You gotta serve somebody
Shobna runs the social justice office for a church in Delhi. We dropped by on Sunday to talk to her and hear about the ways her church is involved in caring for people living with HIV and AIDS.
Three years ago the church adopted a widow and her family, after the husband died of AIDS. Now the church is caring for 6 families. "We care for them like one of our own congregation," Shobna told me. The 3-4 volunteers visit the family at least once a month to talk and build friendships. They give health advice about hygiene and nutrition and if the family doesn't mind, prays and read the Bible with them. Every month they also give these families 10 kg rice, 1 kg dal and 1 kg oil, equivalent to about 400 rupees a month per family, donated by the church.
Every year the church celebrates world AIDS Sunday in December, raising AIDS as a justice issue that Christians are mandated to care about. Families that don't have time to volunteer can donate money towards food, or pray for the families and the volunteers who care for them. Everyone is urged to get involved.
It is exciting to see a church working with an organization like this to care for people in it's community. Though it's hard to find volunteers, the whole church is committed to doing justice and showing mercy and compassion to people in need. I am left hungering for a longer visit. I want to see if it works as ideally as my idealist vision would have it. I want to meet the families and chat with the volunteers. But today all we have time for is a meeting with Sabna, and I am encouraged by the peek at heaven on display here.
Three years ago the church adopted a widow and her family, after the husband died of AIDS. Now the church is caring for 6 families. "We care for them like one of our own congregation," Shobna told me. The 3-4 volunteers visit the family at least once a month to talk and build friendships. They give health advice about hygiene and nutrition and if the family doesn't mind, prays and read the Bible with them. Every month they also give these families 10 kg rice, 1 kg dal and 1 kg oil, equivalent to about 400 rupees a month per family, donated by the church.
Every year the church celebrates world AIDS Sunday in December, raising AIDS as a justice issue that Christians are mandated to care about. Families that don't have time to volunteer can donate money towards food, or pray for the families and the volunteers who care for them. Everyone is urged to get involved.
It is exciting to see a church working with an organization like this to care for people in it's community. Though it's hard to find volunteers, the whole church is committed to doing justice and showing mercy and compassion to people in need. I am left hungering for a longer visit. I want to see if it works as ideally as my idealist vision would have it. I want to meet the families and chat with the volunteers. But today all we have time for is a meeting with Sabna, and I am encouraged by the peek at heaven on display here.
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