Helping people towards
a positive view

The Thailand Bible Society's booklet 'HIV and the Positive Life'. This publication aims to reassure AIDS patients that God loves them and continues to care for them. Photo: TBS (THA05CJ-58.JPG)

THAILAND — HIV and Positive Life is the name of a booklet produced by the Thailand Bible Society (TBS) in conjunction with the International Bible Society – the first time two Societies have co-operated in this way.

The 32-page, full-colour publication was produced under the terms of the Thailand Opportunity 21 program Let There Be Light, which aimed to reach out to HIV sufferers, prisoners, underprivileged people and “those seeking the truth.”

In 2001, when the program started, statistics put HIV infections in Thailand at around one million and the TBS, prompted by concern for the sufferers’ feelings – knowing, for example, that they would face emotional and physical isolation from their families – decided to try to reach out to them with the Word of God.

Accordingly, the book starts by addressing the kinds of question asked by hurt and hopeless people: Why Me?, Why an Innocent Child? and so on.

In this way it shows how, although AIDS sufferers may be rejected by those around them, God, whose love is perfect, remains with them and continues to care for them

With the aid of verses from Scriptures such as Job, Psalms, John and Romans, it goes on to discuss the questions that torment a person with an incurable condition: Am I going to die? What does my future hold? Who will care for me when I am too ill to look after myself?

In this way it shows how, although AIDS sufferers may be rejected by those around them, God, whose love is perfect, remains with them and continues to care for them.

The latter part of the book moves on to such topics as What is God like? How should I respond to his love? and Can I really know peace?

At the end of the book is a contact list of Christian organisations that work with people with HIV/AIDS and Christian radio stations.

The TBS did not run any workshops or seminars about HIV and Positive Life but chose instead to work with some of the aforementioned agencies and with local churches and private and public hospitals. Many churches in Thailand minister among slum communities, prostitutes, drug users and addicts, and since 2001 the booklets have been helping churches in their witness to such people.

One problem with the book that the Bible Society encountered – but overcame – was people’s fear of being seen to take a copy from the special display stands in hospitals and clinics. After a while, they realised that people who might have benefited from the book were reluctant to take a copy for fear of what people who saw them would think. Even though the title does not include the words ‘AIDS’, it is clear what the book is about.

At that point the Society decided that the best way to get the book to the people who needed it was to supply it as a resource to support groups for HIV-positive people. This is how the book is now mainly used. In Thailand, as in many other parts of the world, it seems the battle to overcome HIV/AIDS is in part a battle against fear. (WR 391/7 - 03.05) [1 photo]