WIHAN to host event for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

Religious and secular leaders in Washtenaw will participate in the county's second annual observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Feb 14 at 1-3 p.m. Washtenaw Sheriff Jerry Clayton will be among those at the event, urging residents to get tested and to care for their neighbors who are HIV positive.
The event, which is hosted by the Washtenaw Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, will be held at Browns Chapel AME Church in Ypsilanti.
Victory in Praise, a gospel group, will be among the musical ensembles headlining the event. Speakers will include Rev. Jerry Hatter of Browns Chapel, Pastor Ken White of Huron Hills Baptist Church and WIHAN Executive Director Phil Volk. Pastor Johnnie Joplin of Jesus Christ Our Lord Ministries in Ypsilanti will serve as master of ceremonies.
Volk founded WIHAN in 2004 after speaking that year at the University of Michigan's candlelight vigil on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.
"Because it was a chilly evening, I only spoke briefly," Volk recalled. "I spoke about our spiritual oneness, and how the pain of one affects all of us. As I was leaving to go inside one young person with AIDS came over and hugged me, saying, 'I thought God and you guys (spiritual people) had abandoned us.' This hit me like a thunderbolt, but God guided my words. I said, 'God loves you and we haven't abandoned you, we're just unorganized.'"
"Those words have echoed in my ears ever since," Volk said. "It was that evening that the Washtenaw Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network was truly born. Since that time, we have been looking for faith communities and spiritual people who wish to help and HIV/AIDS organizations that need help. We seek to bring the two together. Through spiritual affirmation, awareness-building and advocacy, we will bring healing to individuals and to the community."
The observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, which is free and open to the public, continues Volk's and other people's ministry.
WIHAN is cosponsoring the event with the Ypsilanti-based HIV/AIDS Resource Center and Browns Chapel. HARC will also be on site, offering free and confidential HIV testing downstairs during the event. The testing is pain-free and does not involved needles.