The Omnibus

Issue date: 11/4/04 Section: Feature

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Southwest Baptist University junior Adrian Kester saw the devastating effects of AIDS firsthand on a trip to Malawi, a country in southern Africa. Her experience in the country has given her a passion to join in the AIDS relief effort and to get others involved.

A young girl from Lilongwe, Malawi (a country in southern Africa), stands outside a medical clinic waiting to receive treatment.

Kester was given the opportunity to put her passion into action after an SBU alumnus gave $1,000 to her Children's Ministry class and challenged her, and her classmates, to use the money to influence and better the lives of children.

The class took the challenge and divided into two groups, with each being given $500. Students did not choose their groups or their leaders; instead, the groups and leaders were selected randomly through a drawing.

Kester's name was drawn, and she became the leader of her group. Group members all contributed ideas on how the $500 could be used.

"Most of the ideas were ministry opportunities within the Bolivar community," said Kester. "People suggested EBO, Intervention Ministries and donating the money to a needy children's ministry. I brought the idea of donating the money to contribute to the AIDS relief effort in Africa."

Kester's group prayed about all the ideas and felt God was leading them to choose the AIDS relief ministry.

"We felt we could get the most concrete results for the AIDS relief project because we knew exactly where the money would go," Kester said.

Kester also had an experience on the same day her group was given their assignment that encouraged her to continue to pursue her passion.

"While I was at work, I met a man from Mozambique who ran an evangelism ministry. His ministry was operating crusades for Africans," Kester said. "When I shared with him the project that my class was taking on, he shared a heart-wrenching story of an experience with AIDS orphans.

"He told of how his team had driven into villages and found no adults and only malnourished, dying children orphaned by AIDS. All they could do was load the innocent children into trucks and place them in already-full shelters in other villages. Lack of funds prohibited them from providing more effective care."

This same man also told Kester that up to 1.5 million Africans would come to the crusades that his ministry held, hungry to hear about the hope in Christ that the white people speak of.

To help this problem, Kester's group chose to use the $500 they received from the alumnus and set a goal of raising $2,000 more.

"We chose $2,000 because it seems reachable," Kester said. "Our challenge is for every student to give one dollar. We realize that some students won't give anything and others will be led to give more."

All of the money the group raises will be sent to Global Strategies, an organization that works to meet the physical and spiritual needs of people with HIV or AIDS.

"The money will be used to purchase a vaccination called Nevirapine, which reduces the risk of transmission of HIV from an expecting mother to her unborn child by 50 percent," Kester said. "The mother will also receive a drug known as Bactrim, which can increase the life span of an HIV-positive person by two to three years. This will allow the mother to care for her child a little bit longer."

If the group can reach its goal and send $2,500 to Global Strategies, Kester says at least 750 lives could be saved.

According to The Awake Project: Uniting against the African AIDS Crisis, every year 1.6 million newborn children contract HIV from their infected mothers. Most of these infected newborns usually die from AIDS within three to five years.

"It only takes one dollar to buy one dose of Nevirapine," Kester said. "That's nothing at all; just don't buy a Coke or a candy bar one day. Your dollar does make a difference because you are saving a life and offering these beautiful children hope to learn about Christ's love. You're giving them the chance to grow up."

All students will have the opportunity to support Kester and her fellow group members.

"We are selling red ribbons for one dollar," said Kester. "Also, on Nov. 9, we will be going door-to-door to collect donations during the Dorm Storm."

There are many ways to make a donation and save a life. Individuals can contact Kester, Kelly Kerwin or Dr. Duke Jones, and red ribbons can be purchased from any group member. Donations can also be made during the Nov. 9 Dorm Storm. Checks should be made payable to SBU, but put AIDS orphan relief on the memo line.

"Eighty infants die each hour due to HIV, and by 2010, it is estimated that 40 million Africans will have died from AIDS," Kester said. "That number is overwhelming. We realize that we can't save the whole continent of Africa, but we are making a difference by saving one child's life at a time."

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