Lord, we find ourselves in a
season of holidays and festivities – some joyful, like Resurrection Sunday, and
some acknowledging terrible tragedies that have been perpetrated by and against
the human race. In the coming days, as we remember the Deir Yassin Massacre of
1948 and acknowledge the horrors of the Holocaust and the Armenian and Assyrian
Genocides, we pray desperately that these horrors would never be repeated. God,
would you comfort all the survivors of these terrible events who may still
suffer from unforgettably painful memories. Lead us all out of cycles of
violence into the way of peace and neighborly love. Lord, in your mercy...
On the occasion of another
holiday – Palestinian Child’s Day – this Friday, we ask your protection on
these young and vibrant, but vulnerable lives.
For all the children living under the restrictions of occupation, for
those that must pass through checkpoints to reach their schools, for child
prisoners and those who have undergone or witnessed trauma, merciful God, we
ask your special safeguarding and comfort. Would you give their parents wisdom
as they raise their children in such a difficult context, and would you fortify
these children with resiliency and courage. Ultimately, we pray for an end to
the occupation that introduces these oppressive challenges into young lives.
Lord, in your mercy...
Within Sabeel, Lord, we pray for
the many upcoming events: for Nazareth’s Youth Trip to the depopulated village
of Iqrith this Saturday, for the joint Jerusalem-Nazareth community event in
Nazareth next Tuesday, and for the many groups and visitors that will pass
through Sabeel’s doors this week and next. We especially pray for a successful
LA-Orange County FOSNA conference in Pasadena this weekend. Lord, we also want
to recognize and thank you for the lives and work of two Sabeel staff members:
for Mary Sahhar, who just finished her work with Sabeel last week, and for new
staff member Ann Saba, who began her work this week. Please bless them and
their families as they transition into new roles. Lord, in your mercy...
Finally, we pray in solidarity
with the World Council of Churches for the people of Brunei, Malaysia, and
Singapore. Lord, in your mercy...
This
event occurred after the Wave of Prayer was sent out and needs our prayers:
Lord, we are grieved by the
recent death of 64 year old Maisara Abu Hamdiyeh, a prisoner and terminally ill
cancer patient who died Tuesday. We are troubled by the details of his
death: that he died chained to his bed after undergoing chemotherapy;
that his family had repeatedly been denied their request to bring him home to
die peacefully; and that they had not even been allowed to visit him on his
deathbed. We pray for comfort for his wife, children and family in their
time of grief. We pray for all prisoners, especially administrative
detainees on hunger strike and close to death, and also those who are in need
of not just medical but basic humane care. Lord, the people here are angry.
We know that you hear their cries and that you weep with all those who suffer
from injustice. We pray that the world will also hear their cries and
respond so that this tragedy does not lead to serious unrest. Lord, in
your mercy…
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