Wednesday October 27 was an eventful day, one we have been eagerly anticipating. We signed the Memo of Understanding (MOU) that officially launches our partnership with the NKST church in Benue State Nigeria. The goal of the partnership is to 'expand the wholistic response to HIV/AIDS ministry in the NKST context and to engage the people of the NKST with the people of RTC so that we can learn from and encourage each other in this ministry.' Pictured from left to right are John Mase Iornenga, General Secretary of the NKST church in Benue State Nigeria; Terzungwe Saamo, HIV/AIDS Pastor for the NKST; Samuel Vershima Ker, NKST Secretary for Education; Clayton Libolt, RTC pastor; and Gideon GoGo, Coordinator for Beacon of
Hope Initiative(BHI) the coordinating Nigerian HIV/AIDS relief organization that works with CRWRC.
After signing the MOU, we became TIV, as were were dressed in the traditional black and white woven TIV cloth. Pictured here in their full TIV-ness are Mark Menning, Nancy Kelly, Grace Kreulen and Clay Libolt. Notice the great TIV bags the men have over their shoulders!
The rest of the week will be spent dloping relationships with churches in the Zake-Biam area and learning about their HIV/AIDS prevention and relief work. In an state with a 10.6 % HIV infection rate and where the role of the church in community life is powerful, the church's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic is foundational to limiting the spread of the disease.
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