Interfaith Coalition is on a mission to help people better understand HIV/AIDS and reduce the stigma of the disease through the involvement of local churches. The pastors are involved in a campaign erecting signs in their church yards hoping to start conversations about the diseases.
A large cross-section of folks in the community are pictured with a sunrise behind them with the message “We are part of you. And you are part of us .We light the way to all people living with HIV/AIDS.”
“People are fearful because they don’t have a good understanding of HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Cora Christian, board member and past officer of the coalition. “People have great trust in their faith and ministers. The signs should spark conversations.”
She added that often a picture generates conversations helping people feel comfortable talking about the subject. “We are all a part of this,” Christian says. “We need to get the community talking.”
Rev. Rafael Quinones, of Iglesia Metodista Hispana church, said we all know people living with AIDS.
“As Christians we have to help people,” Quinones said. “Jesus saved and healed the people who were sick. We must follow his example.” He added it is important that people get tested and learn more about the disease.
Denise Lenhardt-Benoit, executive coordinator of the coalition, said the sign campaign was the brainchild of Christian. In 2010, Christian got a grant for the coalition to help fight the disease through education and outreach and she enlisted the help of the ministers.
The coalition had 50 signs printed and, on World AIDS Day in December 2011, they unveiled the sign. Pastors from across the community began to erect the three feet by eight feet signs in January. A few taxi drivers are also getting involved by putting magnetic signs on their vans.
“Interfaith Coalition wants to blanket the island and get the community involved in more open communication about HIV/AIDS,” Christian says.
The coalition is an organization that brings the community together through a brotherhood of faiths, including Christians, Muslims, Bahá’ís, Jews, Mormons, Buddhists, Unitarians and the Ifa religion of theYoruba people of West Africa.
The coalition was started by a group of ministers in 1989 right after Hurricane Hugo devastated the island of St. Croix. The ministers coordinated efforts to help repair homes, get information in and out, and supplies and materials in.
The coalition holds an International Film Series a few times a year with a reasonably priced dinner and a spiritual movie shown. Every spring the group holds a concert of choir members from all over St. Croix. In November they hold a hurricane thanksgiving service giving praise for making it safely through hurricane season. And on Dec. 31 they hold a World Peace Prayer meeting.
Lenhardt-Benoit said the coalition of many faiths is making a difference by honoring the integrity of the human spirit and working together to improve the quality of life for all on St. Croix.
Interfaith Coalition is an agency of the United Way of St. Croix. For more information or to volunteer for Interfaith Coalition call 719-4972.
