HIV/AIDS Team Report, October 2008

The HIV/AIDS team was established in 2005 in response to an epidemic of HIV infections in Ukraine. It was an outgrowth of a continuing medical team involvement begun in 1994. With more than 1.5% of Ukrainians infected at that time, and very little response from either government or church, an opportunity was present to assist in education and care.

Since 2005, several teaching teams have presented a curriculum of basic HIV/AIDS information in schools, orphanages and churches to reinforce and supplement the educational curriculum already in place. Emphasis has been on prevention thru appropriate personal choices in health and relationship behaviors. A Biblical understanding of personal and family life, including sexuality, is the foundation of this teaching curriculum.

Last April when a team came to Ukraine to teach in schools, it was met by a young woman who had heard the presentation the October before. She was at the airport to meet another group, and to spend a week translating for them in another part of Ukraine. When she saw the Shepherd's team, she rushed up to thank them for the information and material she had received. She was now going out to schools in her region, teaching the same lessons to the young people of her area!

Instruction in Regional Pastor's Conferences and Kremenchug Regional Bible College has reached pastors and Church leaders with a message of hope and opportunity for the Church in Ukraine to minister to the rapidly expanding needs of their communities. In doing so, the stigma of HIV/AIDS is addressed. And an acceptance has given new opportunities for evangelism.

Since the first conference, one church in Kremenchug has developed a Social Ministries Team working with addicts, street children and outcasts in their city. Many are HIV infected. And some are coming to faith in Jesus Christ. After a week of lessons, a whole class of 4th year Bible College students asked recently how they could get started in establishing a teaching and caring ministry in their own churches!

Future opportunities include developing a teaching team for visits to schools and churches in Cherkassy and Poltava Region in the Spring and Fall of 2009. Both locations have requested teams. Pray that volunteers would be available for this urgent and vital ministry.