National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS

The HIV and AIDS crisis has already claimed more than 25 million lives and left millions of children as orphans. Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson and members of the ELCA joined religious leaders and faith communities across the country March 6 -12, 2011 in the National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS — bringing national attention to the AIDS epidemic and engaging faith communities in AIDS prevention, education, service and advocacy.

Read Bishop Hanson’s statement about the 2010 National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS.

The National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is the inclusive, expansion of the highly successful Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS, which concluded its 20th year anniversary in 2009. The Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS was the nation’s first national mobilization campaign that specifically focused on HIV and AIDS. The campaign has provided AIDS information to over 5 million African Americans through the engagement of Black congregations of every sector across the United States.

The National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS is organized by The Balm in Gilead, whose mission is to prevent diseases and to improve the health status of people of the African Diaspora by providing support to faith institutions in areas of program design, implementation and evaluation which strengthens their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities.