December 1, 2011 - World AIDS Day
The Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers became involved in HIV/AIDS ministries soon after the virus was diagnosed. Contrary to the United States, the majority of the people in Africa, Asia and Latin America who are afflicted with HIV/AIDS are children. Many of these children now are orphans as the disease has taken away their parents.

 Current Maryknoll Society programs to assist children and families affected by this virus include:

• Nairobi, Kenya: Father Lance Nadeau's ministry offers comprehensive HIV/AIDS care to residents of the slums of eastern Nairobi. Patients receive antiretroviral treatment, palliative and end-of-life care. Pregnant women learn about nutrition along with prevention education of mother-to-child transmission of the virus.

• Mombasa, Kenya: With a medical staff of 50 and 400 volunteers, this home-based program provides free healthcare to HIV-infected people and those who are sick with AIDS. This effort, lead by Brother Frank TenHoopen, reaches patients in 10 parishes in the Archdiocese of Mombasa where 4,000 people live with HIV and AIDS, and about 2,000 who are very sick with AIDS.

• Myanmar: This program, under Father James Kofski, offers holistic assistance to reduce the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Myanmar and to alleviate the suffering of people and families already affected by the disease.

• La Posadita, Peru: One-third of HIV positive patients in Peru are women. Many have young children. La Posadita del Buen Pastor (Little Inn of the Good Shepherd), under the direction of Father Joseph Fedora and one of only two AIDS shelters in the country for women and children, provides shelter, food and medical care for 36 children and five women.

• New York: Near the Maryknoll Mission Center in Westchester County, food grown for the poor on Maryknoll’s small Pachamama farm that is administered by Maryknoll priests and neighborhood volunteers has been shared with a local food pantry that prepares meals for AIDS patients and their families.

The Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns, which supports issues and events critical to the world and its people, seeks continued support to fight this epidemic and urges all people to take action on World AIDS Day.

Learn more about what you can do by visiting the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns - World AIDS Day 2011