The spiritual and psychosocial gender specific stories of adolescent orphans affected by HIV and Aids in the absence of a father figure : a postfoundational practical theological approach

Abstract

This study aimed at addressing uncertainties about the type and nature of the relationship between HIV and Aids and adolescent male orphans affected by this disease and all its aspects, such as poverty, exposure to crime and stigmatisation, and lack in parental figures, more specifically the lack of the father figure. Subsequently this study aimed at dissecting the orphan’s life experiences in the midst of HIV and Aids and how these experiences will influence his sexual and power relations with women and his role as future father and husband, in the absence of a father figure. Moreover the researcher wanted to explored ways in which these past and future narratives influence or affect the male orphan’s view of, and relationship with God, and if it is it just this view of, and relationship with God that influence and affect his relationship with his past narrative and writing of his future narratives. The researcher believes that the study into the world of orphaned boys and their experiences of and with HIV and Aids, opened up a whole new world of insights to us. In moving closer in understanding the contributing factors of future men and their behaviour, of their thoughts, believes and experiences of this pandemic as well as their view of God admits this pandemic and in the absence of a father role model, we might have just moved a step closer in winning this battle. There are thousands of orphaned boys out there alone in this world, but sadly they are often judged and sometimes forgotten because history has already written their story on their behalf – a story where society expects boys to become the men we know: Men who fail us. This study employed research methods from the qualitative research design and more specifically from Practical Theology and Narrative Therapy, in exploring the above issues. With the use of the metaphor of Tree of Life and the David narrative, the researcher journeyed with the co-researchers in the construction of a preferred alternative narrative, which in turn functions as a guiding metaphor for aspiring to the future, and living their lives in a preferred and satisfying manner.