Latest News
9/21/11 - New Project in South Africa and Lesotho
EMPACT Africa has launched a new project in South Africa and Lesotho,
targeting over 500 congregations in four different denominations with a total membership of about a million people.
"By reducing the stigma of HIV and AIDS in so many congregations,
this project has the potential for a life-changing effect on hundreds of thousands of people
who will no longer be afraid to seek help in their churches," said David Barstow, President of EMPACT Africa.
Three of the four partner denominations are in South Africa: the Uniting Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of South Africa, and the Presbyterian Church of Africa. The fourth denomination is the Lesotho Evangelical Church, based in the country of Lesotho. the Presbyterian Church of the USA is also helping, through the work of their Regional HIV and AIDS Consultant.
The objective of the project is to reduce or eliminate the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS within the congregations of the four denominations. "The stigma of HIV and AIDS has a strong effect on both individuals and on the pandemic itself," said Barstow. "People who have HIV, or suspect they might have it, fear the judgmental attitudes and discrimination that result from the stigma. Because of this fear, they are reluctant to get tested and treatment is delayed. The consequences for the individuals are bad enough, but the consequences for the pandemic are disastrous. When people do not know their HIV status, and when treatment is delayed, the chances for transmitting the disease to others go way up. The stigma is a major factor that allows the disease to keep spreading."
Although larger in scope, the new project will be similar to the project with the Reformed Church in Zambia that was completed last year. The methodology is the same: Conduct training workshops for local church leaders who then take specific actions when they return to their congregations. "We focus on local church leaders because they are uniquely positioned to fight the stigma," Barstow added. "They are influential in the congregations, and that influence is leveraged through the members of their congregatons."
The project began with workshop facilitator training in Johannesburg in June, followed by a pilot workshop in August. The official launch will be in November, with work proceeding at a pace of several workshops per month lasting through 2012 and into 2013.
News List
9/21/11 - New Project in South Africa and Lesotho
EMPACT Africa has launched a new project in South Africa and Lesotho,
targeting congregations with a total membeship of over a million people.
7/31/11 - Awareness Brunch
On Sunday July 31, EMPACT Africa held an awareness brunch in Rollingwood, Texas.
5/22/11 - "Bono Wrecked My Life"
On Sunday May 22, EMPACT Africa President David Barstow gave a sermon
titled "Bono Wrecked My Life" at Dripping Springs Presbyterian Church.
3/23/11 - Benefit Concert
On March 23, over seven hundred central Texas "tuned into Africa" at a concert
benefiting EMPACT Africa and the African Children's Choir.
1/1/11 - Five-Year Targets
The board of EMPACT Africa has adopted specific five-year targets in its fight against the stigma of HIV and AIDS.
11/15/10 - Planning Meeting in Johannesburg
David Barstow, President of EMPACT Africa, recently returned from a project planning meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa.
"The meeting included the HIV/AIDS coordinators of six denomiations in three countries," Barstow said.
7/30/10 - International AIDS Conference
David Barstow, President of EMPACT Africa, recently returned from the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.
"My number one conclusion is that EMPACT Africa is doing exactly what it should be doing," Barstow said.
6/10/10 - RCZ Project Completed
The sixteenth and last workshop with the Reformed Church in Zambia was completed in May 2010.
2/24/10 - Donations Times Five!
Thanks to generous matching funds, donations from individuals will be multipied by five!
11/16/09 - Thousands of Lives
We’re starting to get some data back from Zambian congregations, and the numbers are remarkable. The local church leaders have affected thousands of lives!
09/26/09 - 250 Church Leaders Trained
EMPACT Africa has crossed the halfway point of its training project with the Reformed Church in Zambia, having trained more than 250 local church leaders to fight the stigma of AIDS.
07/02/09 - Into Africa
David Barstow travels
to the front lines in the fight against AIDS.
06/30/09 - Running to Fight AIDS - II
Dave Barstow completed 82 kilometers in the Comrades Marathon, raising enough funds to supportr two more workshops.
04/08/09 - March Worshop in Zambia
Dave Barstow went to Zambia in March to attend a pastor-training workshop for RCZ.
04/04/09 - Running to Fight AIDS
Running marathons and fighting the AIDs pandemic in Africa.