In a country where more than half the population is under the age of 25, young people are up against a deadly opponent. The HIV prevalence rate among people aged 15-49 years in Cameroon is 6.9 percent, one of the highest in the region according to UNICEF (2005 statistics).

On Sunday November 18 th , the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago honored the work Dr. Bernard Blaauw and the Cameroon America AIDS Alliance (CAAA) has been carrying out in Cameroon in combating HIV/AIDS and its stigma, during their morning worship services.

CAAA is an American non-profit organization established by members and friends of Fourth Presbyterian Church. According to CAAA's literature passed out to church members, it works with local partners in Cameroon to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS and to "alleviate the physical and psychological devastation of the disease." CAAA engages in a two-pronged approach: Medical Assistance and Prevention.

CAAA's medical assistance is provided by offering "the latest treatment protocols for patients with HIV/AIDS and training local health care providers using the newest equipment and technology."

Prevention is achieved, CAAA states, "through outreach to community leaders. We [CAAA] educate and influence people to prevent the spread of HIV and seek treatment, while empowering those infected and affected. In this way we attack the misperceptions about HIV/AIDS and the other major culprits in its spread - ignorance and silence."

Spreading the word on "doing mission and being church"

In the lobby and coffee room of the church, a slide show and photos exhibited the work of CAAA in Cameroon. Members of CAAA and its volunteers who have traveled to work in Cameroon were on hand to answer questions about the work that is being done in Cameroon in partnership with the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC). They also sought to enlist new volunteers and solicit donations to further its mission.

The Executive Director of CAAA, Dr. Francis Ntowe, a twenty-two year member of the Fourth Church and elder gave detailed updates on continuing projects in Cameroon.

On "doing mission and being church," the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago in partnership with CAAA, believes that "pastors have a great influence with their congregations and in their communities in Africa and so are effective not only in health education but also in inspiring compassion and inclusion, which Christ calls us to live out in families and communities." The Fourth Press publication reported that The Session of the Fourth Presbyterian Church of Chicago has endorsed its Mission Committee's decision to support CAAA through "prayer, volunteerism, education, and other appropriate means."

Jan Lohrs, an elder and member at Fourth Church and the Secretary for CAAA told the Fourth Press after visiting Br. Blaauw in Kumba last December, about the understanding of what being church in the world means: "Dr. Blaauw's patients are exactly the kind of people Jesus is asking us to love and care for. As a church, we simply can not be faithful and look away from this tragedy."

CAAA Accomplishments

Dr. Blaauw has personally seen over 750 HIV patients over the past year and his clinic now has critical testing equipment still very rare in Cameroon.

Over 230 pastors have received the latest HIV/AIDS medical information and pastoral counseling training, through various 4-day conferences.

The Rt. Rev. Nyansako-ni-Nku, President of the All Africa Conference of Churches and Moderator of the PCC is spreading the word of the two-pronged program's success throughout Africa and paving the way for its replication in other countries on the continent.

Members of a community of HIV positive patients are becoming economically empowered through sales of chickens and eggs from seed money provided by CAAA.

The spread of the word through the church and the accompanying media coverage has helped infected people to learn that HIV is not a death sentence, and that they can still live full and robust lives.

CAAA Challenges

Financial support for ongoing projects that support patients and pastors remain one of the challenges CAAA wishes to overcome in the next year. A biochemistry machine and a viral load machine are some of the equipment CAAA hopes to acquire with more financial support.

Medical volunteers to staff clinics are also needed especially since Dr. Blaauw completed his medical service in October, even though he'll be returning to Cameroon occasionally to do more work.

Relevant links: www.caaa.us , www.fourthchurch.org