Psalm 8:4 “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortal that you care for them?”

The scourge of HIV/AIDS is altering family life in Western Tanzania where family incomes are derived from farming. Three years ago, I asked an Anglican priest from Kasulu, what the church is doing about AIDS. He replied that “AIDS is considered a state matter and that my people will not let me talk about it.” During a conversation a year ago with an Anglican bishop from the same area, he reported that every family is now dealing directly or indirectly with AIDS. The loss of income is returning families to extreme poverty and children, newly orphaned by AIDS deaths, are dependent on their
extended family or the government for survival.

In 2004, John Mhanuzi, a nurse and an Anglican in the Diocese of Western Tanganyika, ith the help of other Anglicans, formed a NGO (non-governmental organization or to s, a non-profit), by the name of the Kasulu HIV/AIDS Homes Based Care KHAHOBACO). Its primary mission is to provide care for AIDS patients and their families. On June 15, John wrote that the NGO was providing medication for 95 patients`plus food for the patient and his/her family. He reports that the most disturbing part of
their work is not always having food for the patients.`The All Saints’ global missions committee turned the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper into a fund-raiser and was able to wire the NGO $500. In his thank you email, John reported that $350 purchased food for a week for 35 families. $100 was used fot rransportation and $50 set aside for emergencies. In American terms, feeding a family
for $10 per week is difficult to picture and yet in Tanzania, it is life giving. HIV/AIDS and malaria eradication and care for patients are a MDG. Do you care and if so, what is your response? Can you give a gift of hope during Advent?

Mr. Richard Hall
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
Atlanta