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status was Canon Gideon Byamugisha from the Anglican Church of Uganda in the early 90s.
Then people in hushed tones, said how disgusting and ungodly it was for one to be found on the other side.
HIV was then viewed as a disease for the morally loose and it was God’s punishment for the errant and wayward.
This meant no one would be brave enough to say that they were living positively.
Founder of International Network of Religious Leaders Living with or personally affected by HIV and Aids, Byamugisha charted the way.
The local chapter, Inerela+Zimbabwe formerly known as Zinerela+, also came on board.
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The first religious figure to face the Christians amazing wrath locally was Pastor Maxwell Kapachawo, who tested HIV positive in 2004 and then went public in 2005.
He together with wife, Yamuranai came out in the open and spoke about positive living since then. That he was a pastor did not hinder him coming out and he said the disclosure helped him onto the path to recovery, together with prayers and medication.
Pastor Kapachawo pioneered Zinerela+ Zim in 2004 and the organisation was officially launched in December 2005 at the Management Training Bureau.
Pastor Kapachawo said it was not easy as people did not take it that a pastor could be HIV positive.
This was something for the morally loose and he found himself in this position, so they believed. He had a calling as a pastor which he could not set aside due to his status.
Today the organisation is in eight provinces in the country and wishes to cover the remaining two when funds permit.
The local chapter is now headed by Reverend Zvidzai Chiponda from the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
The advocacy and information Communication and Education portfolio is headed by a young man, Venancio Tavarwisa, who is an affected person.
“I lost brothers and sisters and so found the forum worthwhile,” said Tavarwisa recently.
“The mandate of the organisation is to break the silence surrounding HIV and Aids in our places of worship using our lives as role models and leaders,” said Pastor Kapachawo.
“This leadership means leading from the front not from the back because this is where the warfare is. Why the target audience of Inerela+Zim being church leaders is because as listened and respected members of our communities they have this God given authority that is unquestionable which literally translates that there is no door closed when these men of the cloth so to speak. That is what it means, fighting the virus from the front,” pointed out the pastor.
“In this fight we talk of the six evils of HIV and these being SSDDIM, meaning shame, silence, discrimination, denial, inaction and misaction if we are going to make an impact within our places of worship and the surrounding communities,” he added.
“In every community there is a particular religion that people follow so that is why Inerela+ Zim is interfaith, we are not working with one group, we work with everyone, traditional leaders, any other faith based leader. Our message is not on doctrine and beliefs it is about HIV,” he said.
Pastor Kapachawo has weathered the storm and today looks back with satisfaction that it was worth the trudging.
“At the beginning it was very difficult even for religious leaders to support another leader coming out open.
“They even questioned the use of the collar when someone revealed their status,” said Pastor Kapachawo.
“In Masvingo a member of the congregation asked if it was really necessary that I came out disclosing my status on national television using the church collar. To him this was unacceptable,” said the Pastor.
“He firmly believed that I first had to denounce my pastoral calling and then drable in HIV issues, which was unfortunate and stigma of the highest order,” he said.
“Due to hardwork and advocacy work by Inerela+Zim the situation has changed. There are now a number of religious leaders who can open up on their status and still be able to work in their various leadership spheres,” said the pastor.
The organisation has trained trainers who, in turn, have gone back to their communities and empowered those living with HIV and Aids.
Pastor Kapachawo said that the organisation was involved in meaningful involvement of people living positively in their projects. They sought to empower them through livelihoods projects.
“We have candle-making projects, we have herbal gardens, these are necessary to give nutrients and we also have flourishing poultry projects too.
“In places where water is a problem that is where we do not have herbal and nutrition gardens,” said the pastor.
Pastor Kapachawo spoke on the need and strength of support groups and how disclosure helped one heal and accept one’s status.
“We run support groups, co-counselling services and we produce and distribute information through newsletters,” he said.
Inerela+Zim gets funding from Southern African Aids Trust (SAT) the Ford Foundation and Inerela+ International office and from the local projects they run.
Tavarwisa said that funding constraints hampered their endeavours as they at times provided food hampers to the needy as and when funds permitted. Orphans and the aged are vulnerable and the organisation had these at heart.
“On orphans and the aged, provincial committees select the most needy and we provide them with food hampers as and when funds permit,” he said.
Inerela+Zim also moved into the marginalised communities who at times even lacked basic care tool kits.
“We are also now looking to the marginalised communities in the farming areas.
“We have leaders from these areas now participating in our programmes and through these leaders we hope to touch and make a change in the lives of these marginalised communities,” he added.
Pastor Kapachawo said the organisation is working towards a time where the six evils will totally melt and that people will unite and fight the scourge without disgracing each other.
‘We want a time where these six evils are totally eradicated,” he said.
On the board of the local chapter is a mother of two daughters aged 19 and 12, widow and pastor from the Baptist Union of Zimbabwe who is living positively.
Her husband also a pastor passed away in 2005. She has continued with her work in both spheres and this is living testimony that the church is breaking barriers.
Pastor Roselyn Mapfumo said she has helped many in her community and family by opening up.
She is glad that her disclosure not only helped her, it helped many including relatives who lived in denial that there is life after testing positive.
Mrs Mapfumo said she was only able to disclose after the training she received from Inerela+Zim.
“After training by Inerela+ Zim I found out the strength of disclosure and its importance and it helped me to accept myself,” she said.
She said she was relieved when she opened up and today has been a source of help to many in her community and church.
“I got tested in 1994 July, I only told my husband and twin sister then. By the grace of God, he saw me through.
“I only commenced ART in 2008 not that I was below the required threshold, I was having a problem with my sight and kept having a recurrent headache so my doctor suggested I begin ART so as to avoid getting meningitis,” she said.
“My CD4 count then was 301. My faith kept growing and I went on absolute fasting sometime last year when I went for a CD4 count it stood at 780 which means God has plans for me,” she said.
Mapfumo said she fasts a lot but does not recommend it to those not strong enough and on medication.
She said she received a lot of support from Pastor Steve Hama of Believers World Chapel and he taught her how to pray.
“I even forgot that I was HIV positive although my status says so. I believe one day I will receive my total healing,” she added.
She pointed out that healing was based on one’s relationship with the creator and varied from one person to the other.
“I have self-respect for myself, my body is the temple of the Lord and I quote Jeremiah 29:11 ‘For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’.”
She said she has never been let down when she has called on the Lord.
She is a member of the inter-denominational forum in her community in Waterfalls.
Pastor Mapfumo said that when she disclosed her status, people ended up crying. She gave them time to get composed and then answered their questions.
She has since then been a fountain of hope in her family, church and community.
One woman who did not find joy in disclosing at her church spoke of her experience recently at a workshop for people living positively in the city. It is not that the going is now smooth in the church although gains are being made.
“The church truly stands by abstinence and no sex outside marriage which we respect. However, we do not live in isolation and find ourselves infected and affected and it is here that we are saying be responsive, be the comfort that you preach and let people live. Why would one stop coming to church because of one’s status, that is wrong if that happens,” said Mrs Evellyn Chamisa.
Some people still face discrimination as did Mrs Chamisa who is a member of ZNNP+. She said she will not live like a second class citizen.
She found herself being asked to join the elderly which she vehemently turned down.
“The church is still cold and not accepting people living positively. When I disclosed in my church that I was HIV positive, the way some members treated me changed.
“We were attending a church conference and I was surprised to find my name omitted on the duty roaster. I asked the relevant person why I was not in the catering committee and was informed that I was now a member of the elderly,” said Chamisa.
“I asked if they were seeing an old woman in me. I was not going to sit by and let them abuse me,” said Chamisa.
“I forced myway onto the catering committee, I will have no one abuse me, I was not sick, neither did I pose a risk if I cooked so I defied them and today I have no problem, they can only speak behind my back not in my presence,” she said.
Thus in such instances we find some people alienating fellow church members which should not be allowed.
She said she would not have someone stop her relationship with God as this was her way of living and was free to attend church.
Pastor Kapachawo lamented that five years down the line, their message has not really reached the religious leaders.
“For followers it is not a problem, they are opening up, but for the leadership where are they, we are viewed as watchmen we speak from the mountain tops against this danger so where are we?” he asked.
“This is where we are still lacking as an organisation, these are my sentiments,” he said
It appears some organisations still have some work to do.
May fellow leaders not chase sheep from the congregation due to their status.
Until then, God bless.
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Online Reporter