Covenant News

Global AIDS: "The Greatest Humanitarian Crisis of All Time"

WASHINGTON, DC (June 17, 2003) - Evangelical leaders meeting at a global AIDS forum issued a statement of conscience last week declaring the disease "may be the greatest humanitarian crisis of all time."

The statement was released as about 200 evangelical leaders met June 11-12 with representatives of AIDS ministries, along with officials from Africa, the US Congress, and the White House to discuss how to address the pandemic. Event sponsors included the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), World Relief (NAE's humanitarian arm), MAP International and World Vision.

"The church was not the first to the front lines of this conflagration," the three-page statement reads. "However, we believe the church is uniquely positioned to serve as the pivotal agent in turning the tide against AIDS through its message of reconciliation, faithfulness, hope and compassionate care."

Jim Sundholm, director of Covenant World Relief (CWR), was not at the forum last week, but said that the Evangelical Covenant Church has been active in the "war on HIV/AIDS" on several fronts, particularly in the CEUM (Covenant Church of Congo).

"The medical director of the CEUM hospital and clinic ministry has communicated to us that at least 25 percent of their medical dollar goes toward the HIV/AIDS pandemic as it confronts Congo," Sundholm said. "It has been suggested that related illnesses take will take up to 40 percent of the medical dollar this year. This is why we work diligently with the church to foster prevention and education. The most common 'victim' is a mother of one husband-CWR is conscious of the thousands of orphans being left on this massive continent by this pandemic."

Along with its work in Congo, CWR has tried to assist in HIV/AIDS education wherever it is involved in ministry. CWR supplied reading materials for the Community Health education workers in Ethiopia, and underwrote a youth education health ministry in Nekempte, Ethiopia. CWR also sponsored a family education program in Gambella, Ethiopia, Sundholm reported.

CWR has also supports the work of Bridges of Hope, an AIDS ministry started by Community Covenant Church in Santa Barbara, California. Pastor Dennis Wadley and his family left the church in February to work fulltime on HIV/AIDS ministry with Bridges of Hope (www.bridges-of-hope.org) in Philippi, South Africa, a township outside Cape Town. Bridges of Hope will be featured in the cover story of the July 2003 Covenant Companion.

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