God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

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, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

10/07/2009 • 9:53 pm Comments Off on 07.10.09 business

07.10.09 business

This morning the Regional Council of the Southern African – German Chamber of Commerce and Industry met with the new Consul General of Germany. And as I am part of this regional council as the vice-chair, I attended the meeting. For me as a priest, being involved in pastoral work and now mainly work in the fields of HIV and AIDS the business sector was always an interesting portfolio, so to speak. Not only because of fundraising purposes.. :-), no, I strongly believe that work forms an integral and important part of a life of a person. Having a proper training, having a good job, earning a living is essential for the dignity of people and I believe that ethics play a great role in business dealings. Since years I am associated with the Chamber of Commerce which also produced a wonderful friendship with the head of the Cape Town office, Anja. I mentioned this morning during the meeting that church (= social), chamber and consulate should work hand in hand, especially when it comes to welcome political delegations from overseas. They should be informed about all three sectors of human society and so form a good and reasonable picture of South Africa.
As my father was a banker, I guess, there are also some business genes in my body and it is said, that I am quite good in money matters – which may be the case :-).
So training issues and renewable energy were part of the discussion this morning and I am sure that we as the newly elected regional council can contribute to the development of training possibilities here in the Western Cape. It is indeed difficult to find a training as I am used to find in Germany. Giving people the ability to work and earn money with their hands work will reduce poverty, will reduce crime and will give them a sort of education, which will automatically also benefit our fight against HIV and AIDS.
This afternoon I attended the board meeting of IAM, an organization looking into the ministry of churches for the GLBTI community. This obviously is an important work as it touches on the understanding of peoples lives in a very personal way. Our churches are not known to be very tolerant towards the gay and lesbian community and there is still so much work to do to stop discrimination and to welcome them with an open heart into our church communities. IAM also runs a safe house for gay and lesbian people, who are kicked out from their families after disclosure or similar. Especially in the black communities there are major problems of acceptance which have to be addressed. For all of them should be the unconditional love of God a daily experience, right?

Filed under: Reflection, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

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, , , , , , , , ,

10/05/2009 • 11:27 pm Comments Off on 05.10.2009 Event note

05.10.2009 Event note

Veranstaltung

Titel:
HIV & AIDS als Zeichen der Zeit
Wann:
28.10.2009
Wo:
Saal der KHG – Aachen
Kategorie:
Vortrag

Beschreibung

Eine Podiumsveranstaltung von KHG – AIDS-Hilfe -Aachen – misereor – missio  –

Referent: Pfarrer Stefan Hippler, Südafrika

Veranstaltungsort

Venue:
Saal der KHG –   Website
Straße:
Pontstrasse 74-76
PLZ:
52062
Stadt:
Aachen

Filed under: Uncategorized, , , , , ,

10/05/2009 • 11:14 pm Comments Off on 05.10.2009 office too close to my home…

05.10.2009 office too close to my home…

Monday morning, and instead driving to town in the morning, I just have to open a door and I am in my new office.. It is tempting to do this before being ready for the outside world.. and I guess it needs quite some discipline not to jump with a cup of coffee just into it, from the bed to the desk so to speak.

I will try to keep it separate – office work is office work and home is home. I prefer the distance between both, but that might come in due course of the next months.
I had to prepare for a workshop of Catholic AIDS network this morning, I was asked to give an overview about new care and treatment options and new developments in research. So I will speak about the Berlin patient, about the Thailand vaccine trial and other remarkable stories and new developments on the medication sector. The chairperson of HOPE Cape Town will also be there and report on the situation in South Africa, which looks much more dark than people want to believe. We have massive problems in delivering services and bringing people on treatment.
I also had a meeting at Tygerberg with the Dean of the Sport Sciences Faculty from Munich and some management members – ways of cooperation were discussed and we learned about the sport sciences in Germany and they about HOPE Cape Town in South Africa. In the evening then the celebration of the German National Day – a good one this year with lots of people I haven’t seen in ages and a good speech of the Consul General Mr. Bussmann. So quite a day, in between SA Telkom and the post office .. a full day.

I just realised this evening that my diary is full till I leave for Germany – it is amazing how little time the 8 days have.. I wish, I could extend that timeframe to get all done, what is still waiting to be worked on and finalised. Well, some night sleep has to be sacrificed to get it all done.

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

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