Reports from church leaders in Southern Africa

• Praise God for good rains. Most families will have enough food from their own fields this year.
• Let us pray for peace before, during and after upcoming elections in Zambia.
• BIC Church Zimbabwe is planning to hold District Councils in May 2021. Pray also for the BICC Zimbabwe General Conference this year to become a reality this year (Proverbs 16:3).
• Pray for the BIC church school students and all the schools in Zimbabwe to be protected from COVID-19 infection (Psalms 91: 9-10).
• Pray for profitability in the church business units as they begin to recover after the lockdown.
• We thank the Lord that BICC South Africa managed to get a piece of land.

Waves of infection, an extra-contagious variant, high deaths have resulted in a humanitarian crisis in Brazil. Pray for Anabaptist-Mennonite churches struggling with reduced finances to continue to show love to their neighbours. Pray for wisdom about how to hold church services in a low-risk manner.

Pray for the increased attention of congregation members from the three Mennonite synods in Indonesia to support Assembly 17 in July 2022. Pray for the efforts of Indonesian research centres to produce a COVID-19 vaccine to support the government’s target of reaching 70 percent of the population by the end of 2021.

We call upon the Lord for India and for all nations in pandemic distress:

Living God, how long can this tsunami of suffering and death prevail? Reach down from on high to draw your children out of mighty waters.

Bring healing and salvation.

Sustain exhausted pastors, medical staff and other caregivers.

Comfort those who mourn, and supply what each nation needs to come through this torment.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer!

Since the military seized power in Myanmar in February, waves of protest have been violently suppressed, with reports of more than 400 citizens killed. Even before the pandemic, poverty affected many households. The political situation has led to even greater economic turmoil, and many households have no financial income. Most church members are in a food crisis.

“Greetings from the crying land of Myanmar,” writes an Anabaptist church leader in Myanmar to the global family. “This is a special request for you to pray for our country, particularly for the vulnerable 400 families of our church people in Yangon and delta region. We believe that prayer can make a difference. God bless you all.”

As a world-wide community of faith and life we transcend boundaries of nationality, race, class, gender and language. We seek to live in the world without conforming to the powers of evil, witnessing to God's grace by serving others, caring for creation, and inviting all people to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. (Shared Conviction #7)

Blessed are the meek, Jesus said, for they will inherit the earth.
Lord, may we live out your kingdom in humility and patience.

Blessed are the merciful, Jesus said, for they will receive mercy.
Lord, may we have compassion on each other, especially on those with whom we don’t agree.

Blessed are the peacemakers, Jesus said, for they will be called children of God.
Lord, we desire to be known as your people by our love for all and our ability to walk calmly into conflict seeking to understand and transform.

Lord, teach us to be your salt amid divisions, especially those within churches and families, and to be your illuminating justice, especially where there is systemic discrimination against those who are poor or people of colour.

Lord, your have formed your people with diversity within the body of Christ. Yet this gift sometimes seems unwelcome. Our brothers and sisters hold different opinions and practices that make us feel uncomfortable. Continue to teach us through your Spirit to learn unity without uniformity.

Lord, you call us to speak to each other honestly and directly when there is offense. Give us courage to do so with grace and compassion. Guide us also to search our own hearts for ways we have failed and lead us in repentance.

Lord, you have placed us as your caretakers upon the earth. Show us your glory in the world around us, in its abundance and its fragility. Forgive us for our selfish consumption. Teach us humility in our dominion and remind us how our actions affect those around us.

Thank you, Father God, for always being attentive to us, your sons and daughters, and for listening to all those who call out to you with a humble and contrite heart.

Thank you for having redeemed us from judgement and death through the precious blood of Christ, our Saviour.

Loving Father, we ask you to protect us from all illness and every evil, in the name of your beloved son, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

—submitted by Elvia Sanchez Torres, Iglesia Berna Menonita, Bogota, Colombia 

“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

Bishop Safari Mutabesha, president of Mennonite Brethren Church Malawi, calls for prayer. Coronavirus cases increased drastically in December with many deaths resulting. Most of his church members are day labourers who live far from medical facilities. “Some of our members are infected (tested positive) and are staying in isolation but have no food,” he writes. Food is scarce in January and February and harvests are far off.