Nashville Cares. Does the Church?

I just got back from a meeting with Kate Haygood, Director of Marketing and Volunteers at Nashville Cares. Nashville Cares is an organization committed to promoting and participating in a "compassionate response to HIV/AIDS in Middle Tennessee." Check out their website: www.nashvillecares.org.

After my conversation with Kate, I am so much more motivated to do something about eliminating this giant disease which kills millions of people every year. Just skim over these stats and see if your heart doesn't break:

• There are over 40 million people infected with HIV/AIDS resulting in 15 million children losing one or both parents.
• In the United States, there are approximately 1 million people living with HIV.
• Last year, there were 3 million people who died from AIDS. That's like the entire population of Chicago being wiped out in one year--every year!

If you're like me, for a long time I didn't really think HIV/AIDS was a serious disease here in Middle Tennessee. That's Africa's problem, right? Nope. Get this:

• About 4,600 Middle Tennesseans are currently living with HIV/AIDS.
• About 300 new cases of HIV/AIDS are reported for Middle Tennessee annually.
• Last year, a person with HIV died an average of every 4 days in Middle Tennessee.

Nashville Cares (the organization) is committed to tackling this global giant. What about the church? When will we step up to the table? Does the church care like Jesus cared? Luke 6:36--"You must be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate." That's Jesus talking. He walked the talk. It's time for the church (the body of Christ) to do the same.