When people live in poverty, troubles feed off one another. Unemployment means boredom, which leads to alcohol abuse, and sex among multiple partners, which causes HIV to spread. Living Hope and its parent organization, Fish Hoek Baptist Church Community Trust, battles these issues with a wholistic approach that seeks spiritual, physical, emotional and fiscal health.
HIV is made worse by the fact that those who have it in this culture are stigmatized by their community. So they’d either rather not know about it or just live with it until they die, instead of being tested or treated. But with the right medications, and the right counseling and education (all of which Living Hope supplies), people can survive and live healthy lives. They just have to be convinced.
The LCC team had a hand in this effort on Monday. Living Hope held a health fair at Red Hill to test for blood pressure, blood sugar, HIV and TB. We were told that a turnout of 20 for the HIV test would be a success. About 30 were tested and maybe 100 total showed up for the blood pressure checks. Unfortunately a handful tested positive for HIV. They’ll be counseled, cared for and directed into followup support groups.
The work of Living Hope and Living Grace is a great illustration of the principle behind James 2: 15-17. “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes or daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
I got a first-hand look at how bad alcoholism is in poor communities like Red Hill, particularly among men. As Tom and I walked around to invite people to the health fair, we came across guys who were already drunk at 10 in the morning. One guy took me to their general store (it’s a shack, just like the homes) and bought me a Coke. Then he drank and smoked with his friends as we chatted. (Don’t worry Mom, we’ve been assured Red Hill is a safe place in the daytime.) One guy told me to pray for him because he’s under so much stress. Several of them say they want to be free of the alcohol. But when they don’t have transportation and can’t find work and they’re hungry, they drink to numb the pain. It’s a vicious cycle and there are no easy answers.
2 comments:
Praise God for the work you all are doing. We're praying for your safety, health, and God's hand to be upon everything you do -- and everyone you meet. Special hello to Rosalie, my sweet sister in Christ. God bless all! Denise Mc.
Love you all! I love the blogs, thank-you for keeping us up to date. I so wanted to go but had to start working after 15 years, so this is the next best thing. I love hearing your stories though sometimes it breaks my heart , but truthfully I can't help feel excited about how God is using all of you in Africa. Dorothy
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