(this was our prayer in Fitzroy this morning... very Fitzroy based... but use it as a model in your own situation...)
Lord we come to you on the Sunday before we recognise World AIDS Day
And Lord we begin our prayer with a moments silence as we remember those whom we know who have died from the HIV virus or are living with it
...
Lord we are aware that in the main we are a long distance away from the disease
It can be difficult to find pastoral concern and compassion when HIV is just statistics or other peoples stories
Lord to-day we pray for The Gastons
We thank you for their compassion for the children of South Africa
We thank you for the interruptions of grace they have been
To those children in hospitals many abandoned, many with HIV
We thank you for the interruption of grace they have been
To those children that they have adopted
We pray for an interruption of grace soon for Nzuzo’s adoption papers to get through
We pray for the interruption of grace for this little blind boy with HIV Aphiwe
As they take him into their home may he find some stability and love in his life
And as Alan and Sheena administer ARVs be with them and the children
We pray to for communities and Churches in many parts of the world that are being decimated by HIV... I think of JL ZWANE Church in Guguletu who will sing Don’t Give Up as they do weekly after their AIDS testimony time
Lord be with those who love and care for HIV Carriers
Give them strength and gentleness and daily compassion
May there be many interruption of grace on that township as 8 year old orphans become heads of households
And as Churches attempt to bring Jesus on the doorstep in the midst of such tragedy help them to pastorally and practically support their communities
We pray for interruptions of grace for those with the VIRUS
Lord give them hope, help them with the discipline and boredom of the discipline of taking the ARVs
Lord may their drugs be a resource for interruptions of grace
May the medical world find interruptions of grace in the hard work towards a cure
Lord help us to interrupt by your grace lived out in us the stigma of AIDS
Help us to wear the badges, ribbons and t-shirts
To stand in solidarity with those on the margins through this virus
Help us to realise that there is HIV here in our city too
And to help break the prejudice and taboos
To love as Jesus loved
Lord we pray for an interruption of your grace into such a world.
Rid us of AIDS
Give us medicine
May we do what Jesus would do
May we build your kingdom in amongst and in partnership with the most broken people in our community
May we not be those who sacrifice, give offerings and songs and pray
But do nothing about HIV Aids
May we not be prophetically admonished by your Spirit
Interrupt our lives by your grace that we may “do what the LORD require of us? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
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