Partnership with the African
Counseling Center in
|
|
He returned home to Cameroon, West Central Africa to follow his calling to offer pastoral care to suffering persons in Africa. With 5 counselors and a committed Board of Directors, Reverend Ngue's dream of opening the African Counseling Center to offer pastoral care has come true. Priorities of the ACC Board include offering counseling, training pastors in pastoral care, and helping children whose parents have died of AIDS. |
 About
40% of the population suffer with AIDS
or are
HIV+.Infected people and their families are often ashamed and isolated, on top of the other symptoms of the disease. Medication is unavailable or too expensive. Families where both parents have died are often headed by the oldest teenager or child, or a grandparent. In a society burdened with poverty, violence and corruption, ordinary people have mostly their faith in God and each other to rely on, and their faith is often strong. |
 In
July of 2002,
VIPCare's dream of sending pastoral counselors to Cameroon in support
of the ACC came true. Drs. Hamilton, Maloy, Hughes-McIntyre, Rev. Slemp, and Ms. Hawk, R.N. traveled to Cameroon to help support the mission and ministry of The African Counseling Center. They learned much from their hosts: their generosity, passion, creativity, sense of humor, and deep faith nourished them as they became "companions in hope." |
 Throughout
the
years, VIPCare has been blessed by the presence of international
students in our education programs. VIPCare continues to encourage international students enrolled in graduate theological schools in the Richmond area to apply to study with us for mutual growth. If you would like to contribute to the African Counseling Center, please send a check made to "The Virginia Institute of Pastoral Care," with "for African Counseling Center" written in the memo line. |
