UK Church Must 'Wake Up' to Aids Pandemic

A new report from Christian Aids charities is a major wake-up call to the UK church to get more involved in the worldwide Aids pandemic, Samaritan's Purse International UK has said.

Most churches and ministers felt the British churches' response to HIV and Aids was inadequate, the Christian HIV & Aids Alliance report revealed. Less than half of respondents indicated that HIV and Aids was a key global issue.

Thirty-one per cent of those surveyed said that more should be done and 40 per cent stated that more could be done, yet only five per cent of churchgoers were involved in the issue themselves.

Debora Randall, International HIV Manager of SPI UK, states: "The lack of involvement in this issue by UK churches is in stark contrast to churches in countries that are affected by the disease. In many countries where SPI works, the church is responding to the pandemic by mobilising congregation and community members to create better understanding in their communities about the disease, and care for those affected by HIV and Aids."

She continued: "We see church volunteers taking in children who have been orphaned, caring for people living with HIV, and taking a leadership role in their communities on this issue. These church members have so little in material wealth and resources, and yet are able to accomplish so much by coming together and being actively involved."

Steve Robinson, National Development Manager for SPI, adds: "British churches have a good track record of recognising the need to tackle poverty, and the CHAA survey reflects this as respondents see it as the number one current global issue.

"There are clear links between poverty and HIV and Aids, yet there seems to be a reluctance on the part of many to grasp this challenge and actually improve their knowledge and become fully engaged in helping poverty stricken communities tackle this fearsome pandemic - 25 million dead and 40 million HIV positive worldwide."

Debora Randall continues: "The Bible calls us to care for those who are poor and vulnerable. These are the people who are most affected by HIV and Aids. We have a responsibility as the body of Christ to respond to this issue and not turn our back on those who are affected by HIV.

"We can work alongside the church in these most affected countries so that together we are working 'shoulder to shoulder' (Zephaniah 3:9) to respond to this pandemic."