PRAY
preparing the heart and mind to pray for the refugees.
Imagine yourself as a refugee, as if you and your family had been forced to move to another country, another culture, leaving everything behind ...
How would you like people to pray for you? Read these Bible passages:
Dt 10.18.19; Psalm 107: 1-9; Psalm 34.18; Mt 25.31-46; Mt 22.37-39; Gal 6.10
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you pray for the refugees.
STEP-BY-STEP PRAYER guide
May peacemakers, true conciliators, be raised and bring peace to countries where war, violence, and persecution are forcing people to leave their homes. Pray for peace: Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Eritrea, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Colombia.
Peace and peacemakers
Basic needs
May all their essential needs for safety, shelter, water, food, and medical care are met. May the Most High Father hear their cry and take them to a safe place. In many circumstances, the refugee will have to learn a new language and a new jo, pray for their emotional strength, may they be able to face these challenges, even with so few resources and support.
Hope and healing
May the kind and committed people be raised and give hope to the refugees. May doctors, psychologists, pastors, and therapists be channels of hope, generating physical, mental, and emotional healing. Pray especially for children and teenagers who have suffered physical aggression or who have witnessed atrocities against their families. May their memories be healed and they may perceive the presence of the Eternal Father with them, and be free from fear and anxiety. May their faith be renewed, producing hope and joy.
May the refugees find a welcoming church in their new country. May more people and churches in the recipient countries open their eyes and hearts to perceive, welcome, and serve the refugees. There are also many churches within refugee camps, led by refugee pastors. Many refugees seek support and hope in these churches. May these small communities be strengthened in their faith and their testimony, and be a blessing to their people.
A Welcoming Church
Women and children
They are one of the most vulnerable people. They represent more than a half of the refugees in the world. Let them be free from evil, from people who want to exploit them, such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and organ trafficking networks. Pray for the orphans, for the mothers who lost their children ... May the church be a true family, a network of love, shelter, and protection for the most fragile.
They are far from home. They have lost their friends and many of then are far from their parents and family. When they look back, they can't find any alternative. On the other hand, they have a great capacity of learning the new language, they are more versatile and physically stronger. They can learn a profession, and they usually become the support of the family. May they be blessed with flexibility, creativity, and perseverance.
Young People
Host Countries
85% of the refugees are living in poor and developing countries, the economic scene of these contries are many challenges. They have to deal with large migratory waves, with thousands of refugees arriving in a short period of time, and without international assistance. It is very common the rise of prejudice against those who arrive. Pray that the refugees will not suffer from racism and xenophobia. May governments and the population open up their minds and welcome them. These are the countries that recievev most of them: Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Kenya, Chad, Ethiopia.
Pray for the thousands of workers and volunteers who tirelessly serve the refugees around the world. For their safety and emotional health. That there be sufficient financial resources for international agencies to provide humanitarian services. Pray also that the world leaders will be sensitive to the millions of refugees and seek new solutions together.
UN (UNHCR) and humanitarian agencies serving refugees
RHP Brazil - Refugee Highway Partnership
RHP is an international network of evangelical organizations that serve refugees in different countries. It is the specialized arm of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) for this group. May the Father continue to raise more and more organizations and people as volunteers, pastors, or missionaries, to minister to the refugees, in large urban centers and in camps in remote areas. Pray for this initiative, that it will bear much fruit.
Our country has become the destination for many refugees from different countries. There is so much to be done for the integration of the refugees into our society. We are a country of migrants, but we have a short memory and we are living days of turmoil, generating prejudice and hatred. Pray that our society will not be closed to the foreigners. May our governments (Federal, State, and Municipal) seek solutions. Pray for the government organizations involved in hosting these refugees here in Brazil (CONARE, UNHCR, among others), for the people who work there. Finally, pray for the thousands of refugees and asylum seekers who are already in Brazil. May they find a new life and hope here.
Refugees in Brazil
pray for afghanistan
Since the beginning of the year, when American troops began to vacate Afghanistan, local residents have been living under a climate of great pressure and uncertainty. Especially those who in these nearly 20 years of US occupation have demonstrated against the Taliban, or served in the US military as interpreters and other support functions.
Afghanistan was once again taken by force by the Islamic extremist Taliban group. Although its leaders affirm at this first moment that they will not repeat the radicalism of the past, being historically a violent fundamentalist group, it is natural to hope for an extremist government. This explains why thousands of people are desperately trying to flee the country.
The biggest victims of this oppressive regime are girls and women, who must lose the few rights gained in recent years (such as studying and working outside the home, for example). Christians, who were persecuted before, now tend to experience even more difficult times.
Afghanistan is the second country on the world's list of persecution of Christians. Being a Christian there is practically a death sentence. Persecution, under current circumstances, is likely to increase dramatically with the Taliban's resumption.
Pray for the people of Afghanistan! May the international community and local political forces find a path to peace. Pray for persecuted Christians. May they be strengthened and their testimony, even in the face of death, bear fruit.
Pray for the thousands who are seeking safety in neighboring countries. Let them be welcomed. Praise the Lord for the Afghan church, which even though small and seemingly fragile, amidst much persecution has grown and strengthened!
Pray for the Taliban
The Taliban, the radical Islamic group that took control of Afghanistan, is known for its ultra-restrictive interpretation of Sharia Law. Under its control, women and girls have their freedom extremely restricted, and other expressions of faith are not allowed. Persecution and killing of "infidels", especially Christians, are performed as acts of religious fervor.
Our first reaction is to plead with the Father for his destruction. Even if the Word allows us to make these “precatory prayers” (when we seek God's judgment on those who persecute us), it will be useful to use this example to deepen our Christian mindset.
When we remember the words of the Master: "Love your enemies and pray for those who catch you" (Mt 5:44), and still, "Do good to those who hate them, bless those who curse them..." (Lk 6:27ff) , we also propose to INTERcede for Taliban soldiers, after all, our main target is to be like Christ, to have his mind and heart, thus signaling his kingdom among us.
- PRAY that the Holy Spirit will generate in us a genuine love and compassion for the Taliban and those who persecute us.
- PRAY that they will have an encounter with the Lord Jesus, the Prince of Peace. In recent years the testimonies of former terrorists who had a vision of the Lord Jesus have been frequent. May many Taliban have these revelations, or may they hear the Word in a powerful and loving way.
- PRAY for them to have a sudden awareness of the evil of their actions. Again, there are testimonies of terrorists who started to have nightmares, feelings of guilt, lack of peace, being unable to continue doing barbarities.
- PRAY that, in a supernatural way, they will be restricted in the evil they intend to do.
- PRAY that people will be raised up, Afghans and foreigners, willing to demonstrate the love and grace of Christ to them.
May the heavens open and there be a supernatural move of love, grace and mercy on the Taliban.
Your kingdom come, your will be done...