“AIDS stops with ME!”

Though a cure for HIV/AIDS is continually proving elusive, it’s been exciting to see research prove this year that treating HIV+ individuals with ARV drugs provides a strong barrier to transmission of the virus.  This article by Richard Knox of NPR details how effective the treatment of HIV is in preventing the spread of the virus.  Because of this, President Obama and the US government have committed to increasing funding for ARV medication in the developing world (including East Africa).  Many experts in medicine and development are also encouraging a focus on treatment as not only a way to keep those with HIV alive, but a way to eventually eradicate HIV/AIDS!

At CARE for AIDS, we’ve long believed that part of our contribution to HIV prevention is making sure that AIDS ends with every one of our clients.  It’s encouraging to know that, by starting and keeping all of our clients on the proper medication, we are making it much less likely that they will pass on the virus to someone else.  It’s not always easy to make this happen, though!  Many people in poverty struggle to have enough food for the medication to be effective, so the side effects of the medication leave them virtually incapacitated.  Knowing this, when they have to choose between feeding their children or themselves, they often choose to go hungry and stop taking the medication.

When we are able to provide them with food and get them started in producing an income, they don’t have to choose between their children’s survival and their own health.  Once our counselors teach them how the medication works and why it can keep them alive, they are able to take it properly and experience for themselves what it’s like to live healthily again.  The lessons of this past year show that they are protecting their spouses, children, or others from infection at the same time!

Read the full text of the NPR article here:  http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/12/28/144320653/antiviral-drugs-sparkle-in-the-race-to-end-aids

What do you think?  Leave us a comment and let us know!  We’ll get back to you soon…

What’s in store for 2012?

If I had to boil down the measure of success for our organization to one key metric, it would be the number of centers that we operate in Kenya. The more centers we open, the more people that can receive care, the more people that can be introduced to Jesus Christ, and the more churches and communities that can be transformed. As I have expressed before, there is not a shortage of good churches or good people in Kenya to run the centers. Our ability to grow is exclusively tied to our ability to mobilize resources.

In 2012, our hope is that we can open at least eight 8 more centers bringing our total to 22 centers. That would mean that every year at least 1,650 families would receive care through a local church! BUT, let’s be clear about one thing, “Hope is not a strategy!” Mark Miller, our former chairman, reminded me of that often. We can dream all day about what could be, but until we put into place specific strategies and tactics to accomplish that dream, we cannot realistically expect to achieve it. Therefore, I’d like to tell you more about three of our specific strategies for 2012 that are different from 2011.

1.    Pursue more partnerships with churches.

From day one, we have always had a heart for the local church, not just in Kenya but in the U.S. too. The young, unproven nature of our organization combined with the largest economic downturn in a century made it difficult to find church partners. Now, we’d like to leverage all of you, our supporters, who represent probably 100 different churches across the southeast to help us find a way to partner with your home church. In 2012, will you become a CARE for AIDS champion at your local church?

2.    Establish more partnerships with likeminded organizations and foundations.

We believe that our model is complimentary to so many other organizations out there. We have already partnered with pastor training organizations to find church partners, relief organizations to get in-home care kits, and microfinance organizations to train our clients, but we have only scratched the surface. Collaboration will not only help us get access to more resources, but it will allow us to focus on what we do best. Do you know any organizations or foundations that would align with the mission and vision of CARE for AIDS?

3.    Write and publish the CARE for AIDS story in book form.

The CARE for AIDS story is special. Not because of me and my role as a co-founder, but collectively, how God brought together some college guys from the U.S. and two guys from Kenya who all shared a common vision and how they turned that vision into reality. God was working in all of us for a decade to prepare us for this mission that he had for us. Through my voice and the voices of Cornel and Duncan, we are hoping to recount that story in a fresh and inventive way that will be inspiring to others. This will also help us to reach new audiences with the vision of CARE for AIDS. We don’t need your help immediately in executing this strategy, but I am going to put you each of you down for 100 copies of the book.

All of these above are in addition to our current strategies which we will continue to pursue in 2012. That includes Cornel and Duncan’s annual trip to the U.S., regular vision trips to Kenya, and of course, the textbook drive. But honestly, none of these are substitutes for your own personal giving to the ministry. Your gifts make up a majority of our income, and we don’t want that to change. We thank you for all the time and resources you gave in 2011, and we say thank you in advance for your support in 2012.

What can you do in 2012 to help us reach our goal of 22 centers?

Holidays in Kenya

Christmas is the mother of all holidays in Kenya.  We don’t celebrate many other holidays like thanksgiving or Halloween.  Though we have other holidays like Independent day, there are no big deals about them like Christmas.  I guess it is attributed to a number of reasons:

First, I think it is the longest holiday in the year because it is also connected with New Year holiday.  Second, it is the only holiday that most employers recognize.  Most employers are very hesitant to let their employees free on other holidays, but when it comes to Christmas holiday they are normally willing to give a break. Third, it is the holiday that comes at the end of the year when everybody wants to close the old year and welcome the New Year in style.  Mark you, this is the time that almost all the learning institutions are closed.  Lastly and the most important of all, this is the day that we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the cream of all holidays.

I never celebrated my birth days until my 25^th birthday when I started working with a white man.  But I celebrated Christmas.  It was the only time I could eat chicken, rice, drink a soda or eat any good food that I have never eaten throughout the year.  I mean, to me then or many other Kenyans today Christmas is a day to eat good food and wear new clothes. Truly Christmas is the day that the Lord has made – we always rejoice and get glad in it.  This is also the time when families come together.  There is a lot of travelling during this time from towns to the rural homes.

I am sad to announce that Christmas has been highly abused by many Kenyans, because of the reasons I mentioned above.  We have forgotten the reason for the season.  Christ has been kicked out of the picture.  Instead it is the time when people try all kinds of things.  Young people try drinking and smoking for the first time.  There are many accidents on our roads because people drink and drive.  Many girls give sex as a Christmas gift to men and many virgins are broken on the Christmas eve.  For the last six Sundays I have been preaching about the reason for Christmas and I will not do it on the blog, because you need to visit our church!

This year I had a unique role of explaining to my son Justin who is 3 years and 7 months about Christmas.  He hears a lot about Christmas both from the TV and people.  He came to inquire from dad about this thing called Christmas.  This forced me to stop everything to explain Christmas to him in the simplest language possible.  I don’t know whether he digested all that I told him, but to my amazement he was attentive the entire time – same as his sister Sherry (1 year 6 months), who came to gate crash.

Lastly, my readers do not forget the reason for the season!  It is the first six letters of the word Christmas.