Justice Friday

Previous Post My Story Part 5

Isabella, an 18-year-old orphan, had to prostitute herself to put a roof over her head.
She has been having regular unprotected sex since started working a year ago.
“I don’t know how to use a condom,” said Isabella. She has never been tested and estimates that she has had unprotected sex with around 50 men.

This quote comes from an article in the BBC today on HIV in the Caribbean, specifically Guyana. The rate of HIV/AIDS has dropped in Guyana, but there are still problems. Since the World Bank came on board in 2004 and after President George W Bush’s Aids initiative, more money has been made available to promote awareness and education. The infection rate among female sex workers has dropped significantly in recent years.”There has been a lot of work going on to educate the general public – mass media campaigns, a lot of print media and education material,” states Dr Singh.

However, one of the biggest obstacles for the Guyanese government is how to stop further infections. HIV is still the leading cause of death among people between the ages of 20 and 49, and the infection rate among commercial sex workers and men who have sex with men remains extremely high. Woman between the ages of 15 and 29 have the highest infection rates, as a result of having multiple partners as well as anal sex.

Even though there is more education taking place on safe sex and HIV/AIDS, there is still a lack of education. The National Aids Commission has just launched what it calls a “Champions Programme,” where they are getting artists and musicians to promote the safe sex message to young people. Corey Lane, from the Aids commission, feels that adults think young people do not have sex.
“A lot of teachers don’t feel comfortable talking to these children about sex, they feel that they are too young to know about it,” said Mr Lane.” We have proven in surveys that primary school children are engaging in sex as early as nine. However, the good news is that we have been able to reduce HIV/Aids mortality by over 70%.”

This is so hard to here. It seems to simple, but it is so difficult. When I was growing up we heard that the world needed missionaries. Christians to go to other countries, learn their language and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. To me that meant telling people about Jesus. I wish that in addition to that they were calling people to bring education to people, clean water, vaccinations and health care, etc. That is the good news of Jesus, that Jesus cares about your soul, but also your body and your mind.

I am glad that things are moving forward in places like Guyana. I am glad that places like the BBC are reporting on such things. I pray that we would continue to be involved and that when we Christians go to a place to bring the good news of Jesus that would would show up with more than just words and a bible, but with the ability to give life on earth as well as eternal life with Jesus.