Tearfund Launches Miracle Appeal to Support Churches Fighting HIV and AIDS

Tearfund is to launch a new appeal this autumn as part of a major strategy to enable churches to fight the AIDS pandemic.

The Work a Miracle appeal will support churches throughout the developing world which have already made a good start in tackling an illness that has claimed more than 20 million lives in the last 25 years. Every day another 14,000 people are infected with HIV, most of them in countries already crippled by poverty.

A new film produced for Tearfund features Esther, from Malawi, who ten years ago gave birth to a daughter on Christmas Day. Esther is living with HIV. She named her daughter Alinafe, which means God is with us. Esther knows there is a risk that she may have transmitted HIV to her child whilst Alinafe remains unaware of the danger. She doesn't know why her mother is sick sometimes.

"I don't want to tell her that I have HIV," says Esther. "When I'm ill, I tell her I might not get better. But it makes her so sad."

Esther hopes she will live long enough to see Alinafe get married, but although it is perfectly possible to live for decades with HIV, it is unlikely that Esther will get that chance as her poverty means she can not afford to eat meat and vegetables necessary to make her course of medicines effective.

But knowing her life is in God's hands she has faith that he will look after her daughter too.

Christian organisations and churches are vital in the battle against the virus. Esther, like so many others with limited options, looks to the support from organisations like Tearfund in the fight against HIV.

"The church should play a role in stopping HIV," says Esther. "Christians should care for people and pray."

To stop the spread of HIV it is vital to Tearfund that it helps vulnerable women like Esther by securing their access to medicines and information that will prevent their babies being born with HIV.

The chances of HIV transmission from a mother to her child can be dramatically reduced with the help of two doses of medicine - one for the mother during labour and one for the baby after birth.

In wealthy countries like the UK babies are rarely born with HIV because they have access to these medicines. In poor countries, however, a baby is born with HIV every minute of every day.

"Money can't buy miracles - we know that," says O'Sullivan, Tearfund HIV and AIDS Advisor. "But it can buy clinics. It can buy education, orphan care and training for the volunteers to provide counselling and testing. And a few measures can go a long way to try and prevent a mother passing HIV to her child."

Through its partner agencies Tearfund is also caring for children who have been orphaned by AIDS related illnesses - and supporting them as they raise siblings.

There are a massive 12 million orphans across the AIDS belt of East and Southern Africa and children vastly out number adults in many African villages. There is also an increasing number of child-headed households.

Tearfund recognises the "daunting" challenge that it faces in reversing these statistics. The Work a Miracle is the first part of a nine-year strategy to turn vision into practical vision.

The development agency is hoping to raise £2 million through the appeal to boost its HIV and AIDS work for women just like Esther.

"It's a big goal but we are not acting alone," says O'Sullivan. "By working together churches across the world have an incredibly powerful and positive role to play. And churches and individuals here in the UK can share this vision, helping us respond to this crisis as we believe Jesus would - with love, acceptance, practical help and prayer."

A little goes a long way....
Giving £7 a month to Tearfund's Work a Miracle appeal could give a child the chance of an HIV-free start in life, by testing mothers and providing counselling and crucial information.

£51 a month could teach a whole community about HIV - breaking down fears and stigma and exploring safer cultural practices.

£183 a month could pay for a trained hospital counsellor to teach women how to protect their unborn babies from HIV.

A single gift or a commitment to pray can also help make a huge difference to tackling HIV and AIDS.

Churches and small groups can order the Work a Miracle appeal pack (including the DVD featuring Esther and Alinafe) by calling 0845 355 8355 or visiting: www.tearfund.org/miracle

Tearfund is the UK's leading Christian relief and development agency, committed to addressing the causes of poverty in many of the poorest countries around the world. Tearfund is a member of the Disasters Emergency Committee.