Beat the Drum

An estimated
24.5 million adults and children were living with HIV or AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa at the end of 2005. Since then, an estimated 2.7 million additional persons have acquired HIV.

During 2005, an estimated
2 million people died from AIDS. The epidemic has left behind some
12 million orphaned African children.

In South Africa alone, an estimated 5,500,000 people are living with HIV or AIDS.

The most devastating part of these statistics is that the majority
of people living with HIV don’t even know it. Therefore they continue
living out a normal lifestyle and thus infecting even more people.

In
Africa, if someone does know they are infected with HIV, they don’t
admit it. They will blame their sickness on TB, pneumonia, or even a
curse from witchcraft. Worse yet, if they do admit they have HIV or
AIDS, they will be totally ostracized by friends, family, neighbors and
even churches.

This epidemic is killing our brothers and sisters in Christ but is kept
a secret. It’s time for this generation to rise up and reveal the
secret that is breaking God’s heart and breaking apart Africa. That’s
why Beat the Drum was implemented.

“Beat the Drum” is a movie created in 2004 by
Dr. Bruce Wilkinson that illustrates the many misconceptions about
AIDS. It is a deeply moving film and has won many international awards.
After the movie was finished,
Wilkinson began a massive campaign to teach and train African young people about
HIV and AIDS. With the help of many US and African college students,
the message of AIDS prevention and the gospel was shared in every high
school in Swaziland. The volunteers spent a week in the schools, using
the movie as a ministry tool, teaching and training young people about
the truth of AIDS. The results were dramatic. Young people all over
were committing their lives to Christ and committing to abstinence
until marriage.

This week the Beat the Drum movement is going to Somerset East, a small town about 3 hours northeast of JBay. Our whole team is committed to volunteer. Over 120
volunteers will descend upon this town with the message of the gospel
and the truth about HIV and AIDS. We too will use the movie to teach
young people that this epidemic is real but can also be controlled. We
have an opportunity to go into schools, health clinics, hospitals, prisons, farms, and even
peoples’ homes in which we’ll be staying to share two very powerful messages. We are blessed and
excited, but we need your help.