The AIDS Crisis

Today is World AIDS Day 2006. I am off that the Global Summit on AIDS & the Church at Saddleback. I look forward to listening to one of the authors of the book reviewed today at the conference. Deborah Dortzbach is the International Director for HIV/AIDS for World Relief. She will be at the conference speaking about the effects & implications of HIV & women. Her new book is entitled The AIDS Crisis: What We Can Do.

Before I read The AIDS Crisis, the book I would have given someone who wanted to read one book on AIDS would have been The Skeptic’s Guide to Understanding the Global AIDS Crisis. But The AIDS Crisis is the best book I have come across that not only explains the situation, but also tells people’s stories, shows that there is hope & offers insight & practical suggestions for becoming involved.

The authors tell personal stories of being involved in the lives of people with AIDS from their work with World Relief. World Relief works with local evangelical churches to bring relief to suffering people in the name of Christ.

This book offers information & ideas for the pandemic of AIDS. As the authors say, the question is not whether we should do anything – it is what CAN we do? The book takes the reader through the depth of the problem of AIDS around the world, sharing true stories of people afflicted with this preventable, treatable disease. The reader will learn the history of AIDS, from its reported outbreak in 1981 to how the disease affects the daily lives of millions of people to projections of the future ramifications.

Also, as evangelicals, one of the audiences the authors target is evangelicals & their churches. In talking about AIDS, there are certain other things that need to be addressed, such as human trafficking, sex & homosexuality. The authors share the hurt and heartbreak they have witnessed & that their aim is to save lives as well as save souls. They have also laid out the chapters in a format which is very conducive for group &/or personal study. At the end of each chapter are two sets of questions. The first set are for personal reflection & help you form your thought about the disease as well as help you try to understand what it would be like to be afflicted with it. The second set of questions are action steps – ways that you or your group can get involved in the fight against AIDS & make a difference both in the world & your community.

This book is a necessary book to be aware of (at least) regarding the fight against global AIDS. As Christians, we have taken a backseat long enough in fighting this pandemic & we must even take the lead in offering our help. We often hear people ask, why does God let evil like his to happen? He could ask us the same question. Please pick this book up & let it help you in your knowledge of fighting the global AIDS crisis.

Pick up The AIDS Crisis here for 20% off.
To find out more about World AIDS Day go here.
To get started informing yourself about AIDS browse through the books listed here at NSR
Other World AIDS Day Resources