Waves of infection, an extra-contagious variant, high deaths have resulted in a humanitarian crisis in Brazil. Pray for Anabaptist-Mennonite churches struggling with reduced finances to continue to show love to their neighbours. Pray for wisdom about how to hold church services in a low-risk manner.

Pray for the increased attention of congregation members from the three Mennonite synods in Indonesia to support Assembly 17 in July 2022. Pray for the efforts of Indonesian research centres to produce a COVID-19 vaccine to support the government’s target of reaching 70 percent of the population by the end of 2021.

We call upon the Lord for India and for all nations in pandemic distress:

Living God, how long can this tsunami of suffering and death prevail? Reach down from on high to draw your children out of mighty waters.

Bring healing and salvation.

Sustain exhausted pastors, medical staff and other caregivers.

Comfort those who mourn, and supply what each nation needs to come through this torment.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer!

Since the military seized power in Myanmar in February, waves of protest have been violently suppressed, with reports of more than 400 citizens killed. Even before the pandemic, poverty affected many households. The political situation has led to even greater economic turmoil, and many households have no financial income. Most church members are in a food crisis.

“Greetings from the crying land of Myanmar,” writes an Anabaptist church leader in Myanmar to the global family. “This is a special request for you to pray for our country, particularly for the vulnerable 400 families of our church people in Yangon and delta region. We believe that prayer can make a difference. God bless you all.”

As a world-wide community of faith and life we transcend boundaries of nationality, race, class, gender and language. We seek to live in the world without conforming to the powers of evil, witnessing to God's grace by serving others, caring for creation, and inviting all people to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. (Shared Conviction #7)

Yesus berkata: berbahagialah orang yang lemah lembut, karena mereka akan memiliki bumi.
Tuhan, kiranya kami dapat menghadirkan kerajaanMu dengan kerendahan hati dan kesabaran.

Yesus berkata: Berbahagialah orang yang murah hati karena mereka akan memperoleh kemurahan.
Tuhan, kiranya kami memiliki kemurahan hati satu sama lain, terutama bagi mereka yang berbeda pendapat dengan kami.

Yesus berkata: Berbahagialah orang yang membawa damai, karena mereka akan disebut anak-anak Allah.
Tuhan, kami ingin dikenal sebagai umat-Mu melalui kasih yang kami berikan untuk semua orang dan melalui kemampuan kami untuk dapat berjalan dengan tenang di dalam suatu konflik sehingga dapat memahami dan mengubah keadaan yang ada.

Tuhan, ajari kami untuk menjadi garamMu di tengah perpecahan, terutama di dalam gereja dan keluarga, dan membawa keadilanMu yang mencerahkan, terutama di mana ada diskriminasi secara sistemik terhadap mereka yang miskin atau orang memiliki warna kulit yang berbeda.

Tuhan, Engkau telah membentuk umatMu dengan keragaman di dalam tubuh Kristus. Namun hadiah dalam bentuk keragaman ini terkadang tidak kami inginkan untuk menerimanya. Banyak saudara dan saudari kami memiliki pendapat dan praktik yang berbeda dengan kami, yang kadang membuat kami merasa tidak nyaman. Terus ajari kami melalui RohMu untuk terus memahami bagaimana kami tetap satu walau tanpa harus seragam.

Tuhan, Engkau memanggil kami untuk berbicara satu sama lain dengan jujur ​​dan menegur dengan tulus ketika ada pelanggaran. Beri kami keberanian untuk melakukannya dengan rahmat dan kasih sayangMu. Bimbing kami juga untuk menyelidiki hati kami sendiri akan kegagalan yang telah kami lakukan dan tuntunlah kami  ke dalam pertobatan.

Tuhan, Engkau telah menempatkan kami sebagai pemelihara ciptaanMu di bumi ini. Tunjukkan kepada kami kemuliaanMu lewat apapun yang ada di sekitar kami, baik dalam kelimpahan maupun kerapuhannya. Ampunilah kami yang sering mementingkan diri kami sendiri. Ajari kami untuk merendahkan hati kami saat kami diberi kedudukan untuk berkuasa dan ingatkan kami bahwa tindakan kami dapat membawa pengaruh bagi orang-orang di sekitar kami.

Thank you, Father God, for always being attentive to us, your sons and daughters, and for listening to all those who call out to you with a humble and contrite heart.

Thank you for having redeemed us from judgement and death through the precious blood of Christ, our Saviour.

Loving Father, we ask you to protect us from all illness and every evil, in the name of your beloved son, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

—submitted by Elvia Sanchez Torres, Iglesia Berna Menonita, Bogota, Colombia 

“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13).

Bishop Safari Mutabesha, president of Mennonite Brethren Church Malawi, calls for prayer. Coronavirus cases increased drastically in December with many deaths resulting. Most of his church members are day labourers who live far from medical facilities. “Some of our members are infected (tested positive) and are staying in isolation but have no food,” he writes. Food is scarce in January and February and harvests are far off.

Pray that our local congregations find ways to model the love of Christ in their communities which struggle with illness and death due to the pandemic, while at the same time learning how to bridge the political and racial divisions which also exist. Pray that the spirit of unity would bring healing and resilience.