God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

07/02/2017 • 10:24 am Comments Off on Mad new world… some observations…

Mad new world… some observations…

Coming back from the USA to South Africa it feels like an unreal travel mirroring the craziness of today’s world. Whether South Africa or the USA – it seems that there is a competition on political incompetence and stupidity, paired with a brazen ignorance and a silent majority of people allowing to be governed by self-absorbed nepotists promising salvation from all the woes of modern society and bringing back the perceived greatness of history or a historical dream. Lethargy and open revolt, violence and complete retracting from political life: reactions differ but one can feel in both countries the unhappiness and the insecurity peeking out of the pretense of being either for or against the ruling class.

It seems the pendulum of embracing a global village is going in the opposite direction of creating barrier and frontiers again, protection and walling-off. In the USA paired with the denial of climate change and attacks on modern sciences the future looks indeed bleak.
Maybe human mankind is entering a new phase of evolution where the old ways of story telling, the old ways of explaining the world and the old ways of living a comfortable life with the status quo inherited by the forefathers is simply not carrying anymore.
Maybe the inequality within the existing world order, the unfairness of trade and economics paired with the possibilities of interconnection via modern social media creates a situation where humans feel overwhelmed – leading to falling prey for perceived strong leaders promising the world and delivering only what benefits themselves.

This global situation seems to be made more complicated by local inconsistencies and problems – in South Africa it is the dream of many to make the wrongs of the past right within a life span, failing to understand that the past can’t be changed but act as a teacher for the future and reparation has its limitations. In the USA the unsolved questions of race inequality and a limitless capitalism linger forth and it seems that in both cases the willingness of those in power to change tune is very limited.

Trying times – complicated times – times of change and maybe a time which will proof – or not – that human mankind is able to learn and move forward, not only in technology but also with hearts and minds.

Filed under: Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

06/13/2017 • 3:46 pm Comments Off on HOPE Cape Town USA

HOPE Cape Town USA

Since last year, HOPE Cape Town in South Africa has a sister organisation in the USA, registered and recognized as a non-profit entity. Last Saturday the board of HOPE Cape Town USA finalized the mission and vision statement which reads as follows:

 

HOPE Cape Town USA

Background

HCT USA understands that in a rapidly globalizing world a life-threatening health pandemic such as HIV/AIDS has no borders and can easily spread from one continent to another; and understands that root causes of vulnerability and marginalization are similar throughout the world, and connects people in both USA and South Africa. It also understands the danger of resistance to HIV/AIDS as well as related conditions such as tuberculosis, as experienced in southern Africa.

As a result, HCT USA believes there is tremendous value in linking with Hope Cape Town in South Africa as well as other national and international civil society organizations to learn and exchange best practice, expertise and create synergies in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment among marginalized segments of populations.

Also, HCT USA recognizes that behaviour change reducing risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS is in great part a result of change in social norms in which education plays a large role. Focusing on changing social norms and education will reduce the effects of misinformation and stigma and help create a more accepting environment, and result in an increase demand and supply for, as well as access to and use of available treatment among the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Vision

HOPE Cape Town USA strives to improve the quality of life of vulnerable and marginalized children, youth and families affected by HIV/AIDS, and related illnesses, and help them to reach their own full potential.

Mission

HOPE Cape Town USA’s (HCT USA) mission is to assist people living with HIV, AIDS and related illnesses in the USA and South Africa.

HCT USA’s aim is to support the ongoing work of HOPE Cape Town in South Africa, reduce the spread of HIV among vulnerable and marginalized children and youth in USA and support those living with HIV.

This mission is realised by the following means

  • Advocate, fundraise and support HOPE Cape Town programs in South Africa
  • Build a body of data to understand needs, challenges and interconnections of children,
    youth and families living with HIV, AIDS or related illnesses in South Africa and USA
  • support vulnerable and marginalized children, youth and families in the USA, beginning in the Dallas/Fort Worth (Tx) area
  • Collaborate with other NGO’s in the fields to create synergies and expertise and
    interconnect globally with the aim to learn, share and optimize programs
  • Disseminate correct information, reduce misconceptions about the pandemic and so
    eliminate discrimination and create access to appropriate info on the syndrome, prevention and treatment options.
  • Change behaviour to reduce risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS by focusing on changing social
    norms and education, and reduce the effects of misinformation and stigma and help create a more accepting environment
  • Increase demand and supply for, as well as access to and use of available treatment among
    the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Filed under: Africa, HIV and AIDS, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town USA, Networking, Society and living environment, South Africa, , , , , , , , , , ,

06/04/2017 • 2:38 pm Comments Off on Pentecost and Ramadan in exhausting times

Pentecost and Ramadan in exhausting times

 

 

 

 

 
Let’s be honest: our times are overwhelming in the moment – it is tiring to learn every day new scandals about our government, president and ministers and associates in South Africa. It is causing fatigue to see every day tweets and news from the US American president whose self-absorption trumps all his predecessors, adding to the complication of international politics. It is simply too much to watch the news and learn about new horrors of terror, killing sprees and war in our global village. And closing the circle and coming back to South Africa it simply creates sadness and incomprehension to read constantly about all the rapes and murders in a society having lost completely the moral compass.
“Enough is enough” one would like to shout and close eyes and ears to withdraw from all those stories, yearning for times of a “normal” life whatever it means for each and everybody of us.
Feeling helpless in the chaos of our times might be a normal reaction, but maybe such times remind us how important it is to know who we are and what we stand for. Maybe such times bring us closer together with those, who care, with those who mind more than their own business. Intact families and knowing the own values also helps as does speaking truth to power. Using whatever means one has to encourage each other and simply to do good, to do what has to be done and being a living example for others.
It is indeed difficult especially in South Africa to do so – the narratives of colored pain and historical entitlement versus prescribed guilt creates a sensitivity which is in danger to be the base for new injustices and for the time being complicates the ability to face all the challenges of life in our times.
We Christians celebrate Pentecost today – we believe that the divine spirit opens new doors and let people of different languages and faith understand each other. It is a reminder that our lives meant to be full of love, hope as well as tolerance and respect for each other. Pentecost opens a new dimension of faith being a tool to understand each other – it contrasts so greatly from those using faith as a tool of destruction or hiding place for their insults on the divine. Our brothers and sisters of Muslim faith celebrating Ramadan – a month of reflection and devotion to a God of Mercy. We should never forget in these trying times there is faith as a source of encouragement and rooting ourselves to withstand whatever is thrown at us. And not only to withstand, but to change and alter to the positive. The true meaning of faith: a source of hope…

Filed under: Catholic Church, General, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , ,

05/19/2017 • 4:05 pm Comments Off on Corrective rape and murder

Corrective rape and murder

Lerato Moloi from Soweto / South Africa seems to be the latest victim of the so-called “corrective rape” , defined as a hate crime in which one or more people are raped because of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. The word “murder” does not need any further explanation. An explanation is indeed needed why South Africa has one of the highest rates of rape in the world – including “corrective rape” used to “cure” lesbian women of their homosexuality.
It seems that in a country having lost the moral compass and moral leadership a longer time ago the ugly head of homophobia trends against one of the most advanced constitutions in recent history.
Added to this is surely also the message of religious institutions labeling same-sex love as not natural or intrinsic evil. Evangelical Christian Talibans from the USA adding the word “un-African” to this toxic mix and at the end people are hurt or die because they just live out their true identity.
It is time to stand up, as a society, as a church, as an individual and to get vocal against hate crimes, against violence specifically in connection with gender identity or sexual orientation.
A democratic society lives from the baseline that all its people have the rights stipulated in the constitution and that no ideology, no faith, no own opinion gives the right to violently “correct’ or “kill” the life, the lifestyle, the love, the commitment of the fellow neighbor. Where ever it happens we have collectively stand up, defend and at best prevent such incidents.
This is indeed also a call towards the police and courts in South Africa to act with decisiveness and not to delay or even shame those who fall victims to such horrendous crimes.
I am grateful to the Catholic Jesuit Institute – belonging to my church – that they are not silent on the crisis unfolding for our LGBTIQ brothers and sisters and all the vulnerable women and children falling victim to this crisis. Please read their statement here:

Press-statement: South Africas gender based violence-crisis/

Such topics need a presence in the media – here another recent article on the topic:

Corrective-rape-The-homophobic-fallout-of-post-apartheid-South-Africa

 

 

Filed under: Africa, Politics and Society, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, South Africa, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

05/08/2017 • 8:05 am Comments Off on HOPE Cape Town – a review in pictures

HOPE Cape Town – a review in pictures

On Saturday the Ball of HOPE will take place – reminding us of the work HOPE Cape Town is doing and has done during the last 16 years. Here some pictures of the working and networking, HOPE Cape Town has been able to do in the last years:

19.10.2001 Offical Opening
Interfaith praying at the opening 2001
The first employee Mrs Speelman in our new office
The first HOPE Community Health Worker Constance Mayaba
Ithemba ward
Health Portfolio Committee of the German Bundestag
Patients @ Ithemba Ward
First newspaper reports
The group of HOPE Community Health Worker is growing
Working with Sangomas
Working with Sangomas
Fighting stigma
Nelson Mandela interested to learn about HOPE Cape Town
Meeting Harry Belafonte in Dresden
Viola & Hermjo Klein – Viola is the organizer for the HOPE Gala in Dresden
First HOPE Gala in Dresden in the Frauenkirche
HOPE Gala Dresden with German Minister of Interior
Meeting with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visiting HOPE Cape Town
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visiting HOPE Cape Town
HRH Aga Khan visiting HOPE Cape Town
The reason for HOPE Cape Town – assisting youngsters
Ball of HOPE
Chaplain to sea is also contributing the good news of HOPE
Visit of State Secretary Jens Spahn from Germany
Deputy Premier from Bavaria Mrs Aigner visting HOPE Cape Town

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

Blog Categories

Follow God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE on WordPress.com

You can share this blog in many ways..

Bookmark and Share

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,711 other subscribers

Translation – Deutsch? Française? Espanol? …

The translation button is located on each single blog page, Copy the text, click the button and paste it for instant translation:
Website Translation Widget

or for the translation of the front page:

* Click for Translation

Copyright

© Rev Fr Stefan Hippler and HIV, AIDS and HOPE.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rev Fr Stefan Hippler and HIV, AIDS and HOPE with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

This not withstanding the following applies:
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.