Sunday, March 2, 2008

SEX


The title is a bit shocking for a blog on the Luther Seminary website. But now that I have your attention...

Bishop Mdegella is burying his younger brother today. He died from HIV/Aids. His wife died from the same disease three years ago. People say his new wife and their small children don't look too well, either.

I've met many children in their young teens who have been infected with HIV/Aids from birth. They are orphans. Over here, that means at least one of their parents has died, often from HIV/Aids. Many are in the homes of relatives. They are taking medication which is having a positive effect. Only time will tell how long they live.

Every week I hear about a funeral for a young person who has died from this disease. When you travel by cemeteries, you see rows upon rows of freshly dug graves. The natives say most are HIV/Aids related. While some of the infections may be from contaminated needles, most of it is from sexual contact.

Much is being done to educate the population. Scores of college-age students come here to teach the young children about Aids and Aids prevention. Everywhere you see signs encouraging people to use condoms and to get tested. Churches are encouraged to preach and teach about HIV/Aids, because churches are more trusted than the government. I heard one church choir sing an anthem about Aids. Even the wheel cover over the spare tire of an Iringa Diocese vehicle bears an ad for a condom company. HIV/Aids is a major problem for this country.

Yet, it's interesting that I see very little courting going on between men and women. You see literally no public displays of affection. No hand holding. No arms around the other's shoulder or waist. No public kissing. The only hand holding I see - and experience - is between two men. It is a custom for one man to hold the hand of another as they visit.

At the same time, it is not unusual for women to be pregnant when they get married. Where there's a will there's a way!

The practice of obtaining a "Bride's Price" still happens here. The fathers of the husband and wife-to-be meet to negotiate a fair price for the bride. Sometimes, the fathers are represented by others in their family for this negotiation. The Bride's Price is an acknowledgement that the bride's family is losing a member of their family through this marriage and needs to be compensated. The better the bride, the higher the price. Payment used to be made in livestock. Now it's mostly in cash. It is true that once a woman is married, she belongs to the husband's family. If she is divorced, she loses everything. If the husband dies, she is taken in by the husband's family. Not often does she ever return to her own family. It is a male dominated society, for the most part.

There is no homosexuality in Tanzania. That's what we're told by everyone. An article in a recent Tumaini University newspaper held the title, "Just say no to homosexuality."

But it's clear that, just like anywhere else in the world, sexuality is a major factor in the future of this country. Education continues to be a key. The church needs to speak of healthy relationships and healthy sexuality. But medicine is also a major key. The treatment of HIV/Aids continues to improve. Many more people are living with the disease and remain productive members of society. So we must pray, and teach, and treat.

So, that's the sex report from Tanzania. I hope you found it as interesting as the title. Oh, and this is one time I'm glad I can't attach photos to this entry. I'm really at a loss to know what pictures I'd attach!

No comments: