Myth #1: “I can get HIV by
being around people who are HIV-positive”. No! The evidence shows
that HIV is not spread through touch, tears, sweat, or saliva. You cannot catch
HIV by breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive or thru hugging,
kissing and shaking hands with someone who is HIV-positive or sharing eating
utensils or using exercise equipment at a gym with an HIV-positive person. But
you can get it from infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or mother's milk.
Myth #2: “I don't need to
worry about becoming HIV positive – new drugs will keep me well”. There are
drugs that can improve and extend the lives of many people who are HIV-positive
but are expensive and have many serious side effects. None yet provides a cure.
Also, drug-resistant strains of HIV make treatment an increasing challenge.
Myth #3: “I can get HIV from
mosquitoes”. Yes, HIV is spread through blood but insects don’t inject
the blood of animal they have last bitten when they bite us. Also, HIV lives
for only a short time inside an insect. So, this myth is nonsense!
These
are only top 3 myths and misconceptions
people think about AIDS and HIV. There are many more, of course. But these
three is enough I guess to make us aware that we are actually ignorance of the
truths about HIV. Our misconceptions proof that we don’t care enough. When I told
my friends about my experiences with the Crisis
Home’s residents, (a non-profit ministry caring for people living with
HIV/AIDS), they asked me many questions, “Did
you hug them?” “Can you eat with them?”
“What are they look like?” “Can we shake their hands?” “Are you using mask when you talk to them?”
and many more questions that are too shameful for me to write here. Mr. Isaac
Tan, who is working full-time at Crisis
Home shared a story about how a man didn't even touch a cup of tea when he
came to the Home. That is how deep our
misconceptions and stigma against people who is living with HIV/AIDS. There is
only one way to breakdown this wall of prejudices – love.
Jesus
told us that love for friends is not enough. Love for our own family members is
not enough. Love for our neighbour is not enough. Love for those who are
different from us in culture or belief is not enough. Love for those who are disagree
with us is not enough. Even love for our enemies is not enough. Jesus told us
to show love for “the least of these” (as in Matthew 25:31-46). The “least of these” refers to those in a variety
of needy situations. They include the hungry, thirsty, impoverished, sick, imprisoned,
anyone! – even those who is living with HIV/AIDS. Those are the people we are
called to love also. To love is to know;
to know is to care. That kind of loving-caring is the sign of God’s spirit
at work in us.
How can we show love to people who is
living with HIV/AIDS? May I suggests?
Firstly, repent from our sin. To
repent of our lack of care and rejection towards them. To repent of the way in
which we as Christians have often stigmatized those with HIV. Secondly, create personal awareness. Do some
research, get some reading, find articles, allocate HIV/AIDS homes nearby you
(or in Malaysia) and if possible get to know those whom closed to you who might
have HIV-positive. Thirdly, invest your
time. Try spend time with the person living with HIV/AIDS. Eat, play, talk,
walk or do activities with them. Most of them whom I know personally are rejected
by the family members and friends and society. They are longing for companions
and friends. Fourthly, invest your money.
Support them financially (One way is to give to Crisis Home ministry. Click HERE). And finally, support them in prayer. Indeed we are
not just to show deep, compassionate, caring love, but also to pray to God for
His grace, mercy and blessing on such people. You can make a different!
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them”
(Mother Teresa)
THINK
BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.
Below
are some pictures of Crisis Home’s
residents. Share with permission:
 |
| Picture with leaders in the church |
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