Uh oh… the missionary is talking about sex.
You’re right I am
and I did a lot during the last 2 weeks of Uganda.
It’s a topic not very many people want to talk about,
especially in some churches these days.
Luckily I am not a part of a typical church or body of believers where talking
about sex, drugs, and alcohol is seen as taboo.
In fact, I have found that these topics are almost a necessity to talk about.
And it’s not because us missionaries are struggling with it BUT because there
is a world lacking sound knowledge and truth regarding these topics, especially
sex.
Somewhere in the history of Uganda (& Africa as a whole)
some really ridiculous misconceptions got started and are still currently being
believed & taught today.
Misconceptions:
1) If a person who is HIV+ or has AIDS has sex with a virgin, they will be
cured. (They don’t understand or put the
pieces together that it actually only continues the spread of it.)
2) Doing drugs will prevent you from getting pregnant and/or an STD. (This only contributes another set of
factors/issues into their lives)
3) HIV/Aids is only spread by having sex. (It
was radical for them to discover that you can get it from blood while caring
for someone else’s wounds)
4) They are more afraid of getting pregnant then getting AIDS because they
think AIDS is like getting Malaria. (They
don’t understand or know the long term implications of becoming HIV +. I know
you probably think malaria in itself is scary but it’s not and treatment here
is pretty fast)
5) Using a condom/ birth control is 100% preventative for the spread of AIDS
and STDS. (Yes, they can help but they
are not 100% preventative)
As sad and ridiculous as these misconceptions are,
what’s worse is that it’s what’s being taught in schools and by families.
It’s
not necessarily a result of a lack of education,
it’s a lack of correct and sound knowledge.
And that’s why it’s a necessity that we (my team & I) talk about sex.
We knowtruth and we have become burdened to share.
We share it with the students, give them the information, and pray they will
not only choose to abstain from sex before marriage but share the information
with people they know, becoming change agents in their own communities.
