Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) enables members of North Carolina's faith community to overcome fear and judgment about people with HIV/AIDS and to act on the policies of their national denominations. Since 1992, RAIN has trained over 2,600 volunteers while building a network of congregation-based teams. The teams care for individuals with HIV/AIDS while engaging in relationships that foster understanding and strengthen all involved. RAIN's approach includes the following:

• Address Theological Tensions: RAIN's mandate of service, written by founder Deborah Warren, directly addresses the theological tension between judgment and acceptance. It draws on theological imperatives that call for congregations to lead on difficult issues, as well as to care for those who, like the lepers in Matthew, are outcast by society.
• Form CareTeams That Practice Shared Leadership: The organization has created over 100 congregation-based CareTeams, each made up of at least four volunteers. Each team works with a CarePartner, who is a person living with HIV/AIDS. Using a shared leadership model, volunteers embrace spiritual growth and personal development.
• Support the Teams and Pastors With Training and Staff: RAIN trains pastors and CareTeam members in the social, spiritual and medical aspects of living with HIV/AIDS. Staff members provide comprehensive support, including beeper access and grief debriefing.
• Build on the Power of Relationships: The transforming power of relationships is central to RAIN's strategy. It shows that the community can only address HIV/AIDS and its social stigma through relationships that cross boundaries, including race, economics and gender. It enables participants to explore other forms of oppression and prejudice as well.

This leadership story outlines RAIN's philosophy and the CareTeam model.

"When I first started, I of course saw this as a way to help a group of folks that I felt were marginalized, ostracized, and mistreated. But as I continue to work here, what I see is that I've ended up getting something back as well." Reverend Debbie Kidd, Director of CareTeams, RAIN

"I had been a lab tech at a hospital for seven years, and a lot of people there were afraid to go in and draw blood and things. I would go in and I just felt so sorry for people to have no visitors. It was just like everybody had a sad look on their face. I said 'That could be me. That could be my son. That could be my next-door neighbor. That could be us lying in that bed. And they need their blood drawn to find out what they needed just like anybody else.' So that stayed in my mind when I did go to a RAIN meeting. And after I prayed about it and got involved with a team. I knew for sure that it was something that God wants me to do." RAIN CareTeam Member