We are One

We are one Human family
If only we all believed that to be true. If only I always believe that the differences we have do not in any way negate the truth that we are one human family and, I believe, created in God's image. And this along with some other reasons took me to a lecture on Geno mics and Global Health, where one of the principal speakers was Dr. Francis S. Collins, head of the National Institutes of Health. I went because I have a family member who works at NIH, because Dr. Collins , known for his leadership of the Human Genome Project is involved in Diabetes research, something that is in my family . But I was there also because he and others were there to speak about diseases such as HIV and AIDS. I did not understand any of the medical or scientific terms but I did understand the reasons for the outstanding genetic work that is being done, as represented by Collins and others. The conference that brought him to Cape Town was on Heredity and Health in Africa and he reminded his audience that after all, we believe humankind originated in Africa. I was so pleased to hear him speak too about his work as a missionary volunteer in a hospital in Nigeria which he said transformed his life. While he is concerned about HIV and AIDS and malaria and other diseases for which Africa is so well known, he wants to broaden the base of research in on the continent that show non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and heart problems kill many more people. And so many more are killed because of war. More and better research will lead to better treatment and prevention and health care reform. But my focus is on the spiritual and human underpinnings of his work.Through the study of genomes or genes we we see the shared humanity we all have he said and all of Africa and the future are knitted together. He shared that Archbishop Desmond Tutu had submitted his genetic code for testing because Tutu said, he wants to provide a voice for the region, for medical research and because all of us belong to one global family.
I left the lecture and after a brief meeting with Dr. Collins encouraged that in Africa I am at the right place at the right time and so thankful for people like Dr. Collins. Itis clear that what he does comes from a heart touched by Christ.