It is Sunday morning May 15, 2011. I announce at church that this is a rare special day, rarely known to many. It is Candlelight Memorial Sunday… a day to stand with and show support for people living with or affected by HIV & AIDS. It is observed world over and was started by the Global Network of People with HIV (GNP+). Google search “Candlelight Memorial” for more details.Kayole church members know very well that reaching out to people affected by HIV is the calling of the church minister. This has been passed on to members of the congregation. It is the members who designed the candle ribbon on the church floor and it came out so well. Thank you, Sister Ann, for your gift of design and ornamentation. The INERELA+ Kenya banner adds spice to the day’s event. Look at this!
Later that afternoon, I got a phone call from a church member who was present at the candlelight ceremony… asking me to go help a relative who has been unwell and unsure on how to go about the situation. It turned out to be a call of duty, a matter that saw two of my colleagues and I burn both our midnight and midday oils to ensure the patient received the desired treatment. We spent the whole day Monday at the Mbagathi District Hospital in Nairobi, until the patient was admitted. The patient’s spouse called later in the week to appreciate our input and the evident improvement on the patient. I am writing this post five days later – on Saturday and the good news is that the patient is being discharged from the hospital today… stronger, happier and thankful that God shows His love to people through other people.
THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: The ribbon takes the shape of a fish when laid horizontal. ICHTHUS is the Greek name for fish. In the early Christian churches, ichthus came to be interpreted as a cipher for Jesus. The first letter of each of the Greek words for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour” spell ichthus. Whichever position the ribbon is laid, it will always carry a caring message!
Jesus touched people’s lives. We touch people’s hearts and lives when we respond to their hour of need. The ribbon is a sure sign of showing solidarity with the wider community battling with the epidemic. From the picture on the left, children share in putting off the candles after the service. They are learning form their seniors how to respond to issues of HIV in their homes and community. I always ask myself: What Would Jesus Do?Do numbers say anything? We bought 3 packets of candles, 8 pieces of candles in each packet. This gives a total of 24 candles. Does this sound symbolic? It goes in line with the theme of the day and P24 markers are part of it! Don’t ask me what these are.
Jesus touched people’s lives. We touch people’s hearts and lives when we respond to their hour of need. The ribbon is a sure sign of showing solidarity with the wider community battling with the epidemic. From the picture on the left, children share in putting off the candles after the service. They are learning form their seniors how to respond to issues of HIV in their homes and community. I always ask myself: What Would Jesus Do?