Churches
When Jesus walked the earth, he healed people who were marginalized by disease.
Your church can continue the work of Jesus today by partnering with Hope Rises International (formerly American Leprosy Missions).
Ways to Get Involved
Give
Pray
Would you like us to pray for you too?
Please consider joining us in prayer for this work. These prayer prompts can be a helpful starting point.
Praise God for His Provision for Hope Rises International
Through our faithful donors, Hope Rises International (formerly American Leprosy Missions) has been able to serve as a channel of Christ’s love to people suffering from leprosy and other neglected tropical diseases for more than 100 years.
Praise God for the Safety and Well-Being of Our Partners
We are grateful for His protection over our partners as they carry out the mission in challenging and often difficult circumstances around the world.
Pray for an End to the Disease of Leprosy
Ask God to bring an end to this terrible disease and to provide healing for the 2–3 million people currently living with the lifelong consequences of leprosy, including disabilities and social isolation.
Pray for Guidance and Vision for Our Staff
Pray that God would grant wisdom and direction as our staff work to fulfill the goals outlined in our strategic plan. Ask Him to provide clarity of vision as we seek to discern His will for the future of Hope Rises International.
Pray for Churches and Partners to Spread Hope and Healing
Ask God to empower churches and partners in affected countries to rise up with compassion and strength, bringing hope and healing to those suffering from neglected diseases.
Pray for Restoration and the Breaking of Stigma
Pray that individuals would not only experience physical healing but also be restored to their communities. Ask God to break the stigma that prevents people from seeking and receiving treatment and to restore them to lives of dignity and hope.
Pray for the Development of a Leprosy Vaccine
Hope Rises International has worked for many years on the development of LepVax, and we are currently in the middle of this crucial process. Praise God for His continued provision and for paving the way for the advancement of this important project.
Partner with Hope Rises International
Your church can play a significant role in sharing Christ’s love with some of the most marginalized people worldwide. By choosing to financially support Hope Rises International your church is choosing to invest in training local pastors and faith leaders to care for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of individuals and communities suffering from neglected tropical diseases like leprosy.
You can choose to partner in this mission by:
- Making a one-time gift online now
- Supporting a specific project
- Incorporating our ministry into your church missions program.
Through your partnership, you and your church can demonstrate Christ’s love by ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of some of the most marginalized people in the world: those affected by leprosy and related diseases.
Contact churches@hoperises.org or 1.800.543.3135 for more information.


Raise Awareness
One of our most popular projects is “Pete the Pig,” inspired by a boy named Wilbur who, in 1913, bought a little piglet and named him Pete. When Pete was big and fat, Wilbur took him to the market and sold him for $25.
Wilbur then donated the $25 to American Leprosy Missions (now Hope Rises International) to help cure and care for people affected by leprosy. Today children can collect their coins in piggy banks and use that money to help people suffering from leprosy and related diseases.
Download the “Pete the Pig” materials: the story of Wilbur and Pete, information about leprosy and a fun piggy bank activity.
Participate in World Leprosy Day
January 26, 2026
For more than 60 years, on the last Sunday of January, thousands of people across the globe have stopped to remember those who suffer from leprosy. World Leprosy Day helps to focus on the needs of some of the poorest and most marginalized people in the world – those affected by leprosy.
Learn More
Hope Starts With Healing
Right now, men, women, and children are suffering—isolated by disease, alone in their pain, and without hope. But together, we can change that.
From delivering critical medicines and supplies to equipping pastors with training and resources to care for their communities, we are reaching even the most marginalized people with the healing and hope they most desperately need. With your support today, Hope Rises!
