- Baptist Press - https://www.baptistpress.com -

Ways to be on your knees about Africa’s AIDS crisis

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RICHMOND, Va. (BP)–Prayer is a key avenue by which Christians in the United States can help heal Africa’s AIDS wounds.

Prayer needs listed by Christian workers in Africa include:

— Ask God to intervene and stop the onslaught of AIDS that is depriving 6,000 Africans each day of the opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel.

— Pray for the salvation of multitudes in Africa who are lost and dying without Christ.

— Thank God for Christian workers who serve on the front lines of the AIDS crisis. Ask him to give them strength and courage for their difficult ministries.

— Ask God to touch the hearts of Christians everywhere and send them to meet the urgent need for workers in Africa.

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— Ask God to make the “True Love Waits” sexual abstinence program effective in the minds and hearts of those who hear its message.

— Pray that churches would minister to AIDS victims and their families, sharing with them the good news of God’s love and forgiveness.

— Pray that Christians with AIDS would be shining examples of God’s peace and power in the face of death.

— Pray that homes and hearts would be opened to Africa’s 12.1 million AIDS orphans.

— Ask God to break through cultural traditions and silence to show Africans the way he wants them to live their lives.

— Pray that millions of Africans would know God’s saving power and find in Him the strength to change dangerous behavior.

— Ask God to reveal a cure for AIDS to researchers working on the problem.

— Pray that churches all over the world would rise up and join the all-Africa global prayer movement, 2001PRAY [3].

As you pray, keep in mind these additional AIDS statistics for Africa compiled from various sources:

— 26.1 million people in sub-Sahara Africa have AIDS.

— 5.3 million Africans were infected during for the year 2000 — a rate of 15,000 infections a day, of which 6,500 are age 15-24

— Reduced life expectancy — in Malawi it will drop from 66 to 25.

— 5,500 funerals per day in sub-Saharan Africa.

— 60,000 babies are infected each year in South Africa alone — most of whom will not see their second birthday.
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