We
live in a world full of blind, falling people: my neighbors, my fellow students,
my relatives, my rural Missouri County. Jesus told us that the fields are ready
for harvest; the fruit is ready to be picked though we may have to sow in
tears.
It
is so easy for me to make good intentions; to make great, noble and ineffective
plans. And while I sit, thinking rosy thoughts, people literally die and go to
a literal, Godless, burning eternity.
I
feel so small and so incapable of the great work needing to be done. One thing
I can do and should do first is pray.
Operation
World, an excellent organization which documents the prayer needs of each
country, is beginning a 60 day prayer movement praying through the world’s
countries in alphabetical order. Amazing, right?
Operation
World’s Facebook page added this:
“The status of [Afghanistan] women especially warrants prayer. They were
effectively banned from public life by the Taliban. Widows endure particularly
harsh plights, and depression and suicide are common. Worse, they have a life
expectancy of only 44 years, with one of the highest maternal mortality rates
in the world. Female literacy is under 20%, over one-half of Afghan brides are
under age 16, only 5% attend secondary school and one-third are subjected to
violence. Many still suffer the traumas of years of war and of pressures such
times brought upon women in Afghan society.
Although
employment and social engagement can be very sensitive issues, younger girls
are increasingly attending school; one-third of primary students are girls.
Special radio programmes minister to women by communicating from the Bible the
love and value that God holds for them. Pray for the disenfranchised women of
Afghanistan, that they might receive justice, opportunity and freedom from fear
and oppression, but especially that they might find Christ amid their
suffering.”
Mary
Slessor, missionary to Africa, said, “"Prayer is the greatest power God
has put into our hands for service — praying is harder than doing, at least I
find it so, but the dynamic lies that way to advance the Kingdom."
Let’s
pray like it really mattered . . . because Jesus says that it does.
Love to you!
Frannie
