ACET recently held a HIV and Listening Skills training day at Living Waters church, a multinational church with Malawian origins, based in the North Inner City of Dublin. This workshop is part of our Migrant-Led Churches project which not only aims to raise awareness of HIV in the faith communities of migrants, but also strives to address root causes of HIV-related stigma.
ACET staff spent a full day training over 20 members who hold a range of leadership and membership responsibilities. Richard Carson brought the participants through the story of HIV, globally and locally. Every statistic, medical update or HIV testing opportunity is handled as an opportunity to challenge HIV-related stigma. The testimonies of church leaders living with HIV prove particularly powerful.
Vivienne Morrow Murtagh encouraged attendees to practice their Listening Skills using the Imago Therapy model, in which to truly listen one must leave your own world, cross over the bridge, and enter the world of the other. “The only thing you bring with you is your passport”, encouraged Vivienne as the disciplines of Mirror -Validate – Empathise were explained.
These training days with leaders and members of Migrant-Led churches encourage a culture of listening to challenge HIV-related stigma and all marginalisation. Pastors, married couples, even identical twins gave helpful feedback on their newly developing listening skills. “I have been in Ireland 7 years and I have never seen anything like this. It’s great! More churches need to do this” commented one participant.
These training days with leaders and members of migrant-led churches, encourage a culture of listening to challenge HIV related stigma and all marginalization. Pastors, married couples and even identical twins gave helpful feedback on their newly found listening skills. “I have been in Ireland 7 years and I have never seen anything like this. It’s great! More churches need to do this” commented one participant.
This project is supported by the MAC AIDS Fund.
