The Pine Valley Human Rights Manifesto declares
“We believe a concern for human beings and their dignity is at the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We, therefore, pledge ourselves to recognize all people as children of God and to embrace all as friends and neighbors, without regard to race, national origin, social or financial status, age, sexual orientation or anything else. We will defend victims of injustice and work in their behalf when their basic human rights are denied or threatened. In our congregation and personal lives, we will seek to exemplify a concern and respect for all people, so that the whole family of God can know the abundant life Jesus came to bring.”
I have been mindful of this statement as World AIDS Day, December 1, approaches. Globally there are an estimated 34 million people suffering from this disease. There are over one million people with HIV/AIDS in the United States. Many people who are HIV positive also bear the added burden of social discrimination, isolation and violence.
The good news is that public awareness is producing encouraging results for people. The 2011 United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS report shows a 50 percent drop in new HIV infections across 25 countries as HIV/AIDs prevention and treatment program become more widely accepted and used.
I offer you this Prayer for Healing: God of overflowing mercy and boundless love, we pray for healing for broken hearts and pain-racked bodies. We pray for the restoration of relationships fractured by fear and anger. We pray that we can be agents of healing and ambassadors of hope. God of tender care, we offer these our prayers in Christ’s name. Amen.
David Hansen,