At World Relief, church leaders are our humanitarian heroes. On World Humanitarian Day, we’re celebrating pastors and other leaders who are committed to making a lasting difference through the local church. In Rwanda, church leaders are owning initiatives to fight HIV/AIDS in their communities. World Relief empowers local churches by holding workshops and training seminars so local leaders can educate their peers about prevention and treatment. Every year, thousands of youth and adults are trained to be agents of change in their churches and larger communities.
Recently, two local churches organized a Voluntary Counseling and Testing event to benefit their members and the surrounding community. Overall, 400 people attended and were tested for HIV. Church leaders stepped up first to be tested in order to encourage and challenge their congregations.
At the end of the day, 15 people were found to be HIV positive. They were each given a counseling session and have been transferred to a local hospital for follow-up.
Events like this bring together entire communities to address something that often leads to isolation and fear. Once trained, local authorities and church leaders become the champions of serving the vulnerable. We love that!
Today, join us as we pray for pastors like these who are following in the footsteps of Jesus: laying down their lives as they faithfully walk alongside their neighbors towards restoration and healing.