News

Asia Society Aids Orphans

Adventists were represented at a panel discussion held by the Asia Soceity entitled, “The Next AIDS Genearation: Orphans in Asia and the World.” Experts from different humanitarian organizations discussed what is being termed “the third wave” of AIDS victims—children orphaned when their parents succumb to the disease. These children are less likely to attend school, are more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, especially sexually, and are at a higher risk of contracting the virus themselves.

An estimated 14 million children have already been orphaned due to AIDS—that’s equivalent to the total membership of the Seventh-day Adventist World Chruch. Most of those orphans live in sub-Saharan Africa, which ahs the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases. Asia contains the second-highest number of cases, and the second-highest number of orphans—a number that is growing steadily.

Asia contains two-thirds of the world’s total population, so while the overall prevalence of AIDS is dropping, the number of orphans is increasing. Fewer cases of the disease means more deaths, leaving children behind.

The entire middle generation of many villages is dying out due to unsanitary medical practices at blood collection agencies in the early 1990s. the orphaned children, many of whom are HIV positive, live with grandparents or other family members, or become heads of households themselves.

Despite this bleak news, experts say there is reason for hope. Leaps in medical technology have made anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs available at cheaper prices. Health care conditions are improving worldwide, and preventive measures (such as use of condoms and monogamous practices) are driving down new infection rates, especially among high-risk populations such as gay men and sex workers.

In addition, governments and other organizations are taking steps to protect future generations. These measures include health care, education, and microgrants. Organizations like the Chi Heng Foundation and China AIDS Orphans Fund pay school bills for AIDS orphans. Chung To, founder of the CHF, said his organization is dedicated to “help surviving children live through the disaster by giving them an education.” Being educated decreases an HIV negative child’s likelihood of contracting the virus, enables HIV positive orphans to manage the disease better, and gives all children a skill or vocation that will enable them to break out of the poverty cycle AIDS often creates or exacerbates.

Other groups, such as Association Francois-Xavier Bagnoud, give preventive health care education to at-risk groups, like sex workers, migrants, and fishermen (who travel together for long periods of time and often become sexually intimate, despite being heterosexual). One of the ways they reach local populations, said Sara Sievers, pograms and advocacy director for AFXB, is to teach local barbers preventive measures, which they in turn explain to their customers. “Our interventions are locally driven, locally adapted, and locally managed,” Sievers said. “We provide prevention, awareness, care, and support.”

David Gartner, policy director for the Global AIDS Alliance, said “[AIDS} is the moral crisis of our time. But it’s also a national security crisis.”

Orphans who are not provided with the means to health care and education do not take stable places in society as they mature, and often turn to crime or drugs. With such a large population of orphans poised to reach adulthood in the next 10 to 15 years, such an unstable situation could certainly turn dangerous.

Faith-Based Diplomacy

New York, NY… Can religious groups make a difference in global governance? Should they even try? These are a few of the questions discussed by representatives of many religious groups, including Seventh-day Adventists at the U.N. early May. Douglas Johnston, president of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, argued that faith-based diplomacy is not only a good idea, but absolutely necessary for the world to achieve lasting peace.

“There is a religious dimension to most conflicts,” he said. He urged the use of grievances while in a spiritual, not political, environment. The Center for Religion and Diplomacy has held such seminars in other areas, such as Sudan where Muslim-Christian violence had been erupting for some time. Representatives from both religious groups attended, as well as moderators and facilitators.

“It is important that we have no preconceived agenda,” he said. “We are to serve as a non-violent alterative to the violence that has already occurred.”

John Clark, program director for the Panel of Eminent Persons on U.N.-Civil Society Relations, agreed. He cited the rapid rise in U.N. interaction with civil society (which includes religious groups) and the idea that multilateralism is changing as evidence that religious groups should get involved with governance issues. He explained that where multilateralism used to consist of many governments working together for a common solution, it now includes “diverse stakeholders” such as civil society, NGOs, private corporations, and others. The U.N. is beginning to look outward for resources and religious groups need to be prepared to give answers, especially on questions about conflict and security.

The panel determined that religious groups are crucially necessary for good global governance and it is imperative that those groups be involved in global conflict situations, especially those involving religious liberty.

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church has long recognized the influence that religions play in the lives of individuals – in areas such as education, peace, and unity,” commented Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, U.N. Liaison director for the Adventist Church. Gallagher further explained that “such a perspective arose from Adventist theological understandings, underpinned by a strong commitment to Biblical principles developed by the early Adventist community, along with the impact of a number of contemporary issues.”

As one General Conference vice president, Mike Ryan, stated, “Because of relationships with non-church organizations, the Adventist Church has helped improve the quality of life for people around the world. Millions of oppressed people have been fed, clothed, and enjoy human rights, including religious freedom, because the Church has initiated dialog and relationships that have provided a greater understanding of Biblical values.” Ryan continues to say that the church “must continue efforts to raise awareness on issues that have contributed to the oppression of people. We are a people of hope. Millions of people do not have access to hope and for this reason every effort must be made to make a difference.”

For more information about the Church’s involvement at the U.N., visit http://un.adventist.org. [R Bostic/VHughes]

Adventists Support Efforts to Eradicate Poverty

New York, NY… [May 11] Seventh-day Adventists were among those represented at a meeting of religious non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the United Nations to discuss religion’s role in the eradication of poverty. The featured speaker of the meeting was Father Orlando Centurion, a Catholic priest from Uganda, and recipient of the 2004 Kashi Foundation Humanitarian Award

Father Centurion started the Uganda Martyrs Orphans Project, a home for children orphaned by AIDS. The project began in 1999 with 168 children. Father Centurion used to beg for money in the streets to provide basic food, shelter, and education to the orphans. Today, more than 800 children are cared for at the Uganda Martyrs Orphans Project. Three out of every four children taken in are girls, because “if you educate a girl, you educate a mother, you educate a nation,” Father Centurion said.

Worldwide, more than 600 million children live in poverty, a situation that many organizations, including the Adventist Church, are trying to change.

Maria Calivis from United Nations’ Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reiterated Father Centurion’s statements, pointing out the importance of religious groups with faith-based organizations in eradicating poverty.

“Religious groups have great power for social change,” she said. One of the major areas where faith-based organizations play a role is in social service delivery – providing humanitarian aid, health care, and education, both in times of peace and conflict. “The eradication of poverty is a concern of almost every faith-based group,” said Calivis.

Today’s poverty includes more than half a billion children who struggle to survive on less than $1a day. An estimated 712 million people live in slums, and almost 800 million people are chronically hungry. The chronically hungry are those whose diet consists of less than 2,000 calories a day.

“As a church body, we recognize that hunger and poverty prevent people from realizing their potential and contributing to the progress of their societies,” said Dr. Jonathan Gallagher, U.N. Liaison director for the Adventist Church. Gallagher also commented that hungry individuals are more susceptible to diseases, they become weak and are unable to provide for their families, and unless we break the cycle, poverty and hunger repeat itself from generation to generation.

For more information on the Church’s programs worldwide, visit www.adventist.org. [R Bostic/V Hughes]

Vietnam Official Visits Church and Religious Liberty Association

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA… Senior Expert and Member of the Consultative Commission of the Vietnam Fatherland Front for Religious Affairs, The Honorable Nguyen Chinh, visited the Seventh-day Adventist World Headquarters and the International Religious Liberty Association, May 6, 2004. A former Deputy Director of Religious Affairs Bureau of Vietnam, Honorable Chinh defines himself someone who is very interested in the field of religious liberty.

“Our country has seen so much war, so much suffering, including those within the Adventist Church,” commented Chinh. “In war, there are “us” and “others.” Now is the time to have peace and friendship between each other. We are now rebuilding our country, including its spiritual life.”

Accompanied by Ambassador Robert Seiple (Chairman of the Board for the Institute for Global Engagement), Mrs. Robert Seiple, and Chris Seiple (president for the Institute for Global Engagement), Chinh was welcomed by a delegation of individuals representing the Adventist Church and the IRLA. Among them were Lowell Cooper, one of the vice presidents of the Adventist Church, Orville Parchment, assistant to the president for the Adventist Church, and IRLA Secretary-General, Dr. John Graz, and Deputy Secretary General, Dr. Jonathan Gallagher.

Commenting on behalf of the IRLA, Dr. Graz said, “The visit of Honorable Chinh is important because it is part of ‘building bridges’ between people, beliefs and vision of the world as we want to improve cooperation and help build a better world for people worldwide.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church and the IRLA works very closely with the Institute for Global Engagement in many endeavors to build understanding among people of all religions. A strong advocate of religious freedom and human rights, both the Adventist Church and the IRLA continue to promote and maintain religious freedom around the world, and to assist people who are discriminated against or persecuted for practicing their beliefs. [Viola Hughes]