Global HIV Consultation 2008: Churches Living with HIV - Pattaya, Thailand, October 21 - 25 2008

Communities with a common identity and a shared sense of life can ‘live with HIV’, rather than simply be ‘affected by HIV’ or ‘respond to HIV’. We are already ‘living with HIV’ as communities and churches, but sometimes we talk and act as if we are not. People who are living with HIV have proven that knowing one’s HIV status can be liberating and life giving, when there is care and support in the community. In October, the Micah Network will gather in the name of Jesus, who came that we might have life in all its fullness, and who came to set us free, so that we will return to our communities, who are living with HIV, better equipped to share this life and freedom.

Micah Network invites you to join with delegates to the World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly, people who are living with HIV, members of the Micah Network and Christian theological educators to:

Program

The emphasis of this consultation will be on building partnerships to support evangelical communities to make life, love and justice available to all individuals and communities living with HIV, who are within the wide reach of the church.

Plenary sessions will include:

• What can churches learn about abundant life from people who are living with HIV?
• Various roles of churches in HIV epidemics
• HIV and integral mission
• Building partnerships for effective advocacy for better health care

The following resource people have confirmed their availability for this consultation:

• Dr. Peter Okaalet (Uganda) Senior Director for Health, HIV and AIDS Policy, MAP International, Kenya
• Gracia Violeta Ross (Bolivia) LAC NGO Alternate Representative UNAIDS Board and LAC region Delegate, NGO Delegation of the Global Fund Board
• Rev. Patricia Sawo (Kenya) East Africa Coordinator of ANERELA+ (African Network of Religious Leaders Living with or Personally Affected by HIV) and Tearfund HIV Ambassador
• Sally Smith (United Kingdom) Partnerships Adviser, UNAIDS

We will announce additional resource people as we receive confirmation of their participation.

Group Interaction

Participants will interact with each other over the plenary sessions using a ‘World Café’ format - small group sessions designed to get the benefit of everyone’s experiences and perspectives. These will be collated by a drafting committee and a talented artist.

Afternoon Training Tracks and Workshops

Each afternoon, participants will interact in smaller group contexts, building on the morning’s themes. Some of the topics which will be discussed include:

Capacity Building - What support do churches want and need to live with HIV? What partnerships do we need to develop in order to meet these needs? How do we build on the work of churches, National Evangelical Alliances and NGOs which are already actively responding to HIV?

• Churches and NGOs working together
• Responses to orphan crises
• Gender, culture and religion
• Faith, cure and adherence to treatment
• Reducing risk, reducing vulnerability

Integral Mission - HIV and AIDS have defined a new context in which the gospel is proclaimed and demonstrated around the world. How does this context affect our words and actions?

• The status of HIV in theological education
• Sex, sexuality and the Gospel
• ‘Open spaces’

Advocacy - With whom will we raise our collective voice, in our pursuit of justice? What will we ask for?

• Participating in the design,implementation and evaluation of public health care policies
• Access to medical treatment (including the use of and breaking of patents)
• ‘Open spaces’

'Open Space'

The ‘Open Space’ sessions provide opportunities in which the participants can define resource and facilitate topics of their own choice for discussion.

Special Opportunity: World Vision’s Channels of Hope Training

World Vision International will also conduct a workshop to introduce the 'Channels of Hope' training package.

This highly interactive workshop introduces church leaders to the types of things church leaders and their congregations can do concerning stigma and attitudes - using up to date information, Christian perspectives on prevention and care strategies, and others as it relates to HIV and AIDS.

Participants who sign up for the workshop will be expected to participate in the entire workshop, which spans the 3 afternoon sessions of the Micah Network consultation as well as one evening session. They will still be able to attend all of the plenary sessions of the overall consultation.

For more information about the overall ‘Channels of Hope’ program, contact Christo Greyling. Places in this workshop are limited, so please register your interest early by emailing to Anne Liew.

Regional Groups

At the end of each day, there will be time for regional groups to meet, pray, reflect and plan strategic regional initiatives for the future.

Networking Opportunities

Most of the evenings will be “free time” so that you can relax with fellow participants after the busy day
program. There will also be opportunities for face to face interaction of the Micah Network practitioner forums for:

• HIV
• Inclusion of courses on HIV in theological education
• Gender
• Advocacy

Micah Network is happy to facilitate other interest group meetings on request.

Simultaneous Interpretation

Sessions will be conducted in English and simultaneous interpretation into Thai, French, Spanish and other languages will be available to enable speakers of other languages to participate, depending on demand.

Dates

October 21-25, 2008. Registration will be from 11.00am on Tuesday October 21, 2008 (with sessions starting at 3.00pm) and the consultation will conclude after dinner on Friday October 24, 2008.

Transport

Transport between Suvarnabhumi International Airport and the venue will be provided at regular intervals.
Details will be advised after you register. Participants who are not staying on for the World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly will be transferred back to the airport on Saturday October 25, 2008.

Further Information and Bookings

Please read the flyer (pdf, 383.92KB) which contains further information about the consultation, pricing and how to book.

Please complete the booking form (Word doc, 73.5KB) and email to bookings@micahnetwork.org by 31 August 2008.