God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

10/19/2009 • 5:13 am Comments Off on 19.10.2009 EIN or US 501c3 nonprofit

19.10.2009 EIN or US 501c3 nonprofit

In between – like an advert 🙂

HOPE Cape Town is searching for a serious partner which can promote the goals of HOPE Cape Town in the USA and/or Canada and has a EIN number which identifies the organisation an an nonprofit according to US tax law. HOPE Cape Town has a vast on knowledge on HIV and AIDS and is a regocnised NGO and NPO and PBO in South Africa. Such a partnership could benefit both parties to make the world a better place… – exchange of ideas, strategies, networking and extended fundraising  www.hopecapetown.com or stefan@hopecapetown.com

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, Networking, , , ,

10/19/2009 • 12:14 am Comments Off on 19.10.2009 will they listen?

19.10.2009 will they listen?

At 9 am today we will have the meeting with the papal council for the health care workers, which also deals with the topic of HIV and AIDS.  Coming closer to the meeting I am really excited, thrilled and a bit anxious how they will receive our POZ proposal working with HIV positive clergy. Open support?? silent support?? No support?? More talks needed? Are they the right partners for such an endeavor?  We will see…

I am glad that Joachim is with me,  it also gives us the opportunity to discuss the topic “sports and church” in the field of HIV and AIDS.

Joachim Franz and Stefan Hippler

Filed under: HIV and AIDS, Networking, , , , , , , , , , ,

10/15/2009 • 10:43 am Comments Off on 15.10.2005 Exhaustion and travel preparations

15.10.2005 Exhaustion and travel preparations

It is amazing how a body can hold on and keep one carrying through weeks of stress – until the point where it feels that rest is needed. That happened to me on Monday when my body simply shut down and I almost slept for 36 hours – with some small interruptions to get some food. An amazing feeling when you feel at the end of it all – nothing goes anymore, even to think seems to cause stress and is almost impossible.

After 2 days of further rest I am slowly getting back to normal and will leave for my trip to Germany and Vatican on coming Saturday. I will meet in Hannover with my friend Joachim Franz from be your own hero e.V. and we will both fly to Rome to meet with the papal council for health care workers to continue discussion we had in November last year. Then back to Wolfsburg where we will have a 2 days meeting to discuss further cooperation between us. Very exciting times for me, for HOPE Cape Town and for all those, who will benefit from more cooperation and maximized support.

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, , , , ,

10/08/2009 • 9:12 am Comments Off on 08.10.2009 secret gag order?

08.10.2009 secret gag order?

Since I took up my post as Fidei Donum priest in the Archdiocese of Cape Town, I am asked again and again what secret deal I have made, what kind of restrictions are lying on me to be able to work in the fields of HIV and AIDS for the church. And seems that people doubt it when I say, that there has been no burden laid on me in any form. The frame of my work constitutes our faith, which means that we have to proclaim that everybody is loved by God and that this love is unconditional. The frame is marked by the message of Jesus, that we are all brothers and sisters and that we have to care for each other. The frame is set by the spirit of God, his good spirit allowing all men and women to achieve full potential of their lives if it is not messed up by the fellow brothers and sisters. The framework consists of the message of justice for all, peace for all and an environment, which will keep a future for our kids and the kids of the kids.

I never doubted or lost that framework, and that is why I believe that it must be possible to talk to each other without any anxiety, to meet each other, to listen to each other. I will always be concerned if man of the cloth or employees of the church don’t meet this basic rule. I suspect, that if there is anxiety to speak to one another, there is a lack of experience of God’s unconditional love.
Nevertheless, in the framework of our faith I am working now in the new portfolio and I have no intention to change that frame. I believe that religion and faith has much power to give to the people, lots of strength, and hope and believe in a good future. And all this I want to take to those here in South Africa, who are stigmatized thought the pandemic and this little virus called HI virus.

Lets see how it all develops…

Filed under: HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Networking, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

10/06/2009 • 11:51 pm Comments Off on 06.10.2009 event note 2…

06.10.2009 event note 2…

Sometimes one is looking forward to something and then suddenly all is different. I was looking forward to the event I posted yesterday, giving a talk and then a discussion about HIV and AIDS as signs of the time with representatives of some church entities dealing with development issues like misereor, misso etc…. But I just got the note, that all of them don’t want to participate. So it will only be me and the audience on that very day and even if I don’t know any official reason for the non participation, I was given a hint I am still not the guy one is sitting with at the same table.

It is amazing to discover again and again that even the simple rule of engagement = talking with each other, finding common ground, being engaged with each other seems to be so difficult in my church. I must say that I do my work with great enthusiasm and –  obviously being touched by the all the pain and suffering and reality –  I am searching for ways, even theological ways to work through my experience and to find a theological answer assisting the people infected. And the main word is “searching”. I don’t have the answers, but I know that we only can find them in brainstorming together, all involved in this field.

Maybe I ask too much, maybe it is not normal to talk even to somebody not sharing his or her own conviction – I always learn from talking to such people. But maybe I am an exception and the rule is different. I must admit that it sometimes frustrates me when there is no dialogue because it is refused one sided. It is a pity and chance has been not used to understand each other. Some years ago I would have been frustrated about such a behavior but that phase in my life is gone. I cannot change other people, I only can change myself. So whomever I will talk to in Aachen, it will be good and meaningful. Therefore:

I am still  looking forward to engage with the students in Aachen and hope that we can produces new thoughts, exciting visions for a topic so serious like HIV and AIDS.

Filed under: Networking, Reflection, , , , , , , , ,

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