Prayer about sexual abuse scandal in Chilean Catholic church

Bishop Charles Scicluna will be listening to Chilean victims.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/01/30/Pope-sends-sex-crimes-expert-to-Chile/7531517344394/?utm_source=sec&utm_campaign=sl&utm_medium=14

Lord, today we pray for truth to come out about sexual misconduct in the Chilean Catholic church. We know people are deeply hurting, and that several victims have come forward to share about abuse from Rev. Fernando Karadima. The Vatican and the Pope’s personal responses have fallen flat for many, causing concern that other victims might be afraid to share their stories. Lord, our desire is for healing to take place. You see how sexual abuse leaves such deep scars and impacts more than the direct victims. May the truth come out as part of the healing process. We are thankful Pope Francis is sending a sex crimes expert to Chile to investigate the situation. We ask your blessing on this expert’s work, in order to help not only victims, but to ensure these crimes will not happen again, and that anything that comes to light in the future will be handled swiftly, graciously, and appropriately. We also pray for Maltese Bishop Charles Scicluna as he listens to victims in Chile. May he demonstrate Christlikeness as he hears from these hurting hearts. May he exercise great wisdom in his responses. Lord, please bring healing to the hurting in Chile as the Catholic church in this nation deals with this scandal. Please bring beauty from ashes. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer about Nairobi fire that left thousands homeless

https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/29/africa/fire-outbreak-kenya-four-people-dead/index.html

Lord, today we pray about the fire in the Lang'ata neighborhood of Nairobi that killed four people last night and left approximately 6000 homeless. We are grateful for the firefighters’ prompt and efficient response, but devastated that a lack of water prevented them from containing the fire for about eight hours. Heavenly Father, we first pray for those who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Please comfort them in this dark hour. Next, we pray for the thousands who now find themselves homeless. Please provide for their needs. May Nairobi’s citizens and leaders reach out in generosity and wisdom, meeting immediate needs and discerning adequate long-term solutions for these individuals and families who now find themselves in these dire circumstances. Finally, Lord, we pray that fire trucks in Nairobi will never find themselves running out of water again. May city leaders determine how to prevent this from happening. May promises for better trucks and improved service come to fruition. And may any faults in current plans and operations come to light so they can be corrected. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer about massive terror attack in Kabul

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/suicide-blast-in-central-kabul-kills-at-least-10-wounds-scores-officials-say/2018/01/27/4a30fcb6-0344-11e8-9d31-d72cf78dbeee_story.html?utm_term=.20b10f728d64

Lord, we grow weary of terrorists and the destruction and death they crave. But we will not stop praying against their wicked work. Today we express our outrage that Taliban insurgents would use an ambulance as a vehicle of death, detonating a massive bomb on a busy Kabul street. Lord, we pray for those who are wounded, fighting for their lives even now. Please intervene wherever possible, providing the best available medical care, wisdom and efficiency for medical personnel, and stout hearts for those who attempt to hold onto life. Bring healing for the more than 150 people whose wounds vary from minor to major on this day. Bring healing from the psychological trauma. Heavenly Father, we also pray for those who grieve. With at least 63 fatalities, including police personnel, the entire city of Kabul (and beyond) grieves today. We grieve with them over these precious lives taken with total disregard for their value. And, Lord, again we pray against the vile work of these terrorists. Thwart them on every side. May they lose favor with those who help them. Give them a lack of direction, poor leadership, dwindling resources. And open their eyes to see the reality of what they are doing: destroying their own brothers and sisters. In Jesus’ powerful name, we pray, amen.

Update on the World Watch List

Last year I focused on persecuted believers around the world by committing Fridays to the World Watch List. Because Open Doors (creator of the list) offers World Watch List prayers via email, I am going to cease that practice. I do, however, urge you to pray for persecuted nations faithfully. Please sign up for Open Doors' email updates here: https://www.opendoors.org.za/christian-persecution/world-watch-list-2018/. Thank you.

Prayer about Cape Town's water crisis

https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/24/africa/cape-town-water-crisis-trnd/index.html

Lord, today we pray for the city of Cape Town, South Africa, which may soon be completely out of water. Heavenly Father, it is very difficult to imagine a city of four million people without water. First, we pray for those residents who are still operating without restraint in their water usage. Please convict them of their need to play a responsible part in this calamity. We pray for the governing authorities, that they might have divine wisdom in how to handle this crisis. We pray for those directly involved in the distribution of water and enforcement of limitations: for protection from those who are upset, and for exceeding grace and peace as they carry out their responsibilities. We are thankful that many people are able to find refuge in other areas that still have water. Bless those who extend hospitality during this time, and may houseguests and hosts have extra patience with each other as they weather this crisis together. We pray for mercy and provision for the most vulnerable: the impoverished, the elderly and the disabled, who have limited to no alternatives. Motivate responsible citizens and Christ-followers to look out for those in need. We pray for all the people of Cape Town to learn through this crisis--about gratitude, responsibility, selflessness, priorities, faith, and much more. Most of all, Almighty God, we pray for rain. We ask you to send rain to Cape Town and surrounding areas. Show your power and provision through sending rain. We humbly ask, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer about increased violent crime in Jamaica

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2018/01/22/Jamaica-issues-state-of-emergency-as-violent-crime-soars/3221516600453/?utm_source=fp&utm_campaign=tt&utm_medium=6

Heavenly Father, today we pray for Jamaica, particularly the parish of St. James. We are thankful the Jamaican authorities have acknowledged the rapid increase in violent crime there, and that they are taking aggressive measures to address the concern. We pray the state of emergency will bring about concerted effort in decreasing the murder rate. We pray for the security forces as they search for gang members, scammers, wanted individuals, persons of interest, and other criminals, as well as guns and ammunition. We pray for effectiveness and yet discretion as they implement these searches. We ask that those who harm will be apprehended and that the innocent will not be caught up in the dragnet. Of course, we pray for the root problems of sin, greed and desperation that rule the hearts of those who perpetrate violent crimes. May your light and hope permeate the parish of St. James. May your children in that area effectively spread your love in these communities. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer for under-resourced pastors in Nicaragua

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKxY95DlcK0

Lord, today we pray for the nation of Nicaragua and the pastors who seek to feed your sheep there. We know this nation struggles with poverty, and that this struggle leads to high drug and alcohol abuse. We also know that many people are in bondage to witchcraft as the answer to their problems. We pray for the pastor-shepherds in Nicaragua, who seek to nurture and disciple your children. We know many of them are untrained and lack support. Today we thank you for the work of Walk Thru the Bible in this land. We pray you will continue providing for the needs of that ministry, so they can support and equip pastors, who will in turn support and equip their congregations. We do ask for the provision of a national director of Walk Thru the Bible in Nicaragua, in order to lessen the load of the regional director, who cannot meet all the needs of the nation Nicaragua. We pray for the removal of obstacles in getting pastors to attend training events. Help them get there, learn deeply and quickly, and be effective in passing on their training to others under their care. Please support and sustain these pastors and their families. Protect them from violence and protect them spiritually. May they thrive in you in ways that overflow into reaching the communities around them. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.