We are all very tired, its 5am on Saturday morning and we have finished our last meeting. We couldn’t have spent any more time or energy this week, that’s for sure. STS concluded a facilitator training (and facilitators-to-be) around 5pm on Thursday, we had 28 graduates complete our training which covered topics like how to write a lesson plan, interactive teaching methods, as well as HIV transmission, prevention, treatment, and the immune system. The evaluation of the training by the facilitators was very positive, they were extremely appreciative of our efforts to partner with them in this ministry and share the knowledge and skills we have. We also interviewed all of our trainees individually and found that many had very impressive and admirable goals for their clubs or other kinds of HIV/AIDS ministry in 2010.
Also, I am particularly excited about working with churches to give them information, training, strategies, and support as they find God’s calling to this ministry and to the lives of their members affected by HIV and AIDS. I have several friends who already have expressed interest in teaching information to the members of their churches. I continue to be inspired by the way that God uses tragedies like the deaths of HIV+ persons to draw others closer to Himself and call their surviving family members to this ministry as part of the process of grieving, redemption, and renewal. My heart goes out to those who have persevered in this ministry for many years, seeing many they care about die along the way, and often finding resistance from persons and groups despite the fact that there is no one left in Botswana, Zambia, or perhaps Southern Africa who has not been personally, intimately affected by the stigma, suffering, poverty, anger, fear, despair, and death which HIV has wrought.
We had an amazing Friday in Murundu, playing with 100 or more children, very eager and curious about some people which appear much different than them. The Enfy’s Orphan project in Murundu which we support has made great progress in its income generation through the director’s agricultural business which includes pigs, chickens, tomatoes, potatoes, moringa, and maize. It has completed building a clinic which we are tentatively hoping to staff with a VCT counselor who will offer free, spiritually-inspired counseling and HIV testing to the residents of Murundu. 3 of our club facilitators and I are planning to pilot a health/spiritual education program with the orphans about twice a month. In fact, we believe we will need to cover many different topics which are particular to these children’s situation in Murundu and the challenges of orphanhood.
I wish safe travel and blessings to my colleagues who are returning to their homes, jobs, and families. Their desire to seek God and to give Him their vacation time and their savings to come here, and their leisure time in preparation for their trips continues to fan the passion which I have for this ministry and for God. These guys are the real deal, the vision you read on our website is lived out, and its been an awesome team to be a part of. If any of you reading this think you may be interested in what we do and why we are doing it, contact us, perhaps there is a calling somewhere there. Let God take you where He wants! Stay well.
Blessings
Johnny
