English July 5 -2018

Sabeel Wave of Prayer
July, 5th 2018

Sadly Yaser Abu al-Naja was the sixteenth Palestinian child to be killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. Since the beginning of the ‘Great March of Return’ 134 Palestinians have died, and 17,000 have needed medical attention. The World Methodist Council has called for a week of prayer for Gaza and the Holy Land from the 1st to the 7th of July.

• Lord, we continue to pray for all who demonstrate for justice and equality. We give thanks for the prayer support of our brothers and sisters in the World Methodist Council. We pray in the name of Jesus, who proclaimed, ‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.’ ( Matthew5:6) Lord in your mercy……..

A mental health crisis is gripping the Gaza Strip, born of repeated wars and the stress of meeting daily needs in this besieged and impoverished Palestinian enclave. Recently there  has been a significant increase in the numbers of those suffering from symptoms of psychological distress.

•    Lord God we pray for an end to the isolation of Gaza which is undermining the physical and mental health of those who live there. We pray for relief for the suffering people of Gaza and an end to their captivity. Lord in your mercy ……….

Palestinian children from al-Awda camp in Eastern Gaza, set off balloons carrying photos of victims and prisoners, as well as messages to Israelis. Demonstrations at the Gaza border included traditional Palestinian dances and music.    

•    Thank you Lord for those who use their creative gifts to challenge injustice, and  we give you thanks for the children of  al-Awda camp . Lord please let their messages and pictures speak into the hearts of their oppressors. Lord in your mercy…..

The United States has frozen aid funds to the Palestinian Authority under the ‘Taylor Force Law’.This law is intended to prevent the Palestinian Authority from paying monthly stipends to families of those killed, wounded and imprisoned by the Israeli army. Whilst the United Nations Relief  and Works Agency,(UNRWA), which has been providing vital services to Palestinian refugees for seven decades, is now faced with its most severe financial crisis.

• Lord, we pray that the Palestinian refugees are granted the right to return to their properties and homeland, and that the Israeli occupation comes to an end. We pray for the Palestinians who must now depend on the mercy and compassion of others. Lord in your mercy ……..

Israeli soldiers abducted  seventeen Palestinians in several different areas of the occupied West Bank and summoned a young woman for interrogation. Israeli soldiers have broken into many Palestinian homes and dozens of Palestinians have been interrogated.

Concerns have  been raised over the deteriorating  state of health of 24-year-old Omar al-Kiswani after the torture he was subjected to under interrogation in prison. He now suffers from severe backache after this abuse.

• Lord, this relentless oppression is sapping our strength.  We cry out to you and ask for deliverance. May the Palestinian people be restored to their land, so they can once again live in peace . Lord in your mercy ………..

The Israeli army has announced that bulldozers will shortly arrive to wipe the West Bank Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar  to make room for the expansion of  Israeli Settlements.

•    Lord our hearts cry out as we witness such inhumanity . We pray for the Khan al-Ahmar community that their homes, school, community centre and  land may not be taken from them. Lord in your mercy …….

The results of the Tawjihi (National exam for Palestinian students completing 12th grade) will be released this week. Students have to perform well in these exams to be admitted into university.

• We pray for the thousands of young people who will be celebrating their achievement and we remember the students who may not reach their target grades. May the students of Palestine use their education to serve and strengthen their communities. Lord in your mercy…

The Sabeel- Kairos Conference 2018 took place in Oxford, UK on Saturday, the 30th of June.

Rev Naim Ateek gave a talk on the theme of his recently published book, ‘ A Palestinian Theology of Liberation’, focussing on the spirituality of seeking justice for the Palestinians.

Other presenters gave practical advice on ways of taking a stand for justice by finding out if churches in the UK have ethical investment policies and boycotting businesses profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

•    Lord, give us the eyes to see the injustice in Palestine and the hands to work to challenge the oppression and to stand alongside our brothers and sisters in their suffering.

• We join the World Council of Churches in praying for the countries of Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda. Lord in your mercy…