Cured of AIDS
Did you read about the baby girl, born in Mississippi to a woman with HIV, who was found with HIV in her blood shortly after birth? Care providers quickly started the infant on a full set of three HIV medicines (usually, only one or two are used in exposed babies to prevent infection).
The medicines were continued for 18 months, but then the mother and child went missing from care. When they returned after almost five months without medicines, no evidence of active HIV infection was found in the child. The medical team performed an exhaustive array of tests to try to confirm the prior presence of HIV and its subsequent eradication, and to rule out rare forms of resistance to HIV infection. Their medical doctor and the media have now declared this child “cured” of AIDS!
It’s really a broad jump to say that this baby was cured. In fact what happened to this baby is what would happen to ALL babies of HIV infected mothers if given the AIDS medications. The chances for an HIV+ mother to give birth to an HIV+ baby are about 30% or about 1 in 3 children born. With proper medical care and medication before the birth that can be dropped to about 1%. But even with DNA tests being done at birth, the chances are very high that the antibodies found in the babies blood stream for HIV where still a residue of his or her mother’s virus. The truth is no one really knows if the baby was HIV+ to begin with. If anything, as Dr. Marc Siedner of Harvard Medical School said, “It seems more likely that her treatment prevented her, after exposure to HIV, from being infected.”
So the great news is that this toddler is showing signs of being HIV negative but the truth is probably not really “cured”.
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The Family Grows!!
With over 16 million AIDS orphans in the world, the need for someone, anyone, to help them is huge! He Intends Victory through our outreach, Terry’s Kids, is committed to helping all of those AIDS orphans that we can. But where do you start? And can we really make a difference?
Those were both questions I asked the Lord while on my first trip to Africa in 2001. I was in a remote village in Central Uganda called Nagamuli in with my HIV co-workers, Herb Hall and Mike McIntrye. We were there to “spy out the land”, that is to see if the ministry of He Intends Victory would work in Africa. The three hours over bumpy dirt roads and trails it took to get to this village were quickly forgotten as soon as I saw the 200+ mostly women and children dancing as we approached. They were happy to see us, that was for sure. AIDS, this far out of the city? Yes, many of the men in this village had already died and their infected widows were doing the best they could to raise their 2 or 3 or 6 children. But when you have no visible support, when you are as a mother are yourself sick with HIV infection, when you have no money to buy seed or food, even having an acre of land doesn’t help much. And then what happens when ‘mom’ finally dies? Where do the children go? When the disappointment that we were not doctors finally subsided, the joy that we were pastors prompted the women to bring their tiny, sickly babies to us for prayer. It wasn’t long before I heard in my heart that soft and gentle voice of the Holy Spirit, “Start with the one in front of you”. It was a privlilege to pray and know that we could do more to help these helpless children as we wept through our words to God and it was there in our hearts that Terry’s Kids was birthed.
Terry Duffy being interviewed by Dan Wooding
Terry Duffy was Board member, friend, sister in Jesus, and committed to helping people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS all over the world. But Terry never had any children of her own so all kids became Terry’s Kids. And when she finally went home to heaven from cancer in July of 2002, it made sense to honor her memory and her love for AIDS orphans by calling our AIDS orphan sponsorship program, Terry’s Kids.
For the last five years we have been blessed to have Terry’s Kids working in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, India, and Paraguay. Today we have over 50 children sponsored who are now able to go to school, wear a school uniform and shoes, eat healthy food every day and all in the name of Jesus! One great thing about Terry’s Kids, unlike all other AIDS orphans programs is that ALL of the $ 40 a month to sponsor a child through our outreach goes to the child’s needs!
So as of January 1, 2013 we are pleased to share that we have now added Tanzania and Nepal to our Terry’s Kids countries.
This will soon make our potential a total of 200 children! Yet most of our children are waiting and praying for someone, anyone to care. Please don’t think that that is the total number of children under the He Intends Victory umbrella who could qualify for this program. I recently asked our 20 Country Directors what the total number of children under their care is for whom Terry’s Kids could help. The answer was 11,056! It can’t be that many!! But it is. Then the question comes to my mind, “Can we really make a difference?” And the Lord spoke to my heart and I heard, “If each of you will care on my behalf, you can change the world for these children!” There it was. Just start with the one in front of you and little by little, child by child, we will make a difference!
Do you want to hear what they say? Stephen from Uganda says to his sponsor, “I want to thank God for you and the help you always give. I thank you because I have been able to go on with my studies and I have been promoted to Primary 7.” Yeabsira from Ethiopia says, “Now I am a grade one student. I love you, I love my mom. I love my studies. How are your studies? I thank you for your support. I am very thankful for your being my sponsor. I pray for God to bless you and your family.” And Resty a young teenager from Uganda says, “ I can’t begin to thank you for your continuous support towards my future.”
Our goal this year, 2013, is to have 200 children sponsored. It wouldn’t hard. It’s the equivalent of 8 Starbucks or 2 movies and a popcorn. We COULD do it- together.
So go to Terry’sKids.org and sign up today. Pray about which child, which country you want to change, which lives you want to touch with God’s love. Then sign-up. You’ll get a letter from that child, you’ll get photo, and you’ll have the knowledge in your heart that the someone who cares for that AIDS orphan is YOU!
Read MoreWATCH: Toseka by Kids of HIV Uganda
BUY at iTunes – Toseka by Kids of HIV Uganda
Would you like to support Terrys Kids, the AIDS orphans of Uganda? By purchasing this CD they have recorded, they hope to raise awareness of the disease and raise funds to support the ministry that helps them live, everyday. Won’t you please help spread the hope of Jesus Christ, to those affected and infected with HIV/AIDS.
World AIDS Day 2012
Today is World AIDS Day. I am not sure how many people know that. It is a topic that is not really talked about anymore. Even the news barely mentions it. You would hope it is because HIV/AIDS has been cured or that very few people have it. Surely it is because no one dies from it anymore, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In the last 3 months, I have lost two friends to AIDS. Both were women, one in her thirties and one in her forties. One left behind a six year old son who is now orphaned by AIDS. His father died from it 5 years ago. These precious women had very different stories, but both had tremendous faith and courage. I have many friends living with HIV and they are truly some of the bravest people I know.
You would think the number of cases of those living with HIV has gone down since we don’t hear about it, but the number has not gone down. It continues to rise. Worldwide, there are 40 million people living with the disease. There are about 1.2 million cases in the United States. In a study done last year, Jacksonville was shown to be number three in the top 25 cities of HIV cases in the United States. Jacksonville has more cases than New York City, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Detroit and Chicago. And these are just the known cases. There are a lot of people walking around without knowing their status.
The above information might disturb you some, but to me, what is more alarming is how the stigma has remained after all these years. People still remain very secretive about their HIV status, living in fear of who may or may not find out. People are still rejected by churches, friends and family because they are HIV positive. People would rather say they have cancer than to admit they are HIV positive.
In the last six years, I have learned so much about this disease. I have been blessed to meet modern day heroes fighting this battle, spreading awareness and more importantly the love of Jesus. A lot of them do this all while fighting the disease themselves. They know firsthand the struggles that come with the medications, the stigma and the fear. I really do feel blessed to be a part of this ministry. It can definitely be discouraging, though. I have felt much disappointment, confusion and even anger. More importantly, though, I am learning to trust. I have seen God move in amazing and beautiful ways. He is teaching me that sometimes the harder it is, the more important it is. If I invite 100 to come and only one shows up, that one matters!! I am learning to never give up. John Gardener said “We are continually faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems.” This is how I see AIDS. It is an opportunity from God for the church to be the church, to show up when no one else will. It is quite beautiful if you think about it. As you pray, please keep the AIDS community locally and worldwide in mind. Pray for those living with it, for those searching for a cure for it and for those in ministries here and around the world. Thanks for reading this. Thanks for being a part of this ministry in one way or another. I love you all so much.
PS- Don’t forget to wear red today. Spread the word.
Britney Fluharty
Who Cares?
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Bruce Sonnenberg and Dan Wooding at the World AIDS Conference in Mexico City |
Well, it’s that time of the year again!
I don’t mean my birthday, I don’t mean Thanksgiving, and I sure don’t mean Christmas. No, it’s that time of the year again where people around the world take a day and think about- AIDS! Well at least they used too. December 1st is World AIDS Day and it now tends to be just a little “bump-in-the-road” of life for most Americans. But really, who cares?
Yes, there are 34 million people living with HIV and AIDS in every country of the world, most of them very poor like Annette in Uganda or Valery in the Congo DR and yes, they live on less than $1 a day which means food is scarce and resources limited, and yes, only about 16 percent receive or ever will receive the AIDS life-giving medications, but who cares? Who cares that they still cost $ 3,000 a month?
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Children fending for themselves: African AIDS orphans have no parents and, no matter how young they are, they have only each other … the older children struggle to serve as “parents” and breadwinners for their younger brothers and sisters |
I know that there are 16 million AIDS orphans in the world today like Mark, and Florence and Abigail and Emmanuel, but what can I do about that? And besides, really, who cares? Why doesn’t their own country take care of them? Didn’t they do this to themselves? Well no, but who cares? Isn’t this God’s judgment on all of those sinners? Of course not! Is breast cancer God’s judgment on “women” sinners and prostate cancer God’s judgment on “men” who sin? Don’t be silly but… who really, let’s be honest, who cares?
On December 1st people around the world facing HIV/AIDS, people being kicked out of their churches for being HIV+, children with no parents, will be asking “Will someone help us?” But who cares?
Jesus Does!
And so do we at He Intends Victory! We really care and have been caring since 1990 and will continue to care with YOUR help. Since World AIDS Day last year, we have cared for 68,484 people living with HIV in 20 countries around the world. So if you really care and would like to help us bless those facing HIV/AIDS around the world, contact us at: PO Box 399, Irvine, CA 92650, USA, or by phone at: 1-800-HIV-HOPE. Our website is: www.HeIntendsVictory.com where you can get a free copy of Dan Wooding’s book, “He Intends Victory.”
Read MoreWATCH: A Basic Course in HIV-AIDS
Bruce Sonnenberg of He Intends Victory shares with you the basics to HIV/AIDS.
Read MoreHe Intends Victory: Africa Report 2012 – part 3
Our trip to Fort Portal in western Uganda was long, one of many long days of bus rides as we wound our way all the way from Kenya to Uganda, almost to the border with the Congo. But we had one very exciting stop to make before we settled in for the night. We went to our new He Intends Victory offices in Ft. Portal, where Mama Lovey Kisembo is our local director. Mama Lovey and her husband Benezeri are Anglicans and Benezeri is the retired bishop of their district, Ruwenzori.
We unloaded blankets, water barrels, mosquito nets and other donations and stored them in the He Intends Victory office.
While there, we had the honor of giving away the goats that had been donated by people in the USA. The goats are a major source of financial and physical sustenance for people living with HIV/AIDS. It’s always fun hearing all the goats bleating and seeing them running around. We had a record number of goats this year, all together I believe it was around 40 or 50.
When we were in the bus on our way to Fort Portal, all I kept hearing about from my fellow travelers was how excited they were to be going to the Ruwenzori View Guest House. They had stayed there before and were very impressed. But when we arrived at the Guest House anticipating a nice meal, a shower and some rest, well, this was not to be. Somehow there was a mistake in the booking and we couldn’t stay there. Instead, we went to a poorly managed hotel where it took over 2 hours to get an unappetizing dinner. My roommate and I never got a toilet seat for the two days we were there. But we “offer it up” to the Lord and go on. This is Africa.
The next day took us on outreaches to several very rural villages in the hills of the Ruwenzori region. It is an area of unspoiled nature with villages hidden amidst the trees. There we visited Mama Lovey and Bishop Benezeri in their home and toured their new chicken coop and met their chickens. Mama Lovey will be teaching our support group members how to take care of chickens and use them for breeding instead of eating them right away. They will then be able to start businesses selling eggs.
We also toured the new Leon Holmstrom School for young children, from pre-school age to early elementary school. It is a cute log cabin school built by donations from a memorial fund for Leon Holmstrom, whose widow and son were there for the inauguration ceremony to launch the school. Marge Holmstrom is the mother of Jennifer Veary, one of our associates who is HIV positive, and the family is very supportive of AIDS causes. There were many tears as she and her son, Murry, toured the lovely little school for about 50 to 60 children that had been made possible by her husband’s memorial fund. They were thrilled to see the beautiful learning environment that these children had.
Next door to the school is an Anglican church called St. Paul’s. We were able to meet the pastor and go inside. It is a very, very humble room (see picture at right), with wooden benches, a small wooden altar table, a mud floor and tin roof. As you can see in the picture, their musical instruments were two African drums. This little church was a reminder that we can worship God anywhere and that He comes to meet us whenever and wherever we seek Him. I hope that we at Holy Spirit Anglican might decide to become a sister church with St. Paul’s in the future and maybe provide some resources for special projects and needs.
After that we completed our last outreaches of the trip where we were received with much joy.
We then went for two days of rest and recuperation and stayed at the Mweya Lodge overlooking Lake Edward in the Queen Elizabeth National Park. We were spoiled with good food, swimming, rest, some noisy “Phase 10” games and much wonderful fellowship. We had grown to be a close team and the thought of separating in just a couple of days was bittersweet.
A drive in the National Park is a great experience and we saw elephants, warthogs, African crowned cranes, a lion, eagles, and many types of deer and antelopes. It was a real feast of God’s creation. We also were able to go on a boat ride in the Kazinga Channel where we saw hippos, Cape buffalo, crocodiles, more elephants and countless varieties of water fowl. I kept marveling at the amazing creation of God.
After two days of flying, we arrived at LAX. We went through customs and after that, many ran to catch their planes or meet their loved ones. All of a sudden, we were back in the mix and everybody was scattered! What a shock! I wasn’t able to say good bye to everybody because they went in so many directions, and I hated to leave my comrades of two and a half weeks.
I called Galen the minute our plane landed and when he answered, I excitedly said, “I’m here!” He said, “What?, today?, I thought you were coming tomorrow, I’m in San Diego.” The wind went out of my sails as I realized that I wouldn’t see him when I got out of the airport. I was so anxious to see him after 17 days away. He had gotten the wrong date because he had looked at an incorrect version of our itinerary and he thought I would be gone one more day. Sigh?! So, fortunately some of our group members were taking a shuttle to OC and I was finally reunited with Galen there. It was great to be home!
I thank God for the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people all over Uganda and Kenya, and for the many He Intends Victory workers and volunteers who make such a difference in people’s lives as they share the hope of Jesus. I am grateful for my church family at Holy Spirit for all their support and prayers.
See the Africa 2012 Photo Gallery
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HIV National Garage Sale
Get rid of that “stuff” you don’t need anymore and turn it into something that will bless AIDS widows and AIDS orphans around the world!
All proceeds will benefit He Intends Victory and Terry’s Kids
On November 10, 2012, participants from across the United States will be having an HIV National Garage Sale with all proceeds going to the ministry of He Intends Victory. From Yorktown, Virginia to Lake Forest, California; from Phoenix, Arizona to Washington DC, our “partners” will be selling old furniture, clothing, knick-knacks, tools, and much more to support those AIDS orphans and AIDS widows in the 20 countries in which He Intends Victory serves. EVERY little bit counts- no garage sale too small and none too large. Ask you neighbors, ask your family, ask your Church for all of their old “stuff” as well and turn into “love”.
It’s happening: November 10, 2012 (7AM – 12PM)
RSVP By: October 20, 2012
To participate please fill out this form:
Together we CAN make a difference!
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He Intends Victory: Africa Report 2012 – part 2
Here we go with part two of my Africa report. I wanted to mention that I was able to meet Margaret, an eight year old girl whose mother and she are HIV positive. Galen and I sponsor her through Terry´s Kids, He Intends Victory’s orphan sponsorship progam. Magy as she is called, is bright, friendly and was a little shy when we first met. However, it wasn´t long before she was sitting in my lap and we enjoyed the program and the outreach together. She shadowed me throughout the day and I was so sad to part from her.
See the Africa 2012 Photo Gallery
After spending time in Kenya, we packed up our twenty some suitcases, our group of volunteers, our drivers and headed out to cross the border into Uganda. A trip across the border involves driving up to the country line, getting out of the bus, waiting in line to get a visa to go into Uganda, walking across the border and taking off in the bus again. A border stop usually takes an hour or more, depending on the line. We meet with money changers who are eager to exchange our Kenyan shillings into Uganda shillings. We found a man who would give us a favorable rate and after getting our visas we all lined up to change our money.
We headed off to Jinja, Uganda where we stayed by the headwaters of the Nile River. To the left is a picture of our founder, Bruce, and his wife Joni at the Nile. We had a leisurely evening and several people went swimming while others caught some much needed rest. The next day we headed out to Nagamuli for our first Uganda outreach. The trip to Nagamuli is always an indescribable experience. We drive for about two hours into the country where we go for miles without seeing any homes. We are in the jungle with banana trees and all measure of tropical foliage. Occasionally we see a small hut with women and children outside enjoying the fresh air. The houses are made of adobe and they are very simple indeed. It is so cute to see the little toddlers playing outside as they run around without any pants on. The red dirt covers their clothes and everything else. When we arrive at the village of Nagamuli, where we see virtually no people, all of a sudden people come streaming out of the jungle and before you know it there are hundreds of people greeting us with dancing, singing and hugs. We had our customary greetings and set up the outreach. There were several stations again. In Nagamuli the chief moves out of his adobe house for the day and the doctor sees patients in the rooms of the house. One day nurse Lorrayne told us that a chicken kept going into the “exam room” and she wondered why. She looked in and found that the chicken had a nest in the room and wanted to sit on her eggs. So she proceeded to enter in unobstructed and went to her nest while the doctor was seeing patients. Only in Africa! We distributed items, gave away goats, provided eyeglasses and the children´s team had a program for them. There continued to be much gaiety and singing and dancing. This little guy on the left was tuckered out with the long day´s activities.
We went to Nalimawa the next day and had a smaller outreach. The folks enjoyed the drama that was presented by our talented acting team.
After Nalimawa we went to Kampala where our director, Moses Drake Luswata, his wife Jennifer and their children live and care for several orphans. They invited us to their church, Grace Place Community where we had a meeting under showery skies with no roof over most of the people. We huddled under our umbrella and I got to develop a fast friendship with three children who snuggled with me under the umbrella. We have three support groups in the wider Kampala area and the members of the group were present. The children sang for us and their songs are educational songs that combine information about HIV/AIDS with beautiful voices and rhythms. The next day we toured a brick making project that was funded by a donor from the USA. Eleven AIDS widows received this grant which allowed them to make bricks which they will be able to sell for a good livelihood for them and their families.
Then we had a march in Kampala to end AIDS. The theme was “It´s no laughing matter.” We processed to a large rally where the theme of AIDS was highlighted, again with songs and dance. As the sign to the right says, “AIDS Still Exists.”
Part 3: next week
