Changing the Stigma

“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus.” John 9: 1-2

In scripture, Jesus does many miracles over the short course of his ministry. Over 30 miracles concern the physical healing of a man, woman, or child. But in the culture of his day, we can see by the verse above in John that many times physical deformities, illnesses, or diseases were associated with sin or some wrongdoing such that it had to be the result of some sort of punishment. 

In Matthew, the first healing by Jesus recorded was the healing of a leper. Leprosy was also one of those diseases thought by the surrounding community in Jesus’ day to be punishment for one’s sins. It is known that lepers would live away from the community and were counted as “unclean.”  Even in the Mosaic Laws of the Hebrew Bible, those with skin infections were separated from the community and sent to live outside the camp and were unclean until the skin infection was cured.  Anyone who touched these people also became unclean. 

“When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a bright spot on his skin that may become an infectious skin disease, he must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore in his skin and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is an infectious skin disease. When the priest examines him, he shall pronounce him ceremonially unclean.” Leviticus 13

So imagine the culture that Jesus was born into who for hundreds of years followed precisely the commands given above, along with other commands found in Leviticus dealing with skin diseases. The disciples and people Jesus was living alongside would have known these rules very well. When we come to the first healing in Matthew 8, Jesus does something quite beautiful and radical. Someone who the priest would have declared unclean reaches to Jesus for his healing. And the way Jesus heals is beautiful. 

“When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.” 

Jesus did more than just heal the man through some random mean but broke the old way of doing things and came close to the man, so close, that he touched him to heal him. Jesus touched what all would have considered unclean, untouchable and he made him clean. He brought someone who would have been on the outside into the inside. And with the blind man we find in John, who all thought his sin had made him ill, Jesus quickly sets things straight- he rejected the stigma. Jesus constantly changes the norm and brings the outsider inside.

Ever since high school, I have been interested in health and medicine. I find beauty in a God who not only cares for our mind and soul but also for our physical bodies. He feeds. He heals. He commands his disciples to share their tunics with those in need. He is a most caring God and I believe he calls to us as well to follow in his example.  

Here in Malawi, one of the greatest public health challenges, and there are many, is HIV/AIDS. But what’s “unique” about this virus compared to something like malaria or diarrhea is that it many times comes with stigma and discrimination. For a long time in Malawi, people living with HIV/AIDS were the untouchables cast out of the village, ridiculed as they walked through the streets, and sometimes even lost their business and customers. For this reason, many people in Malawi try to hide their status and some even refuse to get tested or start life-saving treatment because of this fear of rejection. Within families, couples often accuse each other, as the disciples did in the story above, with accusations of whose sins (aka infidelity) brought the disease into the family. Wives can be abandoned, divorced or thrown out if their husband finds out they are HIV positive. It is also common that anytime a woman is diagnosed HIV positive she is thought to be a prostitute or a loose woman. When I first came to Malawi and started working in the HIV clinic in the village, I did a series of interviews with clients about the issues they face living with the disease. Many of the clients mentioned similar stories to the ones I have written above. As noted in the book, HIV and AIDS in Africa Beyond Epidemiology, “Creation of alterity, or “otherness,” allows those in power to dehumanize, to scapegoat, to blame, and thus to avoid responsibility for sufferers. Accused witches, lepers, and other people who are assigned the status of “dangerous others” in various times and places are believed to be morally contagious and often sexually polluting. The results are broadly similar: such people may be consigned to limbo and to social or corporeal death. The struggles of people with HIV and AIDS to resist this “othering” process were charted from the beginning of ethnographic research of AIDS.”

In order to stop the spread of the disease and to heal a country ravaged by this virus, there will need to be a reaching out with arms extended open wide without fear to accept and treat those living with HIV. As Malawi boasts itself a Christian nation, I believe the examples given above by Jesus are how we should react to the epidemic. Malawians have a part to play along with the rest of the world in taking away the outsider mentality of those living with HIV/AIDS. For so long public health efforts have focused on the wrong aspects, causes, and treatment of the disease. “With respect to Africa, some early writers, novices to African Studies, produced rapid assessments and cobbled-together surveys. The worst literature searches tore bits of erotica from context. Sweeping statements were made about a special “African sexuality,” based on “traditional” (i.e., unchanging) marriage patterns that were different from those of Europe and Asia. Culture was designated as the culprit of HIV spread. But while culture was the concept most bandied about, social scientists specialized in the study of culture were left out of the loop. African and Africanist anthropologists were ignored by biomedical researchers and by major funding agencies. . . As a result, the victims were blamed for causing their woes (HIV and AIDS in Africa Beyond Epidemiology).” 

From the beginning of this virus, there has been a push from inside Malawi to label those living with HIV as outsiders and a push from Western nations to stigmatize the entire continent of Africa as dirty and over-sexualized and the bringer of their own pain. As a Christian, I believe my duty living here is to reverse all the negative stereotypes and “unclean” mentality that exist near and far and bring healing, treatment, and love to those who need it most. I believe Jesus calls us to be the ones to care for, treat, and touch the untouchables. 

There are many organizations now in Malawi like EGPAF working to actually end HIV/AIDS once and for all (yes, I believe it is actually possible in our lifetime) and more importantly the stigma and sometimes gross discrimination that comes with it as I’ve written above. I’ve had the honor and privilege of working with those who are living HIV positive and they are people worthy of touch, of love, and of respect. This is why I’ve chosen to live and also work in the health field in Malawi. The example of Jesus is beautiful to me and I only hope to love and reach out to those left behind by others as well as he did. I believe in health and working towards healing and that it’s a biblical, beautiful endeavor. We are working towards a Malawi where no one is cast out for their disease and a Malawi where the disease can actually end. 

What’s most exciting is to see the efforts being led by other Malawians. I only play a part in technical assistance and in living this life with Malawians as they lead the way into a brighter future full of healing, grace, and acceptance. I’ve had the privilege to work with expert clients in the communities who have fully disclosed their HIV status and are working to help others as well. I’ve had students stand up unafraid as they ask me to escort them for an HIV test not caring who sees them. I work with strong Malawians at EGPAF who are leaders in ending the spread and taboo nature of HIV/AIDS. They lead the way, as it should be, and I follow taking every step of this journey with them. More and more now there are people opening up about their status through interviews, on the radio, in social media, through drama, and in other ways. This is very encouraging. I believe the era of seeing those in Malawi living with HIV as unclean or dirty is soon to end as more and more of us extend out our hands to touch, to feel, to love, and to heal.

 

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.” Matthew 9:35-36