1956

In the relatively comfortable lives that most of us lead, we read of others' misfortunes and think, that can never happen to me—I can not get very excited about it. So we pass on to other more enjoyable aspects of life. This is certainly true, for most of us, where the dreaded disease AIDS is concerned.

So it is with great sadness that I report to you that AIDS has hit one of our kindest and gentlest classmates. Ken Line of Chambersburg, Pa., has recently disclosed that he has had AIDS for seven years. He contracted the disease from blood used during his triple-bypass surgery in January 1985. (The hospital began screening blood for HIV in May 1985.)

Ken was pastor at Salem United Church of Christ in Harrisburg for 14 years before moving to Chambersburg in 1988. He moved when his wife, Joanne, also a minister, became district superintendent in the United Methodist Church there.

Ken says that many people who have learned of his illness have treated him like a leper. "I've seen people, when they've discovered that I have the disease, literally run from the room in fear of me. I've seen people in hospitals who would not enter the room with my food tray because they were afraid they would catch the disease from me. I have had the experience of doctors refusing to treat me because they didn't want any of their other clients to know that there would be a person who was HIV-positive sitting in the same waiting room with them."

Ken continues a ministry at Franklin County Prison and is treasurer of the United Church of Christ conference. "People with AIDS lead a desolate, lonely life," he says, but he is not bitter about having the disease. He continues, "I've been blessed with the ability to bring mind, body, and spirit together in a whole form of cure and maintenance for me." Ken's address is 921 Wallace Avenue, Chambersburg, PA 17201-3884.

P.O. Box 1031, Burlington, NC 27216

I've seen people, when they've discovered that I have AIDS, literally run from the room in fear of me. REV. KEN LING "56