SEEKING FOR ANSWERS TO PREVENT HIV/AIDS?
JESUS CHIRST IS ALL WE NEED!!
In a study conducted in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri among Youth shows that their greatest fear is that of contracting HIV/AIDS. Fear of HIV/AIDS exceeds that of failure, death, poverty and physical and mental disability. (Daily Nation/May 12, 2004)
Is the young peoples great fear of HIV/AIDS really justified? The answer to this is a resounding yes because the state of HIV/AIDS in Kenya is such that 1 out of every 7 Kenyans is infected. Also:
Ø Most affected are said to be the youth falling in the 14 -25 years age bracket. It is the risk group to contract HIV/AIDS
Ø An estimated 2.1 million adults and children are living with the dreaded disease.
Ø Research has confirmed that 75% of all those infected are in the age bracket of 14 -35 years.
INTRODUCTION
What exactly is AIDS?
q It is an infectious disease caused by a virus called Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV)
q The disease can harm the stomach, intestines, skin, muscles and the brain. It destroys the body’s ability to fight infections with the result an infected persons has have no defence against illness.
q Medication can help, but there is as yet no known cure
q It is possible that many people who have contracted AIDS will die within the next five to ten years.
q There are no vaccines to prevent AIDS.
How is the infection spread?
q By sexual relations with an infected person
q By using infected and unsterilized needles
q By transfusion of infected blood
q By transferring from an infected mother to her baby during her pregnancy
Are there other ways of becoming infected?
q You cannot become infected by touching the body or clothing of a person with AIDS, nor from water, food, toilet seats or kitchen utensils
q You cannot become infected by bites from insects such as mosquitoes or bugs
q Provided that proper precautions are taken, there is no danger to those who care for AIDS sufferers.
What kinds of people are most at risk of getting AIDS?
People who have sexual relations outside marriage
Those who inject themselves using unsterilized needles
How can AIDS be avoided?
To avoid HIV/AIDS, the study earlier mentioned indicated that 67% of youngsters believe the best way is to abstain.
As sexual relations is the main means by which the AIDs virus is transmitted, it is important to consider the potential problems of sex before marriage and also the need for faithfulness in marriage. This is why the Bible advocates for sex only within the marriage set up!
Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. God wants you to be holy, so don’t be immoral in matters of sex. Respect and honors your wife. Don’t be a slave of your desires or live like people who don’t know God. You must not cheat any of the Lord’s followers in matters of sex. Remember, we warned you that God punishes everyone who does such things. God didn’t choose you to be filthy, but to be pure.( I Thessalonians 4:1-7, CEV)
Certain types of behaviour may seem attractive and popular, but they may well lead to situations in which you are exposed to the AIDS virus. For example, where our friends encourage casual sex relations or involvement or use of drugs, one should be careful to avoid such people and places. Paul in the New Testament suggests that the way to remain pure is not to associate with those who are immoral.
As a follower of the Lord, I order you to stop living like stupid, godless people. Their minds are in the dark, and they are stubborn and ignorant and have missed out on the life that comes from God. They no longer have any feelings about what is right, and they are so greedy that they do all kinds of indecent things.
But that isn’t what you were taught about Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and you heard about him and learned about him. You were told that your foolish desires will destroy you and that you must give up your old way of life with all its bad habits. Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person. You were created to be like God, and so you must please him and be truly holy. (Ephesians 4:17-24, CEV)
Taking drugs can lead to dependence upon them. They eventually destroy us physically and mentally, though they may provide us with temporary relief from the pressures of modern life. It creates in people habits and behaviour that can quickly expose one to the AIDS virus through shared and infected needles.
Irrespective of what you may have done wrong, God’s Word speaks of a new relationship, which a person can have with God. In this new relationship he/she can find help to deal with the problems, which caused him/her to experiment with drugs in the first instance, for example:
Don’t let sin rule your body. After all, your body is bound to die, so don’t obey its desires or let any part of it become a slave of evil. Give yourselves to God, as people who have been raised from death to life. Make every part of your body a slave that pleases God. Don’t let sin keep ruling your lives. You are ruled by God’s kindness and not by the Law. (Romans 6:12-14, CEV)
We always pray that God will show you everything he wants you to do and that you may have all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives. Then you will live a life that shows respect for God, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. No doubt you will come to know God even better. His glorious power will make you patient and strong enough to endure anything and you will be truly happy.
I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light. God rescued us from the dark power of Satan and brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who forgives our sins and sets us free. (Colossians 1:9-14, CEV)
Several people have contracted AIDS through such ways over which they have no control as an example, through receiving infected blood transfusion, or by being born to a mother who had the virus. Those in such situations can find comfort in the Scriptures, for there we discover that God is with us through all these trials. God’s love and compassion are always there to support and sustain us.
You, LORD, are my shepherd I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water, and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I won’t be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. (Psalm 23:1-4, CEV)
I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love – not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not power above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s Love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38-39, CEV)
We never give up. Our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing. Things that are seen don’t last forever, but things that are not seen are eternal. That’s why we keep our minds on the things that cannot be seen (2Corthinthisan 4:16-18,CEV)
How should I respond to those who have AIDS?
Despite the fear, which many feel about helping those with AIDS, there is no real danger if all proper precautions are taken. For example, putting on gloves when washing and cleaning those who are sick. However, whether there be danger or not, the Christian is called to serve those who are in need. By serving those with great need we show the love of God in a most practical way.
Jesus replied:
“As a man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, robbers attacked him and grabbed everything he had. They beat him up and ran off, leaving him half dead.
“A priest happened to be going down the same road. But when he saw the man, he walked by on the other side. Later a temple helper came to the same place. But when he saw the man who had been beaten up, he also went by on the other side.
“A man from Samaria then came traveling along that road. When he saw the man, he felt sorry for him and went over to him. He treated his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put him on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next morning he gave the innkeeper two sliver coins and said, “Please take care of the man. If you spend more than this on him, I will pay you when I return.”(Luke 10:30-37,CEV)