National Pastors Mobilization Workshop towards the Eradication of
HIV & AIDS

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19 – 21 November 2008

‘Calling For A New Commitment’ – was a three day comprehensive workshop conducted on HIV & AIDS and how the Church should respond towards it within their communities. The participants comprised leaders of Churches, 80 pastors, Church members and workers from different ministries. Amongst them were several youth as well.  

Nilusha Doradegama, is a Psychologist who has conducted workshops in many countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Sudan, and is also a passionate activist who works towards the eradication of the virus in Sri Lanka. Nilusha spoke on the following topics: What HIV is, its symptoms, definition of the abbreviation: AIDS, what opportunistic infections are, how HIV infects humans, stages of infection and how HIV is transmitted. In a very creative way she introduced an activity called Kopi Kadé which was designed to provoke individuals into thinking strategies on impacting the communities & areas they lived in. Later, Nilusha continued to speak on the risk factors concerning AIDS and why women are susceptible to HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

One participant said, “I am glad that I learned so many things about HIV & AIDS. I have never attended a workshop of this nature before. I gathered a lot of knowledge through Dr. Nilusha’s session, on how the virus is contracted and how to identify its symptoms. I also gained an understanding of how I could create awareness in our homes, Churches, communities and village, through this session.”

At the end of the session, the facilitator posed some thought provoking questions, such as: What kind of people are in the Church? What does the Church stand for? What do non-believers believe about the Church? How do we Christians perceive non-believers? The aim of these questions was to make the audience reflect on their roles and responsibilities towards HIV & AIDS.

On the 2nd day a representative from NCEASL addressed the following topics.  ‘ A Christian Response Towards HIV & AIDS’, drawing view points from the Bible and also referred to the millennium development goals: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases and develop a global partnership for development. At the end of this session, the presenter challenged the leaders to look at Jesus’ ministry, emphasizing the need to take action with whatever was at hand – ‘thinking big, starting small, but acting now’.

Reverend Dareeju from the Methodist Church addressing the participants spoke on the Christian community’s role on the care, treatment & what we can do for people living with HIV & AIDS. He explained what pastoral counselling is, procedures of counselling, developing awareness in society, signs of stigmas, and effects of discrimination. 

Pastor David Anthony from Wattala said, “I have met people living with HIV & AIDS in my travels abroad, but this workshop has impacted me. I have realised that I must speak out about the epidemic. We talk a lot about spirituality and heaven but not about the issues people have to deal with.”

“Child abuse too could expose little children to AIDS.  The Green Bag project conducted by NCEASL helps children who have either faced trauma or abuse and offers a hope for their future. The aim of this project is to raise the self-worth of the child - this is mainly done through what is called the Big Green Bag. The Green Bag is divided to many sections of interactive picture cards and stories, designed for traumatized, low-literate children. A trained NCEASL worker uses the Green Bag to go through a carefully planned therapeutic process with a child” said a representative from NCEASL’s Children’s Sector addressing a special session on children & AIDS.

Three special guests were invited to share how they live & cope with AIDS. Mrs. Princey Mangalika and Mr. Nazeer work for Lanka Plus. They are both HIV positive and their aim through Lanka Plus is to tell their story & make others aware of the looming danger of AIDS.
Mrs. Princey Mangalika had contracted HIV through her husband who had been HIV positive. Her husband had committed suicide because he could not face the scrutiny and condemnation of the community he lived in. But despite all of the trauma and discrimination her community put her through – she decided to live. Mr Nazeer also related his story. At the end of their narration, the participants had a time of prayer for them and God’s healing upon their lives.

Brother Joe David too shared how he was sexually abused from a very young age and in the end, how he met God.

A presentation on Sexually Transmitted Diseases was conducted by another NCEASL representative. The topics discussed were – What is STD, Types of STDs, & Symptoms of STDs.

The workshop came to an end as participants shared what they had learned and gained from the workshop.

“From the time I was a youngster, I believed AIDS was a bad thing. I thought we must isolate people who contracted AIDS because they would contract the disease by promiscuous relationships. But today I have learnt that my behaviour & thinking was wrong. At the workshop I have learnt new things: what HIV & AIDS is and how people contract it. Especially after meeting Mrs. Princey, my perception has completely changed” said one pastor.

“I’m from AOG, Galgamuwa. My name is Nimal Premasiri. When I came here, I did not have any knowledge on HIV & AIDS. But after attending the workshop, I have gathered a great amount of knowledge on the subject. In society I heave heard that AIDS is a terrifying and deadly virus, but here I realised another side to the virus; through the testimonies and the way the workshop was conducted.”

“In the community where I minister, there are many people who have sought work in other countries. I believe they are ignorant of things such as AIDS and other related sexual diseases. Through ignorance they could fall prey to AIDS. I have decided that through my congregation I will impact the community I work in and create awareness about HIV and AIDS and be a blessing to our community” commented another pastor.

Finally, a lively and insightful drama based on the Bible story of the prodigal son, presented by the youth of House of Prayer Church in Thotalanga, brought this 3 day workshop to an end.