Members of Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Estate Plessan and Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mon Bijou marched Saturday in Plessen to observe World AIDS Day, spreading the message, “Get tested and know your status.”
About 20 of the 60 marchers following the church youth group, Pathfinders Club, wore red T-shirts emblazoned with the words, “Know Your Status.”
Before the march started, in the center of Mutual Homes, speakers talked about why people who have contracted the HIV-AIDS virus, need to be addressed in a “Christ-like fashion.” Garfield Dore, an elder at Central, compared the AIDS disease to leprosy in Biblical times.
Speaking on the health side of the issue, Barbara Francis, administrator for HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases for the Virgin Islands Health Department, said her groups want to create awareness about the disease and fight stigma and discrimination.
“We want to break down the barriers that create problems,” Francis said. “We want to bring the number of new infections to zero.”
World AIDS Day is observed every Dec. 1 and is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
Paul Lockhart, Central youth group leader, said that the Seventh-day Adventist church held similar marches in 2006 and 2007, but it fell off before being rejuvenated recently. He said the message they want to get out is important to the local youth.
Accompanied only by the sound of a solemn drum beat, the group walked quietly through Mutual Homes housing and Loraine Village Apartments, then up to Center Line Road near Plaza Extra West before returning back down Route 705 to the church.
Vernell McSween, youth leader and a march organizer, said they want young people to live a healthy lifestyle.
“The body is a temple of the Lord,” McSween said. “We need to keep our bodies healthy to do the Lord’s work.”
“We hope that the message sinks in and people get tested to know their status,” said Monique Appleton, health leader at Central and organizer.
