Three of the Advisory Committee members and the LAAP staff left for Bulawayo in a hired van on 21 March 2009.  The trip to Zimbabwe was uneventful except for the driver having problems with the van’s paperwork at the border which was resolved with the persistence of LAAP staff.  The trip gave the members’ time to talk and get acquainted on the way and go over some of the Advisory Committee’s history.

Arriving late, we met the rest of the members who had flown to Bulawayo and settled in for the night.

The following day, we attended church at the ELCZ-WD Tshabalala Church where we were greeted warmly by the congregation. Rt. Rev. Dr. A. Moyo was acknowledged for his contributions in the community and LUCSA for walking with the people in their effort to make a difference in fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS.  The Bishop also acknowledged the community for their work and steadfast faith in God in Zimbabwe’s troubled times and he spoke words of hope for a better future.  Bishop Moyo assisted with the service, Holy Communion and the blessing of the children as the choir raised joyful voices in hymns of praise. After church, the Advisory Committee began their meeting with prayer and welcoming remarks from the Executive Director who gave an overview of LUCSA. Self introductions were made with the new committee members as follows:  Dr. Nonhlanhla Mkhize, Director of Human Rights & Children’s Desk, KZN;   Rev Marilyn Marinus, MCSA;  Mr Munatsi Dube, General Secretary, ELCZ; Ms Caroline Thomas, HIV-AIDS Coordinator, ELCAP; Rev Alfred Chana, ELCZa; and  Deaconess Eva Kavahematui, ELCB.   Mrs. Mzezewa provided the members with more in depth information of the LUCSA Strategic Plan, HIV-AIDS application and funding criteria.  The elections of the new Advisory Committee Chair and Vice-Chair took place with Dr. Nonhlanhla Mkhize elected as Chair and Rev. Phumzile Zondi-Mabizela as Vice-Chair.

Site Visit to ELCZ-CD Betseranai Project in Msume

After meeting Sunday afternoon and Monday, the Advisory Committee left for a visit in the rural area of Msume (about 6 hours, 3 of which were on very, very bumpy roads).  We were greeted by the community including the Chief, pastor, local councilors, teachers and medical doctors.  The Betseranai Advocacy Choir, caregivers, youth and support group individuals disseminated HIV and AIDS messages in the form of music, drama and poems. The success of Betseranai lies in the values of the community and in the hope that one day they will be free of HIV and AIDS.

The community works together to support, educate and encourage counseling and testing and advocate for treatment and together, they care for the orphans and vulnerable children, the sick and the elderly. There is a need for ongoing home based care training and the need for funds for children’s school fees, uniforms and school supplies.  After the community presentations we climbed into the back of a truck and rode another 45 minutes over bumpy roads and across 2 streams, to the home of a woman caring for her sister, who was blind and dying and the sister’s grown son, also ill. The caregivers that visit the family and bring food and some medical supplies are volunteers and have worked as such for years with no pay.

The Msume hospital faces many challenges such as the remoteness of the area and lack of transportation (the hospital has one vehicle to use as an ambulance and service truck). Keeping hospital equipment in proper working order is difficult and they have not had a supply of adequate medication available for illnesses and diseases.   We were told the first 18 people living with HIV were initiated on anti-retroviral treatment (ARVs) through assistance from LUCSA.  However, the hospital currently provides for one type of ARV, rendering patients no other choice for various symptoms or opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is assisting with these needs through the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe by providing funds for 90 metric tons of seed and fertilizer to help with food production and also for medical supplies for the four Lutheran hospitals.  After the Executive Director of LUCSA made an appeal to the other Lutheran Churches in Southern Africa, they came forth by designating one Sunday to create greater awareness among their members and make contributions in cash or in kind to be sent to Zimbabwe.  Even the small and poor Church in Zambia collected nearly $300 and ELCSA-NT in South Africa has been sending a truck load of food to Harare every week.  Recently, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (GELK) sent a truck loaded with 34 metric tons of maize meal which was distributed to all the Lutheran Hospitals and church workers.  Other churches are sending their support through their national Council of Churches.

The Advisory Committee felt that the meeting and support visit had been very fruitful and gave the new members needed information about LUCSA and the HIV-AIDS Programs.

Other activities of the LUCSA AIDS Action Programme:

Since the Advisory Committee meeting, the HIV and AIDS Team have been busy with the following and including upcoming events:

• March 2-7: HIV-AIDS Resource Persons Project Management workshop in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe for (Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe churches)
• In March the staff made two –1 day support visits to ELCSA-CD, in Springs near Johannesburg and to ELCSA-ND in Polokwane (300kms north of Johannesburg).  The purpose of the visits is to open the doors of communication with the HIV and AIDS Resource Persons, project managers and church leaders and to walk with the member churches and the HIV-AIDS projects.
• March 29–April 9: Two LUCSA HIV-AIDS staff joined an evaluation team for the Monitoring and Evaluation in Zimbabwe of the 3 dioceses (this had been postponed in early 2008 due to political unrest).
• April 13–May 1:  3 Couples Communication workshops for Pastors and their Spouses in the 3 dioceses in Zimbabwe (these activities had been postponed in 2008 due to political unrest).
• April 20–24: HIV-AIDS Resource Persons Project Management workshop in Namibia for (Angola, Namibia, and Botswana churches)
• April 27-30:  Treatment Literacy workshop in Namibia for pastors at member church level.
• May 4-8: Trainer of Trainers Clinical Pastoral Care and Counseling workshop for pastors in Namibia