Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?(Jeremiah 8:22)

Those of us called to serve in medical ministries have the opportunity to both minister to those infected with HIV/AIDS and to help prevent the spread of this disease. American Baptist Hospitals in the interior of Democratic Republic of the Congo do not have sufficient quantities of anti-retroviral drugs to give to patients dying with HIV/AIDS. In fact 95% of all patients die without ever having access to such medicine.

And in South Africa, we found that people in the churches wanted to address the staggering health problems in their country but they simply didn't know how to help. So, most churches we encountered were doing very little despite the massive needs and opportunities for ministry. But the churches were feeling called to minister to a broad array of health problems such as HIV/AIDS.

Even with the great efforts done by the likes of the World Health Organization, UNAIDS, Bill and Melinda Gates, Bono, Oprah, and other well meaning persons and organizations it is anticipated that less than a third ofAfricans suffering from HIV/AIDS will be on anti-retroviral therapy between now and 2010.What then do we offer the other 20 million?

Even if we cannot access and deliver anti-retroviral drugs; we will continue to render care with whatever resources God places in our hands; alleviation from pain, treatment of opportunistic (secondary) infections, nutritional and nutrient support, restoration of dignity and respect, counseling, caring, compassion, and most of all witness are the essential elements of holistic whole person care.

In South Africa alone, we have trained about 120 missionaries and pastors from twelve African nations -- working with partners -- to perform Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) for HIV, HIV prevention, to provide home-based care for HIV/AIDS, and to learn about nutrition. HIV rapid antibody testing was taught, as well as universal precautions to prevent transmission of blood borne infectious agents.

But the most sacred gift we have to offer is hope; telling the story of a God whose son suffered in similar ways, the same indignation, the same scorn, the same demise….all because He loved us.Sometimes the only intervention we can offer to our patients in the Congo or South Africa is the holding of a hand; the only prescription we have to offer is the Gospel, the only cure; a renewed spirit.

-- Bill Clemmer and Rick Gutierrez