Praying about
HIV and AIDS Prayer for God’s Presence A lmighty God, our Father, we ask you to comfort and heal us
as we are affected by HIV and AIDS. Grant us compassion, so in our caring response we may dispel fear and ignorance and build hope and purpose in our lives. Protect us all, give courage to those in pain, comfort the dying, and hasten the discovery of a cure. We ask this, loving God, because we know you listen to us. Amen.
For Those Who Care for People Living with HIV and AIDS O God, whose n ame is love, strengthen and encourage with your
grace those who treat, help, care for, or counsel people with HIV and AIDS and their loved ones. Give us all hope, that we may not be overcome by despair. Help us to learn even in the midst of suffering. Amen.
PA G E 1 O F 6
For Those Living with HIV
and AIDS
O compa ssion ate God, you have promised to be with us in times of
distress, fear and pain. Be with those who live with HIV and AIDS today and hold them in the palm of your hand. Amen.
For Children Affected by AIDS
“Loving God, vanquish our complacency at our injustice to these your children”
To play, to learn, to have food and health. To be loved, secure and safe. These are the rights of every child, rights robbed by a virus and robbed twice over in countries crippled by debt and paralyzed by trade rules designed to benefit the rich and powerful. Loving God, vanquish our complacency at our injustice to these your children. Remove all traces of empty, conscience-salving charity. Make us, instead, committed to sharing our resources — your resources — with those who need them most; to seeking in justice to remove the debt burdens of the poorest, to working tirelessly so that all your children might know again the joys of playing, learning, living, loving and being loved. Amen. The above prayers from the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development
PA G E 2 O F 6
God o f a ll compassion, comfort your sons and daughters who live
with HIV. Spread over us all your quilt of mercy, love and peace. Open our eyes to your presence reflected in their faces. Open our ears to your truth echoing in their hearts. Give us the strength to weep with the grieving, to walk with the lonely, to stand with the depressed. May our love mirror your love for those who live in fear, who live under stress and who suffer rejection. God grant rest to those who have died and hope to all who live with HIV. God of life, help us to find the cure now and help us to build a world in which no one dies alone and where everyone lives accepted, wanted and loved. — Maryknoll Sisters
Prayer of Hope God o f hope,
“Open our eyes, Lord, to all that brings sickness and pain to our brothers and sisters around the world.”
We give thanks for signs of hope. For growing understanding For medical advances For changing attitudes and behavior For greater awareness and concern in your Church. God of unity, Bind us together with strong ties of love That this church community may be a place where All can find acceptance. May it be a place of welcome for all affected by HIV and AIDS. May it be a place where care is given and received, especially for affected children and youth, Where stories are told and heard, Where fear is overcome by love, Where you are to be found. Amen. — The Diakonia Council of Churches, South Africa
PA G E 3 O F 6
Heavenly Father, we give you thanks for those national leaders and
governments who have given publicity to the crisis of HIV and AIDS and who are committed to halting its spread. Give your wisdom to all who are in positions of leadership, that they may work effectively for the well-being of the people they serve. We ask this for the sake of Him who came to bring good news to the poor, your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Open our eyes, Lord, to all that brings sickness and pain to our brothers and sisters around the world. Give us the will to protest inequalities that make women and young girls vulnerable to infection; to oppose violence and war that put lives at risk; and to combat ignorance and poverty which lead to the spread of disease — that future generations may be free to have the new life that your Son came to bring, and have it abundantly, in whose name we pray. Amen.
“Guide by your Spirit all those who are entrusted with teaching children and young people about the spread of HIV and AIDS and how to prevent it.”
Lord Jesus Christ, you showed on earth your love for children. Guide by your Spirit all those who are entrusted with teaching children and young people about the spread of HIV and AIDS and how to prevent it. Help teachers and health workers to present the facts clearly and lovingly, and to enable children to pass on that message to others. And give to all young people the courage to live as an example to others, whatever the cost to themselves. We ask this for your name’s sake. Amen. Lord Jesus Christ, you ate and drank with the powerful and the poor; you called the sick to your side and sinners into your company. In the manner of your ministry, let us be of service today, neither fearing the strong nor favoring the rich. Strengthen us with ample power to meet whatever comes with fortitude, patience and joy, and in all things to give you thanks and praise. Amen. — Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
L oving a nd c a ring God, thank you, for you call us to love and
serve your people. You call those who care for victims of HIV and AIDS to be healing hands in your hurting world. You send them to compassion, to suffer with those who suffer. Day and night they labor to comfort your people. Yet many times they are depressed by the amount of suffering seen. And many times they are totally exhausted by the amount of work that must be done. They often neglect their own health and families in the HIV and AIDS struggle. O Lord, renew their strength. Amen. — Church World Service
PA G E 4 O F 6
A Prayer for Holistic Healing Hea l us from the bodily pa ins of HIV and AIDS that deplete our
immunity and leave us open to opportunistic infections. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us. Heal us from our broken hearts and grief that continues to pain our spirits and minds and leaves us empty about the meaning of life. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us. Heal us from the psychological pains of HIV and AIDS that engulf us in fear and hopelessness and lead us to die before the virus kills. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us. Heal us from the social stigma and discrimination that lead us to uncompassionate acts of isolation and failure to provide quality care and prevention. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us.
“Heal us from poverty that exposes millions to HIV and AIDS.”
Heal us from unhealthy gender relations that expose partners and spouses to HIV infection and leave women powerless to protect themselves. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us. Heal us from poverty that exposes millions to HIV and AIDS. Heal us from exploitative social structures that condemn many to poverty and expose them to infection. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us. Heal us from violence that spreads HIV and AIDS. Heal us from ethnic and civil wars. Heal us from domestic violence and the rape of children. Heal us Lord, have mercy on us. Amen. — Church World Service
PA G E 5 O F 6
About World Vision W orld V ision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, World Vision serves alongside the poor and oppressed as a demonstration of God’s unconditional love for all people.
We envision a world where each child experiences “fullness of life” as described in John 10:10. We know this can be achieved only by addressing the problems of poverty and injustice in a holistic way. World Vision is unique in bringing 60 years of experience in three key areas to help children and families thrive: emergency relief, long-term development, and advocacy. We bring our skills across many areas of expertise to each community where we work, enabling us to support children’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
About World Vision Resources E nding glob al poverty and injustice begins with education: understanding the magnitude and causes of poverty, its impact on human dignity, and our connection to those in need around the world.
World Vision Resources is the publishing ministry of World Vision. World Vision Resources educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to respond, and equips them with innovative resources to make a difference in the world.
For more information about our resources, contact: World Vision Resources Mail Stop 321 P.O. Box 9716 Federal Way, WA 98063-9716 Fax: 253-815-3340 wvresources@worldvision.org
PA G E 6 O F 6