A. Larry Ross during the interview with Dan Wooding

Why Rick and Kay Warren are involved in battle against the HIV/AIDS

A. Larry Ross, who recently was in charge of media relations at the 3rd Annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church held at Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California, has explained why the organizers, Rick and Kay Warren, have become so deeply involved in the battle against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries.

Ross, who has also represented evangelist Billy Graham for many years, told me in an interview at the event, “As you may know Kay Warren, who’s releasing a book called Dangerous Surrender, has become a renowned AIDS activist in her own right since, five years ago, becoming aware of the situation and was �?seriously disturbed’ about this pandemic as she puts it, which is affecting so many people around the world.”

Kay Warren then got her husband Rick, author of the best-selling book, The Purpose Driven Life, involved in the battle.

Ross then spoke about the aims of the conference.

“This, as far as we know, is the only church based AIDS conference and is really dedicated to finding a solution that can mobilize the local church, as they have done through the P.E.A.C.E. plan during the last several years where they’re mobilizing people from America to go around the world and �?slay the five global giants’ one of them being disease.

“They are helping to overcome things like HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases that are easily curable with proper education and medication. We have nearly a hundred speakers all spectra of society from government, NGO’s business private sector. The theme of the conference this year is about leadership and becoming real leaders in this fight and what it takes to influence your community, your nation and the world.”

I then asked Larry Ross if the Warrens were hoping that the church might become more involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

“Absolutely,” he said. “They are aware that the church has been late to the game, late to the party, if you will. AIDS really came on the radar screen more than twenty-five years ago and it’s only been the last several years that church leaders like Rick and Kay Warren have been waking up to the important role that the church can play and Rick is very committed to the unique application that the church provides to what he calls a �?three legged stool’ -- public, private and parish.

“He believes that governments can set the agenda and businesses can provide the funding, but it’s really the church that has a unique distribution as a volunteer force like none other around the world. So they’re hoping to mobilize people from America to interact with the churches overseas and provide distribution points and volunteers to really conquer the problem.

“As Mrs. Mwanawasa, the First Lady of Zambia, said at the conference, she doesn’t want to just come against AIDS, she and others want to 'conquer' the AIDS problem in our lifetime.”

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[01/03/2008]

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