HIV/AIDS Mission Toolkit: Learn

Basic information

• What are HIV and AIDS?
• How is HIV transmitted?
• Who is at risk for HIV?
• What are symptoms of HIV?
• Current statistics [U.S. and international]

What do Presbyterians believe?

• “Becoming an HIV and AIDS Competent Church: Prophetic Witness and Compassionate Action,” a report passed by the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• 222nd General Assembly (2016) language

Stories from around the world

Local

• “Responding globally to the HIV/AIDS epidemic” by Ann Jones of First Presbyterian Church in Columbus, Indiana
• “Saving Lives: One church’s response to the AIDS epidemic” by the Rev. Ruth Hamilton, co-pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

Global

• Letter from Janet Guyer, mission co-worker in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia
• Letter from Doug Tilton, regional liaison for Southern Africa

Articles

• “Presbyterian Ministry at the UN working to curb resurgence of HIV/AIDS.” Presbyterian News Service, December 2018
• “Minute for Mission: World AIDS Day, Presbyterian HIV/AIDS Awareness.” Mission Yearbook, December 2018
• “How the PC(USA) is fighting AIDS in Africa.” Presbyterians Today, October/November 2017
• “Presbyterian AIDS Awareness Day observed in conjunction with National HIV Testing Day.” Presbyterian News Service, June 2017
• “Faith leaders urge equal distribution of resources to combat HIV infection.” Presbyterian News Service, January 2017
• Unbound articles

Further study

Curricula

• The Thoughtful Christian has several studies related to the topic of HIV/AIDS.
• “AIDS at 30: A History.” Society was not prepared in 1981 for the appearance of a new infectious disease, but we have since learned that emerging and re-emerging diseases will continue to challenge humanity. “AIDS at 30” is the first history of HIV/AIDS written for a general audience that emphasizes the medical response to the epidemic. Award-winning medical historian Victoria A. Harden approaches the AIDS virus from philosophical and intellectual perspectives in the history of medical science, discussing the process of scientific discovery, scientific evidence, and how laboratories found the cause of AIDS and developed therapeutic interventions.
• “Reflecting Theologically on AIDS: A Global Challenge,” by Robin Gill. This resource gathers recent theological responses to the challenge of the current HIV/AIDS pandemic.
• “The Church with AIDS: Renewal in the Midst of Crisis,” by Letty M. Russell. This book looks at the experiences of people with AIDS as a means of examining the way Christianity views the problem and deals with it on both personal and community levels.
• “Affirming Persons, Saving Lives.” This free, comprehensive HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention curriculum is designed for Christian education settings. These teacher-friendly lessons, for all ages, can be taught without special training. The curriculum includes 11 booklets and two videos published by the United Church of Christ.

Videos

• “The Changing Face of HIV/AIDS,” produced by the Presbyterian AIDS Network. These six 3-minute segments tell the story of ministries of compassion and support as the church and our communities respond.
• “Courage to Hope: Responding to AIDS in Rural China.” This 10-minute video explores the challenges of living with HIV in a rural village in the Henan province of China. The video was produced by Global Ministries with the United Church of Christ.
• “Coming to Say Goodbye: Stories of AIDS in Africa.” This documentary by Maryknoll Productions is about courageous people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa and those who support them. It’s available through the United Church of Christ.
• “How We Lost the War Against AIDS: A film made in 2030.” This 2:45-minute video, created by Empact Africa, paints a grim picture of what the future holds if we don’t address the HIV/AIDS epidemic now.
• “The Future of the AIDS Epidemic.” This presentation by Dr. David Barstow, RESULTS Seeds of Hope Honoree, was held Oct. 15, 2017, in Austin, Texas.