South African Church Recognized for Helping People Affected by AIDS

August 10 2007

Fish Hoek Baptist Church of Cape Town, South Africa, with a congregation of 315 people helping people affected by AIDS, has been selected for the 2007 Courageous Leadership Award, a joint project of the Willow Creek Association and World Vision. The award honors churches that are strategically engaging the AIDS pandemic.

Known as "the church that cares," Fish Hoek was selected among nearly 100 entries, and will receive $120,000, thanks to generous gifts from World Vision donors. The announcement was made this morning at the annual Willow Creek Association Leadership Summit.

'Delivering Care and Compassion'

"This church has invested its members' lives and resources in diligently delivering care and compassion to those who need it most," says Richard E. Stearns, president of the U.S. offices of World Vision. "It shines a light for others to follow in addressing the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time.”

More than 10 percent of the church's budget is committed to AIDS-related work. The members demonstrate an uncompromising commitment to caring for those affected by AIDS and continually "fights increasing HIV-AIDS compassion fatigue, or worse, indifference," according to the award entry submitted by Senior Pastor John V. Thomas.

In addition to Fish Hoek Baptist Church, there were two runners-up:

• West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles
• Rockland Community Church in Golden, Colorado

These each will each receive $40,000.