TEARFUND PRAYER DIARY – APRIL 2013
Living In Victory: 1 April – 6 April
Over the next week of Easter, we reflect on Tearfund’s partners in the UK, supporting them in prayer, and finding out how the death and resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of their work.
Easter Monday 1 April
Mark Hobbs from Reachin' Higher says, ‘The good news is that, just as their mourning was soon turned into rejoicing, so our despair can be turned to praise as we watch the resurrection power of God in action - raising young people from the most challenging circumstances and breathing new life into them.’ Praise God for this amazing work.
Tuesday 2 April
Alistair Park, Director of Tearfund partner New Hope Leeds, asks, ‘Please pray for our work and for the men that we are reaching with the gospel of Christ. New Hope is really what Easter means, that from death there was life and it was new because that’s what we receive when we receive Christ’s new life.’
Wednesday 3 April
‘In the Easter story, we come to understand that, out of Christ’s pain and sacrifice on the cross, new life is born,’ says Angie King. ‘This is something many new mothers can relate to.’ Pray for the young mums at the Springfield Project where Angie works, which provides services to children and their families in south-east Birmingham.
Thursday 4 April
‘At the Springfield Project, we visit about 60 families with a new baby each month with good news about the support we can give.’ says Angie King. ‘Many parents speak little English and can feel isolated at a time when they most need help. Please pray that families with a new baby in our community will open their doors and lives to us.’
Friday 5 April
Angie King says, ‘When Jesus endured the agony of the cross, he was utterly alone, forsaken even by the Father. If you have ever had to uproot yourself and move to another city, church or even country, you will have experienced not being known or understood by others, just like many families in our community.’ Pray that struggling families in south-east Birmingham will find a welcoming community at the Springfield Project.
Saturday 6 April
Angie King asks, ‘Please pray that we will create a safe and welcoming place at the Springfield Project where people from all faiths and none can feel that they belong and the bonds of trust begin to grow, transforming our community.’
Welcome to the weekend - what you can do
If you have been inspired to get your church more active in the community, Serve may be able to help. Serve is an alliance of Christian organisations, including Tearfund, committed with a passion to supporting churches in England as they transform their communities. For details, visit www.serveuk.org.
Big Picture Close Up: 7 – 13 April
Tearfund’s See for yourself programme gives supporters the opportunity to make poverty personal by having regular contact with a community. This week, let’s pray for Cajamarca in Peru with some of those following this community through the scheme.
Sunday 7 April
Tearfund’s partner Warmis is small, but passionately dedicated. ‘Miriam and Miguel [Warmis's leaders] care so much about the community,’ says Alice Kane from Loughborough. ‘Their love spills out into the whole of Cajamarca.’ Please pray for Warmis today - that God’s love would continue to fill the staff so they can share it with others.
Monday 8 April
Climate change has brought erratic weather and new crop diseases to Cajamarca, meaning farming - the traditional livelihood - is not providing enough food and income. Families are struggling for survival. Please pray for the people of Cajamarca, that more and more families will find hope and the tools to fight poverty through Warmis and the local churches.
Tuesday 9 April
Warmis is working with local churches, helping them wake up to their potential to empower local communities to overcome material and spiritual poverty. ‘I pray that local church leaders would be inspired and encouraged to address poverty issues affecting Cajamarca,’ says Elizabeth Mitchell from Portsmouth. Let’s pray for this with Elizabeth.
Wednesday 10 April
‘The updates help us focus on particular points for prayer, which in turn makes my wife and I feel part of the community we are praying for rather than offering blanket prayers ... making our involvement far more personal,’ say Ian and Jilli Mclachlan from Frome in Somerset. Thank God for the way See for yourself is helping people engage meaningfully with those affected by poverty.
Thursday 11 April
‘We are grateful that people in other parts of the world are showing compassion towards vulnerable people,’ says Warmis's Miriam. ‘We say that what they share through their gift to Tearfund is an example that in their hearts is God and his love. Your offerings make the difference between the happiness and sadness of many families.’ Praise God that we can make a difference to the lives of others, in his name.
Friday 12 April
‘Father God, thank you that you have not forgotten the community of Cajamarca. Thank you that there are people like Miguel and Miriam, living out their faith and serving you. Please equip Warmis to continue to help communities, that people might feel empowered, and that the local churches will keep on uniting against poverty. Amen,’ says Alice from Loughborough.
Saturday 13 April
Currently, social conflicts in Cajamarca are resulting in violence. Vandalism and assaults are becoming common, with young people increasingly caught up in these problems. Please pray for peace and stability in Cajamarca, and for the safety of young people - the future of Peru.
Welcome to the weekend - what you can do
You can follow this community! When you start giving an amount of your choice monthly through See for yourself, you’ll start receiving regular updates and prayer points. You can sign up or find out more by visiting www.see-for-yourself.org or calling 0845 355 8355.
Unity And Freedom: 14 – 20 April
Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries, but its current economic situation is particularly unstable. A severe fuel crisis across the country is making it hard for our partners and other aid agencies to go about their day-to-day work, especially within rural communities. This week, we join in prayer with Vincent Moyo, Tearfund’s Country Representative in Malawi.
Sunday 14 April
At the end of last year, Malawi faced serious economic challenges due to the 50 per cent devaluation of our National currency, the Malawi Kwacha. Pray that God will guide the political leadership of Malawi so that leaders will be impartial, not looking out for themselves but fully committed to people living in poverty
Monday 15 April
Much of Malawi’s population is suffering, not only poor people. Young people fortunate to have completed an education are being denied the chance to progress, with university admissions falling from 2,000 to 950 last year. Lift up Malawi’s future teachers and doctors, that they will advance their training and complete their courses.
Tuesday 16 April
Tearfund has 11 partners in Malawi, whose work includes developing farming techniques and other ways of earning income, and raising awareness of HIV. Lift up these partners in Christ as they work to bring change in increasingly difficult circumstances.
Wednesday 17 April
We have recently witnessed increased corruption in Malawi. The Auditor General’s office has been concealing its findings over poor financial management issues in government departments. Pray that honesty, accountability, transparency and integrity prevail within the office so that resources meant for poor people will be released to them.
Thursday 18 April
Increasing poverty and unemployment have also prompted an escalation in crime. ‘I have noticed more armed robberies, burglaries and car jacks, and last year 22 lives were lost between April and August, which is unheard of,’ says Vincent. Pray that the police will rise to the challenge, arrest the perpetrators and protect innocent citizens.
Friday 19 April
Bring to the Lord our two Inspired Individuals in Malawi (see www.inspiredindividuals.org): Theresa Malila who is equipping churches to initiate community-led social development, and Rev Ephraim Disi who heads up an interfaith group addressing the impact of HIV. Ask God for this amazing work to be blessed.
Saturday 20 April
Lord, we lift up the precious country of Malawi, whose national motto is ‘Unity and freedom’. Bring the country to unity under Christ, to recognise and supply the needs of the poorest. Let your freedom, Lord, reign in Malawi. In Jesus' name, amen.
Welcome to the weekend - what you can do
If you have felt a commitment to Malawi through your prayers this week, you could share it with your church small group. Bring this Prayer Diary page to the next meeting, read it or divide it up between group members, and spend ten minutes or more in prayer.
Sharing Jesus: 21 – 27 April
This week, we want to introduce you to some of the team at Tearfund who respond to your calls, open letters, reply to emails, process donations and contact you as they seek to serve Jesus and all of you who make our work possible.
Sunday 21 April
Richard, who has worked for Tearfund for six years, was staggered by one couple’s faithfulness to God as they made a large donation out of their redundancy pay. Despite the uncertainty they faced, they wanted to support the millions of people worldwide who face much more uncertain futures every day of their lives. Praise the Lord for the generosity of our supporters.
Monday 22 April
Sarah, who processes donations, loves opening letters from supporters which have encouraging Bible verses and assurances of prayers for our work. ‘It is great to know supporters see us as friends.’ Pray that this team will work together and continue to grow to serve our Lord.
Tuesday 23 April
Lindiwe, who spends time calling our supporters to encourage them in their support for our work, has had the real privilege of praying with those who are facing difficulties, illness and bereavements. Pray that the team will sustain good relationships with supporters and always be rejoicing in the Lord.
Wednesday 24 April
Shelley was really challenged when her team took part in The rice and beans challenge; as she began to identify with those who are hungry, she was struck by the huge difference supporters' prayers, campaigning and giving make. Pray that Tearfund staff will always be servant-hearted.
Thursday 25 April
Bobbie, who has worked in Supporter Services for ten years, loves speaking to our church representatives and volunteers to find out how we can support and resource them. ‘It’s encouraging to hear from churches who love Tearfund.’ Pray for the team as they organise speaking engagements.
Friday 26 April
Jenny recently joined the Supporter Enquiries team, and has been delighted speaking to supporters who phone. She has really been encouraged by one supporter who faithfully phones each week to donate and chat to us. Please pray that we will speak with Jesus' love, compassion and wisdom, especially to supporters who are facing difficult circumstances.
Saturday 27 April
Helen Harris, Head of Supporter Services, says, ‘We are privileged to work alongside supporters who care so passionately about people living in poverty. Please pray for all the work that is only made possible by their faithful and generous support and for our supporters to be blessed as they bless others.’
Welcome to the weekend - what you can do
‘The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve ...’ (Mark 10:45) We simply could not work with communities, helping them find hope and a way out of poverty, without supporters like you who faithfully serve through prayer, campaigning and giving. Visit www.see-for-yourself.org and read the stories of transformation that you are making possible.
Beginning With The Word: 28 April – 4 May
The church is becoming the answer to poverty in Nigeria, thanks to Tearfund’s church and community mobilisation process - through which communities are equipped to help themselves. This week, we thank God that it all begins with his word.
Sunday 28 April
‘The church is learning that it’s not just about addressing people’s sin, but their suffering.’ Danladi Musa, Tearfund’s Country Representative, has witnessed a new sense of purpose sweeping the 63 churches in Nigeria involved in church mobilisation. Father, we praise you for your transforming power; help your church meet people in their suffering. Amen.
Monday 29 April
Applying God’s word in the context of helping their neighbours has worked miracles in Angwanar Daji, a conflict-ridden community in north-west Nigeria. Relationships improved among church members, following church mobilisation Bible studies. Praise God that church members are now working together to tackle farming problems and getting results.
Tuesday 30 April
The power of God’s word was again revealed through church mobilisation training, at the church in Sabon Gida, northern Nigeria. Discouragement has been replaced by unity. The church have begun to help their older neighbours, giving them ground cereal and soap, and paying for medical treatment. Lord, bless the efforts of this church and community - and help them continue to grow in unity.
Wednesday 1 May
‘A city on a hill cannot be hidden.’ (Matthew 5:14) The sight of the church reaching out in love is powerfully attractive. Bible studies in Sabon Gida drew two local people to faith - Ponjul and Kongkat - as they learnt how they were also made in the image of God. Bless them, Lord; we thank you that church mobilisation is bringing people to know you. Amen.