“All of us are sinners, both those who are HIV-positive and those who are negative,” said Dr. V. S. Wakaba, president of the Adventist Church in South Africa, in his opening address to 280 delegates at a conference organized by the church in the region, April 11 to 13. The event was organized to discuss ways to reach out to members suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Wakaba said that the Church should treat those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in the same way that Jesus Christ treated the lepers in the New Testament Scriptures, with compassion and help.

The conference follows the March 3 to 6 regional event in Harare, Zimbabwe, and was aimed at increasing awareness of the problem in the South Africa area.

Attendees of the Bloemfontein conference shared their experiences in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Their participation ranged from operating HIV/AIDS home-based care, operating HIV/AIDS Hospices and Orphanages, empowering HIV/AIDS orphans through skill-development and poverty alleviation programs, initiating of support groups for HIV/AIDS persons, advocacy programs, conducting nutrition classes for the HIV/AIDS people, and by creating HIV/AIDS committees in their local churches.