MANUAL ON ADVENTIST PILOT PROJECT: To Reduce The Spread Of HIV/AIDS Among Young People

HIV/AIDS has decimated families and communities all around the world leaving in its path pain, anger, sorrow, loneliness, and discouragement. Unfortunately the Church has sometimes contributed to the problem instead of being part of the solution. Instead of showing compassion to people living with HIV/AIDS, the Church has sometimes expressed the idea that they have gotten what they deserve. However, a basic Christian teaching is that God's grace is only for the undeserving—that none of us deserves to be loved, forgiven, accepted, or welcomed into the family of God. God's people must learn to extend that same love, forgiveness, acceptance, and welcome into fellowship to other undeserving people. I was happily surprised when Dr. Anyaogu chose to do his Doctor of Ministry research on how the Church could help slow the spread of HIV/AIDS in the communities where it is working. It is my hope and prayer that this manual will change attitudes and give guidance so that every Seventh-day Adventist Church and every Seventh-day Adventist member will be better informed concerning HIV/AIDS so they can share God's love, compassion, and acceptance with those suffering from this scourge.