Sunday, October 15th, I was sitting at my computer working on this post when the earthquake shook us to our core. The electricity went out and thus my laptop lost my work. If the ground shakes again as I write it this time, I will have something to think about...

The image to the right comes from a prayer booklet that I wrote about on Friday, October 13th. Paul and Susi Childers are YWAM missionaries with an incredible ministry to be "Voices for the Voiceless." Paul is from New Zealand and Susi is from Germany. The prayer booklet hits 30 tough issues of gender injustice. On Sunday, I was praying through this issue: AIDS.

All too often I have thought of AIDS as someone else's problem or thought of it as not something we have to worry about. I had little compassion for the suffering it was causing. I have had to question myself about whether my attitude about AIDS developed because of a judgmental spirit against homosexuals and the association of AIDS with homosexual behavior. Regardless of the cause of AIDS, however, men, women, and children are afflicted with this disease, and each of them were created in His image. We are commanded to love not just those who think or act like us, but all humanity, and to be the hands and feet of Christ to them.

Did you know that AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since 1981? That's a million per year. Looking at World Book, WWII was the war that killed more than any other, and it involved an estimated 17 million military deaths. Did you know that Africa has 12 million orphans who are orphans because of AIDS? Did you know that 43% of those infected with HIV are women?

We must be praying about this. We must have compassion on these people. There was a song Steve Camp wrote that always brought me to my knees because it asked a question that I never heard anyone ask in my "Christian" circles; frankly, I'm not sure any cared to think of such a thing. He asked whether I had tasted the tears of those who were afflicted with AIDS.

Have you? Or are AIDS victims the modern day lepers? Better yet, are homosexuals and other such "sinners" lepers to most Christians? Have you ever ministered to "such as these." Pray that God would intervene against this epidemic and that a cure would be found. Pray that people, including people like you, would be called upon to teach biblical truths to show that there is a very easy way to avoid contracting the disease, at least sexually. And look for other ways to minister to the broken hearted, not just those afflicted with AIDS, but with any social issue that you may have avoided in the past.

Every Thursday night at the U of N we have a worship celebration, complete with teaching. Last night Paul and Susi Childers spoke about their ministry to be voices for the voiceless. Our hearts were touched by God's Spirit as they spoke of the horrors faced by women and children around the world.

Because of their work as missionaries they have learned of many travesties and injustices around the globe and God led them to produce a prayer booklet as well as other media to help raise the consciousness of the Church about these issues. The prayer booklet starts with a forward from Loren Cunningham, a part of which says:

"A few years ago, I was asked the question, “What will be the greatest global challenge as we enter the 21st Century?” You may think of war, terrorism, famine, AIDS and a number of other colossal needs, which all surely qualify. But among the most serious issues is gender injustice – the abuse and suppression of women. Why? Because it is the biggest, most far reaching, and most hidden.The Church needs to take a stand, the Church needs to raise its voice, the Church needs to pray and act, because God’s heart breaks over gender injustice.”

The Childers write further: The global abuse and suppression of women must stop. We must pray and act! The booklet is a tool that will enable you to begin to engage in helping solve this colossal challenge that the world faces in the 21st century. Our goal is to mobilize 100,000 people to pray for 5 minutes each day for 30 days for these issues. If successful we will have raised 28.5 years worth of prayer! In addition this book will enable you to hit the streets and become a voice for the voiceless.

I began praying this morning with Day 1 of the Booklet. It was on child prostitution.

Can you imagine being so poor and being unable to feed your family so that you consider selling your daughters into prostitution to raise money? Not only do you then have one less mouth to feed, but you also are given money to help with the remaining family members. There are many communities where such a choice is faced often.

To learn more about this incredible ministry, to order booklets, and to send donations to this please click here: http://www.photogenx.net/index.htm