A History of Breaking the Silence: United Methodists and AIDS
The Centers for Disease Control reported the first case of AIDS on June 5, 1981. Little did we know that this disease was about to claim millions of lives, wipe out entire communities, and affect life on every continent. Bishop Fritz Mutti reflects on the impact HIV/AIDS has had on the life of The United Methodist Church and in his own family.
Bishop Mutti and his wife Etta Mae are co-chairpersons for the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. The Fund is charged with raising $8 million by 2008 for AIDS education, prevention, care and treatment programs for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Early Reports
In the early 1980s, the first reports of a death dealing disease began to appear in newspaper and on television. Because there was no explanation of the origin of the illness and no explanation for its rapid spread, fear took hold of the general population.
The United Methodist Response
The United Methodist Church made some early responses. I was a member of the General Board of Discipleship at the time and our response was to publish informational pieces and to encourage a pastoral response.
Later I attended a church-wide conference on AIDS in San Francisco. I visited with persons who were infected with the virus. Lyle Loder told us what it was like to be ravaged by the illness. In a few weeks, he was dead. My life was moved toward a compassionate advocacy.
AIDS Hits Home
In December of 1988 our middle son, Fred informed Etta Mae and me that he was HIV positive. Four months latter, we learned from our oldest son, Tim, that he also was infected with the AIDS virus. AIDS was up close and personal for us. Our dear sons were on a journey toward death. Both died in just a few months.
A huge hole was left in our lives. It can never be filled with total healing. Yet we live by faith and gradually we have moved from suffering to sharing, from aching heart to advocacy. We have written a book, Dancing In A Wheelchair, that thousands have read. We have told our story in scores of places. We have learned to be tough in the face of hostile judgment. We have given our lives to witnessing.
Now we serve as coordinators of the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund and our task is to help the church break the silence, overcome the denial and end the stigma with the worst health crisis the world has ever known. We are scarred and we are changed forever. Thanks be to God!
Bishop Fritz Mutti
The United Methodist Church
Offsite Resources on HIV/AIDS
