Have any of you seen the latest Time issue about AIDS? I knew it was a terrible scurge in Africa (along with most of the rest of the world) but it's mind-boggling to be confronted about how bad it really is.
According to Time, Feb. 12, 2001 issue, 17 million Africans have died since the AIDS epidemic began in the late 1970's, more than 3.7 million of them children. An additional 12 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. An estimated 8.8% of adults in Africa are infected with HIV/AIDS, and in Botswana, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, South Africa and Namibia, at least 1 adult in 5 is living with HIV. By year-end of 1999, 4,200,000 have HIV in South Africa alone.
The article points out that no one seems to care for them. Politically popular leaders of these countries look the other way.
It's like Auschwitz in World War II. During Warld War II the Allies never bombed the railroad tracks which led to Auschwitz. They knew thousands of Jews and Slovaks were being delivered to the death camp on those tracks but did nothing about it.
Today we are Jesus' hands and feet. When Christ was on earth he went to the pool of Bethesda where the sick lay dying. Meanwhile the rest of the city was preparing for their yearly celebration.
I couldn't sleep after I read about Africa. Does it bother anyone else?
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Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
Don't let yesterday's mistakes trouble you, nor tomorrow's fears spoil your day.
Pastor Andrew
[This message has been edited by Andrew Marttinen (edited February 08, 2001).]
