Catholic priest offers support to Namibian sex workers (Namibia)

[struggle4progress]

-21/10/06

A Roman Catholic priest who founded Namibia's only day-care centre for prostitutes is working to improve their lot in the face of high rates of HIV and abhorrence of the sex trade by society - writes Rodrick Mukumbira for Ecumenical News International.

"These women are hated by many, but I have tried to give them dignity and the knowledge that there is life after the streets," said Fr Herman Klein-Hitpass, the founder of Stand Together, the day-care centre based in Katutura, a Windhoek suburb that was once a township only for black people.

Fr Klein-Hitpass founded Stand Together in 1995. Supported by donations from parishes in Germany, he has provided sex workers with "food, shelter and hope". He said: "I try through bible studies to get them off the streets, but everything nowadays centres on money. You help them today, and tomorrow they are back on the streets." He said he also provides them with condoms.

No statistics exist about the number of sex workers in Namibia, but the day-care centre has a membership of 1275, Klein-Hitpass said, 75 per cent of whom are HIV positive ...

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/services/dailyemailstop.shtml

[AndyTiedye]

1. Father Herman Klein-Hitpass for Pope!

Why couldn't we have Father Herman Klein-Hitpass as Pope instead of Maledict?

[beam me up scottie]

2. Well for one thing, he hands out condoms.

That's a big no no according to the dinosaurs in the Vatican.

If regular catholics were able to choose the Pope I'd like to think they'd have found one that loves humanity too much to deny birth control and life saving education to millions of third world inhabitants.

[AndyTiedye]

3. I Love Your BatBear

:loveya:

[beam me up scottie]

4. H.P. Lovecraft would have loved Hello Cthuhlu too!

:D

[varkam]

8. Okay, okay...

I used to love reading Lovecraft. What's the deal again with Hello Cthulhu?

[beam me up scottie]

9. The statues in "Call of the Cthuhlu" were the inspiration behind the image

which, in turn, inspired the internet cartoon character "Hello Cthulu": http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://www.hello-cthulhu.com/%3Fdate%3D2003-11-30&h=400&w=550&sz=32&tbnid=EutGp6Le02Am8M:&tbnh=97&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcthulhu&start=3&ei=6QA8RZLPMYfSwALxmdyxAw&sig2=uQ4TJqUVFPJg0c5jqzSFew&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3

[beam me up scottie]

5. This deserves a kick.

While I doubt the effectiveness of converting sex workers to get them off the streets, this is one christian who puts his money where his mouth is.

He's genuinely committed to the welfare of Nambia's poorest and least represented residents.

The priests who blindly support the ignorant and increasingly deadly policies of the sexual degenerates in the Vatican could learn a lot about morality from Father Herman Klein-Hitpass.

[varkam]

6. And an R.

I agree with your sentiment.

[SPKrazy]

7. This Is A Very (IMO) Christ Like Action

and a Buddha like action
and a Hindu like action
and an atheist like action

it is a HUMAN action!

sex workers are humans who deserve dignity, love, and this is a right and just thing he is doing