Weekly Prayer Update
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Health Crisis Grows in the DRC
In the midst of a security crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—a situation that has forced hundreds of thousands of people to seek safety away from their homes due to conflict—reduction in humanitarian aid is having a negative impact on the health of the most vulnerable.
Preventable diseases like cholera, mpox, and measles are spreading rapidly in the DRC. Cholera cases alone rose by more than 3,850 in January, leading to 67 deaths—three times more deaths than the previous month. The rising conflict and the suspension of USAID funding has overwhelmed the country’s fragile health system.
Displacement camps have been targets for violence, and their destruction has worsened the crisis. With more than 70 health facilities destroyed in North Kivu, displaced families in overcrowded conditions are facing growing outbreaks with little access to care.
The suspension of USAID-funded programs has had devastating consequences for the 7.8 million internally displaced people in the DRC, cutting off vital food, water, and healthcare support. Some hospitals were entirely dependent on humanitarian aid, and without it, many have collapsed.
The Church of the Nazarene is active in the DRC, though the conflict has impacted Nazarene church members and the communities in which they serve. Churches are engaged in compassionate response efforts to distribute food and essential supplies and facilitate healthcare for hundreds of displaced people.
Lord, where there is need, we know you see and are moved. Move our own hearts in compassion for people around the world suffering with these recent reductions in humanitarian aid funding. Surround impacted people in the DRC with comfort and help. May the work of churches let those who are desperate know they are not alone. Lord, hear our prayers.
Hunger and Thirst in Eastern and Southern Africa
In Eastern and Southern Africa, millions of people lack access to safe drinking water and struggle to find enough food to eat. During the past five years, extreme hunger in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe has surged by nearly 80 percent, now affecting more than 55 million people.
This crisis is driven by worsening droughts, cyclones, and flash floods, all of which have depleted groundwater, destroyed crops, and disrupted farmers' food production. The expected La Niña weather pattern in the coming months will likely exacerbate these challenges, causing further drought in East Africa and severe flooding in parts of Southern Africa and South Sudan.
When hunger is present, women and girls are often disproportionately affected. In many families, women and girls often must walk long distances to fetch water, limiting their opportunities for education and income. When there’s not enough to eat or drink, migration rates rise, leading to additional challenges as people search for more security.
The Church of the Nazarene is active throughout this region, and clean water and food security projects supported by Nazarene Compassionate Ministries are designed to uplift and help those most impacted by these realities.
Lord, we pray for people who are hungry and thirsty. When the need feels overwhelming, keep us from turning our eyes and hearts away. Keep us from apathy, Lord. Give us hearts that are moved to help. Raise more aid and help for all impacted by drought, floods, and lack of clean water. Lord, hear our prayers.
Food Security Ministries
Hunger impacts people in negative ways. Without adequate nutrition, children's minds and bodies fail to develop properly. When adults are hungry, they struggle to fully engage in productive work or generate sufficient income.
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries partners with local churches to cultivate long-term agricultural projects and nutrition education that help improve people’s health and provide a source of income for individuals and families.
We pray for those who are hungry. May people find long-term solutions to hunger through church-led food security projects that affirm their inherent dignity and worth. Lord, hear our prayers.