Story number 1 for 25 Jun 2001

(USA)–We begin today in the United States where world leaders are meeting this week at the United Nations. It’s the first time the U-N has convened because of a public health issue. The issue is HIV/AIDS. World Vision’s Dr. Hector Jalipa (hah-LEE-pah) is participating. Jalipa puts the problem in perspective. “In Botswana, it’s a small country of less than 10-million people, the number of HIV/AIDS already in that country is close to 40-percent. You multiply that with other countries in southern Africa the range is from 20 to 30 percent. So, that’s about 1/5th of the country of the especially the active labor force, adult population are dying.” Jalipa says while this is a challenge to world leaders, it’s especially challenging to the church. “Many of the churches are still burying their heads in the sand, or they’re too judgmental about HIV/AIDS. They haven’t come out and said we can condemn the sin, but we can’t condemn the individual. We need to love these people and we need to show God’s love.”