Weekly Prayer Update
Saturday, April 26, 2025
Care for Earthquake Survivors in Myanmar
According to the latest estimates, about 41.7 million people in Myanmar—roughly 9 million households—were affected by the recent 7.7 magnitude earthquake. More than 3,000 people died, and more than 5,000 were wounded. Hundreds of hospitals and thousands of school buildings were damaged and destroyed. The United Nations estimates 41,000 homes collapsed. Survivors are facing dire conditions, lacking adequate shelter, food, and clean water. Heavy rains and extreme heat have also heightened the risk of disease outbreaks.
Surviving a disaster like this earthquake has an impact on mental and emotional health. To meet the psychological needs of children and youth living in an evacuation shelter near Mandalay, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries volunteers and staff recently partnered with local organizations to offer a three-day trauma-debriefing program.
The program provided care for 84 households, totaling 415 individuals. Activities included singing, prayer, games, and worksheets. To help reduce health risks common in shelter settings, organizers also led hygiene awareness sessions on topics such as hand washing and oral care and provided abuse awareness training.
Lord, we pray for all the families and individuals impacted by this strong earthquake. We lift up those who lost loved ones, those who lost their homes, and those who lost their livelihoods or are unable to work due to the quake’s impact. Meet the needs of those who are traumatized and in need of care. Protect the children who participated in this trauma-debriefing event from future traumatic experiences, and bring healing to their hearts. Lord, hear our prayers.
Flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Recent heavy rains have caused devastating flooding and landslides across parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), leading to significant loss of life, widespread damage, and mass displacement.
An overflowing river in Kinshasa has affected 13 cities. As of April 13, the disaster has claimed 165 lives, injured 28 people, displaced more than 7,000, and impacted at least 60,000 residents. Homes, roads, and power and water systems have been damaged or destroyed, and emergency shelters have been set up for the displaced.
Meanwhile, in Tanganyika Province, nearly 10,000 people have been forced to flee their homes after the Rugumba River burst its banks, flooding towns and farmlands. The floods destroyed homes, schools, and crops like cassava and maize. The risk of disease outbreaks is elevated, and cholera cases are now six times higher than one year ago. The region was already hosting 50,000 people who were displaced earlier this year by violence in nearby South Kivu.
This crisis highlights the compounded challenges facing the DRC, where extreme weather worsens the humanitarian toll of ongoing conflict and displacement.
The Church of the Nazarene is active in the DRC, and the ongoing 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.
We pray for people in the DRC who are grappling with climate crises, displacement, and war. Bring peace to the DRC. Move in the hearts of those who would otherwise be driven to fight so that security can become a reality. Provide open avenues for aid to bless all who are hungry or thirsty. Meet the needs of hungry children, youth, and adults. Lord, hear our prayers.
Women and Girls Support Ministries
Gender inequality is a reality faced by women and girls around the world. In developing countries, women make up almost half of the agriculture labor force, but they often don’t have access to the same resources as men. In some places, education for girls is not a priority, and they struggle to gain access. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries partners with local churches around the world who are working to support women and their families through self-help and savings groups and small business creation, vocational training, small-scale farming, and literacy education. NCM also partners with local churches to create schools and child development centers that provide opportunities for education, life skills, and spiritual guidance for girls.
We pray for women and girls around the world. May they know they are deeply valued in Your eyes, and may these compassionate programs provide the training and experience to help empower women to lift up themselves, and in turn, their families and communities. Lord, hear our prayers.