EMAIL US AT ajan@jesuits.africa
CALL US NOW (+254-20) 3884 528
DONATE TO OUR CAUSES
A RICH EXPERIENCE: AIDS MINISTRY OF CLC RWANDA
AIDS In Africa Articles
Fr Paterne Mombé SJ, AJAN Coordinator, writes about the unique approach to AIDS ministry of the Christian Life Community (CLC) in Rwanda.
A recent visit to Kigali gave me the opportunity to get to know CLC Rwanda and to discover all it is doing in the struggle against HIV and AIDS. The CLC chaplain, Fr Jean-Claude Michel SJ, spoke to me at length about the path the community has taken in the apostolic ministry of AIDS. During our conversation, many things impressed me as I realised just how rich and full of lessons the experience of CLC Rwanda is.
CLC Rwanda first became involved in AIDS ministry when the community was discerning during a spiritual retreat about what shared mission to adopt. Research and dialogue led CLC to choose to introduce a spiritual element to psychosocial and medical interventions developed for people affected by AIDS. So CLC Rwanda members started to meet people living with HIV for an apostolate of presence and spiritual accompaniment. Formation in spiritual conversation equipped them to offer this service.
One thing that struck me in my conversation with Fr Jean-Claude was what emerged from this apostolic engagement. On the one hand, it was marked by setbacks and discouragement, especially in cases of death and the refusal of people to talk about their situation, for one reason or other, including self-stigmatisation or fear of stigma. On the other hand, the service bore fruit as people weighed down by the burden of the pandemic rediscovered joy, hope and life.
The contact with reality occasioned by this mission opened the door to other challenges that CLC members couldn't possibly remain indifferent to, not least the poverty suffered by many people with HIV, especially young women without the means to buy food or to look after their children. So the community found itself offering social support and material and financial aid in cases of great need and when resources were available.
Similarly, the care for orphans and vulnerable children developed gradually as another apostolic sector in which the CLC Rwanda ended up being involved. The community is trying to respond to the major challenge of access to education for these children. And CLC Rwanda also does HIV prevention among youth through education, making room for parental involvement in their strategic approach.
In short, starting out from spiritual engagement, the response of CLC Rwanda has gradually consolidated and extended to meet more of the multi-faceted challenges thrown up by the pandemic.
CLC is now looking to set up a centre of comprehensive care, something that needs plenty of discernment and resources, which we hope the community will find.
AJAN pays tribute to the quality of the experience of CLC Rwanda. Their experience shows it is impossible to promote a spiritual approach to the pandemic without coming into contact with its social aspects. It also serves as model of collaboration between the Society of Jesus and lay people to bring a Church response to the challenges of the pandemic.
Zimbabwe: Farewell to the remarkable Jesuit AIDS Project
in AIDS In Africa Articles
AJANews 125 – December 2013
ZIMBABWE: JESUIT AIDS PIONEER PUBLISHES MEMOIRS
Reigniting the journey of a purposeful life
Through My Own Lens, A Media Programme undertaken for the Youth for Youth Initiative 2022 project in Zimbabwe
ARCHIVES Select Month December 2022 (14) November 2022 (13) October 2022 (3) September 2022 (10) August 2022 (5) July 2022 (6) June 2022 (3) April 2022 (11) March 2022 (5) February 2022 (7) January 2022 (6) December 2021 (10) November 2021 (5) October 2021 (8) September 2021 (10) July 2021 (3) June 2021 (7) May 2021 (3) April 2021 (7) March 2021 (10) February 2021 (3) December 2020 (3) July 2020 (19) June 2020 (5) May 2020 (10) March 2020 (5) February 2020 (7) January 2020 (2) December 2019 (8) November 2019 (4) October 2019 (6) August 2019 (8) July 2019 (7) June 2019 (9) May 2019 (10) March 2019 (1) February 2019 (7) November 2018 (5) September 2018 (2) August 2018 (2) July 2018 (2) June 2018 (5) May 2018 (16) April 2018 (2) March 2018 (10) August 2017 (8) July 2017 (8) May 2017 (9) April 2017 (5) March 2017 (18) January 2017 (8) December 2016 (7) November 2016 (3) October 2016 (3) September 2016 (11) April 2016 (7) February 2016 (9) January 2016 (7) November 2015 (5) October 2015 (9) September 2015 (3) August 2015 (8) June 2015 (9) May 2015 (25) March 2015 (363)
App Education Fundraising Help Helpless Landing Orphan
Sign up now to get email updates on the current happenings at AJAN Africa.
About AJAN
African Jesuits AIDS Network (AJAN) is a faith-based organization established in June 2002 by the Jesuit Conference of Africa and Madagascar (JCAM). It was created to link and supports Jesuits who work in HIV prevention and AIDS care across sub-Saharan Africa.
Service Yezu Mwiza Center, Bujumbura, Burundi undertakes the Youth for Youth Initiative 2022 which targets empowering the youth in sexual behavior and caring for the environment.
African Jesuit AIDS Network Follow
African Jesuit AIDS Network is a joint effort of Jesuits in the fight against HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Contact AJAN
African Jesuit AIDS Network AFRICAMA House 260, Dagoretti Rd P. O. 1540 Karen 00502 Nairobi, Kenya.
Telephone : (+254-20) 3884 528
Phone : (+254) 728 961 072
Email : ajan@jesuits.africa
Copyright © 2021 - AJAN Africa
Français Português English