HIV drugs for children in Africa

I came across this news item on the BBC website. It refers to a report from a coalition of groups, including World Vision. I'm posting this as there has been interest in the topic in previous posts on this blog. The news item says in part that:

The Global Movement for Children said that, in June 2005, around four million children were in need of cotrimoxazole, an antibiotic costing 3 US cents per day per child, which prevents life-threatening infections in HIV infected children and infants born to HIV-positive mothers.

It can also delay the onset of Aids and the need for anti-retroviral therapy.

It adds that 90% of HIV-positive children are infected by a failure to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

The report says providing a mother with comprehensive care can reduce the risk of transmission to less than 2%.

But under 10% of HIV-positive pregnant women currently receive the necessary drugs.

The report makes a series of recommendations including the development of simple and affordable diagnostic tests, more research and development for child specific treatment and improvements to health-care systems in developing countries to make it easier to get medication to children.

The rest of the news item can be found here

The part that struck me is again the low cost of doing the right thing! Thoughts?

Message about trip to Swaziland

As you know, we were in Swaziland with pastors from 2 other churches. Here is a link to a message by one of the pastors, Pastor Reed Mueller from Columbia Ridge Community Church (in the beautiful Columbia River gorge). Listed on this page is the first message he gave after he returned from Swaziland (2006-05-06). Reed and his wife Erin visited some of the same places we did, and also visited some different ones.
I enjoyed his message very much, and he makes some great points.
Listen when you get a chance, and let me know what you think.
Blessings...

Link to messages here

Swaziland-Part 1

It's been awhile since I've posted. I've been in Swaziland with Pastors Phil & Brad, Jim, and a couple of newly-met brothers and sisters (from Portland OR, St. Louis, Pennsylvania...). We were there an a "Vision Trip" (we were told to roll down our sleeves and be receptive and learn...) as opposed to a Mission Trip. We've been back a week, and I'll still processing what I saw. Perhaps giving snapshots will help both you and I see what is happening to our brothers and sisters in southern Africa.

One of my big take-aways was again that God never fails to surprise me. We went over prepared (as much as we could) to be heart-broken by what we were going to see. That happened. But I was really surprised by the hope and joy we saw in the rural area of Swaziland we were in. Here there is a 42% HIV/AIDS prevalance level, and it's really taking its toll on the communities. And yet people are hopeful and joyful because they have a bigger and more real and intimate vision of God. They really believe that with their service to their community in Jesus' name that the tide can be turned and that they will be able to raise the children aged 5-15 to adulthood free of HIV. At that point the corner will have been turned.
Such faith!
We went expecting to have our hearts broken, and they were. But not only were they broken so that we could feel their pain, but also that we could feel their joy. Without being able to feel their pain, I don't think I'd be able to fully understand their joy.
More rambling thoughts to come...