“You have been with us even though you were far from us. You helped us with your messages and calls,” says Kyendrébéogo Wendyam Natacha. 

The young woman who recently completed a YAMEN assignment with MWC presented an update in the November online prayer hour to attendees from three dozen countries.  

“My country [Burkina Faso] underwent two coups d’etat in the year 2022,” she said.  

At press time, close to 2 million people were reported displaced and hundreds of thousands of students had schooling disrupted. 

“Like the other churches in Burkina Faso, the Mennonite church is not forgotten because they have helped other people with many kinds of help and with prayer for the country,” said Kyendrébéogo Wendyam Natacha. “Aways we thank God for his marvellous work and for his protection.” 

After her report, attendees divided into groups in English, Spanish, French, Hindi and Indonesian to pray.  

Leaders led their groups through the points provided in the Prayer Network email and reported on additional concerns raised in their rooms.  

People prayed.... 

• about climate change and for year-end fundraising efforts.  
• about the stresses of anti-conversion laws in India. 
• for the struggles of young people to find employment and form their identities, and for the three Anabaptist-Mennonite synods in Indonesia who are opening up conversations about sexuality.  
• for the new government in Brazil and for unity among churches and passion to preach the gospel. They also prayed about corruption and violence in Latin America, especially in Bolivia and Venezuela. They prayed for new churches taking root and for suffering people around the world who remain faithful in witnessing to the gospel of peace. They prayed for Justice and Peace, a Latin American movement advocating for disappeared people and more peaceful political systems. 
• with gratitude for 35 young people baptized and seven pastors ordained (including one woman) recently in India. They prayed for a gathering of leaders in Uganda, for the upcoming weekend’s elections in Nepal and about the political situation in Hong Kong. They lifted up people experiencing food insecurity. 

“And gratitude for what God is doing,” adds Spanish breakout room leader Pablo Stucky.  

“It is such a blessing to be able to come together in prayer across all our languages, miles and everything in between,” says Arli Klassen, regional representatives coordinator. “I hope the participants take the prayer requests home to their churches to continue to remember them and lift up urgent needs from around the world.”  

In January, Amos Chin, pastor and church leader of Bible Missionary Church in Myanmar, will share about the difficult situation in his country, followed by prayer in breakout rooms. 

“The Mennonite family is a wonderful family of God and I thank God that I met you, to know this family that – crossing barriers – is a united family; a family that prays for each other,” says Kyendrébéogo Wendyam Natacha. 

View Natacha’s video (in French with English subtitles) here. 

Submit your thanksgiving or intercession about and for the church to prayers@mwc-cmm.org or comment below.