Sixth Episcopal District
Women's Missionary Society
Dr. Pam DeVeaux, WMS Supervisor
Shirley T. Washington, President

World AIDS Day
December 2, 2007

In an interview with a reporter on public education radio, the coordinator of The AIDS Quilt project reported the quilt now has 91,000 panels representing persons who have succumbed to AIDS.  Those persons are just a sample of the millions of people who have died from AIDS throughout the world.  The death of someone from AIDS affects immediate and extended family members, health care workers, employers, and the wider community.  The number of persons being diagnosed as HIV positive continues to soar yet, HIV/AIDS is preventable through education. 

To that end as we commemorate World AIDS Day on December 1, 2007, I would urge Presiding Elders, Pastors, Lay Leaders, Women’s Missionary Society (WMS), Clergy Spouses, Sons of Allen, Young People’s Division (YPD), Debutante and Masters leaders and the Christian Education ministry to continue to explore ways to educate members of the Sixth District regarding HIV/AIDS prevention strategies.

I recognize that many persons in the District are already involved in vital activities that focus on information and support initiatives.  We thank the Women’s Missionary Society, who under the leadership of Mrs. Shirley T. Washington, has received extensive training from the American Red Cross in HIV/AIDS education.  The WMS conference branch presidents have presented training workshops to their members.  At the Annual Conferences both the WMS and YPD have reached out in love to provide funds and personal care items to persons living with AIDS.

We also thank Sherrell V. Crawford M.D., for leading our children and youth in frank and informative discussions around the subject of abstaining from premarital sex.  She has made herself available to discuss with women and men in all settings, the need for education and not myths regarding AIDS.  At the Annual Conferences and district meetings we will look for creative ways to inform our people about the AIDS pandemic.  I would invite persons involved in HIV/AIDS programs to share with us your accomplishments so that we can provide others with models for replication.

 In His Name,

Bishop W. P. DeVeaux

The Balm in Gilead

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