Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Miami Herald - June 26, 2006
Shannon Pease, spease@MiamiHerald.com
"Most people go to church for spirituality and healing. What better place to bring it," said Gloria Scott, coordinator for the nonprofit Churches United to Stop HIV (CUSH).
Scott, who works at the Broward County Health Department, administered the tests to 11 people in a private room at Harris Chapel United Methodist Church in Oakland Park.
The church was one of 15 in Broward that participated. CUSH consists of 60 churches in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties.
'MAKE A DIFFERENCE'
"We are just trying to be a light to make a difference," Harris Chapel Pastor Jim Brown said. "HIV and AIDS is one of the largest obstacles that this community faces today."
According to the county health department, about 100 new cases of HIV and AIDS are reported in Broward each month.
And in 2004 (the most recent available data) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that Fort Lauderdale led the nation in new cases in a major metropolitan area.
HIV STIGMA
Brown said the stigma attached to the disease is changing, but not enough.
"In too many places, we treat HIV and AIDS like it's some kind of sin, instead of a disease. That's part of what we are trying to change," Brown said.
Harris Chapel also has a health and wellness ministry, and a counselor to help patients.
"We have to get the word out to all populations," counselor Dennis Jackson said. "We have to keep pushing abstinence and safe behavior."
LECTURES GIVEN
Scott also arranges lectures on HIV and AIDS for youth and adults at local churches.
"In the past, it was taboo," she said. "We couldn't just walk into a congregation and start talking. We had to talk to the minister first. We had a lot of them open the doors, and had a lot of them close the doors."
Scott said anyone who has had unprotected sex or used intervenous drugs should be tested.
"Take the test today, so you know the future of tomorrow," Scott said.
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