The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS has grown to become the largest AIDS awareness program in the United States targeting the Black community. This program now expands to reach people across the African Diaspora-including the Caribbean and Africa. Last year, more than 10,000 churches across our nation participated in The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS. We encourage even more churches, including those in Africa and the Caribbean, to accept the call to join us in prayer as we educate and enlighten congregations and communities throughout the world about HIV/AIDS during the upcoming Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS-Sunday, March 2 through Saturday, March 8, 2003.

Unlike any other institution, our churches can uplift the words and lessons of Jesus to heal hearts and minds of denial, silence and the stigma that continues to suffocate effective interventions regarding HIV prevention, treatment and care in Black communities worldwide. The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is a week of education and AIDS awareness that highlights the role that churches are playing in addressing the AIDS crisis. Each year, a growing number of Black congregations are developing AIDS prevention outreach programs, supporting and caring for persons living with HIV and establishing HIV testing facilities complete with counselors knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS.

The dire reality regarding the AIDS pandemic among Black people worldwide demands that our religious institutions lead the struggle to stop the spread of AIDS and demand more services and resources for people who are infected and affected.

The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is modeled after the groundbreaking Harlem Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS established in 1989 by Pernessa C. Seele, CEO of The Balm In Gilead. In 1995, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded a pilot study for the Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS in six cities. Today, this national program is supported by 72 AIDS service organizations and health departments across the United States who have joined in partnership with The Balm In Gilead to support churches in educating their communities and advocating for persons with HIV.

The Balm In Gilead has expanded its efforts of mobilizing churches to six countries in Africa: Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. In 2003, religious leaders in these countries will launch The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS.

*Please not this is reprinted for the Balm in Gilead web page for more info go to their web page www.balmingilead.org Keep praying everyone.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2003

Answers

St. Stephen AMEC Detroit, Michigan will be participating in the Week of Prayer for the healing of AIDS...this is a first for our church... Pastor Bowman is supporting this effort. From the pulpit, 02-23-03 he announced that he was 100% behind spreading the word...Scriptures and Awareness concerning this Dis-ease in our community. Sunday, we will say special prayers, pass out red ribbons...thanks to my missionary president Irma Williams, Emily E. Vernon society for helping me cut the ribbons... we are asking the members to pray morning, noon and night with the santuary being open at 12noon and 6:00pm for prayer... We have asked the congregation and community to participate in a 5 Monday series on Faith-Based Affirming Hope... HIV/AIDS and Substance Abuse prevention starting Monday, March 10, 2003 ending Monday, April 7, 2003 from 6:00pm-7:30pm @ St. Stephen AMEC 6000 John E. Hunter Drive (Stanford) Detroit, MI 48210 313-895- 4800. The registration of our church to www.balmingilead.org was holy ghost inspired for this will be a prayer covering for the upcoming series as we do HIS will by praying for the healing of AIDS. Recently trained as a faith leader by ITC Help in Feb.03...attended the 2-day training @ WSU, hosted by the Southeast AIDS Consort. of MI, signed a convenant agreement to complete this series by April 15, 2003.. a familiar date ;-) This was a FREE training...We were trained by the Project Director Dr.Monifa Jumanne...AKA Dr.J. This training will also be used this summer as I travel as a Sojourner from the 4th district of the AMEC to do mission work in either Africa or the Caribbean. Now, what was the question? lol I sure it was to speak on this viable subject

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2003

Praise God for you, your church and your pastor for your tremendous efforts for this week of prayer. St. Paul Community A.M.E Church in Bozeman, Montana will also be praying for the week. Please tell us how the week goes for your church and thank you so much for taking the training, with prayer and financial support we can make a difference. Thank you for sharing with us. God bless!!

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2003