About the Ses'Khona Project
by IFES
AIDS Bible Studies
About this project
About IFES
HIV/AIDS is a crisis of major proportions in several countries. The two worst-affected areas are sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.
Addressing students in the Caribbean in July 2002, Brendan Bain, Professor of Community Health and Psychiatry, University of the West Indies, asked: ‘Are we waiting for HIV/AIDS sufferers to come to church before we show them concern or compassion?’ The Caribbean has the highest proportional growth in sufferers in the world, and, as in Africa, HIV/AIDS is ravaging the campuses.
In November, Femi Adeleye, Regional Secretary for English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa, held a consultation to look at ways in which IFES movements can address this. Many IFES supporters learned of this through the weekly email prayerline message; our prayers were evidently used.
Over four days, 19 people from 18 countries met in Harare, Zimbabwe. Some had difficult journeys – it took the Liberian member six days to get there! Each national movement had asked students in its Christian fellowships to complete a survey exploring behaviour and attitudes. Responses to this served as raw material for a list of key matters to tackle. Stella Kasirye, national director of World Relief in Malawi, facilitated the discussions.
The goal was to find ways of tackling issues related to HIV/AIDS on campus, but the four days of discussion and prayer also made a deep impact on everyone personally.
Using the story of Nehemiah, Stella Kasirye asked, ‘Do you see the trouble we are in?’ and then challenged the group to ‘Come ... rebuild!’ And just as God asked Moses, ‘What do you have in your hand?’ she urged the consultation to look at what is already being done well, and work from that.
Then came action plans for the national movements. Some movements will now intensify efforts already in place; others are just beginning to address the issues. Student groups can have good knowledge of biblical teaching on sex, but not let that seep into behaviour patterns; there is an ongoing need for staff to help students apply Scripture to their lifestyles. For others, work has to be done in changing attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS. All members of the consultation agreed on the need for creative resources to influence students.
"Do you see the trouble we are in? Come… rebuild!"
Femi Adeleye is committed to establishing an HIV/AIDS desk in the regional office to serve movements in different countries.
The South African IFES movement (SCO) has appointed a specialist staff worker, Bongiwe Dumezweni, and students and staff have developed a Bible study program known by the Zulu word Ses’khona (‘we are here’). It walks through parts of Luke’s gospel, looking at how the Lord Jesus related to people.
The IFES world family shares ideas and experiences. Leaders in countries where the AIDS virus is spreading will look carefully at principles and plans arising from this consultation, and follow news of initiatives like Ses’khona.
Factfile
There are now 28.5 million living with HIV/AIDS in Africa. In seven countries, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among 15- 49 year olds is over 20%: South Africa (20.1%); Zambia (21.5%); Namibia (22.5%); Lesotho (31%); Swaziland (33.4%); Zimbabwe (33.7%); Botswana (38.8%).
1.9 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean are living with HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death in some countries of the Caribbean Basin. Worst affected are Haiti and the Bahamas, where prevalence rates are 6% and 3.5%, respectively.
Source: UNAIDS www.unaids.org
Unless otherwise noted, all materials on the urbana.org web site are Copyright InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA. All rights reserved.
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