[ This was a letter that I wrote to Pernessa Seele, Founder/CEO of Balm In Gilead and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, Illinois the day after World AIDS Day. - (7/11/02)]
Ms. Seele and Dr. Wright,
I'm Donald Andrew Agarrat, a Web Developer living in New York City. I am a former member of the Board of Directors of two prominent organizations within New York City's Black gay community - Gay Men of African Descent, Inc. and Black Pride NYC, Inc.
To acknowledge World AIDS Day, I did something I usually don't do unless I visit my mother - I went to church. The Black Church has never been a source of affirmation for me, and it is of utmost importance that I am affirmed as a Black gay man in a place in which I choose to worship. I read in the Daily News that Balm In Gilead, Inc. and Harlem's St. Marks United Methodist Church was hosting a celebration featuring former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders, gospel star Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. Last evening's event was telecasted to 4 other cities. I decided to go - GMAD hosted a wonderful conference earlier this year and Rev. Rosetta Gadson spoke and represented Balm In Gilead with much personal poignance and conviction.
The evening was indeed Spirit-filled. I'm not sure if I believe in a God that I can only experience via Christianity, in a church or through another man, so I interpreted Dr. Wright's sermon to mean "Don't let any man keep you from having a personal relationship with your Blessing Giver." - a daily struggle in my own life. I was blessed last night.
However, as I listened to the speakers, I could not get a clear sense of exactly how committed this Black church was to educating their congregation about HIV/AIDS issues along with the gay and lesbian issues that the Church has never dealt with. This is not to say that HIV/AIDS is a gay and lesbian issue, but how can HIV/AIDS be addressed without institutional compassion for, committment to and inclusion of gays and lesbians in our communities?
Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson of Grace Baptist Church, Mt. Vernon, NY conducted the offering. He began with a goal of $50,000 and asked for offerings of $5,000, then $1,000, then $500, then $250, then $100, and then finally everyone else added their offerings to the offering plates that were being passed around. I kept asking myself, "Is THIS the Black Church speaking to HIV/AIDS issues?" If I had $5,000 to give for HIV/AIDS issues, why would I give it to a church (or any organization for that matter) with no known strategy for addressing HIV/AIDS within their community? I also thought, "Why would I give $5,000 to Balm In Gilead, Inc. when I'm not really sure how successful they've been in their attempt to help Black churches address HIV/AIDS in their communities?"
It touched me when Rev. Wright spoke of a congregation that includes a man with AIDS. When they take Communion, they lovingly let him drink first so they don't pass germs to him. Dedication like this does not replace specific programs to educate parishoners about HIV/AIDS, but the core of this compassion transcends even the most well-intended, well-placed, well-funded programs. I believe that love is more a principle to act upon than a feeling to have or which to aspire.
Donald Andrew Agarrat
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