17th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS

17th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 5-11
The Balm In Gilead, Inc.™ and the African American Faith Community is preparing for the 17th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 5-11, 2006, the largest AIDS awareness campaign targeting the Black faith community. An Overview of the Week of Prayer

The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is a powerful week of prayer, education and action. This national AIDS awareness campaign engages Black congregations to support, encourage and empower African Americans, Africans and all people of the Diaspora to take action toward stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS in Black communities worldwide.

HIV/AIDS continues to spread out of control in our community! African American women are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. As such, HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among African American women ages 25 to 34.The rate of AIDS cases for African American women is 25 times higher than the rate for white women.

Of the estimated new AIDS cases, 61% are among African American teen girls ages 13 – 29. African American Gay men continue to be at high risk for infection, accounting for an estimated 57% of AIDS diagnoses among men.*

Over the past year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a serious outbreak on many historical Black college campuses. After almost 25 years of fighting AIDS unsuccessfully in Black communities, time is certainly running out on us!

17th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 5-11
The Balm In Gilead, Inc.™ and the African American Faith Community is preparing for the 17th Annual Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, March 5-11, 2006, the largest AIDS awareness campaign targeting the Black faith community. Click here: The Balm In Gilead http://www.balmingilead.org/home.asp Click here: The Balm In Gilead: Programs

We need every pulpit that speaks to Black people to raise their voices and encourage people to speak out about HIV/AIDS in the following ways:

1. Educate our congregations, our children, our neighbors and our families about this disease. There is no cure. All we continue to have are prevention messages and behaviors;

2. Distribute information on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment education and care;

3. Encourage individuals to take the HIV/AIDS test. So many of us are living with the virus that causes HIV/AIDS and do not know it. Thus, we are spreading the virus unknowingly to our wives, husbands, lovers, friends, as well as to strangers;

4. Develop partnerships with the local health department and/or AIDS service community that will support your HIV testing and information distribution efforts;

5. Affirm people living with HIV as children of God who have been certified by God’s grace –just as all members are affirmed.
Join us in prayer March 5-11, 2006.