Why Me?

When we were in Uganda in the early days of the epidemic, we heard a song by a group of HIV positive young people from TASO, The AIDS Service Organization, titled “Why Me?”.  That resonated with us in a very profound way.  Was this somehow God’s punishment of these poor struggling people or was this instead a test for those of us of faith to respond with love and give comfort and hope to the least of these?  To us the answer has been clear, if we are to be servants then we need to show that through the work in our lives by serving others, particularly those in greatest need.

To that end we have encouraged involvement of the faith community from our earliest days in this issue.  We were awarded a grant from the CDC in 1987 to reach the faith community in America, and soon published “The Church’s Response to AIDS” in 1988 with the help of MAP International.  In 1991 we wrote “Christians in the Age of AIDS” and held numerous conferences and other gatherings for the faith community throughout the United States and later in Africa.  Our role has been multifaceted in both educating the faith community about this global pandemic, but also educating the government and other major donors about the role the faith community could play to help those suffering and to prevent others from ever acquiring the disease.

…if we are to be servants, then we need to show that through the work in our lives by serving others, particularly those in greatest need.

Shepherd Smith, Author

In 2002 when President Bush began contemplating America’s response to AIDS globally, we were blessed to be able to a part of that early planning when we traveled to Africa with HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson to evaluate health assets in Sub-Saharan Africa.  It became immediately clear that the faith community offered a large majority of the best sites we visited and that they must be a major part of any initiative to battle HIV/AIDS.  Consequently, when the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was announced it was designed to allow the faith community to become active partners in this massive endeavor.  One of the things we did to help the program was to encourage our Congress to add a conscience clause that would allow the faith community to receive funding without having to compromise any of their fundamental beliefs.

We witnessed the faith community’s response; eagerly joining the fight to help those in need.  We witnessed their results; with high patient involvement, respectful treatment of patients, and a concern for the whole patient.  And now the US government is seeking to entrust more of its resources directly with local faith-based and community organizations.  We want you to be a part of that – the final solution to end AIDS.

Consequently, we are dedicating the final years of our working lives to help empower you to be able to apply for and receive crucial resources needed to help your fellow countryman and woman…as true servants of God.  It is hard to think of our role without remembering the words of “Amazing Grace” “who saved a wretch like me”.