AUT UM N ’16
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‘CHILDREN ARE A HERITAGE FROM THE LORD’ Psalm 127:3
www.tearfund.org
ETHIOPIA CRISIS
JESUS IS COMING
PRAYER TRIPS
Resilience from self-help groups
Celebrating Christmas
Come and pray in India
2 . PRAYER DIARY
WELCOME... DISPELLING THE DARKNESS ‘The Tearfund Prayer Trips had a profound impact in changing the atmosphere specifically around trafficking,’ says Prince David, Tearfund’s India Country Representative. ‘Partner staff have a better understanding and increased confidence in protecting extremely vulnerable children in high-risk red light areas. ‘In a few communities no children were trafficked for more than a year. Trafficking of children is a very dark business and when people pray darkness dispels.’ I hope you are encouraged to read about how much of a difference Tearfund’s Prayer Trips have made to the spiritual atmosphere in India. These visits are for anyone to come and pray in a country for people and for situations to change. You don’t have to be a ‘prayer warrior’, but if you are excited to take this amazing opportunity we’d love to hear from you. They offer you the opportunity to link with our partners overseas to encourage and strengthen their work in the community. Our next Tearfund Prayer Trip to India will take place over Easter in April 2017 for ten days. This is what one of those who took part in a previous trip had to say: ‘When it was time to pray, I asked if we could pray specifically for families who’d lost a child to trafficking. I was expecting a few people to come forward. I was stopped in my tracks when told that every family had been touched by trafficking – they all need prayer.’ The deadline for applications is 30 December, visit www.tearfund.org/go for full details or call 020 8943 7777 – it promises to be a life-changing experience.
Peter Shaw, Editor twitter @TearTimes | email editor@tearfund.org
Photo: Ralph Hodgson/Tearfund
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CONTENTS 04 Resilience through self-help How small groups combat hunger 06 Speak up for creation Climate change prayers 06 Willing to work Giving thanks for livelihoods 07 Water flowing in Nepal The gift of clean water 08 Feeding the hungry in Burundi Prayer for this impoverished nation 09 Light of hope Children threatened by trafficking 10 Quenching the DRC Water and sanitation in DR Congo 11 Surviving Ebola Praying for affected families 12 Lost in Lebanon Lifting up Syrian refugees 13 Livelihoods in Laos Ending the cycle of poverty 14 Challenging HIV stigma Prayer for acceptance in Cambodia 15 Confronting injustice Lifting up our advocacy work 16 Jesus is coming Christmas prayers and celebration 19 Hope in action Praising God for our fundraisers 20 When faith lives on Thanking the Lord for final gifts 21 Instability in Niger Lifting up this vulnerable nation 22 Small group reflection Focus on hungry families in Chad 23 Prayer resources More opportunities to pray
THE LORD BLESSES THE DWELLING OF THE RIGHTEOUS PROVERBS 3:33
Copyright Š Tearfund 2016. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for the reproduction of text from this publication for Tearfund promotional use. For all other uses, please contact us. Cover image: Mother and baby at a nutrition project, Burundi Photo: Will Baxter/Tearfund
Photo: Eleanor Bentall/Tearfund
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RESILIENCE THROUGH SELF-HELP: 25 SEPTEMBER – 1 OCTOBER In Ethiopia, the transforming power of self-help groups (SHGs) can be seen as the number continues to grow, with now more than 18,000 SHGs and 330,000 members. Tearfund is supporting families as they struggle to recover from the worst drought in 50 years. As part of your prayers this week, we encourage you to set aside a small amount of money – something like 20p. As you do so, remember and identify with the people who are saving together as part of SHGs.
SUNDAY 25 SEPTEMBER SHGs are often made up of the poorest people in the community, who are able to make a savings contribution of only 0.25 Ethiopian birr (a fraction of a penny) per week. Pray that God would increase the determination of people to take this first step in changing their own lives. MONDAY 26 SEPTEMBER As members of SHGs are becoming more resilient, the drought in Ethiopia has caused low crop yields, the death of livestock and is too severe for people to cope alone. Thank God for the assistance of Tearfund’s emergency cash grants to the SHGs, which have enabled families to buy food and helped them to protect their livelihoods.
TUESDAY 27 SEPTEMBER The increased confidence and solidarity found from SHGs enables people to move from being passive recipients to active participants in community development. Praise God that this echoes Romans 12:2: ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ WEDNESDAY 28 SEPTEMBER Tearfund is running a participative process with SHGs that enables members to identify their own vulnerabilities and opportunities, and then design action plans. Pray that people will be empowered to find their own creative, sustainable solutions to chronic issues such as drought.
Government food distribution in Ethiopia’s Fentalle district Photo: Marco van der Graaf/TEAR Netherlands
THURSDAY 29 SEPTEMBER One of the most important factors in surviving a crisis is the strength of your social network. As Gele says, ‘as long as we are alive and breathing we want to meet and discuss how to cope with the problem.’ Thank God that the relationships formed through depending on each other in SHGs are such a source of strength. FRIDAY 30 SEPTEMBER From having no income and saving just 0.5 Ethiopian birr per week, Firehiwot moved from selling onions and then clothing. Now she has a shop! Thank God for the multiplication that is possible and for the living out of the reality, ‘You entrusted me with a few talents. See, I have gained even more.’ Matthew 25:20
‘YOU ENTRUSTED ME WITH A FEW TALENTS. SEE, I HAVE GAINED EVEN MORE’
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SATURDAY 1 OCTOBER Dear Lord, thank you that you are a God of multiplication. Thank you that you can use our small amount of five loaves and two fishes, and with it you can have a massive impact. Help me to never underestimate the value of what I can bring. SUNDAY 2 OCTOBER The existing structures of SHG groups, local clusters and a growing number of district level groups enable them to influence and lobby local governments and advocate on behalf of the poor and those in need. Praise God for the growing SHG networks, and pray that they will continue to empower others and transform lives. MONDAY 3 OCTOBER Just a few years ago, gang violence and crime were on the rise in the community in one of the Kebeles. Now, with the establishment of a SHG and government collaboration, peace and security is slowly being restored. Give thanks to God for the miraculous change. TUESDAY 4 OCTOBER For Leila, her experience of a SHG has transformed her life. When faced with hard times she says, ‘I always thought of my other family – my self-help
group, the lively conversations, the laughter, the love and care I experienced. My group was my hope through difficult times.’ Praise God that Leila and others like her have experienced God’s love through the work of SHGs. WEDNESDAY 5 OCTOBER Many members are now working in government positions and are a testament to the SHG approach to transforming lives. Meseret, a SHG member, is actively involved in working in children’s and women’s affairs, enterprise and anti-corruption work. Praise God for individuals like Meseret who are making a difference to the lives of others. Pray that more people will rise up and start to bring change to their communities. THURSDAY 6 OCTOBER Continue to lift up communities that have been affected by drought and the ongoing food crisis, where Tearfund has been distributing livestock fodder. Psalm 25:1 says, ‘In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.’ Pray for every need to be met and for hunger to be eliminated in this nation.
Fentalle food distribution project, run by Tearfund partner Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church Photo:Tadesse Dadi/Tearfund
FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER Pray for courage and strength for those setting up new SHGs, and for wisdom when involved in politics and lobbying local governments. Pray that these groups will bring long-lasting change and transforming impact for many, bringing renewed hope and life in Jesus’ name.
‘MY SELF-HELP GROUP WAS MY HOPE THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES’ SATURDAY 8 OCTOBER Dear Lord, we commit the situation in Ethiopia into your hands and ask that you bring comfort to people in need. We thank you for the growth of SHGs and praise you for the wonderful progress taking place within communities today. We ask for your guidance and counsel for those working in partnership with government organisations. Amen. Take the money that you have saved over the last two weeks and use it to bless or encourage someone!
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SPEAK UP FOR CREATION: 9 – 15 OCTOBER This week’s prayers are about the church responding to climate change – in Africa, here in the UK, and across the world. We are joining with the Climate Coalition’s Speak Up Week of Action. Across the UK this week, people will meet their local MPs in their constituency to say why they care about climate change and ask them to do more.
SUNDAY 9 OCTOBER ‘And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?’ Luke 18:7 Give thanks for last year’s Paris Agreement on climate, which the UK and 200 other countries signed. Pray that each nation will follow through on their pledges. MONDAY 10 OCTOBER Pray for your local MP, for God to put climate on their heart and convict them of the urgency. Pray for the conversation they have with constituents as part of the Speak Up Week of Action – you could visit www.tearfund.org/speakup to see when it is. In Scotland people lobbied their MSPs instead, at Holyrood two weeks ago – pray those meetings had an impact. Lobbying in Westminster, London
TUESDAY 11 OCTOBER Lord, we ask for forgiveness for where, through carelessness and greed, we have allowed the destruction of what you have commanded us to care for. We are sorry that so often it is the poorest people who suffer when the environment is damaged. WEDNESDAY 12 OCTOBER Give thanks that church leaders are prophetically calling for action on climate change. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recently declared climate a global priority. Pray blessing on the global Anglican communion as it works this out in practice. The Tearfund Nigeria office is working with church leaders to call Christians to action on climate change – pray for protection and wisdom for those Nigerian pastors.
THURSDAY 13 OCTOBER Seventy-two young Anglicans from southern African countries recently attended a Tearfundfunded workshop to learn how to become more effective advocates on the environment. Pray for them, now back in their home countries, as they work to bring about change on issues such as, soil erosion, deforestation, mining and pollution.
‘AND WILL NOT GOD BRING ABOUT JUSTICE FOR HIS CHOSEN ONES, WHO CRY OUT TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT?’ FRIDAY 14 OCTOBER Shadreck Nyanja, who attended our Green Anglican workshop, describes himself and fellow advocates as ‘young people who are seriously affected by climate change’. Millions of Malawians are suffering hunger and food insecurity from drought. Shadreck and colleagues have brought together Malawian youth leaders to form a church response. Pray that their efforts will be blessed, and that the Malawian church can make an impact. SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER Dear Lord, we pray that you will help us to prevent the world getting warmer than 1.5 degrees Celsius. We pray that poor communities will be able to thrive and escape from poverty. Please use world leaders and ordinary people, and we ask that you will give the church the grace to take the lead. Amen. Photo: Clive Mear/Tearfund & The Climate Coalition
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WATER FLOWING IN NEPAL: 16 – 22 OCTOBER The April and May 2015 earthquakes in Nepal caused significant damage to infrastructure. As well as shelter, schooling and livelihoods, essential water supplies were also affected. Tearfund has been supporting communities to return to normal life by rehabilitating 12 gravity-fed water systems in Makwanpur district, central Nepal. Tearfund is supporting families in Nepal with clean water
SUNDAY 16 OCTOBER Springs are a great source of clean water as most contaminants have been filtered out by the soil. They occur where the water table meets ground level. Following the earthquake, the water table shifted, leaving some communities without clean water. Be thankful that we have safe water to drink and pray for those who suffer without. MONDAY 17 OCTOBER Pipelines are used to transfer water from source to community. In Agra, the pipeline was destroyed by a landslide following the earthquake. Tearfund has provided funds and expertise to re-establish the pipeline and water supply. Pray for the connections Tearfund is making with new communities and for these to be used to bring holistic transformation. TUESDAY 18 OCTOBER Storage tanks are used to collect water in low demand periods, for use during high demand periods. In the same way that the reservoir tanks fill up, so they can deliver water when it’s needed, we are building the capacity of communities, so that they are better prepared next time disaster strikes.
WEDNESDAY 19 OCTOBER Jesus told the Samaritan women at the well: ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst...’ (John 4:13-14) Pray that, as people draw water from the tap stands, they would also remember the water of life that Christ offers us. THURSDAY 20 OCTOBER ‘We are grateful, not only that you funded the rehabilitation work, but you have also come to see it. This makes me so so happy,’ says Budhi. We should not underestimate the value of personal connection. The community in which Budhi lives was amazed that people would walk 2.5 hours to reach them and were thrilled to show us the repair work they had implemented. Thank God for the enthusiasm and commitment of beneficiaries like Budhi, working hard to build a better future.
Pray for the Community Mobilisers as they roll this out and pray that communities would find effective, innovative solutions. SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER Successful water systems rely on good maintenance. Tearfund encourages local people to form committees to take responsibility for monitoring and maintaining the system – supplying spare parts where needed and promoting proper use. Tearfund cannot intervene indefinitely, so pray that these committees would be effective and sustainable in the long term, for the benefit of the whole community.
FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER A Tearfund partner is being trained in a tool that helps communities assess the vulnerability of their environment to natural hazards and find ways to reduce this – for example, by planting trees to minimise the risk of landslides.
Photos: Tom Price/Tearfund, Eleanor Bentall/Tearfund
Successful water systems need to be maintained
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FEEDING THE HUNGRY IN BURUNDI: 23 - 29 OCTOBER
Butoyi in his banana plantation in Rurengera, Burundi
SUNDAY 23 OCTOBER Food crises always hit the most vulnerable first. Boniface worked hard to support his family until he contracted malaria. ‘Now I have trouble walking. As long as I cannot work, food will be difficult to find.’ We pray for Boniface and for all who are struggling to feed themselves and their families. MONDAY 24 OCTOBER Violence forced Léoncie and her family to flee their village. Their home was burnt down and they lost all their possessions. They were severely malnourished when Fraternité Evangélistique du Christ en Afrique au Burundi (FECABU), a Tearfund partner, provided help through the local church. FECABU is running emergency feeding centres near Bujumbura. Give thanks for churches reaching out to their communities and pray that God will give strength and courage to all our partners.
Political instability is causing widespread suffering for huge numbers of people in Burundi. Nearly a year of insecurity and violence has left 900,000 people facing hunger, unable to cope with the economic fallout and rising food prices following a disputed presidential election. Poverty is already widespread in Burundi, where nine in ten people rely on small-scale farming for a living.
WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER Pray for Burundians to discover their true potential. Arthémon, an amputee, used to beg on the street corner and felt ‘completely useless’. Tearfund partner FECABU invited Arthémon and his wife to a seminar. There he realised that God had given him many abilities, and he now grows banana plants, earning money for food and school fees for his children. ‘Now I know I am as useful as other men, and the community values me.’ THURSDAY 27 OCTOBER Emmanuel Murangira is Tearfund’s Country Representative for Burundi and Rwanda. Pray for God’s strength, wisdom and guidance for Emmanuel as he supports Tearfund partners to follow Jesus where the need is greatest.
TUESDAY 25 OCTOBER Agnes’ seven-year-old daughter, Yvette, was badly malnourished until a Tearfund partner offered help. ‘We were taught about different types of food and how we can combine them to have a balanced diet,’ said Agnes. ‘Now my daughter has started primary school, when before she could not even walk.’ Pray that children in Burundi will have the food and security they need to enjoy a proper childhood. Photos: Will Baxter/Tearfund
Boniface, from Rurengera village, Burundi
FRIDAY 28 OCTOBER The lives of Burundians will not improve without lasting security. Pray for peace in Burundi, so that the country can recover economically. Pray for an end to fear, violence and killing, and that the President will make wise decisions to benefit all in Burundi. SATURDAY 29 OCTOBER ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink… truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:35, 40 Father, we pray for your light to shine through your church in Burundi. We pray for your love, forgiveness and justice to prevail and for the violence to end.
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THE LIGHT OF HOPE: 30 OCTOBER – 5 NOVEMBER The master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.’ Luke 14:23
A girl in Bihar, India, where trafficking is a daily threat
SUNDAY 30 OCTOBER Many children trafficked into Mumbai enter through the city’s train stations. Often fleeing hunger, poverty and disaster, the children arrive with nothing but false promises of future jobs and security. Every day, Tearfund partners work in and around the main stations seeking out children in distress – providing a final safety net to prevent them being taken. Pray that more children would be kept safe. MONDAY 31 OCTOBER Tonight around 15 children will arrive at a night shelter in Mumbai’s red-light district. The centre, run by Tearfund partner Oasis India, provides safety for children of women who have been trafficked. Praise God that here they are able to talk about their lives, get help with their homework, are fed, and given a safe place to sleep.
‘THEY NEVER ASKED ANYTHING FROM ME – THEY PROVIDED LOVE AND CARE’
In India, Tearfund partners go into the most troubled parts of cities like Mumbai – to invite outcast and damaged people to the party. This week join us in praying for children and their families affected by trafficking.
TUESDAY 1 NOVEMBER ‘I was uneducated and illiterate, I didn’t know how to do anything else to survive,’ says Anisha, who was sold into the sex trade aged 11. Freeing children from forced prostitution usually means providing alternative employment and life skill training. Pray that the women survivors our partners support would find job opportunities and that we can bring childhood back to life for the young ones living in high risk areas.
WEDNESDAY 2 NOVEMBER It’s difficult reaching out to the most vulnerable in Mumbai’s brothels, helping children and young people deal with emotional and physical scars and patrolling railway stations for new victims. Pray for our partners on the front line, that they would know God’s peace, protection and strength. THURSDAY 3 NOVEMBER ‘We think it’s about us bringing Christ, actually it’s about Christ bringing us,’ said one Indian church pastor. More churches in Mumbai have begun to engage with the work in the red-light district – providing volunteers
to help with outreach. If more were involved, more could be achieved. Pray for more local and national churches to hear Christ’s call. FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER People living in Mumbai’s redlight district can sometimes reject the support offered to them. If they do accept it, they find unconditional love. ‘They never asked anything from me,’ said one child. ‘They provided love and care. They cried and smiled with me.’ Pray more people would find the courage to accept the support they need. SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER For children and young people rescued from Mumbai’s brothels, our partners provide intense rehabilitation support, through counselling, life skills and employment training. Pray for those survivors currently being helped, that they would have the strength to carry on, and for those who find it too hard to escape what they’ve known.
Photo: James Morgan/Tearfund
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QUENCHING THE DRC: 6 - 12 NOVEMBER As a country suffering long-term conflict, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been greatly affected by a lack of clean water and sanitation. Young children and women often have to walk many hours each day to collect water. Tearfund are part of the SWIFT Consortium (Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Fragile Contexts) which has been providing better access to water, sanitation and hygiene and transforming vulnerable villages into thriving communities.
SUNDAY 6 NOVEMBER In Acibalongo village, prompted by them coming together to construct latrines, families have started to think about the other needs of their community. They discovered that there were six qualified teachers living in the village and so have put plans in place to start a primary school. Pray that the school will be a success – educating a new generation in Acibalongo.
TUESDAY 8 NOVEMBER Ungwa Sangani from Lulinda in the DRC used to wake at 4am each day and take a two-hour trek to collect water. There has been a significant improvement in the health of her children since Lulinda received access to clean, safe water through the SWIFT programme. Praise God that Ungwa says, ‘I’ve noticed that my children are less sick now.’
MONDAY 7 NOVEMBER The village of Mwatembo now has three community health clubs, which has had a huge impact on hygiene and cleanliness. Members have been inspired to share their new found knowledge with other villages to encourage them to get involved. Praise God that health education can be a blessing to so many people.
WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER Thank God for the work of SWIFT in South Kivu, where a new gravity-fed water system means households have to walk just ten minutes to get clean water, and ‘Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.’ Proverbs 25:25
THURSDAY 10 NOVEMBER A recent workshop allowed 23 representatives of the SWIFT Consortium in the DRC to explore different avenues of sustainability, and helped the agencies to apply them to their own unique programmes. Pray that their enthusiasm for development will encourage others to strive for the best results. FRIDAY 11 NOVEMBER Thanks to Tearfund’s work with SWIFT, the people in Kasongo in Maniema province now have access to safe and sustainable water for the first time in 25 years. When one lady saw water pour out of a pipe she said, ‘I have lived here my entire life, and I didn’t know what this pipe was for!’ Thank God for his grace and provision and pray that his people find hope through the provision of water. SATURDAY 12 NOVEMBER Lord, we thank you that such a joy can be received from something as simple as water, that people in communities where SWIFT is working in DRC are able to follow new dreams now that something so basic has been satisfied. Pray that this work will continue to develop in this area so that clean water flows throughout the country. Amen.
Maintaining a SWIFT project water point in Kasongo, DRC Photo: Jimmy Likagwa/Eagles Malawi
Photo: Nathanael Hollands/Tearfund
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SURVIVING EBOLA: 13 – 19 NOVEMBER
FRIDAY 18 NOVEMBER ‘But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.’ Isaiah 40:31
The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was the most widespread Ebola epidemic in history, affecting thousands of people and causing huge loss of life. Pray with us this week for people in Sierra Leone and Liberia who have been affected by Ebola, and for families who have lost friends and loved ones.
SUNDAY 13 NOVEMBER When Ebola hit the Thimborno community in Port Loko, many people were taken ill with just a few surviving the virus. Despite desperate times, there has been great hope. Tearfund partner the Evangelical Fellowship of Sierra Leone (EFSL) brought in food, tools and seeds to help with farming, and slowly the community has started to rebuild. Praise God, and give thanks to him for this great progress. MONDAY 14 NOVEMBER Disaster struck Esther’s family when both her father and brother were taken ill and died from Ebola. Tearfund partner the Association of Evangelicals of Liberia (AEL) stepped in to deliver support and skills training so that Esther could provide a better living for her family. Praise God that she has started her own business and discovered her God-given potential.
WEDNESDAY 16 NOVEMBER As an Ebola survivor, Nyamenah is just one of many who has shown great resilience and perseverance to rebuild life for her and her family. With support from Tearfund partner Equip, Nyamenah has started a successful coal business and is now looking towards a bright future. Praise God for Nyamenah and others like her as they start to realise all the plans that God has in store.
Today, pray for Tearfund partners who work to bring hope and dignity to those who have been affected by Ebola. Ask God to fill them with renewed vision and strength. SATURDAY 19 NOVEMBER Dear Lord, we lift up the people in Sierra Leone and Liberia as they continue to rebuild their lives and homes. We pray for those affected by Ebola and ask for your peace to be with them. Be near to the brokenhearted and surround them with your love. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
THURSDAY 17 NOVEMBER Doris lost both her husband and mother to Ebola, but with the help of Tearfund partners AEL and the Young Women’s Christian Association she has been able to build a successful fish business. Now, she provides a sustainable living for her family. Pray for God’s continued provision for Doris, her family, and others like her.
TUESDAY 15 NOVEMBER ‘God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.’ Psalm 46:1 Pray for those who mourn and ask for God’s peace to be with people who have lost loved ones. Ask that the love of God will continue to shine through, even in the darkest hours. Mariama with her child at the Sierra Leone Association of Ebola Survivors in Moyambae Photo: Layton Thompson/Tearfund
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LOST IN LEBANON: 20 – 26 NOVEMBER Tearfund partners continue to support struggling Syrian refugee families fleeing the fighting in Lebanon through food distribution and hygiene kits. This week we pray for those families caught up in the conflict, that you would supply their needs and keep them safe.
SUNDAY 20 NOVEMBER ‘My youngest daughter sometimes cries because we don’t have enough milk to give her,’ says Howeida, whose Syrian family have fled the fighting to live in Lebanon, supported by Tearfund’s provision of food vouchers. ‘We are very thankful,’ she says. Pray for Howeida and her children, and that her husband would be restored to good health and find work. MONDAY 21 NOVEMBER ‘In Lebanon I can smell the air that comes from Syria. I feel Syria and Lebanon are the same. My country and home.’ Pray for those, like this grandmother, who long to return to their birthplace. Pray that they would find hospitality from the citizens around them, and comfort in God.
TUESDAY 22 NOVEMBER ‘I’d like to thank all the Tearfund supporters who are providing us with food vouchers every month,’ says Um Rabih. ‘It’s a great blessing.’ She fled to Lebanon with her husband and three children when the shelling in their home town, Homs, became unbearable. Pray that God will provide for their daily needs – they arrived with just a few small bags of clothes. WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER ‘The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness…’ Deuteronomy 2:7 Pray for God’s provision for refugees in Lebanon, through our partners. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
THURSDAY 24 NOVEMBER Ahmad, aged 13, who receives regular food vouchers from Tearfund, lives in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. He is part of what has been termed a ‘lost generation’ – refugee children who have missed up to five years of education because of the war in Syria. Pray for children like Ahmad, that they will have their schooling restored. FRIDAY 25 NOVEMBER The Hammoud family is one of the poorest families Tearfund partner Heart for Lebanon serves. All ten of them live in one small rickety tent. Pray for the family as they suffer once again in the winter months, that they would stay in good health, and that Heart for Lebanon will continue to reach out to them with love and practical help. SATURDAY 26 NOVEMBER Heavenly Father, thank you that you are our rock, our fortress and our salvation. We pray for Tearfund’s partners as they seek to bring security to displaced families in the Middle East. We pray that you would intervene in the lives of those people, and that they would know something of the great comfort that comes from finding a home in your loving kindness.
Bash receives her monthly food parcel from Tearfund partner Heart4Lebanon Photo: Stella Chetham/Tearfund
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LIVELIHOODS IN LAOS: 27 NOVEMBER - 3 DECEMBER Much of Tearfund’s work in Laos, South-East Asia, focuses on vulnerable migrant communities who have limited access to livelihood opportunities, services and financial reserves. Our partners reverse the cycles of poverty that trap people.
Noy, who returned home to Laos after working in a factory in Thailand
SUNDAY 27 NOVEMBER Me Not’s son was experiencing severe stomach pain. She left her three children in Laos and travelled three hours to reach a hospital in Thailand because doctors at her local clinic lacked the skills for a diagnosis. ‘I was very scared and worried that my son would die,’ she says. Pray for knowledge for those who work in healthcare in poor communities. MONDAY 28 NOVEMBER Treatment is costly and Me Not is now in debt. Her lender charges 5 per cent interest and seven months later, she is no closer to paying this off. Her situation is representative of many others. Pray that God would help families to make wise decisions with their resources and that moneylenders will be driven by compassion not selfishness. TUESDAY 29 NOVEMBER Sixteen-year-old Noy could not afford to progress beyond primary education. Instead, she went to work in a Thai cookie factory, hoping to earn sufficient income to support her family. Long hours and strenuous work led Noy to return home after one year. Give thanks for the policies and laws that protect our rights in the UK workplace.
Photos: Taylor Jashinsky/World Concern Laos
WEDNESDAY 30 NOVEMBER Back home, Noy took a sewing course run by Tearfund partner World Concern. She now offers professional sewing and tailoring services, earning a decent wage from the comfort of her home. ‘Here it is so much better for me to work,’ Noy explains, ‘I am my own boss and I can earn more money doing something I enjoy.’ Give thanks for Noy’s business and pray she would inspire others in the community. THURSDAY 1 DECEMBER Kiam was married at 13 and now aged 18, she has responsibility to care for her parents, younger siblings, husband and children. Many young women feel pressured to marry early, to lessen the financial pressure on their parents. Pray for young women like Kiam, as they transition from the innocence of childhood to raising and providing for a family. FRIDAY 2 DECEMBER ‘We do not have enough money or food to eat,’ explains Kiam. With few options available, Kiam travelled to find work in Thailand. She now faces 15-hour working days, poor conditions and the threat of trafficking. Tearfund partners are working with women like Kiam to provide new livelihood opportunities locally. Pray these initiatives would be fruitful and reach the most vulnerable.
‘WHOEVER DRINKS THE WATER I GIVE THEM WILL NEVER THIRST...’ SATURDAY 3 DECEMBER Reflect and give thanks for the work God has given you to do, paid or not. Remind yourself: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.’ Colossians 3:23 Ask God to help you do this and consider what you can do to help those around you. Young girl in rural Laos
CHALLENGING HIV STIGMA IN CAMBODIA: 4 – 10 DECEMBER In Kimloon’s village of Kor, Cambodia, stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV remain a common part of daily life. However, Tearfund’s partners are working with local communities to create understanding about HIV to restore broken relationships. As we pray this week, let us thank God for the transformative work happening in Cambodia and around the world.
Sokun from Cambodia trained by a Tearfund partner in agriculture Photo: Michael Owen/Tearfund
SUNDAY 4 DECEMBER In Isaiah 41:10 God tells us ‘do not fear, for I am with you’. Much of Tearfund’s HIV work, like in Kimloon’s community, confronts the fear and hurt caused by stigma. Lord, comfort those who are living with HIV – may they know your perfect love in a profound and powerful way.
TUESDAY 6 DECEMBER Those who have a long-term medical condition, such as HIV, or a disability, are often the most marginalised in their communities. Spend some time reflecting on those in your community who are vulnerable and face exclusion. Lord, help me to love and reach out to people shunned in my community.
MONDAY 5 DECEMBER ‘I learnt about HIV, and from then on I didn’t hate or feel afraid of people with HIV,’ says Kimloon. Lord, we praise you for the work of Tearfund’s partners who educate people in communities to understand HIV, dispel fear and eliminate stigma.
WEDNESDAY 7 DECEMBER Relationships are often placed under immense strain when a family member is diagnosed with HIV. Lord, we lift up those whose loved ones are living with HIV, and we ask that they know your strength and comfort as they come to terms with what it means to their family. May they know you as God the provider. THURSDAY 8 DECEMBER Before she attended the training about HIV, Kimloon says she discriminated against people who were infected, because she could not understand HIV. Lord, show us how to have compassion for those with HIV around the world and within our communities, even when we want to jump to conclusions or do not understand.
Skills training programme set up through Tearfund’s partner
FRIDAY 9 DECEMBER Tearfund’s partners work in communities around the world to bring hope and restoration, where HIV has devastated relationships and livelihoods. Lord, we give you thanks for the healing that has already taken place, and we ask that you continue to guide and strengthen our partners as they work to restore relationships. SATURDAY 10 DECEMBER Loving Father, we ask for your church to be a beacon of light around the world, bringing hope to people living with HIV. We pray you would equip church leaders with the wisdom and discernment to share your love and bring healing to their local communities. Amen.
‘NOW I DON’T HATE OR FEEL AFRAID OF PEOPLE WITH HIV’ Photo: Jamie Fyleman/Tearfund
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CONFRONTING INJUSTICE: 11-17 DECEMBER 2016 This week we remember the many Tearfund partners who are challenging injustice. They do this by calling on their government ministers and local authority officials to create and implement laws that work in favour of people living in poverty. And to be transparent in spending public money.
SUNDAY 11 DECEMBER In recent years, Tearfund partner Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT) have lobbied their government to regulate the extraction of oil, gas, metals and minerals. Give thanks that this recently led to several new laws, which promote open, transparent and accountable management of Tanzania’s natural resources. Pray that natural resource wealth will soon start to benefit the country’s citizens and no longer get lost to corruption. MONDAY 12 DECEMBER The indigenous people of Honduras do not have ready access to healthcare provision, something that Tearfund partner, Associacion Vida, advocates tirelessly to change. Please pray as they hold their government accountable for the distribution of medicines, that these drugs would reach those who need them in the indigenous communities. TUESDAY 13 DECEMBER Give thanks for Tearfund partners, Christian Rural and Urban Development Association and Rural Development Counsellors for Christian Churches in Africa, who have worked with the Church of Nigeria to develop a Creation Care strategy. This is being used to set the benchmark for local churches in environmental sustainability. It is also being used to hold the Federal Photos: José Trejo Livias/Peace and Hope
Distribution of water purification kits following the Ecuador earthquake
Government Ministry for the Environment accountable for the government’s United Nations climate change obligations. WEDNESDAY 14 DECEMBER Earlier this year, Ecuador suffered a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, resulting in many people losing their homes and livelihoods. Pray for Tearfund’s partners who are supporting the response and particularly for those who are calling on the government to build back better. THURSDAY 15 DECEMBER In Uganda, central government allocates funds to local authorities for spending on community development projects. Praise God for our partner, Pentecostal Assemblies of God, who have been envisioning local churches to help their communities identify and prioritise their needs, speak with their government officials, and access public money to pay for basic services, such as sanitation, healthcare and education.
FRIDAY 16 DECEMBER Give thanks for Tearfund partner, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), which has convened a series of meetings for the heads of the country’s church denominations. As a result, they have agreed a vision, captured in a strong joint statement: The Zimbabwe We Want. Pray for EFZ as they use this to call on politicians and church leaders to work together to find solutions to the country’s challenges. SATURDAY 17 DECEMBER ‘The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.’ Proverbs 29:7 Give thanks for all Tearfund’s partners who persevere in challenging and encouraging their governments to care about justice for people who are poor and marginalised.
Aftermath of the Ecuador earthquake on 16 April 2016
16 . PRAYER DIARY
JESUS IS COMING: 18 – 31 DECEMBER More than 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ our Saviour was born in Bethlehem. But anticipation of the Messiah’s coming started many hundreds of years before through prophecies of the Son of God born in human flesh. Verses from Deuteronomy, the Psalms, 2 Samuel, Isaiah, Hosea, Jeremiah and Micah – among others – tell us circumstances of Jesus’ birth and life... SUNDAY 18 DECEMBER The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. Deuteronomy 18:15 Lord, help us to hear and follow your voice in the Scriptures. Through all the busyness of Christmas, let us fix our eyes on Jesus. Amen.
Lord, we pray for children across the world who are suffering in some of the poorest places. Draw close to them this Christmas. Amen. WEDNESDAY 21 DECEMBER He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 2 Samuel 7:13
MONDAY 19 DECEMBER I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’ Psalm 2:7
Lord, thank you for churches on the frontline facing and overcoming poverty and injustice. We ask you to strengthen and encourage them. Amen.
Thank you, Lord, for sending us your Son, so that through believing in him we can become children of God (John 1:12). Help us recognise your image in everyone we meet. Amen.
THURSDAY 22 DECEMBER Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
TUESDAY 20 DECEMBER Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalm 8:2
Jesus is called Immanuel, which means God with us. He came into the world in humble circumstances – choosing to become poor. We ask you to be with us this Christmas. Amen.
FRIDAY 23 DECEMBER The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 Lord, we ask for you to shine your light in the darkest places on earth. We pray for people living with the darkness of injustice over their lives, and ask you to shine your light of compassion through your Church. Amen. CHRISTMAS EVE 24 DECEMBER He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. Isaiah 9:7 Pray today against corruption, particularly in countries where it locks communities in poverty. Bring your justice and righteousness, Jesus. Amen.
Syrian refugee children taking part in a Tearfund Christmas production from our partner Heart for Lebanon Photo: Stella Chetham/Tearfund
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‘THE PEOPLE WALKING IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT’ ISAIAH 9:2 CHRISTMAS DAY 25 DECEMBER A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’ Isaiah 40:3 No doubt you’ve been preparing for this day for many weeks. And while it’s good to celebrate with family and friends, let’s remember to make room for Christ. We welcome you, once again today, Jesus. MONDAY 26 DECEMBER He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Isaiah 53:3 Jesus, amid the joy and celebration of this week, we remember all that you suffered and that you died to save us from our sins. Thank you, Lord.
‘THE VIRGIN WILL GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND WILL CALL HIM IMMANUEL’ ISAIAH 7:14 Photos: Margaret Chandler/Tearfund
TUESDAY 27 DECEMBER He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. Isaiah 61:1 At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus quoted from Isaiah, declaring, ‘Today this Scripture is fulfilled’. Jesus, we ask you to be our guide as we bind up the brokenhearted, free people from captivity and release prisoners from darkness. Amen. WEDNESDAY 28 DECEMBER ‘When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.’ Hosea 11:1 One in every 122 people is now either a refugee, internally displaced or seeking asylum. When he was a child, Jesus and his family sought refuge in Egypt – fearing the wrath of King Herod. Jesus, we ask you to fill us with your compassion for the millions of refugees across the world. Amen. THURSDAY 29 DECEMBER ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.’ Jeremiah 23:5
Lord, we ask for your kingdom to come here on earth. Help us to play our part in bringing your justice to struggling families. Amen. FRIDAY 30 DECEMBER ‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.’ Micah 5:2 Thank you Jesus, that you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. You were there with the Father in the beginning and will come again to establish your reign of justice and peace (Revelation 19:11-21). Amen. SATURDAY 31 DECEMBER Lord, thank you for this year and for how you have demonstrated your love and continued to establish your kingdom across the world through your church. We praise you for the gift of your Son, Jesus, and his sacrifice that has set us free from sin and death. We welcome this coming year in your name and ask that you draw close to us. Amen.
18 . PRAYER DIARY
news Good poor to the
The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Jesus. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’ Luke 4:17-20
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HOPE IN ACTION: 1-7 JANUARY Tearfund’s supporters use their gifts and time to share about the life-changing work that God does through our partners. Speakers, fundraisers and campaigners of all ages – each of them plays an important part. They make sure more people are informed about Tearfund and help raise funds to support families where the need is greatest. Susanne from Windsor asked supermarkets for free baking ingredients for her Big Bake
SUNDAY 1 JANUARY As we start a new year, pray for our dedicated volunteer speakers. One of our speakers spoke at a church that had not given financially to Tearfund for more than 11 years, and there were no individuals giving regularly. In response to his talk, five people have started giving regularly, one person wants to volunteer and we received a cash gift of £500. MONDAY 2 JANUARY ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.’ Mark:12.43 Give thanks for an older Tearfund supporter in Wales who lives on a small pension, but still wanted to give to Tearfund. She saved up all her spare coins in a box. Over a few months, it grew to £104.60 and now she is saving again.
WEDNESDAY 4 JANUARY ‘Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.’ 1 Peter 4:10 Pray for our volunteers in their different roles and ask for more volunteers to come forward. Is volunteering for Tearfund something you could do? THURSDAY 5 JANUARY Susanne, from Windsor in Berkshire, persuaded local supermarkets to provide baking ingredients for free for her Big Bake – a Tearfund initiative that raises funds to protect vulnerable children. The sale took place on race day in Windsor, and praise God that so many visitors bought her cakes she sold out in just two hours.
FRIDAY 6 JANUARY St Mary’s Church in St Helens, Mersyside, is part of Tearfund’s Connected Church scheme, linked with our partners combatting human trafficking in India. God gave them a picture comparing the trafficked women to beautiful glassware which has been thrown from an upper window and smashed. Pray that the church in St Helen’s will help bring healing in India. SATURDAY 7 JANUARY Father we pray for those who serve you through volunteering, for their willing hearts and talents. Give them strength and courage as they share about Jesus’ love and the need for financial support for our brothers and sisters, and may there be great fruit as a result. Amen.
TUESDAY 3 JANUARY Ten-year-old Noah grew his hair for three years before cutting it off to raise money for Tearfund’s work combatting child trafficking. Incredibly, his hair was also used to provide a wig for a cancer patient. Noah wanted to help after hearing about children his age being trafficked. Thank God for children like Noah, and pray that the money he raised will protect many children. Photos: Hannah Awesome/Tearfund, Michael Owen/Tearfund
Tearfund supporters are using their baking skills to raise money
20 . PRAYER DIARY
WHEN FAITH LIVES ON: 8 – 14 JANUARY This week we are celebrating and thanking God for the lives of those who have left a life-giving gift in their will to Tearfund. Father, we are deeply grateful and praise you for the individual and community transformations that have been enabled by such generosity.
SUNDAY 8 JANUARY Described by one of his grandchildren as a true example of this call to servant-hearted evangelism, Dennis Pierce was from his youth committed to sharing the gospel of Christ Jesus. Thank God today for believers like Dennis Pierce who make known to others the eternal message of hope of the Gospel. MONDAY 9 JANUARY A young midwife in the 1940s, Kathleen Allen’s ‘radiant Christian faith was demonstrated in her compassion for those in need. During harsh winters (and using her nurse’s wage) she would buy and take bags of coal to families in need, ensuring they stayed warm.’ Pray that Christ’s compassion would fill your heart today. TUESDAY 10 JANUARY ‘Audrey Kerry was a loving mother, grandmother, Sunday school teacher and babysitter,’ daughter Linda remembers. ‘She
supported Tearfund for many years and we are very pleased to know that her legacy gift will help Tearfund transform the lives of families most in need.’ Thank God for people like Audrey who showed steadfast care and generosity. WEDNESDAY 11 JANUARY ‘Jack Gamble’s trust in Jesus as Saviour and Lord was the foundation of all he was and did,’ remembers Jack’s good friend, Edmund. Enduring great difficulty in his last years as he coped with multiple myeloma, Jack was ‘patient during the treatment – he never complained.’ Ask that the Lord would draw near to those facing long-term sickness. THURSDAY 12 JANUARY ‘Serving for many years in the merchant navy, Peter Whittington introduced many people to the importance of external power anchored by the Holy Spirit and was firm in his belief that we need to anchor ourselves in the Saviour’s love,’ says his friend, Brian. Pray that you may grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. If you would like to know more about including a gift to Tearfund in your will visit: www.tearfund.org/legacies, contact: legacies@tearfund.org or call Kirsty or Asha on: +44 (0) 208 943 7729.
Kathleen Allen on her 95th birthday Photo courtesy of Paul Allen
Peter Whittington, who served in the Merchant Navy Photo courtesy of Brian Walshe
FRIDAY 13 JANUARY John fondly remembers his mum Eunice Jones, who was 103 years old when the Lord called her home. ‘She was a long-term supporter of Tearfund both in prayer and giving.’ Thank God for people like Eunice whose lifetime support of prayer and giving continues through their legacy. SATURDAY 14 JANUARY Lord, we praise and thank you for all of the lives highlighted this week and for many others who have left life-giving legacies to Tearfund. Thank you for their inspirational stories. We ask that you would pour out your love over their families and friends and bless the work being done as a result of their generous gifts.
‘PRAY THAT YOU MAY GRASP HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST’ Photos and stories shared by generous permission of their families and friends.
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INSTABILITY IN NIGER: 15 – 21 JANUARY Tearfund has been working in Niger for more than two decades. Our partner Jeunesse En Mission Entraide et Développement (JEMED) operates in the Abalak region helping Tuareg pastoralists to access clean water supplies and improve their farming, through literacy training and primary education. Fellow partner Union of Evangelical Protestant Churches Niger (UEEPN) works in the Dosso region, helping to end hunger by teaching people about market gardening, setting up grain banks and tackling soil erosion. SUNDAY 15 JANUARY The Church and Community Mobilisation Process (CCMP) in Agadez, Niger has seen tremendous transformation in the community and in the lives of individuals. The desire among church leaders and congregations to participate in CCMP has increased as they see the transformation happen in neighbouring communities. Pray that the trained facilitators will work effectively with churches and communities. MONDAY 16 JANUARY Niger has faced huge challenges in recent years, particularly Boko Haram insurgents from north-east Nigeria who attack the south of Niger – leaving thousands of families internally displaced. Pray that God will comfort families affected by these attacks and for God’s protection and security in the future.
TUESDAY 17 JANUARY Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou won a second term with 92.5 per cent of the vote in a run-off election in March this year that the opposition coalition chose to boycott. Pray for a stable government to emerge that will serve all of the people of Niger. WEDNESDAY 18 JANUARY ‘May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands.’ Psalm 90:17 Pray for Tearfund staff in Niger, that God’s favour would be with them and their work as they make future plans for the vital work of Tearfund in Niger. THURSDAY 19 JANUARY Remember Tearfund’s partners JEMED and UEEPN working and supporting communities in
prayer, as they bring hope to the most vulnerable in a difficult, insecure environment. Pray that they will be protected and sustained by God’s love, and see the fruit of their work through the lasting impact on individuals and communities. FRIDAY 20 JANUARY Pray for the six Tearfund staff that work and live in Niger, supporting the local Christian partners. Ask for good health, that they would work well as a team, and for protection, courage and wisdom as they work with partners to address the multiple needs of communities in Niger. SATURDAY 21 JANUARY Lord, you have been our dwelling-place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Psalm 90:1-2 Heavenly Father, thank you that you are our dwelling place, even when your people live in places of conflict and uncertainty like Niger. Help the Tearfund staff and partners in Niger to catch your eternal perspective, and may that comfort them when they face difficult times. Amen.
Tearfund have been operating in Niger for more than 20 years Photo: Richard Hanson/Tearfund
SMALL-GROUP PRAYER REFLECTION GIVE LIKE JESUS Worship at The Evangelical Church of Dabkere, Chad
READ
Yasmin, and children like her, will go to bed hungry tonight. Pray for the 6 million people in the Sahel region of Africa who will suffer acute malnutrition without our help. Pray that we too, like Jesus, will have compassion on the hungry. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, ‘I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’ Matthew 15:32
REFLECT
Jumana only has one bowl of watery porridge to feed her family today. It’s made from grains she has stolen from an ants’ nest. Pray that she will find hope and future for her family. Photo: Peter Caton/Tearfund
Yasmin is six years old and she is already malnourished. Her parents struggle to feed her one meal a day and cannot afford for her to go to school. Pray for Yasmin and her brothers and sisters, that they may know what it is to have enough to eat and that one day they will be able to go to school.
PRAY
Almighty God, we pray for all the places in our world that are being severely affected by the changing climate, places where crops fail and abundant harvests are but memories. Lord, we ask you to help us to learn how to live sustainably for the benefit of the poor. Lord, hear our prayer. Gracious Jesus, we pray for all those who will go to bed hungry tonight. We ask, that as you had
compassion on the hungry, we will too. Give us grace to meet the needs of our broken world in your name. Lord, hear our prayer. Holy Spirit, equip and empower us as your church. We pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, in the church in Chad. We pray that they will know your courage and strength. Lord, hear our prayer. Almighty Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we pray you will help us act on behalf of the world’s hungry. Amen
‘I DO NOT WANT TO SEND THEM AWAY HUNGRY’
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PRAYER RESOURCES We have more resources and opportunities to pray with Tearfund for people in poverty. Visit www.tearfund.org/pray for full details. email URGENT PRAYERS BY EMAIL Tearfund’s weekly prayer email, One Voice, features prayer updates from around the world. Delivered every Friday, the email has downloadable content giving you the flexibility to use it at your Sunday service, small group meeting or on your own. Sign up at www.tearfund.org/prayeremail twitter FOLLOW US ON TWITTER OR LIKE US ON FACEBOOK To receive regular prayer and inspirational updates delivered to your smartphone, tablet or computer, you can follow Tearfund on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tearfund – you will need to have or set up a Twitter account. Or you can like Tearfund on Facebook at www.facebook.com/tearfund – you will need to have or set up a Facebook profile. URGENT PRAYER ALERTS We have launched a prayer alert service on WhatsApp (a smartphone application), to share urgent prayer requests by text message and the occasional image or audio to help you pray. 1. Add +44 (0)7752 590723 (our dedicated WhatsApp number) to your phone’s contacts. 2. Text ‘UPDATE’ via WhatsApp to us on the above number. 3. We will add you to our prayer list and send you free regular prayer alerts.
‘IS PRAYER YOUR STEERING WHEEL OR YOUR SPARE TYRE?’ CORRIE TEN BOOM
ORDER EXTRA COPIES OR AUDIO AND BRAILLE VERSIONS OF THE PRAYER DIARY Audio and Braille versions of the Prayer Diary are available, free of charge, upon request. You can also order more copies of the Prayer Diary for your church or group and sign up to receive extra copies regularly. Please call Tearfund on 020 8977 9144. On the road to Bahungaun village, Nepal Photo: Tom Price/Tearfund
24 . PRAYER DIARY
Almighty God, we pray for all the places in our world that are being severely affected by the changing climate, places where crops fail and abundant harvests are but memories. Lord, we ask you to help us to learn how to live sustainably for the benefit of the poor. Lord, hear our prayer.
Photo: Peter Caton/Tearfund
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