Prayers for Myanmar

 

Dear friends, 

Please pray for Myanmar. Heartbreaking stories. There are daily reports of the use of violent force against peaceful protestors, and the rising civilian death toll. And now families are being charged to retrieve the bodies of dead relatives killed by security forces. 

Pray with and for the people of Myanmar as they protest for the restoration of democracy and freedom. We believe that Christ comes to bring renewal and wholeness to the whole of creation, and so we reject violence, urging dialogue and a spirit of reconciliation to resolve conflict. We pray for God’s vision of non-violence, peace, and justice to prevail.

Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace,

in your death you absorb the violence and injustice we do to each other,

and in your rising

they are proven to be futile and false.

May it be so in Myanmar,

where violence and injustice overwhelms.

Reconcile what is broken.

Heal what is wounded.

Restore what is just.

Disrupt the forces of death once again,

so that we may see peace in our time. Amen.

(Dr Deidre Palmer, President, Uniting Church in Australia)

Read the Joint statement of the WCC and the CCA on the continuing deterioration of the situation in Myanmar

Dc Emma Cantor in her regional ministry role has built relationships with the church community in Myanmar over many years, and is aware of the cries for help. 

One person (unnamed, to keep them safe), a pastor and teacher, writes: 

Thank you for all the hard work and praying for Myanmar freedom. This is a very difficult situation. We had a difficult time during the pandemic. Churches were closed. And now we face political crises. Elderly people need medical care. Hospitals and clinics are closed. So the only help comes from the Lord. Every day our family prayed to keep healthy. But some women died in this time because of a lack of medicine and care.

For poor families we distribute rice, cooking oil, onions, beans, eggs etc so they can survive. For children and youth we try to give them education by zoom but not effectively because of internet connection. 

This war happens because of a selfish desire of the military government. and not following the rules. No justice for the people. Not give proper education for youth and children. Not open to the other countries.  Rule divided. Not to speak of politics.

We feel fear. We are satisfied with what we have and not thinking of the future. We just follow the flow.

In the last 5 years, the elected government helped to see things clearly and opened the eyes around the world and help to reflect on the situations through resource people. There were some changes in attitude in every day life.

At present we cannot do anything because there is so much killing, and arresting the people. Just praying. Helping with what we have and counselling their pain in our environment.

Later when things become better, the clergy women can help the people with vocational skill training and micro-finance etc.

Thanks very much and may God bless you and give you wisdom to help this situation.

The three-finger salute used in Myanmar was adopted from The Hunger Games books and movies. In those fictional worlds, the salute is a way for the oppressed people to show their solidarity against a tyrannical dystopian government. (photo by Gayatri Malhotra, Unsplash.com)