July 26, 2005
East London, South Africa

Dear Friends,

During the first decade of the 16th century, in the small town of Isenheim in the Alsace, nowadays part of France, an artist known to us by the name of Matthias Grünewald created the “Isenheimer Altarpiece” for a hospice run by Antonian monks.

The multi-paneled work addresses the suffering and the hope of those sick with what was then called “Holy Fire” (ergotic poisoning), an illness contracted from fungus on the heads of rye grain, causing severe symptoms of various kinds and often a painful death. No cure for the disease was available at the time.

During the first decade of the 21st century, in several villages along the Keiskamma River, in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, a group of 120 women embroidered the “Keiskamma Altarpiece.”

Their multi-paneled artwork addresses the plight of women, particularly in the context of poverty and HIV and AIDS. Like the Isenheimer model, the Keiskamma altarpiece unfolds into three different views, each about 12 by 20 feet in size. We had the opportunity to see this embroidered masterpiece the week after it was first shown at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.

View #1 of the contemporary work depicts an older woman in traditional mourning garb, an AIDS widow, taking the place of the crucified Christ in the Grünewald design. She is surrounded by children and other older women. The young adult generation is noticeably absent. Some of their names are stitched into the design—memorials to those who have died from AIDS. Care for infected persons and a funeral with several coffins are portrayed in the bottom panel.

With the central wings of the altarpiece folded back, view #2 shows joyful themes—the nativity and the resurrection in the original work, and the vision of a Xhosa village restored to abundant life in the contemporary version. Here, colorful trees and birds as well as scenes of spiritual worship and harmonious traditional culture create an image of hope and beauty.

Further unfolding reveals view #3, the innermost section of the altarpiece. In the original, this panel is dominated by carvings of God in the company of St. Anthony and St. Hieronymus. The Keiskamma version uses enlarged photographs and wired beadwork in place of the carved statues. Again, we see grandmothers taking care of orphaned grandchildren. The looks on all their faces are astonishingly peaceful; by the grace of God, they have learned to cope.

As artistic as these altarpieces are, neither Grünewald nor the Keiskamma women were solely focused on creating art. In both cases, the intent was rather to provide a powerful message to their respective times and places. Each proclaims the possibility of hope in the midst of great pain and suffering.

The challenge for those diagnosed as “HIV positive,” and for their families and friends, is to find the resources to turn their situation into an opportunity to “live positively” with HIV/AIDS. An ad in our local newspaper that encourages infected people to seek treatment where available has a young woman say, “I have HIV and I have hope!” Antiretroviral drugs, adequate nutrition, community support, and most of all trust in God’s healing powers can create such hope. Please pray for the ongoing increase of all of these resources throughout South Africa.

Ken and Susanne

The 2005 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 339