11/9/14 - English

Lord, we worry about the suffering in Gaza. Around 450,000 people (between 20-30 percent of the population) are unable to access municipal water and 110,000 continue to be internally displaced.  The economy in Gaza is devastated; Hundreds of businesses were destroyed or damaged during Israeli airstrikes.  The hostilities forced farmers and herders to abandon their farmland and agricultural infrastructure was damaged: greenhouses, irrigation systems and animal farms.  God of abundance, provide for your people in Gaza, and give them hope for a better life for themselves, their children and their communities.  Lord in your mercy…

During the first week of September alone, as many as 127 Palestinians were arrested across the West Bank.  Lord, as resistance against the occupation grows in Palestinian communities, so does Israeli repression.  This week a 16-year old Palestinian in Jerusalem died from his wounds after he was hit by a deadly rubber bullet during protests in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood.  God of mercy, we pray that justice will come to this land, bringing with it peace and reconciliation that will sustain all times. Lord in your mercy…

Gracious God, we pray for a resumption of peace negotiations in Egypt between the Palestinians and Israelis.  We pray that negotiations will turn promises to ease the siege on Gaza into reality and bring forth a long-termcease-fire.  We pray for a just political solution so healing can begin and Gaza can rebuild its shattered communities once and for all. Lord in your mercy…

Lord, we pray for Sabeel’s programs and events this week including women and youth meetings in Nazareth and a board meeting in Jerusalem.  We also lift up our gratitude for our friends around the world who translate the Wave of Prayer every week into different languages, including French, Dutch, Japanese, and others, and for our friends who use this prayer in their church services and prayer groups.  We are blessed by their solidarity.  Lord in your mercy…

We pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.  Lord in your mercy…