5th AAPSC CONGRESS - ABUJA, NIGERIA 22 - 29 JULY 2006
SUMMARY OF SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS
(Group 1 - Amanda Richter)
1. Rev Chuku Hamkwumera > Nigeria 2. Rev Mba N Idika > Nigeria 3.
Samuel Lindjeck > Cameroon 4. Rev O E Mbutor > Nigeria 5. Rev Jean
Mengi > DRC 6. Rev Ngalle Njie > Cameroon 7. Rev Sis Jacibtha Okeke
> Nigeria 8. Rahila Omeji > Nigeria 9. Rev Dr Torti Onoh > Nigeria
10. Rev David Ononogbu > Nigeria 11. Amanda Richter > South Africa
12. Nitonye Samson > Nigeria 13. Rev Challenge Ugbede > Nigeria
14. Rev Awa Ume > Nigeria
The following main themes have been identified and addressed in
the small group discussions of group 1:
1. Need for responsibility / empowerment
In relation to poverty, the question was raised where the large
amount of money are being spend. If it wasn't better if the money
would be spend in agriculture, because the poor people have almost
everything for agriculture, but lack the funds to be successful.
With regards to agriculture and HIV/AIDS, it was stated that the
person who are involved in agriculture will not bring a solution
to the problem alone. It was said that HIV/AIDS money must be spend
on the intended goal, and not lost. Therefore the problem shouldn't
be seen as agriculture versus HIV/AIDS. Another question that was
raised was the question of what was happening to the government
research grants. It was stated that the money are sometimes spend
even before the allocated monies are available. The question was
also raised if these monies reach deserving widows and orphans in
need. Mention was also made of the motorcycle programmes. It was
stated that the motorcycles provided should be reliable otherwise
person can't make a living out of the newly found business funded
by the government. Also management skills and business expertise
are lacking and there need to be follow-ups to ensure the success
of the venture. Another problem relating to the field of HIV/AIDS
was that HIV/AIDS are sometimes seen as a means of commerce. People
are enriching themselves, where NGO's pretend to help people, but
are in fact only enriching themselves and not helping the people
they are supposed to be helping, by sometimes even delivering false
reports. As a result of false reporting, and people not getting
the much needed assistance they need because of above mentioned
problems, people don't trust NGO's. Two dimensions to working with
HIV/AIDS were also identified. The moral dimension, whereby people
are doing what is right and good, and the ethical dimension, whereby
people are doing it for God. In light of this, it was stated that
people who are victims, must become participants in the solutions.
Something must be done goals need defining and needs need to be
identified. This must be done firstly as human beings then as Christians,
thereby making it even more moral. There also need to be some kind
of disciplinary action with regards to your actions against the
church / what you believe.
2. Need for information / education
Concerning information there is a feeling of indifference from churches.
There is also a feeling that there aren't enough churches. It was
stated that those people who suffer from HIV/AIDS are mostly poor
in material things as well as mentally. They are in need of moral
education. The link between poverty and poor health were also addressed.
The poor person isn't able to afford the same health care as a richer
person. There is a lack of knowledge the poor people are in need
of education. Education must therefore pass on the right kind of
knowledge. The knowledge on material for example - " affordability
" availability of standard of service " sterilization " A body to
whom you must report back - monitoring community The problem of
how the government manages these programmes were also mentioned.
Government policies are delegated. They don't see it as level of
service, they just see it as work to get money. Thus they become
corrupt. In regards to HIV/AIDS people think that it is only other
people who can get it, not themselves. You must also realise that
HIV/AIDS can happen to you and not just to other people. It is therefore
important that government and ground level workers must be working
together, they must have a body that supervises them, people must
be conscious of what they are doing and government need to create
awareness programmes. It is important to acknowledge the fact that
some people gets HIV/AIDS through immorality, churches must therefore
stress spirituality - must empower churches to carry the knowledge
to the people. Churches need information on - " Health - abortion,
contraception. " Career " lifestyle and moral values Churches don't
speak publicly on these issues. Churches need a systemic structure
to speak publicly on these issues. What is furthermore important
is the level of pastoral education and the difficulty in deciding
the level of a pastor's education. It is a problem in especially
the smaller churches and the fact that the so-called prophets have
no education at all. There also isn't consensus between different
pastors on the level of education needed by pastors. As far as HIV/AIDS
is concerned, it is important to know that people who don't work
in the medical field, can't say you are HIV negative, even though
they might be in an authoritative position like a pastor or prophet.
People have too much belief in people in authoritative positions
without proof. People like this might even offer you a certificate
to state that you are no longer HIV positive. People like this distribute
false information to people not knowing any better, who aren't informed.
There is a need for exposing these people who are exploiting the
people who don't know better.
3. African culture and context
Churches must take into consideration the specific African culture
of not for instance talking about sex. The church might openly discourage
divorce, but doesn't discuss sexuality, thereby laying the foundation
for immorality by not discussing sex. If you talk about sex and
describe it as a monster and as evil, it makes it more difficult
to discuss the matter with children. Therefore children are most
often send out of the room when sex is being discussed on the TV.
In relation to divorce the woman is seen as an object. The husband
is therefore seen as higher than the wife. In African culture the
husband can give his wife a letter to go back to her parents. Therefore
woman is dependant on their husbands. It is important not to dismiss
all of the African cultural values - the woman must be submissive
to the man in sense that two captains can't manage same boat. Some
cultural values must be maintained. An important question that was
raised was how culture contributes to the spread or prevention of
HIV and or poverty. Some people acknowledge the social support they
receive from their families when they tell them that they are HIV
positive, while on the other side, people sometimes experience stigmatization
from their social support network. Death of a family member also
places a financial strain on the family, in that it costs a lot
to take care of an ill family member as well as the burial itself
costs money, which could well lead to poverty. Concerning burial
rites, it was stated that the African tradition creates room for
poverty, for example with the cost of a burial. Wherever you die
the body must be brought back to the family. The weight of culture
of tradition doesn't keep in mind the cost of for instance the burial.
It is a must to buy material for clothes, a casket from specific
company, food and drink and a generator. In the end people need
to borrow money to afford a burial. A suggestion was made that it
must be done in moderation to ensure that those still living have
money for expenses. People are afraid not to have such elaborate
funerals, because they are afraid of the ancestors and that the
ancestors will cause you problems if you haven't buried him correctly.
Another issue is that of arrogance / pride, whereby people are living
at a higher income level than what they can afford. They are wasting
their money by partying and they are forced by the community to
live like this. The influence of society and culture must be acknowledge
in the fight against poverty. As far as marriage rites are concerned,
the man needs to go to the girl's family and in the first stages
see the girl's parents. In the second stage the extended family
are also involved in the negotiations. Marriage in a sense also
contributes to poverty in as far as the man has to pay the girl's
family for her hand in marriage. Taboos within the African society
were also discussed, such as sleeping with another woman who is
not your wife, that one should take responsibility for one's own
actions and that within the African cultural no-one is seen as a
nobody or set up to be a nobody. Alien elements that were introduced
to the African society were homosexuality, within which two types
exits, namely between two adult males or between an adult man and
a young boy. Issues like this are still frowned upon within the
African society. The idea of health ministries in the African society
was discussed after Rev Shirley Hill's presentation on the topic.
The necessities of outreaches were discussed, whereby pastors, doctors,
nurses and social workers go to the rural areas. In the mornings
the Word of God can be ministered to the people and in the afternoons
they can see the doctor for screenings and counselling. It was seen
as agood idea - yet not done frequently - about once a year in the
areas where it was already implemented. With reference to the presentation
of Amanda Richter on the bereavement of HIV/AIDS orphans, the idea
of using terminology such as 'co-researchers' versus 'patients'
was discussed, thereby not adding to the stigmatisation these people
might already be experiencing. The narrative approach was applauded,
because with story form you would be able to reach more people,
and stories is seen as a natural phenomenon in discourse with Africans,
because tradition is very much tied to what is happening in their
lives. In relation to HIV/AIDS mention was made that it might be
easier / better for somebody from outside to do the work, and identifying
people who have the same vision as you. But on the other side culture
plays a big role in how you identify with people. For example with
the narrative approach you need to understand the way that children
are thinking. There is in Africa a history to tell to children and
adults, and after the history there is a message people need to
get. Concerning the role of children in the African society, a child
may for instance know that a person is dead although they might
not be attending the funeral. In Christian circles, this is however
changing. Children are looked down upon and they don't have much
of a role to play in African society. With reference to HIV/AIDS,
one of the delegates - Samuel Lindject (Cameroon) Samuel Lindject
(Cameroon) - gave a good metaphor describing HIV/AIDS as a lion
(the virus) who is attacking the land (a person's body), but this
land is made up of not only the population, but also soldiers and
a general. Another problem the African church today faces is that
of demons and witchcraft, because the spirit world is seen as made
up of many things, like God and angels, but also demons. The problem
comes in, as it was stated when Satan is seen as BIG and God is
seen as very small, thus giving more power to Satan and less power
to God. Fear like this is seen as a dominant discourse in the African
culture, since people are always living in fear. In discussing the
presentation by dr Felicia Modo, it was stated that threats / force
can not change children, and that parents should keep in mind how
they should act and what would be the best for the future of the
child. Subsequently the role of discipline in the African culture
was discussed and how it is the norm for children not to take part
in conversations, but to go outside and play while adults are talking.
Because some information adults are processing, aren't good for
children to hear. Children should furthermore have respect for their
elders and not be talking / eating when the adults are talking /
eating. Prof Kalu stated that it should be remembered that the child
is the responsibility of the whole community and very important
is the village model of upbringing of the child, which should be
put in place again. Also the idea of mentorship is lacking. With
reference to counselling in the African context, Prof Kalu also
stated that it should be remembered that therapy in this context
isn't pschycotherapy, which is long term therapy, but that is should
be short term, brief therapy. People must go back to their ordinary
lives and reflect on what was said. A follow-up on the therapy could
even be done in a shopping centre where you see the person again
and ask how they are doing. Another important issue that was raised
by prof Kalu was that we are raising a generation who don't know
their roots - who don't even know their language. And it isn't for
outsiders to do it for Africans, Africans need to do it for Africans.
4. Need for programs / models
It is important to realise that there is no way the government can
solve the problem alone. Therefore there is a great need for programmes
and information. Micro-lending is an option to empower the people
and teach them responsibility. Counsellors need to look at the psychological,
emotional, spiritual and health needs. Thus have a holistic approach.
It is important to establish a national chapter, whereby NGO's are
formed at national levels. The question is how will financial aids
be generated. It is also very important to provide churches and
pastors with programmes of what to do. It was proposed that the
people who got elected on national level must put in place a network
with others that can work. Also important is to understand the impact
the world has on the problem. Therefore it is important to firstly
gather enough information and also to look at effective work in
the field which might provide a solution. To be active, we must
provide information and give the right information to those who
need it. The problem is related to the lack of information and communication.
On a regional level it is important to share experiences, it isn't
enough just to talk at congresses. There needs to be before and
after sharing of experiences. Information on unemployment problem
in own countries is important. Models like THRIFT / micro-lending
and the NAPEP model should be looked at, to try and empower the
poor.
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