Bybelse berading aan die persoon geaffekteer deur MIV/VIGS

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is a pandemic which influences each and everyone worldwide as well as in South Africa, the country with the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS. The impact of HIV/AIDS on the social, economical and micro level is tremendous. The effect of HIV/AIDS on individual households is immediate, and poverty, sickness, stress, death and loneliness contribute to the devastation of this phenomenon. The Biblical counsellor must be equipped with the necessary knowledge to guide and support the person affected by HIV/AIDS. The counselee must be empowered to handle his specific crisis significantly. Perspectives bases on the Scripture suggest how the Christian believer must manage sickness, suffering and death. The Scripture guide the Christian in times of suffering and conflict to persevere in the hope that God will give deliverance. According to the Scripture the Biblical counsellor, as a called shepherd, must admonish, educate, support and guide the counselee to accept the ministry of reconciliation, given to him by God through Christ his Son. The counselee affected by HIV/AIDS must be empowered by the necessary knowledge in order to care and support the HIV/AIDS patient and be able to digest and cope with his own pain and stress. AIDS is caused by the HI virus, which directly attacks the most defensive cells in the human immune system. Opportunistic diseases begin to appear as the immune system continues to deteriorate until the death of the patient. At present there is no remedy for AIDS, only antiretroviral medicine to prolong the progress of the HI virus. The rapid spread of the HI virus can be attributed to migration and urbanization, poverty, conflict, infrastructure, patrimonium, matrimonial rights, sexual illiteracy, drug abuse and a certain youth culture.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS can only be successful if the people are empowered with knowledge concerning HIV, change their promiscuous behaviour and practice safer sex. Biblical counselling of the person affected by HIV/AIDS is carried out by a trained counsellor, a called servant of God, using Scripturally founded pastoral skills in counselling. During the counselling process the Biblical counsellor creates a pastoral relationship, he is ready to listen, uses the Word of God as the source of knowledge in the counselling process and striving to bring change by means of prayer. The aim is to lead the counselee towards growth in belief in God in order to solve his problems through faith. A counselling model, namely the Theos-guided model, can be used by Biblical counsellors in order to counsel persons affected by HIV/AIDS. The phases in this model, namely the building of a relationship, interpreting data, conference, Godward focus, providing instructions and support. Five central pastoral themes were used as foundation for practical theoretical guidelines in this model, namely pastoral principle, the pastor as counsellor, spirituality, a couselling model for pastoral practice, the use of the Scripture and prayer.