Prayer Room
On Sundays, we pause to anticipate the coming of Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. – Matthew 16:21
#40Days2022
While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. - Acts 13: 2-3
In 2021, the majority of teams from around the world were unable to come to Africa. Pray for teams that are hoping to come this year, that they will experience God’s peace in this season of uncertainty.
After several years with no teams in Zambia because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a team from North America was able to visit. It was a blessing to have the team come and be willing to serve with and learn from the Care Workers and Hands at Work volunteers. They walked with the Care Workers on Holy Home Visits, played with the children and gained a deeper understanding of the vulnerability faced by thousands across Africa. Their time in Africa also impacts their perspective when returning to their home countries. Here is a reflection from Melissa Jantz, one of the team members that came to Africa in 2021:
“Last June, Christ Church San Francisco was able to send a team of eight to Malawi to visit the Mcheneka and Mphunzi communities that we have supported for close to a decade. I had the privilege of joining, along with my 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. As I reflect on our time in Africa last summer, the word resilience comes to mind. Resilience is the ability to withstand and recover from adversity. It is a gift that God has built into the fabric of His creation. The devastation, need, and brokenness that is commonplace to the people there is unfathomable as a way of life for those of us from western, affluent societies where "need" is used more figuratively than literally. But day after day, as we met with the Care Workers, children, and families on the Holy Home Visits, we were struck by how much they have weathered - physically, emotionally, and spiritually - in their harsh environment, and yet what capacity they had for joy and hopefulness. This was frequently the topic of conversation when we met as a team to debrief about the day after dinner. It reminds me that, though we would desire to be insulated from harm and difficulty, we are most often powerless to avoid it. Yet God in His grace gives us the strength to withstand and recover. And His offer is not just for survival, but for flourishing; a flourishing that stands in the face of adversity and attests to His great power to work in and through us through the hope we have in Christ." – Melissa Jantz, Team Member from the US
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Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” – Isaiah 6:8
Hands at Work has International Volunteers from across the world, serving in Africa as well as in Hands at Work’s International Offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US. Pray for each volunteer who you know by name. Pray that they will continue to be filled with grace, humility and the heart of a servant.
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Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” – Luke 6:38
Hands at Work believes that, together with the local church in Africa, the International church has been called to stand up and speak as a voice for the voiceless. Praise God for each of our partners, who remain committed to caring for the vulnerable, despite facing many challenges. Pray that they will experience God’s peace and provision in their lives. Ask God to fill them with the strength that they need to keep advocating for those in Africa and within their own community.
Read more about the way that advocates in the UK are staying connected to the work that is happening on the ground in Africa: www.handsatwork.org/newsroom/2022/3/4/knowing-their-names
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Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. - Acts 20:28
Within our communities, pastors are highly regarded and have a strong influence. Pray that they will understand the truth of who Jesus is, and the responsibility that they have in caring for the vulnerable in their community. Pray that they will be a voice of truth in the midst of challenging circumstances and that they have the courage to speak against things that are unbiblical.
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“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn’t do anything to help you?’ Then he will answer, ‘I assure you that when you haven’t done it for one of the least of these, you haven’t done it for me.’” – Matthew 25:44-45
Thank God for the volunteer Care Workers and their families, who are committed to sacrificially giving of themselves to serve the most vulnerable children. Pray that they will have the courage to advocate on behalf of the children and their families, even when this goes against the cultural norm. Ask God to give each Care Worker the spiritual eyes to see what is happening in the lives of the children. Pray that they will build relationships of trust and love.
The local Hands at Work team in Nigeria reflects on Sis Moji, one of the Care Workers in Temitope Community, Nigeria, who is caring for some of the most vulnerable children.
“When we first met Sis Moji, she was really struggling. We did a Holy Home Visit at her home and told her about the ‘Jesus We Know’ and also what God wants us to do for the orphans and the most vulnerable children in our community. After hearing about the vision, she decided to join as a Care Worker. And since she joined, she has not regretted it because God is always making a way for her.
She is always happy when she is playing with the children and when they are close to her. The children are happy when they see her, and that makes her happy. She sees the Care Point as her home. She loves caring for the children.”
#40Days2022
