by Joe Mdhlela

The church must be Christ-like; it must touch the leper; it must even touch the dead, resurrect those who have lost hope, and those who are living with HIV/AIDS.

This is the hope the South African Council of Churches and its American counterpart, Church World Service, will engender when thousands descend upon Regina Mundi Catholic Church in Soweto on Sunday, 12 May 2002, at 3pm.

Organised by the SACC, the ecumenical movement wants to send a strong message to all South Africans through this musical concert that the church unreservedly condemns the stigmatization of HIV and Aids.

SACC Programme Director for Health Father Gary Thompson this week spelt out the objectives of this musical concert with the following words: "We want to say to all South Africans, 'do not stigmatize people living with HIV/AIDS. It is wrong to do so; it is un-Christian and another form of injustice. The Gospel emphasises the ethic of love, and this is the love that we are expected to extend to those who are living with HIV/Aids.'"

Thompson uses war imagery to emphasises the church's commitment to fighting the pandemic: "When we were fighting apartheid many years ago, our language was deliberately war-like because we were faced with the challenge to destroy the monster that was apartheid which had no respect for human dignity.

"Today, the imagery of war must be deliberate. It must be part of the lexicon we use, and so as the church we are declaring war against those who are bent to stigmatise those living with HIV/Aids.

"Just as we declared war on apartheid, our commitment as the church of God is to declare war on the pandemic. This is our contribution towards fighting the scourge of Aids," said Thompson.

"How do we ensure that as many people hear the gospel of de-stigmatisation?" Thompson believes that in addition to many other strategies one of the most effective ways of preaching this gospel is through dance and music.

"Hence we have enlisted the services of Imilonji KaNtu, one of South Africa's top-class choristers, and American-based Tim Janis. We are grateful to Imilonji KaNtu, for agreeing to be part of this important struggle the church is pushing towards de-stigmatising HIV/Aids. Both Imilonji KaNtu and Tim Janis will serve as good ambassadors for this noble cause the church and all good South Africans are pursuing."

If the truth must be told, the church, society, and several members of the government have done the cause of HIV/Aids a grave disservice.

Several years ago, a young woman by the name of Gugu Dlamini was stoned to death in KwaZulu-Natal because she declared her HIV-positive status. "We dare not forget that this was a blot on ourselves as society," said Thompson.

Ten years ago, a 20 year-old woman, Musa Njoko, declared before her Kwa-Mashu, Durban, congregation her HIV-positive status. Instead of receiving love and compassion, Njoko was rejected by her church, and told how "dirty" she was, not deserving to be part of the congregation.

What the church leadership failed to recognised when rejecting Njoko was that Jesus Christ, a person whom the congregation claims to follow, embraced sinners, lepers, and all forms of miscreants of his time.

Several government spokespersons, both in their personal and officials capacity, have from time to time expressed views that reflect negatively on those living with HIV/Aids. Even some of the debates that emerged from some government quarters have not been helpful, and if anything, have given a wrong impression that there are those in government who defend "unconventional" positions on Aids pandemic .

"And so collectively we must commit ourselves to revising our language, and to the process of de-stigmatisation."

Church World Service, a global humanitarian ministry that gave support to the SACC during the apartheid struggle, is back to support this new HIV/Aids struggle, to team up with Imilonj KaNtu and Tim Janis, and all South Africans of good will to say, as we pledge solidarity with those infected and affected with HIV/Aids, "Don't stigmatise HIV/Aids."

"For our part as the church, our commitment is to minister to the affected and the infected. We will roll up our sleeves, wash them, feed them, provide them with home and hope, and in many practical ways provide hope to those walking 'through the valley of the shadow of death'."