Loving People Who Are Living With AIDS

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. I John 3:18

How To Get Involved

1) Start attending the PROJECT GRACE monthly fellowships to hear what current volunteers are experiencing in showing Christ's love. Meetings are on the fourth Tuesday of every month at a restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz.  Contact PROJECT GRACE to confirm the date and location of the next meeting.  

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16

2) Contact the Santa Cruz AIDS Project (SCAP) office at (831)427-3900 to attend their Orientation Meeting for Volunteers. It is two hours long and gives you an overview of what you can do plus the latest information on AIDS. There is no need to identify yourself as a PROJECT GRACE volunteer when you complete their paperwork. An important part of our ministry is also to the SCAP staff whom represent a culture of generous hearts but with very few "Jesus-Follower" witnesses.

3) After the SCAP Orientation Meeting you can start to serve at SCAP in support roles to people living with AIDS. There are many varied opportunities but to name a few, you can help in the office, at the food box delivery, or by driving clients to their important appointments. If you want to develop a long-term connection to someone living with AIDS you will need to complete a 22-hour training provided by SCAP. We will meet with you before this training about what to expect and how to handle some of the unique situations of involvement in the AIDS service provider community. These issues include homosexuality, drug abuse, and cross cultural communication.

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without daily food. If one of you says to him, Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? James 2:14-16

4) Help us at PROJECT GRACE follow the Lord in being His ambassadors to this cross-cultural mission field in our county. Attend our fellowships where we share ideas, pray for those living with HIV and for any challenges you might have in helping them. If we join together and are sensitive to the Lord, we believe He will give us many insights and even new ways for us to advance in His work in our community. Our desire is to see every Christian church in Santa Cruz county endorse this effort and be represented at PROJECT GRACE in a united display of Christ's love in action.

Pastor John Haak of Mountain Bible Church in the Santa Cruz mountains is a founder and current Director of PROJECT GRACE, which began in 1995. This ministry is endorsed by those churches listed on our home page. If you have any questions or would just like to talk to someone from PROJECT GRACE, feel free to call John at (408)353-2302 or E-mail him.