Day 10 - HIV/AIDS ministry

By Kyle Small -
Today we began with an extensive talk with Jim about the Sustainable Development and Relief foundation (SDRF). He is not merely inspiring but extremely efficient. His work involves people in their gift areas for the sake of community empowerment. Even more, the work is a brilliant avenue to see the gospel flourish. People come to say yes to Christ simply because they come to realize that their lives are not cursed but blessed. The flow of energy from the SDRF staff is christ-centered in ways I hope to invite others to when we return home.

We are in Southern Thailand now (Songkhla), and we visited a ministry center today - CHAT. The ministry is committed to networking people with HIV/AIDS together for fellowship and sharing of health practices. In a world and local culture where interaction with people infected with HIV/AIDS is taboo, the loneliness of this disease is debilitating. When the Tsunami hit a few years ago, Jim and Nu-Chan came down here to assist in the redevelopment of the forestry department's projects. The SDRF had not been involved in Southern Thailand, yet the Tsunami required them to come. During their stay here they received a phone call from a woman with HIV. I will spare the details, yet the contentious phone call resulted in Nu-Chan and Jim traveling three hours north (by car) to visit this contentious woman. Their visit with her resulted in numerous connections, including one care-giver (Sunee - not her real name) who has become the leader of the ministry in Southern Thailand.

Sunee has taken up the ministry by connecting nine provinces together for encouragement and healing. People who were infected with HIV through drugs and promiscuity have come to Christ for the real-life transformation evidenced by other Christians. One man who was on the brink of death was visited by Sunee and he has been restored to wholeness (we met him today). Originally this man had his coffin in his home waiting for his friends to pronounce him dead and put him in the box. Now he is married and serving in ministry with the SDRF. There is no scientific or rational explanation to describe what we have seen, but there is a real sense of simple faith that lives and breathes a Jesus Christ-gospel that transcends sophistication and explanation.

We finished our time together with a wonderful lunch, including sticky rice, minced duck, and a wonderful spicy!!! papaya salad. We travel tonight from Hat Yai to Phuket, where the Tsunami wreaked great havoc.

Please check out the photo gallery as photos are slowly starting to appear.

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