wfn.org | Taiwan AIDS Sunday: Help Children to Understand Self-Protection

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2596  December 2 2001
Reported By Lee Yi-shin   Written by David Alexander

The Aids Foundation Releases "The Garden of Romance"
Educational CD
The Aids Education Foundation recently released "The
Garden of Romance", an educational resource designed to
speak to the 20th century "black plague" of AIDS.  This
plague effects not just individuals, but also the society
at large.  Founded in the spirit of the love of God, the
foundation seeks to show concern for those weakened by
Aids.
      "God is the Lord who stands alongside people," said
Foundation Chairwoman Chang Li-siu, "religion must not
oppress them." She added, "Society often further burdens
those already heavy laden with Aids, but religion must not do so.  We
are not to point fingers at Aids sufferers.  Based on religious faith we
must go to them in concern
and stand alongside them. as an act of faith."
      The foundation was established in 1998, and spent two
years in Aids prevention education work. It established
"The House of Grace" as an Aids hospice and dove deeply
into Aids concern work.  But in a society that refuses
to understand, there has been much resistance and
opposition.  Human and financial resources have been
strained.
      Chiou Su-mei, who is the foundation's operations
manager, said, "Common misunderstandings seem to emerge
from the seductiveness of the Playboy culture of Taiwan.
So we produced this new educational resource to penetrate
into that world and shed some light on the topic.
Especially we aim this at the 10 to 14 year old age group,
that they might understand sex, sexuality and the mass
media distortions of both.  We hope that through this CD
Aids Education can take root in Taiwan's mass society so
that children can understand self-protection.
A special religious service for HIV positive people
and those who love and support them will be held on
December 8th at Taipei's 228 Peace Memorial Park.
Persons of all religions are welcome to take part.

For more information: Aids Education Foundation
Phone +886 2 2370 3579