Pastor, CEO continues ministry

It all started four years ago when a fellow associate pastor asked Rev. Herman O. Kelly Jr., pastor and CEO of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, about creating an HIV and AIDS ministry.
“One night during bible study, Rev. Samuel Thomson asked me (if) I were interested in doing something for the HIV and AIDS ministry. I told him not really,” Kelly said. “That night I tried to sleep and I could not sleep because God convicted me. As a pastor, I should be involved with making people understand about this disease – It is the number one killer in our community.”
Operating from contributions made by church members, Rev. Marshall Myles and his New Mt. Zion Baptist Church and other outside sources, Kelly has been able to help over 100 people and families affected with AIDS and HIV.
“Our mission is to educate the community on AIDS and HIV, provide services such as housing, transportation to medical facilities and referral services,” Kelly said. “We also provide training for other people who would like to get involved in the AIDS and HIV ministry, we also participate in the Balm in Gilead project located in New York.”
Although Kelly has received praise for his efforts, an experience in Mississippi made him see that there is a stigma within the black community when dealing with HIV and AIDS.
“I attended a young man’s funeral in Mississippi and everybody at the cemetery was whispering about how he died. And we found out that he had AIDS but no one wanted to address the issue,” Kelly said. Feeling uncomfortable about the treatment of people with HIV and AIDS, Kelly became upset at the black community and the church’s ability to avoid the HIV and AIDS issue.
“HIV and AIDS is prevalent in the black community because there is still a stigma attached to it. We try to keep it under the covers. And until we make it apart of our agenda it’s going to always be prevalent.” Kelly said. “The first question people ask when they find out you have HIV and AIDS is how you got it. It’s not important how you got it, it’s important that you’re being educated and treated. Do you know what you need to do to prevent the disease from spreading?”
In the next five years, Kelly and the members of Bethel plan to own and operate private housing for those affected. Kelly hosts an HIV and AIDS meeting at his church every last Tuesday in the month at 6:30 p.m.
“We’re going to have a community center where people can come and be serviced for their different needs,” Kelly said. “We will be the leading church in this community dealing with HIV and AIDS.”