Urgent prayer for the Zika virus outbreak
Earlier this week the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that a disease linked to the
Zika virus in Latin America requires a united response as it poses a public health risk. Spread
by mosquitoes, the Zika virus has been linked to babies being born with underdeveloped
brains, a condition known as microcephaly.
The virus has spread across Latin America and the Caribbean countries where Tearfund and
our partners work: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Experts are concerned about how fast and far the virus is spreading and the escalation of
microcephaly – there are currently about 4,000 suspected cases in Brazil. The WHO alert puts
Zika is in the same category of concern as Ebola.
This declaration is welcome news because it means research and aid can be fast-tracked to
affected areas. Currently there is no vaccine or medication to treat Zika – the best defence is
to avoid getting bitten by mosquitos.
Poor communities could be hit hardest because they are more likely to live near standing
water where mosquitos breed, and are unlikely to have access to or be able to afford insect
repellent.
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Pray that an effective vaccine and treatment for Zika will be developed, and efforts to
control the outbreak will be successful.
Pray for the international community to work together to make sure that effective aid
and awareness raising are brought to affected areas, particularly to poor rural
communities.
Pray for people in the communities where we work – particularly Brazil – that they will
take effective action and stay safe from the virus.
Arm-in-arm with my husband’s killer
Sophie Wellbelove spent 10 days in January as part of a team from St Mellitus theological
college visiting Tearfund projects in Rwanda, including peace and reconciliation work. In 1994
a wave of extreme violence swept across Rwanda and up to 1 million people were killed,
mostly from the Tutsi people group, killed by Hutu extremists – the Rwandan Genocide.
Sophie tells us of an encounter that showed how forgiveness can heal even the deepest
wounds...
David and Juliet stood in front of me, arm in arm. My heart felt ready to explode. Because
David had just shared with us how, in 1994, he joined a group of Hutu extremists seeking out
and killing Tutsis – one of those he helped to slaughter was Juliet's husband.
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29 January 2016 One Voice weekly prayer email
tearfund.org/praying
Tenderly holding her hand, David explained how he now helps to look after Juliet and her
children, and that her family had become part of his family. Between the murder and that
moment so much had changed...
‘David came to my door to ask for forgiveness for what he had done,’ says Juliet. ‘I told him,
no – I cannot forgive you now. But, I said, when you have this feeling in your heart once
more, come back and ask again.’
Juliet must have felt grief like I could not begin to imagine, but she did not give up on being
reconciled. Faced with one of her husband’s killers, she chose to forgive. David sought this
forgiveness not just from Juliet, but from the whole community.
Together, they went through a process of reconciliation. It was a long journey but now they
lived alongside each other in peace. The memories still hurt, but unforgiveness no longer holds
the community captive.
You can read more from Sophie’s blog here: itmaywellbelove.com
Please pray
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Give thanks for David and Juliet and their community, that they have chosen the path
of forgiveness and reconciliation, and as that God will bless them.
Lift up the team from St Mellitus College who encountered some hard but hopeful
stories in Rwanda. Ask that God will help them to spread the message of peace and
reconciliation.
Pray for Rwanda’s continuing journey of reconciliation and healing from the terrifying
events that took place more than 20 years ago. Pray for neighbouring Burundi where
violence and conflict have escalated over the past year.
Children left behind
When you think of humanitarian crises, you probably think of the basics: people needing food,
somewhere to live, and possibly medical care.
But we often forget that people caught up in conflict can be displaced for years. During that
time, life does not carry on as normal. Farms are abandoned, jobs are left, and schools
become derelict.
Unicef recently reported nearly one in four children growing up in a conflict zone now miss out
on education. Education is vital for a thriving community, opening up opportunities for
individuals. It also helps to reduce disease, poverty and inequality.
Education is often overlooked when organisations respond to a humanitarian crisis. Tearfund
partners are working in places like Syria to help people survive conflict. But they also
recognise the importance of preparing for the end of conflict, and we help children and young
people get back into education by funding schools fees or supporting families so they can
provide them.
As conflicts continue in many places across the world, pray with us to support our partners
who are looking out for the whole person and thinking beyond their immediate needs.
God of peace, we look to you for an end to conflict everywhere. Strengthen those caught up in
violence, especially children. Give them the tools they need to move on when the conflict is
over, and remove any obstructions to their ability to realise their potential. Amen.
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29 January 2016 One Voice weekly prayer email
tearfund.org/praying