Honesty = HIV Awareness and Testing

Sunday 18 March 2012 was a most significant day for the community of the Metropolitan Methodist Church. Our journey to this moment began at our HIV/Aids remembrance day service in December 2011. At this service a medical doctor of our community offered an excellent update on the HIV/Aids fight, and the plight of those infected and affected by HIV/Aids. The outcome of the day was the desire to not only do our bit once a year for an hour or two at the remembrance service but to somehow be more effective in HIV/Aids awareness. While we have openly talked about HIV/Aids in our community we are very aware that for many people infected or affected there is a reluctance to open up because of the stigma still attached to Aids and the fear of the community’s reaction. We needed to create a safe place to speak about HIV/Aids and to offer a testing opportunity. Enter Ethembeni. Grant, Dudu and their team offered their services to speak a personal testimony and to provide HIV testing on the church premises. This past Sunday (18 March 2012) we hosted the Ethembeni team. Dudu shared in the service, and I volunteered to be tested in front of the entire congregation and to disclose my status. I believe that both Dudu’s testimony and my willingness to be tested offered a safe place for the congregation. Confidential testing stations were set up and 21 members came forward to be tested. I believe that this has been an important moment in the life of our church and my hope is that our community will know that we are a place that is understanding, compassionate and seeking to assist those infected and affected by HIV/Aids. My hope is that many other churches will open their doors to Ethembeni.
Alan Bester,
Resident minister – Metropolitan Methodist Church, Pietermaritzburg.