“I always leave Online Prayer Hour feeling encouraged,” says Ginny Hostetler, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.
Every two months, Mennonite World Conference hosts this online gathering. Participants spend most of the hour sharing and praying together in small groups according to language.
This September, breakout rooms were facilitated in English, French, Spanish, Hindi, and, for the first time, Portuguese.
At the end of the hour, leaders share with the large group one item of prayer attention from their room.
In the room facilitated by Jumanne Magiri Mafwiri, MWC regional representative for Eastern Africa, a participant from Nepal shared about the disrupted political situation. (click here to read more). The other participants from Tanzania, USA, and Switzerland lifted up prayers.
In Hindi-speaking rooms, with participants from four different national churches in India, participants prayed about persecution, especially in Chhattisgarh. There is regular news of physical attacks on pastors or church buildings.
Across both English and Spanish breakout rooms participants spanning more than a dozen countries raised prayers for fair and just elections and for an end to wars around the world.
“How can w continue to live as Mennonites in a world becoming more violent? How to follow the good example of our predecessors 500 years ago?” said Siaka Traoré, MWC regional representative for Central/West Africa, who led a French group from France, Benin, DRC, Switzerland and Burkina. “This is a challenge and a prayer.”
George Broughton, regional representative for the Caribbean led a room in English with participants from USA, Uganda, Canada, India, Jamaica. “We are thankful for this gathering that we can pray together in one accord and be in prayer online every other month to bring these matters to the Lord.”
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