Tearfund Prayer Diary November 2015

TEARFUND PRAYER DIARY NOVEMBER 2015

Embracing Equality in Peru: 1 – 7 November

Many of Tearfund's partners are influencing their governments,persuading them to create and implement laws that protect andprovide for people living in poverty, and encouraging them tospend public money wisely. This week, we pray for ourpartners' advocacy work.

Sunday 1 November

Helen Baquero, Tearfund's Peru Project Officer, did aninternship at Tearfund after university, and never left. ‘Atuniversity we learnt to make money for ourselves, but after myinternship I wanted to work with the poorest people in society,’ shesays. ‘My prayer is always that we keep this vision andbuild God's kingdom.’ Lift up all Tearfund's staff and partners inPeru.

Monday 2 November

The remote indigenous community of Aylambo lacked even themost basic services. Tearfund's partner Warmis helped themapply for government funding to construct a school, healthclinic, access road, clean water supply and communitysanitation. Praise God that all these requests have beengranted, ‘I couldn't stop thanking God,’ says the local pastor,Andrés.

Tuesday 3 November

Carmen could not read or write when she joined Warmis'sworkshops for women. Since then, her life has changed beyondrecognition. ‘I can sign my name,’ she says proudly. ‘I canmake sweaters and sell them because I now understand myaccounts, and I can even recognise counterfeit currency.’ Praise God for such empowerment!

Wednesday 4 November

Rural communities in Peru are badly affected by deforestation,climate change and natural disasters. Tearfund's partnerShalom trains people to adapt their farming practices and carefor God's creation. ‘Before, we felt alone – now we feel closerto God,’ says Román. Pray for protection, resilience andprovision for communities struggling with climate change.

Thursday 5 November

Tearfund's partner Agape helps prevent violence againstchildren in a poor suburb of Lima. Delfina used to beat herchildren, but after attending Agape's parenting workshops hermindset changed. ‘I realised that I was wrong,’ she says. ‘From then on I began to treat them with more affection.’ Prayfor children to be kept safe from abuse across Peru.

Friday 6 November

Originally from a poor community himself, Pastor Alejandro isnow an energetic church leader in the Peruvian Amazon. ‘Before working with Shalom, I spent all my time buildingchurches and caring for people's spiritual lives,’ he says. ‘I nowunderstand that spiritual and physical care must go hand inhand.’ Pray that Peru's churches will continue spreading themessage of God's love in word and deed.

Saturday 7 November

‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image ofGod he created them.’ Genesis 1:27

Peru struggles with inequality of many kinds, but in God's eyesall are equally cherished and loved. Praise God for fallingpoverty levels in Peru, and pray for a society where everyonecan reach their God-given potential.

Leaving Behind Something Amazing: 8 – 14 November

This week, let's praise God for those who choose to rememberTearfund in their will. Their kindness and generosity go a longway to enabling us to follow Jesus where the need is greatest,and we are deeply grateful.

Sunday 8 November

‘Colin was a kind and generous man who always put othersbefore himself,’ says Colin's niece, Kirsty. ‘As a family, it iscomforting to know that Colin's legacy continues throughothers.’ Thank God for Colin Ashdown and all those like himwho live selflessly.

Monday 9 November

‘Barbara was delighted to be able to remember Tearfund in herwill and we know you will put her gift to good use in yourongoing ministry,’ write Julian and Hilary about their friend,Barbara White. Praise God for the hope, help andtransformation flowing through gifts like Barbara's.

Tuesday 10 November

‘Mum lived a life that was guided by and devoted to theChristian faith,’ says Patricia, daughter of Connie Applethwaite. ‘She was blessed with a gift for prayer and was always willingto give.’ Ask God to give you a spirit of generosity.

Wednesday 11 November

Peter and Olive Davison died within 11 weeks of one another. ‘They were a loving couple, married for 68 years. Theydedicated their lives to their five children and serving the Lord,’ says their daughter, Josephine. Pray for families you know, thatGod will keep them in loving relationships together.

Thursday 12 November

‘I would like you to talk not so much about me as about mySaviour, the Lord, Jesus Christ, who I came to trust as a child. Iinvited him into my life and he has been with me ever since,guiding me, guarding me, keeping me.’ These are wordswritten by Elsie Tonge in preparation for her own funeral.Praise God for people like Elsie who walk through life so closeto God.

Friday 13 November

‘My mum and stepfather were great – I miss them. My mumlooked after me all these years in my bad health. They were agreat couple,’ says Eric, son of John and Audrey West. Let'spray for people like Eric who are feeling the loss of loved onestoday, and ask God to draw especially close to them now.

Saturday 14 November

Dear God, we praise you for those mentioned this week and formany others who've left legacies to Tearfund – for the blessingthey were to other people in both life and death. Thank you fortheir generosity and we lift up the work being done as a resultof these gifts. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you would like to know more about how to include a gift toTearfund in your will, call Kirsty on 020 8943 7729, email her or visit tearfund.org/legacies

Healing in the Heart of Africa: 15 – 21 November

In the last two years, the people of the Central African Republichave suffered hugely as a result of religious, tribal and territorialconflict between two groups, the Seleka and the Anti-Balaka.Thousands have been killed and many more left coping withanger, uncertainty and fear. At the time of writing, much of thecountry has been peaceful, people are returning home fromemergency camps and an election is planned. But, as one ofthe world's poorest countries, CAR is vulnerable, fraught withtensions, and needs our prayers ...

Sunday 15 November

Despite the gradual return to normality, Harvey, a former ITprofessional, his wife Raquelle and their three young sons stillfeel unable to leave the camp they've been living in for morethan a year in Bangui, CAR's capital. Their fear speaks of thetrauma they've suffered. Pray for everyone still too scared to gohome.

Monday 16 November

Having fled the Anti-Balaka, Adamou's family were surviving onleaves when Tearfund gave her tools and seeds so she couldgrow enough food for her family and have some left over to sell.Thank God that he makes people resilient, even in the mostextreme circumstances.

Tuesday 17 November

Clean water and good hygiene are essentials, never more sothan in a disaster situation. At the girls' school in Boda,Tearfund has helped pupils form a committee, spreading theword about drinking clean water and washing hands. Thankyou God that you teach us good things.

Wednesday 18 November

Lynette was 14 when her parents and siblings were killed andshe was raped by the Seleka. She hid for weeks in the forestuntil she felt safe enough to return to her village and join aschool where Tearfund partner Jupedec are helpingtraumatised children. She asks for prayer for the other childrenat the school, that they will know peace.

Thursday 19 November

Peter is 13. His mother died when he was five, so when hisfather was shot by the Seleka, he was taken in by hisgrandmother. He used to have nightmares, but they've stoppedsince he's had help from Jupedec. He prays that God will healhis wounds and help him forget what has happened.

Friday 20 November

James Wabwire is Tearfund's food security specialist in CAR.He knows how fundamental food is to peace. The fighting leftmany people hungry but simple things like helping people growtheir own crops makes a huge difference. Pray that our work tohelp people feed themselves will be blessed and will bringpeace.

Saturday 21 November

Boris is a Tearfund staff member who is from CAR. As thepastor of a church in Bangui, he and his family encountered thetroubles firsthand. He says, ‘I want to pray for the heart ofevery Central African, because the heart of the people iswounded. Change starts in the heart of the people.’ Amen.

Names have been changed this week to protect identities.

God's Light in the DRC: 22 – 28 November

Due to the violence around them, many people in theDemocratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are forced to flee theirhomes regularly and leave their livelihoods behind. This weekwe pray for them and celebrate how, through Tearfund'spartners, God is helping them in practical ways.

Sunday 22 November

Pray that the church in the DRC will be a place of refuge,encouragement and hope for people who live in fear ofviolence. Pray that people will know the power, deliverance andpeace of God.

Monday 23 November

There are many displaced people in the city of Beni, who oftenexperience food shortages and sickness related to poorhygiene. Thank God for Tearfund's partner, Programme dePromotion des Soins de Santé Primaires, which is working toprovide food vouchers, latrines, hygiene training and cleanwater for 250 displaced families.

Tuesday 24 November

Many of the displaced people in Beni are sick, injured orbereaved: 100 civilians were recently beheaded in the area.Yesuri is a grandmother who had her leg amputated after anattack. Please pray that God will meet the bereaved and injuredin their pain and bring comfort and peace to people like Yesuri.

Wednesday 25 November

‘Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against ... thespiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’ Ephesians 6:12

Pray for peace in DRC, that perpetrators are brought torepentance and justice, and that victims receive grace,protection and strength from God. Ask that people will be ableto return home safely.

Thursday 26 November

After being away for five years, Masumbuko and his familymoved back to South Kivu and began rebuilding their home.After a Tearfund/USAID project taught him about hygiene,Masumbuko says, ‘We used to always have at least one childsuffering from diarrhoea but now none of them do.’ Praise Godfor improved health and sanitation in South Kivu. Pray thistraining will reach more families.

Friday 27 November

Maombi is a widow who lives in Bugoyi village with her fivechildren. After training from a Tearfund partner, she planted 1kgof garlic and harvested 30kg. She plans for a greater harvestnext time as the money she earns through selling garlic helpspay for school fees, medical care and clothes for her children.Praise God for this initiative and pray that Maombi's garlicharvests will continue to be bountiful.

Saturday 28 November

Dear Lord, thank you for the work you are doing in DRC andthat you care for every person living there. Please lift the spiritsof Tearfund staff and partners who carry out food, health andsanitation work on the ground. We ask for an end to theviolence and help for displaced people to rebuild their lives.Amen.

Tearfund Prayer Diary November2015 – tearfund.org/praying