India (MNN) — The home of a
family impacted by HIV-AIDS is often full of bitterness, anger, shame, regret,
and hopelessness. The SIM International
Shalom Delhi project steps into that situation bringing the hope of the Gospel.
Home-based care staff make
regular visits to the homes of families enrolled in the program. They partner with other NGOs to provide
medical, material, social, and spiritual support. They teach family and friends how to care for
AIDS patients. Shalom Delhi also partners
with other NGOs to provide medical referrals, food, and education for
children.
The program targets widows,
single adults, and families who have minimal support from their extended family. It serves families in Delhi, Ghaziabad, and
Gurgaon.
Cities are crucial for HIV
prevention because the disease often spread from cities to rural
districts. More than 1 million permanent
and seasonal migrants enter Delhi every year. Many move on to other locations, carrying HIV with them. Many truck drivers also carry the
disease.
The adjacent states of Haryana
and Uttar Pradesh are very heavily populated, and inadequate government health
campaigns have done little to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Shalom Delhi targets Delhi's
satellite city of Faridabad with its prevention/awareness program. The program runs in schools for 1-3 months,
teaching kids about basic hygiene and health care as well as AIDS-related
issues. Sometimes the program also runs
through church or community groups.
Other prevention programs target
adolescents and truck drivers. Shalom Delhi
also works with pastors, mobilizing churches to help widows support their families. In addition, it runs the Shalom Critical Care
Center.
Almost $300,000 is currently
needed to support this ministry. You can
help bring the hope of the Gospel to families suffering from HIV/AIDS.
