An August prayer report looking at the opportunities and challenges of vaccinations, Covid-19 Hot Spots and some suggested Prayer Pointers with links to resources:
As of 6th August, the total global figure for people infected by Covid-19 stood at 201 million according to Johns Hopkins University. In addition to this, the recorded number who have died totalled 4,268,853. Cases have risen steadily since mid-June, although have yet to reach the peak of mid-April. The are early signs that cases may have started to decline since the start of August.
Covid-19 hot spots
Here are those countries / regions which are currently showing high levels of infection.
The devastating wave of infections that overwhelmed India has passed. Nonetheless India remains the second worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States. The overall case count officially now stands at 31,484,605 cases, and 422,022 deaths although many fear it may be 5 or 6 times higher than this. A recent study has estimated that as many as 4 million people may have lost their lives in India.
In Brazil, cases and deaths have thankfully started to decline since June, albeit at a relatively slow rate. The current daily cases of 41,411 is lower than peak of 115,000 in mid-June, however daily deaths continue to number more than 1000. Total cases have exceeded 19.7 million with 551,835 deaths. Whereas many countries have seen sharp declines following a peak, Brazil has been much slower at reducing cases and deaths over time.
Indonesia continues to see the most daily cases and deaths as it experiences it current devastating wave of infections. Daily cases have declined slightly since a peak in Mid-July, with daily cases standing at 45203 on 27th July. Deaths continue to rise and now total 88659, the majority of which have occurred in the last 5 weeks.
Although there has continues to be improvement, four of the top 10 countries with the most COVID-19 deaths per capita in the past week are from South America: Argentina, Colombia, Paraguay and Suriname; for most of the past month and a half, Brazil and Peru were also in this group. Antonio Trujillo, PhD., an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, writes that South America has been so ravaged by the pandemic — and its suffering is so invisible — because of poor leadership, high poverty and bad luck. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has denied scientific facts, advocated for worthless remedies and turned down offers to purchase effective vaccines. “I regret the deaths, but we have to live," was the quote from Bolsonaro that people will remember. The failure in leadership extends to all the heads of state who have neglected to come together to produce a regional solution to the world’s biggest challenge of this century. Even countries with capable national leadership have struggled under the weight of regional poverty and underdeveloped health systems. To save the most lives today and decrease the global impact of COVID-19, the world must acknowledge the severity of the crisis in South America. Regional planning efforts must generate a response that reaches everyone regardless of race, income and social standing. And wealthy nations and donors must make many millions of vaccines available in the next few months to prevent more catastrophic surges.
Covid Variants
The Delta variant poses a threat to us all – not just those countries with larger numbers of unvaccinated people. This is because unlike the Alpha variant, which first emerged in the UK, the first dose of the vaccine does not offer enough protection against it, meaning people are at risk in the interval period between the two doses.
According to a Public Health England study published on May 22, a single dose of either Oxford-AstraZeneca’s or Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine only reduces a person’s risk of developing COVID-19 symptoms caused by the Delta variant by 33 percent, compared to 50 percent for the Alpha variant. A second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine boosts protection against Delta to 60 percent (compared to 66 percent against Alpha), while two doses of Pfizer’s jab are 88 percent effective (compared to 93 percent against Alpha).
The US is also grappling with a rise in cases attributed to the Delta variant, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting on July 21 that the Delta variant now accounts for 83 percent of new cases of COVID. That makes it more urgent than ever that unvaccinated Americans get their shots as this cohort accounts for the vast majority of new cases, hospitalisations and deaths. And all three of those are increasing again, with new COVID cases on the rise in all 50 states.
It is a situation reflected globally. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) weekly COVID-19 update on Tuesday last week reported cases of the Delta variant in 124 countries, along with 3.4 million new cases of COVID-19 around the world, 12 percent higher than the previous week.
Since first appearing in India in late 2020, the Delta variant has become the predominant strain in much of the world. Researchers might now know why Delta has been so successful: people infected with it produce far more virus than do those infected with the original version of SARS-CoV-2, making it very easy to spread.
According to current estimates, the Delta variant could be more than twice as transmissible as the original strain of SARS-CoV-2. Researchers report that virus was first detectable in people with the Delta variant four days after exposure, compared with an average of six days among people with the original strain, suggesting that Delta replicates much faster. Individuals infected with Delta also had viral loads up to 1,260 times higher than those in people infected with the original strain.
The combination of a high number of viruses and a short incubation period makes sense as an explanation for Delta’s heightened transmissibility, says epidemiologist Benjamin Cowling at the University of Hong Kong. The sheer amount of virus in the respiratory tract means that superspreading events are likely to infect even more people, and that people might begin spreading the virus earlier after they become infected.
And the short incubation makes contact tracing more difficult in countries such as China, which systematically tracks each infected person’s contacts and require them to quarantine. “Putting it all together, Delta’s really difficult to stop,” Cowling says.
It has also been noted that there is a potential risk as countries begin to emerge from restrictive measures such as lockdown. In the UK, while infection rates have declined in recent days, the relaxation of lockdown rules will likely lead to an increase in transmission, says Emilia Skirmuntt, an evolutionary virologist at the University of Oxford. “I think there will be more infections than we have seen in the last days. With more infections, there is a bigger chance that we will see a new variant which might be even more infectious,” Skirmuntt told VOA.
The Lambda variant, which some scientists fear may be resistant to vaccines, has yet to be classed as a variant of concern which is encouraging given early fears.
This New York Times article provides a useful and detailed analysis of the nature and scientific understanding of variants.
Vaccines
As of 29th July, 27.6% of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 14.1% is fully vaccinated. 3.97 billion doses have been administered globally, and 34.32 million are now administered each day. Only 1.1% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.
The ongoing worldwide disparity regarding vaccine rollout remains, with richer nations grappling with a slow-down in vaccination rates as some young people appear less willing to accept the vaccine, whilst poorer nations just want a guaranteed and steady supply to vaccines. Additionally, as vaccines become available, so logistical problems are coming to the fore.
Amid a third wave of the pandemic in Africa, only 1.3% of the population have so far been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, with 1.35 billion people still at risk of contracting the virus. A World Health Organisation survey has revealed the struggle of African countries in the race against the pandemic: some countries still lack the capacity to store and distribute vaccines to residents who need them the most.
The WHO Africa regional office has called for ‘a lot of work’ to be done in Africa if the continent is to catch up in the race against the Covid-19 pandemic, citing a survey which found that many districts in some African countries are still not fully prepared to store vaccine doses.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, told a media briefing on 22 July that African countries need to “ramp up significantly three to five times their capacity to roll out the vaccine”.
"We have carried out a WHO survey of 34 countries to see how ready they are in terms of cold-chain capacity and we found that about 30% of countries have over 50 or half of their districts, with gaps in cold chain, refrigerating capacity,” she said. “That means there is a lot of work to do in the next few weeks.”
What this means is that there are just a handful of African countries that can get vaccine doses to residents who need them the most: rural dwellers, who mostly include the aged and those with little access to equipped medical and isolation centres.
Let’s Pray… Let us continue to declare that the novel coronavirus is defeated by the blood of Jesus.
We pray for divine intervention and for God's name to be glorified even as each nation and government tries its best to prevent or control the emergence of new waves of infection and finally arrest this epidemic.
We pray that individuals, leaders and nations focus on the needs of others rather than themselves, and that cooperation and compassion lie at the heart of the world’s response to the crisis.
We pray for our scientists. In particular we pray for those assessing and communicating risks associated with vaccines, that they be filled with wisdom and understanding. We pray too for those investigating, sequencing and analysing new variants.
We pray especially for the nation of Indonesia. We stand with our brothers and sisters who are living amidst this uncertainty. We pray in particular for those providing medical support in the most difficult of times.
We release wisdom, skill, and integrity upon our leaders, particularly as they grapple with the complexities, challenges and many voices that seek to influence them.
We pray that leaders and nations will see their moral duty to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people and back this up with action not just words.
We pray for protection, wisdom and strength, for those working to bring treatment and comfort to the sick and their families.
We pray for individuals struggling to decide whether to receive the vaccine. We ask that their fears be settled and that the information they receive be truthful and honest.
We pray special grace and help for the vulnerable and lesser-developed nations.
We pray for a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine to be released soonest and the continued development of a range of vaccines to supply the whole world
We continue to release faith, hope, and love over the peoples of the world. May the Church seize this opportune time to manifest Jesus our Lord and Savior to those who are seeking answers and peace.
The United States and China have both expressed hope that the renewal of contacts between the two Koreas after over a year of silence and tensions may lead to more positive developments between the rival neighbours.
The South Korean Defence Ministry reported, on the 68th anniversary of the armistice that ended the combat phase of the Korean War, that South Korean and North Korean military officials resumed regular cross-border communications after having been cut off last June. The line was restored in the Yellow Sea, known to the Koreas as the West Sea, while a second in the Sea of Japan, known to the Koreas as the East Sea, was said to have experienced technical difficulties.
"According to the agreement made between the top leaders, the north and the south took a measure to re-operate all inter-Korean communication liaison lines from 10:00 on July 27," North Korea's official KCNA news agency said. "The top leaders agreed to make a big stride in recovering mutual trust and promoting reconciliation," it added.
Representatives from both sides spoke on the phone for three minutes, according to South Korea's Ministry of Unification. The ministry added that another call would be conducted on Tuesday afternoon, and henceforth every day.
"We're glad to talk again after over a year. We hope this... [brings] good news to all Korean people," said the South's representative. Ties between both countries improved in 2018, when South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met three times. But this quickly broke down following the collapse of a second summit between Mr Kim and then US President Donald Trump. Tensions later worsened, prompted by defector groups in the South sending propaganda across the border.
This eventually led North Korea to cut off all military and political communication links, including a hotline between their leaders. South Korea's president had called for the hotline to be restored and talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes. The two Koreas remain technically at war because the 1950-1953 Korean war ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
Pyongyang doesn’t usually declare its motives publicly, but the timing of the overture suggests desperation may have played a part. Cut off from the world under international sanctions, the Kim regime has few friends. In June, Kim admitted to a “tense” food crisis developing in the country, and experts speculate the diplomatic opening could provide an avenue for humanitarian aid to pass over the border.
Sources / More: Newsweek, BBC, Foreignpolicy.com
Pray:
Romans 14:19: “Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.”
Pray with us for peaceful leadership and co-operation across the region.
Pray with us for a renewed will for reconciliation and peaceful reunification.
Pray with us to strengthen Christians across the region as they deal with complex and often difficult situations.
Urgent Prayers…
News is being received through many media outlets of the violence being instigated by the Taliban in Afghanistan as they seek to gain total power in that country. As we go to press, we are also receiving news that Christian families, including women and children, are being murdered and known Christians are being sought.
Pray that the plans of our spiritual enemy. described by Jesus as a liar, a thief and a murderer, will be thwarted and that God will watch over and provide safety and means of escape for those who are His followers.
Pray for His church in Afghanistan at this time.
Pray that God will open the eyes of those who persecute, so that they receive revelation and can experience His mercy, salvation and forgiveness.
Update…
Record numbers of civilians have been killed and injured in Afghanistan in intense fighting since 1 May, when international forces began their final drawdown, and the Taliban launched a major offensive.
The heavy toll so far comes largely from battles in rural areas, according to the UN. If the conflict were to spill into more densely populated towns and cities, the consequences could be catastrophic, it says in its report, The Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict.
Swathes of the country have fallen to the insurgents since they launched their offensive two months ago to coincide with the original deadline authorities set for US and other forces to leave the country. The UN report is the first nationwide account of the impact of the fighting on civilians.
It notes near-record levels of casualties in the first six months of the year, with insurgent groups responsible for well over half of the deaths and injuries. It also says the “acute rise” in the two months since 1 May is of particular concern.
In that period 783 civilians were killed and 1,609 injured, almost equivalent to the toll during the first four months of the year, and the highest figures for May and June since the UN began keeping records in 2009. They are also likely to be the worst since the Taliban were toppled from power in 2001.
“I implore the Taliban and Afghan leaders to take heed of the conflict’s grim and chilling trajectory and its devastating impact on civilians,” said Deborah Lyons, the UN secretary general’s special representative for Afghanistan. “The report provides a clear warning that unprecedented numbers of Afghan civilians will perish and be maimed this year if the increasing violence is not stemmed.”
The last week of July has also shown the speed at which a regional disaster is unfolding. Instability in Afghanistan first poured over into neighbouring Tajikistan at the beginning of July, when more than 1,000 Afghan troops had to retreat across the border after heavy clashes with the Taliban. Now, Dushanbe, along with Moscow, is preparing for a new threat. On Wednesday, Russia announced it was reinforcing its military base in Tajikistan, as well as its training of Tajik troops. This is not primarily in response to threats posed by the Taliban, which historically takes less of an interest in carrying out foreign terrorism even if its hosts terrorists, but ISIS, a group that could now find a home in chaotic Afghanistan.
China, which shares a small border with the country, is another major power being drawn into the crisis. Also on Wednesday, a Taliban delegation was in Beijing to give assurances that the group would not allow Uighur separatists to shelter in its territories. The Taliban will use such meetings to claim international legitimacy, although US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has since said that China's increased engagement on Afghanistan could be "positive".
And to the west, the unfolding disaster is aggravating older problems. Turkey, which already hosts millions of refugees in line with a fragile deal signed with the EU in 2016, has seen an influx of Afghan migrants recently, which is being attributed largely to the renewed violence. About 1,200 people are thought to be crossing each day.
Sources / More: The Guardian, Thenationalnews.com
Pray:
Pray with us that the country will not fall back into the hands of the Taliban, either through NATO reversing their decision or through a miracle from God.
Pray with us for protection of civilians, particularly those who are weak and helpless (Psalm 82:3-4)
Thousands of people across the island marched through the streets in several towns and cities on 11 July, calling for democracy and sweeping economic reform in the country amid major food and medicine shortages. Scores of people were arrested by plain clothes police officers and many families say they still haven't heard from their loved ones or been informed of their whereabouts.
Fifty-nine Cubans have been prosecuted so far for participating in unprecedented demonstrations against the government earlier this month, a senior official said Saturday. The charges were minor, and the total number of people detained has not been released amid complaints from relatives seeking information about loved ones.
"Until yesterday, 19 judicial processes had reached the municipal courts of the country, cases involving 59 people accused of committing alleged crimes [during] these disturbances," Ruben Remigio Ferro, president of the Supreme Court, told reporters.
On July 11 and 12, thousands of Cubans took to the streets, shouting "Freedom," "Down with the dictatorship" and "We're hungry" in the biggest protests since the revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959. Hundreds of people were arrested and many face charges of contempt, public disorder, vandalism and propagation of the coronavirus epidemic for allegedly marching without face masks. Independent observers and activists have published lists of those arrested with at least 600 names on them.
Ferro said a faster trial system was being used to prosecute the accused but made assurances that due process was being followed. The rallies came as the country endures its worst economic crisis in 30 years, with chronic shortages of electricity, food and medicine amid an increase in COVID-19 cases.
Anyelo Troya, one of the creators of an anti-government rap song adopted by protesters, was sentenced to a year in prison Wednesday for "public disorder," according to his family.
Sources / More:: Voice of America, Sky News
Pray (taken from Haven Today):
The Cuban church continues to speak a message, not of violent uprising, but of peace in Christ. Please pray for a peaceful resolution between anti-government protesters and people in power. (Colossians 3:15)
Cuban Christians are also praying for their rulers and authorities to turn to Jesus. This is a tall order for a Communist, atheist state like Cuba. Please pray the Holy Spirit will begin a powerful work in their hearts.
The Covid variant that was so deadly in India is making its rounds in Cuba right now. As many have little access to medical supplies and health care, please pray for an end to the spread of this deadly variant.
After a week of public violence that shocked the world, South Africa is beginning to reflect on the cause.
Mass looting and destruction of property followed the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court after he refused to testify at an inquiry into corruption alleged to have happened when he led South Africa between 2009 and 2018.
The violence left more than 337 people dead and hundreds injured, with damage to the economy estimated at billions of dollars. The unrest was only quelled by the deployment of 25,000 soldiers, who are still patrolling parts of the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.
The African National Congress, or ANC, government has been widely criticized for its handling of the crisis. Speaking to the nation this past weekend, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the riots were “orchestrated” to cause social instability and “severely weaken, even dislodge,” his administration.
The South African Bishops, in a statement, "condemn in strong terms the glaring criminal elements that are taking advantage of this situation". "We - the prelates write - call upon individuals who are involved in vandalism and thuggery to give a thought to the livelihood of many people that they are jeopardising by destroying their places of employment. We must also remember that we are in the height of Covid-19 pandemic that thrives in the conditions of disorder that we see, and that the longer these conditions prevail, the more we put ourselves and others in danger of infection that will be difficult to deal with".
Invoking the path of dialogue, the Bishops denounce the fact that "our society has normalized the use of violence and vandalism to get the government to listen and be serious in addressing economic concerns of the poor". "We need a shift in mind-set, a collective conversion of heart and mind, which affirms that violent protests and destruction of property can never be a just response to the current economic hardships and economic injustice. We reiterate Pope Francis’ call in Fratelli Tutti, reminding all that: in face of political and economic problems there is always a possibility of choosing constructive engagement over violence".
This month's riots across South Africa have also underscored concerns about inequality and stability after nearly three decades of democracy. In Soweto, owners of pillaged shops accuse the government of failing them
Violence left more than 337 people dead and hundreds injured, with damage to economy estimated at billions of dollars. Experts say the riots were an eruption of frustrations that have long been simmering among South Africans. Extreme inequality has persisted since the ruling party -- the African National Congress -- was first elected in 1994. Nelson Mandela University's Hlingwe Ndlovu says although it brought freedom to the nation, the ANC has since failed to deliver for the poorest.
"We're seeing now post 1994, we have a different governance with a different face, but the conditions pretty much are more or less the same... People are angry, people are hungry and they want to take out this frustration," Ndvolu said.
South African Parliament on Friday said a joint meeting by its several committees resolved to refer a request to establish an inquiry into the recent violence in the country that killed at least 337 people.
The request will be sent to Parliament’s Presiding Officers for further consideration and decision, the parliament said in a statement issued here, adding that the meeting was of the view that the establishment of this inquiry is important in light of the violence, impact of the looting on the economy and loss of life caused by the unrest.
Sources / More:: Voice of America, Agenzia Fides
Pray with us that peace will prevail, so that its citizens can begin the hard work of rebuilding all that has been lost.
Pray with us for a spirit of reconciliation that the nation can stand against violence and despair (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)
Click Here to access the prayer pointers for Africa that were shared at the 1st Friday GO PRAY on Friday 6th August.
Our friends at Global Voice of Prayer are partnered with many South African ministries in a ‘Heal our Land’ – ‘Hope for Revival’ initiative during August. Please lets be in prayer with them for a healing of the land and a revival across South Africa.
The first person convicted under Hong Kong’s national security law was jailed for nine years on Friday for terrorist activities and inciting secession, judges said, in a watershed ruling with long-term implications for the city’s judicial landscape.
Former waiter Tong Ying-kit, 24, was accused of driving his motorcycle into three riot police last year while carrying a flag with the protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong. Revolution of our times.” Tong’s lawyer, Clive Grossman, told reporters outside the court the defence would appeal both the verdict and the sentence. He made no further comment. Judges Esther Toh, Anthea Pang and Wilson Chan - picked by city leader Carrie Lam to hear national security cases - ruled on Tuesday that the slogan was “capable of inciting others to commit secession”.
On Friday, the judges sentenced Tong to 6.5 years for inciting secession and 8 years for terrorist activities. Of these, 2.5 years will run consecutively, resulting in a total term of 9 years. Human rights groups have criticised Tong’s conviction, saying it imposes new limits on free speech, as well as the precedents set by the trial, which they say contrast with Hong Kong’s common law traditions.
“The sentencing of Tong Ying-kit to nine years confirms fears that the national security law is not merely a tool to instil terror into government critics in Hong Kong; it is a weapon that will be used to incarcerate them,” Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Regional Director Yamini Mishra said in a statement.
Tong is the first person to be found guilty of breaching the controversial security legislation, which also outlaws subversion and collusion with foreign powers. This comes as draconian Beijing-imposed national security law, introduced to smother dissent and free speech in Hong Kong, has completed over one year, leaving the once British-controlled region in turmoil and chaos.
China, with the help of local authorities, has been ruling Hong Kong with an iron fist. Authorities have also begun clamping down on pro-democracy activists. The law criminalises any act of secession (breaking away from China), subversion (undermining the power or authority of the central government), terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, with punishments of up to life in prison.
Sources / More:: Reuters, FreePressjournal
Pray:
Pray with us for Hong Kong to lead in proclaiming the Gospel to Chinese people worldwide.
Pray with us for justice, grace and mercy in a land that is intent on the opposite. (Isaiah 1:17)
A succession of record-breaking natural disasters have swept the globe in recent weeks. There have been serious floods in China and western Europe, heatwaves and drought in North America and wildfires in the sub-Arctic.
Germany and Belgium were the worst-hit countries by the extreme rainfall on July 14 and July 15, with authorities reporting more than 200 people to have died as floods engulfed entire villages. German chancellor Angela Merkel said the events of the last week have been “characterised by fear, by despair, by suffering”, pledging to victims of the catastrophic floods that the government “will not leave you alone in this difficult, terrible hour”.
London also experienced flash flooding earlier this week, when “nearly three inches of rain hit the capital in 90 minutes” on Monday night. Reports of “flooded streets, basement flats, Tube stations and high streets” were shared from across the city, the i reports, with the flooding mainly hitting areas in the southwest, north and northwest of the capital.
In China, scores died in the floods across Henan province, some of them in subway trains and road tunnels that remained open long after meteorologists issued a red-alert warning of lethal weather.
In Canada, the trends are worrying. This summer, various parts of British Columbia saw temperature records broken during the heatwave in June, notably the town of Lytton, which set the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Canada at 49.6 C — a remarkable 5.2 C increase over Lytton's previous heat record (which was also a record for B.C.) in 1941.
Some scientists are beginning to worry they might have underestimated how quickly the climate will change. Or have we just misunderstood extreme weather events and how our warming climate will influence them?
Floods and wildfires are not discrete events: they are the result of numerous interconnections and feedback loops in the climate system. Take the mid-July flash floods in London. These were caused by summer rainstorms, which were in turn driven by warm air rising from the Earth’s surface that built up during the preceding heatwave, stacking the deck for the downpours that were to follow. The wildfires raging in the western US, meanwhile, are a catastrophe whose stage was set by long-term drought.
We are used to treating each natural hazard independently from another. But it takes more than rain to create a flood, and more than a spark to start a wildfire. All of the elements of our climate system – and the hazards it produces – are connected in one way or another.
And as our climate continues to warm, its baseline is shifting. How these hazards and their causes interact is therefore also changing fast, challenging the very definition of extreme weather events.
An international group of climate scientists are now warning that there is "mounting evidence that we are nearing or have already crossed tipping points associated with critical parts of the Earth system." In a paper published in the journal BioScience on July 28, researchers pointed to the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, warm-water coral reefs, and the Amazon rainforest as climate systems that were possibly nearing or had already reached their tipping point.
The interconnections between extreme weather events have, until recently, been largely overlooked by the science community. But there is now growing international research tasked with mapping these complex relationships.
Sources / More:: cbc.ca, the conversation, the economist, theweek.co.uk
Pray:
God of life,
Help us to see that your gifts are meant to be shared by all, not just exploited by a few.
Lead us to take action to make a change not just for ourselves, but for all creation.
We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
Adapted from the Global Catholic Climate Movement.
IPC are partnering in a UK based prayer gathering to pray over the forthcoming COP 26 Conference. Please email us for more details.
The Olympics provide an opportunity every four years for the global church to focus prayer on the host nation. 2021 is Japan's moment to be prayed for.
JiSP (Japan International Sports Partnership), a coalition of sports ministries in Japan, set a goal of reaching one million Japanese people during the Olympic season. In the midst of an ongoing global pandemic, every door seemed to close.
But one door remained open. This was the door to prayer. And who knows that this is not what the Lord desires of us at this time? There has long been a conviction that committed prayer is needed for significant spiritual breakthrough in Japan.
JiSP, joined by JEMA (Japan Evangelical Missionary Association), want to invite the global church to join us in praying for Japan.
Japan is the 3rd largest economy in the world and Tokyo is the most populated metro region in the world. Japan has the highest percentage of elderly in the world (28%)
Less than 1% of the 125.1 million pop. is Christian, 18 cities and 524 towns are without a church and 1 out of 8 Protestant churches have no pastor
Missionaries who have served in Japan emphasise the necessity of prayer over any one strategy. Believers in Japan long for spiritual breakthrough that will impact the culture, society and church.
To support this movement, visit japan1million.com and join with them for 1 million hours of prayer.
Sources / More: japan1million.com, Japanprayerguide.org
Pray: (From OMF International):
Lord, as we seek to see a vibrant church impacting every community, may Your Church in Japan at least double in size by 2030. In a culture that discourages standing out and being different, may Christians be bold to speak of Jesus and may many people come to know him.
Lord, may Christians understand how society and the younger generation is changing and be able to proclaim your gospel in a way which connects to people’s hearts and is sensitive to the times.
Lord, we praise you for those involved in evangelism media ministry and pray that you will expand that work so that many can hear the gospel through social media. We pray for more creative ways to bring the gospel to those who have not yet heard.