The decline is linked directly to changes in  behavior and education about the
disease. Education comes from programs
that were set up to address the epidemic, which led to hundreds of HIV/AIDS
projects in Africa–some are successful, many are not. Some of the programs only partially address
the issue rather than address the core of the problem.

That's why The Evangelical Alliance Mission is taking a different approach in
order to assist in lasting change. 

They want to see a "grass roots" movement owned by the local church so that
the initiative will continue long after the launch and can become independent of the funds
from the West that serve as a catalyst.

The ZITA Alliance is responding with Christ-like holistic ministry to
the HIV/AIDS crisis. A network is already forming between churches,
non-governmental groups, and others. 

The goal: to see a vibrant, Biblically-mature Church in Zimbabwe become a
model for sub-Saharan Africa. TEAM will help the Zimbabwe Christian church develop
leadership for a nationally networked approach. TEAM has been in Zimbabwe for 70 years,
developing a reputation for consistent, compassionate caring.

There are more details here.

Roughly 15-percent of Zimbabwe's
population are AIDS orphans or widows. Dan
and Julie Stephens say TEAM Zimbabwe has developed a new HIV initiative study
and is actively recruiting for this need.  

They write: "Pray as Karanda Hospital and TEAM Zimbabwe strive to have an
impact on this crisis and for Karanda Hospital's HIV/AIDS treatment program in
which 2700 people are enrolled."

Karanda Mission Hospital was established in northeast Zimbabwe in the
late 1950s to assist the work of church development through holistic medical
work in an under-served area of the country. 

A nursing school was established in the early 1960s to provide medical
personnel to staff the hospital.  An elementary school serves to hospital
staff children so that staff are able to remain in an underpriveleged area of
Zimbabwe.

TEAM's goal
at Karanda is to provide demonstrate the compassion of Christ through medical
work, strengthen the local church through participation in spiritual ministry
to patients and local communities; educating and training Christian
professionals for medical ministry through the hospital and nursing school, and
facilitating the training of leaders for the local church.

Their
group ministers in cooperation with the local church in evangelism and church
planting. They are looking for health care professionals, educators, administrators,
community health specialists and people skilled in trades to join the team at
Karanda Hospital. Click here for details.

The United Nations estimates that 5.7 million South Africans have HIV, and the disease is responsible for the falling life expectancy in the country.

Teen Missions International is in South Africa's capital, Pretoria. Bob Bland, founder and director of Teen Missions, says this reflects a new attitude toward the stigma of the disease. "They just don't tell people that they have AIDS. So, this is a step forward because of getting people to actually admit that such a thing exists."

In fact, that attitude was furthered by ignorance and government recommendations that did little to treat the severity of the disease. In previous years, a health minister had recommended that people with HIV eat garlic to combat the infection. Other symptoms were treated empirically.

Because of that approach, recent studies estimated that more than 330,000 South Africans died prematurely of AIDS in the last decade because the government did not use AIDS medications and anti-retrovirals.

Aside from the decimation of adult South Africans, a recent UN report showed 1.4 million AIDS orphans in South Africa. It's an overloaded system. Bland says, "It's the children that are suffering because of it. There's no one to protect them and they're very much abused. That has been very much an open door for us." 

Teen Missions hopes that as the orphans sees the practical love of Jesus displayed, they will have a desire to learn more about His love and the plan of salvation.

Because some of the orphans are isolated, their teams take the help to them. Bland says rescue units are  reaching orphans with the hope of Christ and hope for a future. "We're trying not only to get them in school and help them grow vegetables, but also to help them be able to survive."

Many orphans have accepted Christ as their Savior and are eager share it as they mature. At many units, the orphans organize themselves into evangelism teams and go out to share the Gospel in their villages. Teen Missions has expanded into a Sunday school program to aid them in their Christian walk.

You can help. Click here for details.

Last year, more than 2,000 people attended the summit. They came from 18 countries and from 165 ministries and organizations and 178 churches.

The summit is specifically focused to get Christian equipped and informed to make positive changes. Through the networks created, Purpose Driven Ministries hopes the movement to end HIV/AIDS will strengthen. 
 

Last year's summit laid out the God-sized goals of the church–not only to help the global AIDS crisis, but to stop if completely. Kay Warren said last year at the summit, "The
goal I see is to end HIV. Humanly speaking, it's impossible. When God enters
the problem, suddenly things become possible."

More than 65 speakers were featured at the 2006 summit, including pastors, leaders of humanitarian organizations, medical professionals and government leaders.  An HIV research
pioneer and the co-founder of the Institute on Human Virology at the University of Maryland, Robert Redfield said, "I think the church should become the global health cornerstone."

The HIV/AIDS epidemic gives the church a chance to love as it is called to do. Eugene Rivers, a pastor from Massachusetts said, "God has given the body of Christ a unique and
revolutionary opportunity. We must translate the Gospel so people can see in us the love of God."

Space is limited. Get more information regarding registration here.