: (+27) 11-463-3951
E-Mail: ogiordano@aidsministry.com
Web-Site: www.aidsministry.com