World Aids Day 2009

Today is World AIDS Day. HOW each of us participates in this event is personal. THAT we participate should be a given.  Here are a few participation suggestions:

• Buy something from Product RED and help provide ARV's to Africans suffering from AIDS.  A quick trip to Starbucks will work, or find other RED partners here.
• Dedicate some time to pray specifically about this pandemic.
• Read passages about Jesus’ encounters with the sick. Try these: Matt 8:5-13, 9: 25-34, Mk 1:29-34, 5: 21-43, Lk 13:19-17.
• Meditate on Jesus’ instructions to us, His followers, in Matt 25 about we are to respond to the sick, hungry, thirsty and in great need.
  Set aside some time to search the web and look for reading that will help you understand more about AIDS. You can find two great articles by our partner, Dr. Arnau Van Wyngaard: here and here.
• Download these great free resources from World Vision, the WCA and Fuller Seminary: here.
• Have some intentional conversations.  In the lunch room or around the dinner table, ask some questions and see where the discussion goes.  Here are some discussion starters: "Why does God allow an incurable disease to ravage innocent people," "Why should we become involved when often the African governments are corrupt and uninvolved," "What kind of 'help' is most likely to make a real difference."

The main benefit of World Aids Day is that millions of people around the world will pause, think and pray about what we can do to make a difference in this pandemic.  I believe that those of us who approach today asking questions, desiring a different world and willing to be part of making it so, just might have their own lives changed forever.

Wendi Hammond