Today I spent some time interviewing ART patients at a rural hospital in the foothills of the Simien Mountains. As I struggled to go deep and tease out the real reasons why so many rural Ethiopians default from their HIV medications, I was confronted with some disturbing stories. I was again reminded of the difficulties and complexities of bringing together faith and medicine. Over the course of listening to people open up their lives, it became obvious that high rates of default are due largely to nondisclosure of one’s status. This of course is only a symptom of a much larger problem. Although it is disturbing that husbands and wives keep their status from one another, even more disturbing were the stories of priests and church leaders perpetuating stigma and discrimination. While this does not hold true for all church leaders, I heard story after story of patients fearful of disclosing their status to church leaders and fathers for fear of condemnation and shame. The church of all places should be perpetuating love instead of judgment. With nowhere to turn, and with a ‘million and one’ other barriers lived daily, it is no wonder that so many rural Ethiopians find themselves discontinuing treatment.
As I returned to my sub-zero, electricity and water-less hotel room, I opened up my bible and found myself turning to the story of the Good Samaritan. While I have read this story many times, the words and images appeared vibrant and new and I was reminded that this struggle to bring together faith and medicine is no new challenge but was lived day in and day out by Jesus.
I am reminded of the deep and completely unconditional love of Jesus; a love which when wrapped in flesh and walking on the earth, did not withhold love, mercy and grace from those in greatest need. This love was not conditional. It did not depend upon one’s sexual orientation, physical health, job status, societal position, gender or political beliefs. Prisoners, prostitutes, liars and lepers were embraced and the church opposed this all-encompassing love. It is not hard to see why so many people today detest the institution of the church. Jesus did not come to bring stigma, discrimination and shame upon man. He came to redeem, restore and make new; to bring beauty from ashes, to mold works of art out of impure and porous clay. Churches across the world need to be reminded of the passion and heart of Jesus. Unless the church engages in a truthful and transparent examination of its heart and motives, humanity cannot be expected to turn to ‘religion’ and the institution of the church and HIV patients living in rural Africa cannot be expected to willingly disclose their status.
“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
“In reply, Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A Priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, A Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But A Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was, and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him, ‘he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
“The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
“Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:29-37
