Prayer of celebration for woman rescued from sex trafficking by taxi driver

https://news.sky.com/story/heroic-taxi-driver-saves-pregnant-woman-from-sex-trafficker-11823531

Heavenly Father, today we celebrate Tahir Mehmood’s rescue of a woman forced into sex trafficking. We rejoice that Mehmood was attuned enough to his passenger to stop his taxi and find out what was wrong. We are thankful he had the courage and integrity to do the right thing and immediately call the police. Lord God, we ask you to richly bless him for his efforts and to protect him from any retribution. We pray that the man running the sex trafficking ring, Robert Enescu, will be promptly apprehended and jailed. Lord, we pray for this young, pregnant woman, who has undergone this ordeal. Please bring healing. Help her to return to her family soon and to be received with great love, support and encouragement. May she find employment she will enjoy and that will provide for her financial needs. Finally, Lord, we pray for ourselves, that we may be attuned to our surroundings and that we will become familiar with warning signs. May many more trafficking victims be discovered and freed. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer for Georgia under newly appointed prime minister

https://agenda.ge/en/news/2019/2390

Dear Lord, we pray for the nation of Georgia under the new leadership of Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia. With a tumultuous summer behind Georgia and anti-government protests happening outside the parliament as Gakharia’s government was approved, Gakharia will need great wisdom and fortitude as he leads his country. Please surround him with wise, godly leaders to assist during this transition, and help them lead well up until next year’s elections. Grant Gakharia wisdom in the areas where he intends to focus: security as he addresses Russian occupation of part of the nation, and growth as he focuses on a strong partnership with the United States and a newly designated reputation as the easiest nation in Europe for doing business. Most of all, Lord, we want to see you do a great work in Georgia—among the nation’s leaders and regular citizens. May your Spirit move mightily in this land during this time of transition and into the future. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer after doctor performed abortion on wrong woman in South Korea

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/24/asia/korea-wrong-abortion-intl-hnk-scli/index.html

Lord, our hearts drop as we learn of a doctor and nurse performing an abortion on the wrong patient in South Korea. While this event happened last month, word is now getting out as police investigate this incident. Heavenly Father, we are thankful the doctor and nurse acknowledged their horrible mistake. We pray for them as they come to terms with how they negatively impacted this family forever. May investigators and everyone else involved make the right decisions about consequences for these two, as well as improving practices so this never happens again. But, Lord, we think mostly of this woman, whose baby was intentionally killed and removed from her while she was under anesthesia. It is hard to imagine her recovery process. Lord God, please lavish her and the baby’s father with extra comfort as they heal physically, emotionally, spiritually, and in whatever other ways they need to heal. We pray they will have no problems conceiving again in the future when the time is right. We pray they will relinquish their lost baby to your care with eventual peace. Lord, may they draw strength and hope from you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer after earthquake in Albania

https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/21/earthquake-of-magnitude-5-6-strikes-off-coast-of-albania

Lord God, we pray for the Albanian towns of Durres and Tirana as they recover from Saturday’s earthquake. First, we rejoice that the most powerful quake in decades to hit Albania led to no loss of life. We are so thankful! Second, we pray for the injured, with estimates ranging from 30-some people to almost 70 having gotten hurt during the quake. Please help the injured recover and return to regular life as quickly as possible. Third, we pray for the emotional effects of such an event. Please help residents of these communities find peace after such a terrifying experience. May they reach out for help in this process if needed. Finally, Lord, we pray for the infrastructural recovery from the incident. We are primarily concerned for those whose homes (whether standalone or apartments) are inaccessible due to safety issues. Please provide them with shelter and help for as long as they need it. May buildings be repaired or rebuilt as needed—with as much efficiency as possible. Again, we celebrate that this earthquake did not lead to any deaths. May people all across Albania take comfort in that, as well as your promise that, “though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed” (Isaiah 54:10). In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer for the blessing and protection of Rachael Denhollander, her family, and her book

https://www.courier-journal.com/in-depth/news/2019/09/04/rachael-denhollander-sacrifice-continues-after-accusing-usa-gymnastics-larry-nassar/1919109001/

Lord God, we are people who desire that our prayers and actions make a difference. We believe that you, the God of the Universe, hear and respond to our prayers. Even when the problem seems beyond conquering, we believe it is worth praying for, believing in, and moving toward victory. So today we pray for Rachael Denhollander, her family, and her recently released book, What is a Girl Worth? Lord, thank you for giving Denhollander courage and success as she shared her story of sexual abuse at the hands of Larry Nassar. Thank you that her action motivated hundreds of other survivors to share their stories, see justice unfold on their behalf, and experience a certain level of closure. We know that Nassar’s conviction was not the end of this journey. We pray that you will continue to bless and protect Denhollander and her family as she speaks out against sexual abuse and the systemic mishandling of it across the United States. We pray you will use her good work to bring about conviction and motivate change. We pray that What is a Girl Worth? will reach an audience that is yet unreached. As a result of this book, may more survivors seek help, may partners support more effectively, and may parents respond better, quicker, and with greater consequence. Lord, we pray against sexual abuse, which is a grotesque form of evil. We pray it will not be condoned, but brought into the light. We pray for both perpetrators and survivors to receive the kinds of help they need. May the current momentum of addressing sexual abuse within the United States not lessen, but may it grow and actually bring about lasting change. And may other nations follow suit. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer as Air Peace evacuates Nigerians from South Africa

https://www.kanyidaily.com/2019/09/suspends-evacuation-of-nigerians-over-south-africas-restrictions.html

Lord God, we pray for Air Peace’s efforts to evacuate Nigerians from South Africa during the current crisis. We are so disturbed by the recent outbreak of attacks against foreigners in South Africa! We pray against this hateful behavior. May South African authorities get this rash of violence in hand as quickly as possible. We are thankful for those willing to do their part, including Air Peace, which offered to return any volunteer Nigerians to their home country. We are thankful that 187 citizens, including 87 children, were able to safely return to Nigeria Wednesday. Lord, we do not know the rationale behind the South African government’s suspension of further evacuation, but you do. You made our hearts, so you understand everything we do. You see both our good and bad motives and choices. We pray for the South African government to make the best possible choices for all foreigners feeling threatened in their nations right now—Nigerians and all others. Bless Air Peace’s efforts to safely bring Nigerians home. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Prayer of lament over violence against women in Brazil

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/11/americas/brazil-women-girls-domestic-violence-rape-intl-hnk/index.html

Lord God Almighty, we are stunned to hear the findings released Tuesday by non-governmental organization Brazilian Forum of Public Security. We know you see and know of these horrors for women in Brazil, but we want to acknowledge them before you. We want to pause from our somewhat secure lives and lay these facts about Brazil before you:

·        Four girls under 13 are raped every hour.

·         Every two minutes police receive a report of violence against women.

·         Femicides -- when a woman is murdered for being a woman -- increased by 4% last year on the previous year.

·         In 88% of those cases, the perpetrator was the woman's partner or former partner.

·         Over 263,000 women suffered serious injuries at the hands of their partner.

·         The country saw the largest ever number of reported rapes, and almost 54% of the victims were girls under 13 years old.

·         Each year, thousands of cases are not properly investigated.

·         In 2017, 23 shelters for victims of domestic violence were closed in Brazil due to budget cuts.

We need your help. We need your intervention. We need a change of culture in Brazil. We need domestic violence to become unacceptable. We need the president to speak words that edify, rather than denigrate, women. Heavenly Father, despite all this ugliness, this sin, this suffering, we do still declare our trust in You. We humbly ask, please do a great work in Brazil on behalf of women and girls, that their suffering may be relieved. Work through women, men, leaders, regular citizens, organizations, the government, your church—through us! We praise you as the God Who Sees. In Jesus’ name, amen.