Prayers will be given Tuesday evening for those who suffer from, give care to people with or live with mental illnesses.
The local membership of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will hold its annual candlelight vigil at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday on the lawn of the Leflore County Courthouse.
Edwina McCain, president of the local NAMI affiliate, will emcee the program. The Rev. Melvin Jones of St. Peter Rock Missionary Baptist Church will give the invocation.
Secelia Henderson will speak about living with mental illness, and Berry Allison will talk about caring for a loved one with a mental illness.
The West Singers will provide a musical selection.
The event is held to help the community to learn more about the symptoms of mental illness and understand its impact on society and reach out to individuals suffering from various mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, McCain said.
The vigil will mark the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week, which extends through Saturday. The weeklong recognition of advances in and living with mental illness has been held nationally since 1990, which it was started by Congress.
The candles, said McCain, are lit during the service so that "God will help us dispel ignorance and misinformation about major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, severe anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder."
