Ministry embracing those affected by HIV/AIDS

MEDINA, Ohio — Stephanie Morris believes the church should be a place where everyone is welcome.

Because she knows that is not always the case, she is taking steps to embrace a group of people who might not view the church as a safe haven: those with HIV and AIDS.

"I have friends who are (HIV) positive and they don't come to church because of the way they have been treated. For so long, the black church has pushed people away and treated them like they don't belong," said Morris, the HIV/AIDS ministry leader at Second Baptist Church in Medina, Ohio. "God is for everybody, and the church should be a place where anybody can come and feel comfortable"

The ministry aims to educate, test and support people and families infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. The church belongs to a local government collaborative, which will provide HIV testing during the open house, is a community-based program that predominantly serves African-Americans. The offices for the advocacy group for minorities living with HIV and AIDS are located at First Grace United Church of Christ in Akron.

Cleveland-based AGAPE is an outreach program that works to heighten awareness about HIV/AIDS in the African-American community and to improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by the disease. It is a partnership between Antioch Development Corp. and the Cleveland Clinic.

Violet's Cupboard, located in Akron, provides case-management services to people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS. The nonprofit organization is named for a 62-year-old grandmother who was infected with HIV during a blood transfusion.

Together, the partners present information about HIV and AIDS and distribute material, including pamphlets titled "Abstinence, "Condoms," "Does Your Partner Hurt You" and "What Every Black Person Should Know About HIV/AIDS."

Morris, who trained with the AGAPE program, said that although HIV/AIDS seems to be on the back burner, it is still prevalent, especially among African-Americans.

"There is a new case of HIV every 9.5 minutes. Every 35 minutes, a new case is found in women. The number of cases in teens and young adults and senior citizens are on the rise," said Morris of Brunswick, Ohio. "The African-American community is disproportionately affected. Sixty-four percent of the women diagnosed are black women. We need to know our status."