Jesus promised that where two or three are gathered in His Name, He would be in their midst. He also said that He cares for us. Whatever situation we may be in, He would be there with and for us. Best of all, He promised wisdom and strength as we follow Him daily – if we ask for them. What we need to do is to be still, as He speaks to us from His Word. The Holy Spirit will then open our hearts as we receive His guidance and direction.

Listening and praying are two principal reasons why CCIH holds an annual retreat. Last May, we certainly felt God’s presence in full force during the CCIH retreat at the Wellspring Retreat Center in Germantown, MD.   

The theme of the retreat was the preparation of the Christian professional for international health work. Around sixty registered, making this year’s attendance the largest we have ever had. There was a good mix of overseas and US-based participants. Many overseas colleagues at the CCIH-sponsored seminar on diseases of poverty stayed on for the retreat, where some of the discussions at the seminar continued.

Led by facilitators Herb and Elmira Conley, the retreat featured many presentations by invited guests. We worked with colleagues in five small groups. We even had wonderful music. Preparing meals and cleaning up time were moments of joy and fellowship.

By the second day of the retreat, however, we began to recognize that within the group were divergent ideas on how we as Christians should pursue our individual and collective responses to the HIV/AIDS problem. There were those who wanted a more spiritual emphasis in interventions. Our African brothers thought that their US-based colleagues had very little understanding of the issues. Others were simply looking for a momentary unloading of their HIV/AIDS-related burdens. The pastors in the group were talking of daily burials. Others were blissfully unaware of how the epidemic was changing many societies around the world.

That evening, during the report-back session from the small groups, the tension became palpable as the discussion escalated into heated exchanges. Many of us took conflicting positions that were generously peppered with passionate statements. At a point when we seemed to have hit an impasse, we had to step back as a group to reflect on the fact that we were all finite, and each one of us – no matter where we were coming from theologically or geographically – had an incomplete comprehension of why God has allowed HIV/AIDS to afflict nations, including those within the Church. It was at this moment of contrition and brokenness that the Spirit of God spoke to us. The tension was released as we began to recognize that it was when we – ALL OF US – reached out to each other and listened collectively to God’s direction that we understood better what God wants us to do as His Church.

That night, we had an extended period of prayer for one another. We focused on those in the group who had already been personally and profoundly impacted by HIV/AIDS. We took on prayer partners for whom we will intercede during the next twelve months. Many committed to extend their individual understanding of and participation in finding solutions to the problems HIV/AIDS posed to the Body of Christ. Personally, I confessed my lack of persistence in pursuing solutions to the HIV/AIDS problem; I then pledged to raise my commitment as well as my organization’s involvement in addressing the problem. I promised to visit our friends from Kenya and South Africa.

In the midst of our prayers and tears, we felt God’s presence with us. He heard us, and we heard Him speak to us. It was one of those rare moments where the glow of His love was reflected by the change in our attitudes towards each other and in the tone of our voices. God’s still, small voice reassured us: “I am your God; I am bigger than HIV/AIDS. My strength will be sufficient for the days ahead, and I will give you wisdom as you proceed in your commitment to confront the diseases of poverty.”

The following day, we celebrated the Lord’s supper with a new insight on how essential it has been throughout history for God’s people to seek His face daily. With a fresh spirit of unity and renewed, we left Wellspring prepared to face another year in the trenches of international health work.

 

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To all who were there with us at the retreat last May, let’s have a reunion at the next retreat. If you have ideas on how you can actively participate in the program, please let me know. We are now preparing for next year’s retreat. Following the theme of the Global Health Council annual meeting, it will focus on how Christians respond to disasters and health crises. To others who missed the retreat, I invite you to join us as we seek God’s face and listen to His voice. We will wait on Him to speak to us again at Wellspring. The dates are May 25-27, 2002, just before the Global Health Council meeting.