Micah Network 1 Jephias Mundondo Role of the Church, Christian Volunteers and the Christian distinctive Jephias Mundondo FACT, Zimbabwe THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH THE CHRISTIAN The Role of The Church FROM THE PAST THE CHURCH SUPPORTED THE MARGINALISED PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE ILL AND THE LAME USED TO COME AND SIT BY THE CHURCH S DOOR SO AS TO BE HELPED. JESUS MET SOME OF THEM AND HEALED THEM AT THE CHURCH (Luke4v33-37) ROLE OF THE CHURCH COLLECTION OF RESOURCES FOR GOD S WORK THIS WAS THROUGH TITHES AND FREEWILL OFFERING THE CHURCH SUPPORTED THE ILL, THE ELDERLY, THE ORPHANS AND ALL THOSE WHO HAD SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. TODAY S ROLES OF THE CHURCH NOTHING HAS CHANGED
Micah Network 2 Jephias Mundondo THE CHURCH SHOULD STILL LOOK AFTER THE ILL, THE ORPHANS, AND ALL WHO HAVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY JESUS SAID WE SHOULD LAY HANDS ON THE SICK AND THEY WILL RECOVER. (THAT IS GIVING THEM HOPE) (Mark 16V18) ILLNESS WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO JESUS AND THE CHURCH FOR HEALING ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE LEPROSY BLINDNESS PHYISICAL DISABILITY DEMON POSSESSED HIV/AIDS, SUFFERING, POVERTY AND TODAY S CHURCH HIV/AIDS HAS COME UP FOR DISCUSSION BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING THE SUFFERING OF THE INFECTED AND AFFECTED THE STIGMA BEHIND HIV/AIDS IN THE CHURCH AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH THE IMPACT OF HIV/AIDS WHEN THERE IS POVERTY THE POVERTY AND SUFFERING HIV/AIDS LEAVES BEHIND IN THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THE CHRISTIAN VALUE AND THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS THERE IS NO REASON TO HIDE THE FACT THAT A % OF HIV/AIDS INFECTION IS FROM SEXUAL TRANSMISSION AND MAINLY THROUGH MULTIPLE PARTNER SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. IF THAT IS TRUE THEN THIS COULD BE ONE REASON THE CHURCH DISTANCED ITSELF FROM HIV/AIDS AND TREATED IT AS A SIN AND PUNISHMENT PROBLEM.
Micah Network 3 Jephias Mundondo REPENTANCE AND ACCEPTANCE IT IS NOT FAIR TO JUST BLAME THE CHURCH IF PEOPLE REPENT, THERE WILL BE ACCEPTANCE. THERE IS A LOT OF SILENCE ON SIN AND REPENTANCE IN MOST AIDS CASES. THIS COULD ALSO BE ONE REASON THE CHURCH HAS TAKEN LONG TO FULLY TAKE ITS RIGHTFULL POSITION ON HIV/AIDS INTERVENTIONS. THIS HAS LED TO STIGMATIZATION OF THE INFECTED. THE DIFFICULT SITUATION THE CHURCH REPRESENTS THE GLORY AND HOLINESS OF GOD, THE UNCONDITONAL LOVE AND FORGIVENESS OF SIN. HOWEVER THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS WITHOUT REPENTANCE. THE CHURCH THOUGH HAS TO GIVE THE UNCONDITIONAL SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE BEING SINNERS, OR NOT, POSITIVE OR NAGATIVE. THE DIFFICULT SITUATION THE CHURCH IS NOW FACED WITH A SITUATION WHERE JUDGEMENT OF THE PEOPLE SHOULD BE PUT ASIDE. WHERE THE BROTHERWOOD LOVE OF JESUS COMES IN PLAY DESPITE WHAT OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS HAVE GONE THROUGH. WE WILL GIVE THEM UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT. CONQUERING THROUGH ACCEPTANCE AND FORGIVENESS THE DEATH OF JESUS ON THE CROSS FOR OUR SINS NOT HIS, IS A GOOD EXAMPLE (CRUCIFIED FOR OTHER PEOPLE S SINS) THE PRODIGAL SON S FATHER GAVE THE BEST EXAMPLE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. THE GOOD SAMARITAN IS A GOOD EXAMPLE (WE WILL FIND THEM DYING AND GIVE THEM SUPPORT) THE HEALING OF THE SICK BY OUR LORD JESUS WHILE HE WAS AROUND IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE. THE LIST IS ENDLESS.
Micah Network 4 Jephias Mundondo CHALLENGES FACING THE CHURCH IS HIV/AIDS A PUNISHMENT OR AN UNFORTUNATE SCENARIO? WHETHER IT IS OR NOT THE CHURCH DOES NOT HAVE TO JUDGE, GOD WILL DO THE JUDGEMENT. (Matthew7v1 judge not) IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT INVOLVE ITSELF AND SHOW THE LOVE OF OUR LORD JESUS, WHO WILL? CHALLENGES FACING THE CHURCH IT IS WHILE THE PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING, THOSE INFECTED AND AFFECTED, THAT THE CHURCH WILL SHOW THE GREAT LOVE OF OUR LORD GOD IS WATCHING TO SEE THE CHURCH S RESPOND TO HIV/AIDS AND WILL BLESS THE CHURCH IF THEY MANAGE TO PLAY THEIR ROLE. TO TAKE PART IN THE RESOURCE MOBILATION, CARE GIVING TO ORPHANS, SPIRITUAL SUPPORT TO THE INFECTED AND AFFECTED. SHOW THE LOVE OF GOD SHINE TO THE WORLD BY GIVING QUALITY SUPPORT AND CARE TO THE ORPHANS, THE INFECTED AND THE AFFECTED SUPPORT THE INFECTED AND AFFECTED IN POVERTY REDUCTION AS THE SITUATION IS WORSENED BY POVERTY STAND FOR THE INFECTED AND AFFECTED THROUGH ADVOCACY FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND WELL BEING
Micah Network 5 Jephias Mundondo SET A BEHAVIOR MODEL, WHICH THE WORLD CAN ADMIRE, AND FOLLOW. (MATH EW 5V14) SHOW ACCEPTANCE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED AND AFFECTED REDUCE STIGMA WITHIN THE CHURCH BY TALKING ABOUT HIV/AIDS IN THE CHURCH (BREAK THE SILENCE) SUPPORT WOMEN, CHILDREN WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE TEACH THE YOUTH AND INVOLVE MEN IN THE PREVENTION OF HIV/AIDS THECHURCH S ROLE AND CHRISTIAN DISTICTIVE EVERY CONGREGATION SHOULD HAVE AN HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME IN PLACE THERE SHOULD BE A STRONG NETWORK FOR SHARING INFORMATION ON HIV/AIDS WITHIN CHURCHES IN DIFFERENT REGIONS REPLACE MASSAGE OF FEAR AND ALLIANATION WITH THAT OF HOPE DISTICTIVE ALL PEOPLE, POSITIVE OR NAGATIVE WERE MADE IN THE IMAGE IF GOD GIVE LOVE OF JESUS TO REDUCE STIGMA, FEAR, DENIAL AND DISPAIR
Micah Network 6 Jephias Mundondo LETS THANK OUR LORD FOR ALLOWING US TO SHARE HIS GREAT LOVE AND FOR GIVING US THE WILL TO OFFER OURSELVES TO THIS HIV/AIDS MINISTRY FROM FACT S EXPERIENCE, WHICH I KNOW COULD BE THE SAME TO ALL IN POOR COUNTRIES THERE ARE VERY WILLING AND COMMITTED VOLUNTEERS DRIVEN BY LOVE, HUMILITY AND KINDNESS THEY FEEL THAT THE HIV/AIDS PROBLEM IS PART OF THEIR LIFE AND THEY SECRIFICE WHAT THEY HAVE, TIME AND MATERIAL TO HELP THE SICK AND ORPHANS. THEY TAKE THE COMMUNITY PROBLEM AS THEIRS THEY EVEN SHARE THE LITTLE FOOD THEY HAVE WITH THE SICK AND THE ORPHANS BUT AS THE COUNTRY THEY ARE LIVING IN GROWS POORER EVERYDAY THEY ALSO BECOME MORE POOR AND VULNERABLE. IF UNNOTICED WITH NGO S AND CHURCHES WHO HAVE SOME RESOURCES THEY ARE EVEN EXPOSED TO INFECTION AS THEY DO NOT HAVE BASIC INFECTION PREVENTATION KNOWLEDGE AND EQUIPMENT SUCH AS GLOVES, APRONS AND DISINFECTANTS. THE VOLUNTEERS, MOST OF THEM WOMEN, AT THE END THEY ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THIS EPIDEMIC. THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DO MOST OF THE HARD WORK THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SEE IT ALL THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO DO A LOT WITH VERY LITTLE IF ANY RESOURCES THE WORLD OVER SHOULD SALUTE THEM I PERSONALLY DO SALUTE THEM THEY ARE GOD GIVEN AND HAVE BIG HEARTS.
Micah Network 7 Jephias Mundondo SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY VOLUNTEERS AS MOST OF THIER COMMUNITIES USED TO RESPECT EACH OTHER AS ONE PEOPLE AT ONE STAGE. WHILE THEY GIVE ALL THEY CAN OFFER, THEY GO THROUGH VERY STRESSING MOMENTS, WHEN THEIR CLIENTS WHO ARE THEIR OWN PEOPLE BROTHER, SISTERS AND CHILDREN, DIE AT THE END. THE CHURCH AND CHRISTIAN ALL THE PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL FREE TO RUN TO THE CHURCH FOR QAULITY CARE BROTHERLY LOVE, HELP, FORGIVENESS HOPE and most of all Internal life WAY FORWARD GIVE PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH ACCURATE AND RELEVANT INFORMATION ON HIV/AIDS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVES. WAY FORWARD BEHAVIOUR CHANGE WOULD TAKE SOMETIME AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE WILL KEEP ON PREACHING ABOUT GOOD MORAL AND VALUES BEFORE RESULTS VICTORY IS CERTAIN!!!!!!!!! THE COMING TOGETHER OF CHRISTIANS LIKE THIS MARKS THE CERTANITY OF THE VICTORY OF THE BATTLE AGAINST HIV/AIDS. OUR GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH IN ALL SITUATIONS PSALMS 46V1-11