They Need us.

Introduction

In Uganda and around the world, there is no single day when the media has never published something related to the suffering of children. This is not because they hate children, or delight in publishing such information, but it is because a lot is done to children simply because people take advantage of their vulnerability and innocence. I always asked myself whether there was something I could do that could help children in my generation and when I came in contact with a child who was suffering from HIV/ AIDS, my mission to offer support to children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS was triggered by Desmond Tutu's statement which goes that " A day is coming when the progress of nations will not be judged by their economic power or military prowess, or by the splendor of their capital cities and public buildings. Instead the measure of a nation's humanity and strength of its civilization will be based upon the provision it made for its vulnerable and disadvantaged people and the protection that it afforded to the growing minds and bodies of its children. (Desmond, 2005). This powerful phrase paused a challenge to my life that has kept me passionately serving, ministering, protecting and advocating for the well-being of children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS.

HIV is the abbreviation for Human Immune Virus that causes AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Around the world, in July 2004, "the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) showed that 28 million people around the world were living with HIV/AIDS and out of this number, 2.5 million were children under the age of 15. And there were projections that these figure could grow in future".(Geoff, Levine & Williamson, 2005. P.4). Still focusing on the above statistics, I look forward to ministering to children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS or are infected too.

HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that has caused many economic, social and political problems around the world especially here in Africa. To the children, it is one of the leading causes of premature deaths, the high levels of school dropout, poverty and child headed families. There is no stone that has been left unturned in the emotional being of all people around the world. This epidemic has at one point affected everyone either directly or indirectly no wonder its eradication is one of the millennium development goals. To keep the ball rolling, I would like to elaborate on reasons as why I feel called to serve children Infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Why I feel I have been called to serve Children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS

The after math of this epidemic in my community and many communities around the world is but just a strong reason as to why many people like me should work with such a group which is at risk because of the following reasons;

I appreciate the fact that many agencies around the world have joined the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic especially when it comes to children. But the only challenge is that most of the solutions and remedies put in place eventually cause or lead to new problems. For example the prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS. It is a success because many positive mothers give birth to HIV free babies but the problem is that it increases on the number of orphans left due to loss of parents because of HIV/AIDS because the children will be born healthy but the parents may die at an earlier stage due to HIV/AIDS related issues thus leaving the children helpless. Because these children are helpless, they need someone like me to minister to them and in response to this wake up call, I feel I am called to minister to Children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.

There are many children living under poverty because their parents have been weakened by HIV/AIDS and are not in position to fend for their children and because of this, they have been struck by poverty leading to the high levels of school dropouts because children have to find means and tactics of survival so as to support themselves and their families. Children have resorted to going on the streets, the girls are involved in prostitution which exposes them to sexually transmitted infections, child labor and joining criminal gangs. Such children need psycho-social support which can but only be availed to them by professionals like me since they need someone who can stand up for them and also protect them from the dangers that are surrounding them. For this reason, I chose to minister to such a group, which is in great risk.

Just like the saying goes that "No man is an island", many people have made children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS islands. This is done through stigmatization and discrimination. For a long time most people even today still think that when they associate with someone living positively or a child who lost parents due to AIDS may transmit the infection to their children so they close their doors leaving such children as out casts. These children equally have feelings like any other children and they too deserve equal and fair treatment but have no people to stand out for their rights and above all, HIV/AIDS has rendered them voiceless. I have chosen to minster to these children in response to the word of God in Isaiah 61:1 which says "The spirit of the Lord is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and opening of the prison to those who are bound." (NKJV Bible) in response to the above scripture, my desire is to advocate for the wellbeing of children who have been bound and made poor because of the HIV/AIDS epidemic with hopes that at one point they will be free and their rights will be respected thus choosing to minister to this population at risk.

HIV/ AIDS has contributed to the family spirit break down in many communities. Many couples have divorced because they have discovered that one of them is infected and in most cases, husbands link it to their wives and because of the mistrust, it’s accompanied by domestic violence and eventually family breakage. Still if I may borrow from the saying that goes that "where to elephants meet, the grass suffers", in such cases the children become the grass and in the endeavor to find a safe place, they get exploited sexually exposing them to HIV or are employed to do hard labor. Some even opt to join rebel groups because they have given up on life. To restore hope in their lives is one major and very important thing that has to be done. This can be done by people like me who are passionate about them. When such children are rehabilitated and given support, they turn out to be very responsible people in the community and the globe at large for example pastor Wilson Bugembe. I was inspired by his testimony and feel I have a calling to minister to children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS.

Having looked at the above, and the many challenges that children affected and infected by HIV/AIDS go through, low self-esteem, nick names and denial a among others are wake up calls that many have neglected for a long time. So because of my passion for such children, I feel I am called to minister to them.

Biblical principles that motivate me to work with children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS

In Galatians 6:2, the bible say that "Bear one another's burden and so fulfill the law of Christ".(NKJV Bible). This clearly indicates that by bearing one another's burdens or helping one another, we fulfill Christ's law which commands us to do that and for that reason in obedience to the same principle we are to support the needy because when we do that, we do it for God and he will pay us back as in Proverbs 19:17. Bearing one another's burden is done in many ways especially in relation to ministering with children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. Ministering to them involves advocacy for their rights and well-being, which is a great biblical principal in proverbs 31:8-9 that says that “open your mouth for the speechless in this cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy." (NKJV Bible). When I think about ministering to children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS, I front advocacy because their rights have to be protected and promoted. Since I am not financially well and not in a very influential position to support them fully, all I do is speak for them to those who are in a good position of helping them.

As I do this, I do it for the lord Jesus and my motivation is in the book of Matthew 25:34-40 which says that;

 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.(NKJV Bible).

Basing on this biblical principle, I am motivated to work with children affected and infected with HIV/AIDS because I want to have something that I can offer to my generation.  I will do my best to serve the Lord when still here on earth so that on the last day, I may be accountable to the Lord when he asks what I did for his beloved people while on earth.

Conclusion

Children infected and affected with HIV/AIDS are numerous in number and are helplessly in need of people who can lend a helping hand to them to help them realize their potential. Whatever we put in their lives now counts a lot and will stick for the rest of their lives as they grow up to serve the lord and their communities. If we do not do something today, then we many never do anything tomorrow because it is only today that we can do something. Let us act now.

Bibliography

Foster.G, Levine. C, William. J.(eds). (2005). A Generation: The Global Impact of HIV/AIDS on Orphans and Vulnerable Children. New York, USA: Cambridge University Press.

Holy Bible, New King James Version.