“I have lost only my immunity, not my humanity” -- these words from a person living with HIV+ won’t go away from the memory of His Grace Dr. Geevarghese Mor Coorilos. He shared the HIV+ person’s sense of alienation, with participants to the joint biblico-theological reflection session on Human Sexuality and AIDS, of
both the HIV Forum and Women’s Forum pre-assemblies on April 12 at the Dynasty Hotel.
It is the first time in the history of CCA assemblies that a pre-assembly forum of people living with HIV+ and Asian theological reflection process on HIV and AIDS was ever convened from April 10-13, bringing together 55 participants comprising people living with HIV+, care givers, pastors, theologians, medical professionals,
social workers, community organisers and consultants who “listened to each other’s experiences and stories and identified the need for the church to engage further in reflection and develop a theological perspective of health, healing and wholeness for the 21st century” (from Pre-Assembly HIV Forum “Message to the CCA 13th General Assembly”).
Esther (not her real name), is a 47 year old Malaysian Christian woman who contracted HIV+ from her husband, that eventually led to their divorce. She confided her health condition to her pastor. Two days before she was set to join a church retreat in Port Dickson, she was informed by the pastor that she could no longer
join because of her HIV+ status.
Go, 16 from Chiangmai, Thailand was the youngest participant at the HIV preassembly forum. He was born with HIV+ which was transmitted by both his parents. Through empowerment processes by the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT) AIDS Ministry called CAM, Go says “he has many opportunities to take part in activities that help him understand how to live with HIV better, and how to have a
good quality of life. Through CAM, he has had special times together with his family, alongside other families who also are living with HIV. Last year, he joined in a special programme with 20 other young people to learn ways to tell their story through a photographic album of their lives by making a scrapbook. This helped him to express himself and understand his feelings better, as well as help keep good relationship with family members.”
There were more such living stories in relation to HIV from Myanmar,
migrant workers in Hong Kong, human trafficking in Japan, Thailand
and transgender in India.
Among the most attended skills building workshops at the HIV Forum
were the workgroups on HIV-competent churches and theological
education and that on theology, human sexuality and AIDS. In the light of the 2009 Policy Statement on HIV and AIDS unanimously approved by the CCA General Committee in Bangkok, Thailand “Equipping Churches in Asia to be ‘HIV and AIDS Competent’”, the participants came to a consensus on what the Good News is for all, put forward affirmations, encouraged creating sacred places and spaces and making calls to the CCA General Assembly and Asian churches. The Pre-Assembly HIV Forum Message is to be presented on April 17 by Rev.Tara Curlewis, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia.
The HIV Forum was organized by the CCA jointly with the World
Council of Churches, the United Evangelical Mission, Lutheran World
Federation, Malaysian Care and Council of Churches of Malaysia. Six
participants of the Pre-Assembly Forum of People Living with HIV+
and the Asian Theological Reflection Process on HIV and AIDS are
present in the General Assembly as Observers. They are: Ms. Naw
She Wah (Myanmar), Dr. Manoj Kurian (WCC), Dr. Alphinus Kambodji
(Indonesia), Rev. Dr. Wati Longchar (India), Rev. Pax Tan
Chiow Lian (Malaysia), and Rev. Sanan Wutti (Thailand).
Marrio Mapanao
~ Berita Terkini CCA 2010 Day 1
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