World Relief - China

In China, World Relief staff and volunteers are the hands and feet of Christ to people living with AIDS. Local church leaders are being trained to reach out to some of China's most vulnerable people--those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

The Church at Work

Already in China, the virus had spread out of the high-risk groups and into the general population. Yet many still do not know what causes the disease or how to prevent it.

In 2004, a survey showed 25 percent of people in rural communities had never heard of AIDS. Even in the cities, less than 34 percent of workers said they would treat people living with AIDS equally. Less than half of small town residents say they would take care of a sick family member . Since then, World Relief has trained more than 3,100 people who are caring for more than 2,420 people living with AIDS.

World Relief partners with The China Christian Council/Three Self Patriotic Movement (CCC), the official church in China, a network of more than 50,000 churches and 60 million Christians. Through this partnership, we are able to minister to people with AIDS across the entire country, mobilizing a network of church leaders and volunteers.

Working with the CCC, World Relief has trained church leaders from 18 of China’s provinces. Then, each church leader developed an action plan to train others in their church and community. Trainings have also included people from the Provincial and Prefecture Level Health Bureau and the Center for Disease Control—exposing them to messages of compassion and care. Curriculum has been translated into two Chinese languages and more than 200 other organizations are using the AIDS curriculum.

World Relief has also worked with the Church to establish an AIDS hotline, where committed church members answer questions, provide counseling and support people who call in with questions or concerns. Volunteers are doctors, business professionals and counselors, sharing their time and resources to reach out to people often shunned by their fellow countrymen.

Henan is one of the provinces hit hardest by AIDS. World Relief and CCC are working to support orphans by training caregivers to distribute food, offer school support and advocate for orphans to receive the support they need. 

When the earthquake struck, World Relief worked with our partner the CCC to get emergency aid to people in need--distributing food to thousands who had lost everything in the storm.

“Did you know people with AIDS are very depressed? Did you know if you are an AIDS patient, not even a policeman will touch you because they are afraid? We have an opportunity to save the AIDS patient’s body, save the AIDS patient’s spirit, and prevent them from being seen as a criminal, but instead as a person. I know so much now [because of God’s help and the church], but [those infected] lack the good news of God’s love.” — Testimony from a former drug user who testified at an early training