TEARFUND PRAYER DIARY JANUARY 2016
Protecting Mekong Migrants:3 – 9 January
Tearfund's work in the Mekong Sub Region (MSR) focuses onpoor areas of China, Thailand and Laos. Vulnerable migrantcommunities live precariously and are at high risk ofexploitation. Our partners work to ensure that basic humanrights are upheld for these migrants.
Sunday 3 January
Bless China International has followed Jesus' example byengaging with outcast people and sharing a meal in the homesof people living with HIV. This has forced surrounding villagesto recognise their misconceptions and re-engage with peopleliving with HIV. Thank God for relationships that save peoplefrom isolation.
Monday 4 January
When she was 19, Tik lost both parents, dropped out of schooland became unemployed. Through World Concern's youthprogramme, Tik has learnt a lot: ‘I knew about trafficking beforebut not the details, and the information about AIDS was new tome.’ Pray that Tik can use this knowledge to educate andprotect others in her community.
Tuesday 5 January
With no land of their own, Mrs Jiam's family paid 40 bags of riceeach year in rent. Their remaining income went mainly onmedical treatment, which often left them in debt. Thanks to aTearfund partner, the family built a latrine, improving theirhealth and saving money. Mrs Jiam says, ‘My life has changedfor the better.’ Thank God that simple solutions can bring hugechange.
Wednesday 6 January
Khantin's friends left Laos to find work elsewhere. At the age of18, her dream is to stay and support her family. Through WorldConcern Laos, Khantin has been trained as a hairdresser. ‘Iwant to open a salon in the future because there's no salon yetin our village,’ she says. Thank God for new opportunities andbig dreams.
Thursday 7 January
Mr Nyoun struggled to provide for his family, until Tearfund'spartner introduced a new rice variety, better suited to the localsoil. Mr Nyoun tripled his rice yield within the first year. ‘Wehave so much more now,’ he says. ‘Before, I didn't know aboutthis variety of rice. It has lots of benefits.’ Pray that morefamilies will switch rice varieties and enjoy better yields.
Friday 8 January
After she lost her husband, Manichan and her son discoveredthey were both living with HIV. To avoid discrimination shemoved away from her community and pulled her son out ofschool. Once World Concern Laos had deliveredHIV-awareness training, Manichan joined a self-help group,learnt about healthy living and is now much happier. Pray forstrength for all those who remain ostracised by theircommunities.
Saturday 9 January
Dear Lord, thank you for the example Jesus set of welcomingeveryone into his company. We ask that you will forgive us forthe times that we are not loving and pray that you will teach usto be more welcoming in our own communities. Show us thepeople around us who need to know your acceptance today.Amen.
Build Each Other Up:10 – 16 January
In the spring edition of the Prayer Diary, we asked you emailyour prayers or encouraging Bible verses for our team in SouthSudan. We had an overwhelming response, and this week weuse some of these prayers to lead our devotions.
Sunday 10 January
‘Lord, while the world is looking at events elsewhere, thank youfor continuing to pour out your Spirit on South Sudan,’ praysGeoff. ‘You never forget those on the margins. Build thatcountry anew, through your people, so that when the worldonce again looks this way, it will see you have performed theimpossible. Thank you that you never let go.’
Monday 11 January
‘May God our Father be ever-present with all who serve thepeople of South Sudan in his name, by his grace and power,’ prays Peter. ‘Take heart in his promise. Hebrews 13:6, 'So wesay with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.What can mere mortals do to me?’'‘
Tuesday 12 January
‘Lord, please be with all those who are working in your name inSouth Sudan and give them courage, strength, wisdom and aclear understanding of what you would have them do,especially when times are hard and even dangerous,’ praysGladys. ‘Please bless them and the people with whom theywork and give them your peace and the assurance of yourpresence. In the name of Jesus, Amen.’
Wednesday 13 January
Let's join Janet in the prayer of Psalm 145:15–16: ‘The eyes ofall look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every livingthing.’
Thursday 14 January
‘We pray that you may have the wisdom to know his will for youand the people you serve; we also prayed for the strength andresilience to keep doing the amazing work that God has calledyou to in his service,’ write Peter and Chris. ‘Praise God forTearfund's partners and the work that they do to support thosein need.’
Friday 15 January
Let's join Susan in prayer, ‘for the people of South Sudan: thatthey may know something of the love of Christ through the boreholes dug by Tearfund workers.’ Christine adds, ‘I pray forthose who have lost their crops through drought or floods; thatwith the help of Tearfund and partners they can rebuild theircrops, put food on the table and enable their children to have agood education to get them out of the poverty trap.’
Saturday 16 January
‘My prayer is that all in South Sudan will come to know theLord,’ prays Andrew. ‘I pray that peace will reign. And truceswill be seen.’ Lord, we ask you to bring this into being.
Justice for Poor Communities: 17–23 January
This week we pray for the many Tearfund partners who arespeaking out in advocacy, holding their governments to accountfor creating and implementing laws that protect and provide forpeople living in poverty. We're calling on leaders to betransparent and accountable in how they spend public moneyallocated to development work. and encouraging them to spendpublic money wisely.
Sunday 17 January
Thank God for the perseverance of our partner, Mopawi, inHonduras. For more than 25 years, they have called for justicefor the indigenous people in the La Mosquitia region, who havebeen at risk of being forcibly removed from their land. As aresult of Mopawi's ongoing advocacy work, the NationalCongress has finally agreed to give all the indigenous people inLa Mosquitia the right to own the title to their land.Please prayfor smooth and swift implementation of this agreement.
Monday 18 January
Tearfund partner Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia haspersuaded its government to tackle corruption, by reforming theway that the central government budget is channelled toconstituencies across the country. Pray for wisdom for churchand community members in each constituency, as theyparticipate in local decision-making processes to determinehow this constituency development funding should be spent.
Tuesday 19 January
With support from our partner Warmis, church leaders from LuzResplandeciente (‘Shining Light’) Church in Cajamarca, Peru,spoke repeatedly with their local council officials about the needfor provision of drinking water and sanitation. Theirdetermination paid off and everyone in the community is nowbenefiting from these services. Pray that this example willinspire more communities to speak out.
Wednesday 20 January
In coalition with other organisations, Serve, a Tearfund partnerin Afghanistan, successfully convinced the Ministry ofEducation of the need for a new national law on inclusiveeducation. Pray that this will richly benefit marginalised childrenall over Afghanistan, including those with visual and hearingimpairment, who will now have the opportunity to attendgovernment-funded schools.
Thursday 21 January
In Brazil, our partner, Instituto Solidare, has been runningEscuela de Fe e Politica (‘School of Faith and Politics’) to trainchurch leaders to understand the rights of people living inpoverty in their communities and the responsibilities of thegovernment towards them. Pray that communities will beblessed through this training.
Friday 22 January
Our partner, Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), regularlytrains community members in how to track government budgetexpenditure and challenge irregularities. Praise God for thecourage of community members in Chibelela District who, withsupport from CCT, exposed the misuse of funds intended forlocal educational needs and managed to get the moneyredirected.
Saturday 23 January
‘Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failingstream!’ (Amos 5:24) Give thanks for all Tearfund's partnerswhose passion for justice and righteousness motivates all thatthey do. Ask God to give them courage, wisdom andperseverance as they speak out for – and with – people wholive in poor communities.
A FORGOTTEN CRISIS: 31 JANUARY – 6 FEBRUARY
The Central African Republic (CAR) was plunged intocrisis in December 2013 when a rebel group seizedpower in a violent coup. Then came the country’sdescent into ethnic and sectarian violence and nearlya quarter of the population was displaced. About 2.5million people are still in urgent need of humanitarianaid. Join with us this week in praying for one of theworld’s poorest nations and Tearfund’s work there.
SUNDAY 24 JANUARY
Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called childrenof God.
Matthew 5:9
Pray that God will use the churchin CAR as a force for peaceand pray that church leadersare able to break cycles ofviolence as they encourage theircongregations to be reconciledand to forgive one another.
MONDAY 25 JANUARY
And my God will meet all yourneeds according to the riches ofhis glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Isidore Kote was unable toproduce crops to provide forhis family of six after rebelgroups entered his village,killed his livestock and stolehis farming tools. Pray for theTearfund team in CAR, whohelp farmers like Isidore restarttheir agricultural activities byproviding farming supplies.
TUESDAY 26 JANUARY
The extreme violence peoplehave witnessed and been subjectto in CAR has left many youngchildren deeply traumatised.Pray that the children we areproviding with psychosocialsupport will experience deephealing in their hearts and mindsand be able to enjoy learningand playing again.
WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY
More than 400,000 peopleremain in displacement campsin CAR, many on churchcompounds. The conditions arevery poor with about 80 peoplesharing each dirt-floor tent.Pray that in the midst of theseharsh environments, people willknow they are not forgotten,as churches and humanitarianagencies provide comfort andmeet basic needs.
THURSDAY 28 JANUARY
Pray for Tearfund staff living farfrom their family and friends inthis hostile environment. Prayfor protection, encouragement,strength and courage as theyfollow Jesus where the need isgreatest in CAR. Pray that theywill reveal God’s love throughthe lifesaving work they do.
FRIDAY 29 JANUARY
The Lord is close to the brokenheartedand saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm34:18
Militia groups have perpetratedhorrific acts of sexual violencein ongoing fighting across thecountry. Tearfund is supportingthe local church to create amovement of survivors. Praythat survivors will find strengthand encouragement in workingtogether and pray for an end tothis form of violence in CAR.
SATURDAY 30 JANUARY
If my people, who are calledby my name, will humblethemselves and pray and seekmy face and turn from theirwicked ways, then I will hearfrom heaven, and I will forgivetheir sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Dear Lord, today we pray fordecision-makers involved inCAR at every level – fromcommunity leaders to nationaland international governments.Instil in them wisdom and usethem to establish lasting peace.Amen.
Tearfund Prayer Diary January2016 – tearfund.org/praying