Current Events this Week

Praying the News.com

8/5/08- International AIDS Conference in Mexico City

It is hard to believe that the world has been living with the Aids epidemic for a quarter of a century. As 20,000 delegates meet in Mexico City for the 17th International Aids Conference, there is much progress to report, but some setbacks, too. New figures from the United Nations show that, for the second year running, the overall number of people who are HIV-positive has dropped, from around 33.2 million in 2006 to 33 million last year. The figure is going in the right direction, but that is still the equivalent of the entire population of Canada being infected. The number of Aids-related deaths has also fallen slightly, from 2.1 million in 2006 to two million last year.

Mexico, the host nation, is a place where that collective suspicion, even hatred, can clearly be seen. In a poor southern suburb of Mexico City, at Number 49 Aztecas Street, there is a refuge. Its Spanish name translates as the House of the Tree of Life. Yet behind its big steel door, death is the all-consuming theme. That is because this is where families come to dump relatives with HIV/Aids. In this country, for some people the stigma remains so great they cannot live with their infected loved ones. The refuge is home to Alejandro. He is HIV-positive."I was told nobody wanted me," he says. "They used to separate out my plate, my spoon, my cup, fearing they would catch Aids. For me that was the lowest point. How is such a thing possible?" The refuge is only able to survive with private donations. "The kind of experience which Alejandro was subject to is common", says Maria Elena, who runs the refuge. "The intolerance is everywhere. And people have very few choices where they can go. It is a hidden suffering", she says. (BBC Article 8/2/08)

Media Link:
-International AIDS Conference site August 2-8th, 2008
- Faith and Aids: Connections Extensive news coverage and commentary on the connection between Faith and AIDS. Highly recommended.

Verse for Meditation:

I Thess 5:17 “Pray without ceasing…”

Prayer Points:
- Pray for the millions of households who are affected by this disease. For the children and widows who are most vulnerable. For the care takers and service providers who daily face the stress of the disease.
-Pray that the delegates will listen and learn from each other in order to have a more coordinated effort in reducing this disease.
- Pray that believers at the conference will be heard and seen
- Pray for world leaders and governments to follow through with their financial support.

6/16/08-Burma (Myanmar)

Too little is being done to help the people of Burma and their health is suffering, an aid expert has warned. Kaz de Jong, head of mental health services for Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), said that five weeks after the cyclone there are still remote villages in the Irrawaddy Delta that have received no help. Other areas, he says, have received just a small amount of aid. (6/16 article from BBC)

Media Link:
-BBC's extensive topic page on Burma
-The New York Times topic page on Burma including basic facts and recent articles.

Verse for Meditation: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah Psalm 46:1-3

Prayer Points:
- Pray that the Burmese government would allow international humanitarian organizations freedom to aid the survivors of Cyclone Nargis
-Pray against an outbreak of a water-borne disease and starvation.
-Pray for the Burmese refugees scattered around the world who are anxious to hear if their families are safe.
-For emotional and spiritual healing. It has been reported that many Burmese are dealing with significant mental trauma. Pray for the churches in the country to remain strong despite persecution in order to encourage their neighbors.

6/9/08-Zimbabwe

A "campaign of violence" in Zimbabwe has extinguished any hope of free and fair run-off presidential elections, Human Rights Watch has warned. In a new report, the New-York-based group says it has extensive evidence linking senior officials loyal to Robert Mugabe with violent incidents. The report says torture camps have been run by President Mugabe's governing Zanu-PF party and its allies. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai faces Mr Mugabe in the 27 June vote. (From a 6/9 BBC article)

Media Link:
-BBC's extensive coverage of the Zimbabwe Election Challenge

Verse for Meditation: He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. Proverbs 14:31

Prayer Points:
-For the estimated 2 million people who are estimated to be at great risk with the ban of aid agencies
-That the government would allow aid workers back into Zimbabwe to distribute food and humanitarian aid.
-That leaders of all parties would seek the best interest of the people.
-That world leaders would act with compassion and wisdom.