HIV candle of hope service

PERSONS?AFFECTED by HIV/AIDS were remembered in prayer when the St John HIV/AIDS education committee held a candle of hope memorial service at Holy Cross, St John, last Sunday.
The tenth annual service was held to remember those who passed away because of the disease as well as offer support to the relatives.  
Chairperson of the committee, Monique Haynes, said it was a way of offering support to those who are affected by the disease and to pray for those who have the virus.
Haynes, in presenting the chairman’s report, encouraged all to practise the ABC of safe sex: A for abstinence, B, to be careful and C for condom use.
She also called for children aged 16 and 17 to be able to access sexual and reproductive health care without the parent being present and also for HIV services to be offered at all polyclinics as one way of combatting the spread of the disease.
Richard Harris, floor member of the committee, said the volunteer work would continue because the fight was not over until zero realization of the disease.
There were also special tributes in dance and song by students of the schools in St John. The Hallelujah Dancers of Mount Tabor Moravian Church also performed a dance piece.
Deputy director of the National HIV/AIDS Commission, Lynn Armstrong, also attended the event. (LK)