Anglican Church of Papua New Guinea Diocese of Port Moresby

Glasim Tok wantaim Bisop Peter Fox.

No-one knew where the monster came from. They did not know what it looked like. Some terrible creature was hiding in the jungle, and killing people who wandered off the track. It broke into the gardens at night, and stole all the food. It crept into the houses and poisoned the children.

The village elders called a meeting of all the people. It was decided that everybody would get their weapons, even the women and children, and go out to kill and destroy this monster in the jungle. They sent messengers to the people in the next village. They said, “Your village and our village have always been enemies, but there is a bigger enemy now. We need to help each other. Together we can hunt down this dangerous animal and then both our villages will survive.”

Is this a true story? Yes. It is true. We know the name of this monster now. It is called HIV/AIDS. We cannot see it, but we know it is killing people, even children. It is spoiling our country. It is breaking into our lives and hurting the people we love.

We must all join together to get rid of the monster of HIV/AIDS, just as if it were a deadly animal that threatened our village. We must work together, because by ourselves we are not strong enough. Language groups that have not worked together before, even traditional enemies, must put their differences aside. There is a worse enemy to deal with, one which will destroy our people if we do not help each other.

The Asia Tsunami and Manam Disasters united us all in sending help to the families of victims. It did not matter where we came from, what religion we believed in, what language we spoke. We all knew we had to help. The victims of the Tsunami were measured in tens of thousands. It was a devastating loss of life. HIV/AIDS is worse. The victims of HIV/AIDS are measured in tens of millions world-wide, and there are more to deaths to come.

We must put aside our differences, and work together. Our village is danger. Our neighbours in the village next door are in danger. We have no time to squabble amongst ourselves. We have to fight on the same side. We must fight this thing together if our children are to survive. The weapons we have to use are not the spear and the bow, but compassion for the sick, and respect for our own bodies and one another’s. Let us not imagine it is someone else’s problem. It is a problem for every one of us, and every one of us can make a difference. If you do not know where to start, go and talk to the leaders in your community, to the big men, to the priests and pastors. Ask them, “What are we doing to fight HIV/AIDS? What is our community doing and what is our Church doing? What can I do?”

Warn your children about the danger. Take care yourself that the monster does not get you. Help the people who have already been hurt. Together we can beat it.

I know you are tired of hearing about HIV/AIDS. I was talking to a man from Zimbabwe last week who was tired of burying his friends.
The monster will not go away if we ignore it.