Weekly Prayer Update
Friday, June 13, 2025
Ministry to Children During Unrest in Panama
A month-long teacher strike in Panama has disrupted learning for students and spread to other sectors, leading to heightened unrest in parts of the country. One Nazarene child development center in Panama is doing their part to care for students while they wait for schools to reopen.
“The political situation in the country is affecting the education of our students,” said a center leader. “Classes have been suspended. Our community is one of the most affected.”
Care at the center is designed to reach all aspects of a child’s life. Meals are served daily to meet nutritional needs. At the start of the school year, children at the center received school supply kits. When school is in session, the center staff help the children complete their homework. A recent oral hygiene workshop helped ensure all students were reminded how to care for their teeth. Spiritual care includes home visits where staff members pray for children and their families. On International Women’s Day this spring, some of the children’s mothers participated in a special event organized by the Nazarene district.
Lord, we pray for the staff and children who attend this child development center, as well as the entire country of Panama. Bring a resolution to the ongoing struggles so that children can return to school. Encourage and uplift the center leaders and they seek to meet the needs of each child who attends. Lord, hear our prayers.
Children Return to School in Myanmar
Two months after a massive earthquake struck Myanmar this spring, children and teens in the hardest-hit areas returned to school to start a new term—this time in temporary learning spaces. The disaster damaged or destroyed more than 2,500 schools, forcing tens of thousands of students and their teachers to gather in crowded, improvised classrooms. Many children have returned to school carrying the trauma of watching their homes collapse or sustain severe damage. Some are still living in shelters or other temporary accommodations. Families are still struggling with the loss of routine, income, and other stabilizing aspects of daily life. Soon, the monsoon season will add another challenge, especially for those living in temporary structures or tents.
Close to 3,800 people died in the March 28 earthquake, and more than 5,000 people were injured. The Church of the Nazarene continues to care for people in Myanmar through trauma-informed recovery care and spiritual nurture. >
We lift up the people of Myanmar, and especially those who are still recovering from this earthquake. We pray for safety and protection for all who are living in makeshift homes. Help children learn in these new temporary school locations. Meet their needs for emotional recovery, encouragement, and the energy to focus on schooling during a time of great stress. 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.