Moody Bible Institute’s chapter of Acting on AIDS (AoA) captivated the curiosity of students, faculty and staff with their cryptic orange signs scattered across campus in the days preceding a special AIDS-focused chapel on February 17. Additionally, approximately 20 percent of the student body donned orange shirts imprinted with the word “ORPHAN” in an effort to raise awareness for the percentage of children in sub-Saharan Africa who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Approximately 6,000 children across the globe are orphaned by the disease every day.

Guest speaker Kay Warren, AIDS Advocate and wife of Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church in California, encouraged chapel attendees to “make an invisible God visible” since the love of Christ is hardly tangible for many AIDS victims. Warren described the devastation, abandonment and brokenness in families affected by AIDS. She urged Christ-like love for the sick and the breaking down of stigmatic barriers.

AoA’s President, sophomore urban ministry major, Kevin Davis addressed the disconnect from AIDS and said, “It’s not that we [as Christians] don't care, but it can seem too far removed from our field of vision. We find we are inundated with other issues. Some issues, by sheer magnitude, though, ought to be of concern to us, as they will impact our ministries wherever they may be.”

Modified Article by Katie Sefton. Courtesy of The Moody Standard, Volume 75:9, March 2, 2010.