Written by: Christine Mangale
Dear Lord, we come before you with heavy hearts and troubled minds as we pray for our brothers and sisters in DRC Congo. These are people who have now forgotten how living in peace feels like. Many children in this part of the world have known no other life except war and violence. And now they mistakenly think war is a normal way of life for they know no better. We hear, see and read about the horrible injustices that have taken root in this society. Fresh fighting in the violence‑has erupted in Kivu provinces leaving hundreds dead with hundreds of thousands left displaced while most are now in refugee camps. The immeasurable horrors that innocent people have to endure are too ghastly for us to contemplate.
Your word says in Psalms 23: 4 that “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” We pray to you Faithful God of Peace that you strengthen, protect and grant your people peace of mind all times and in every way, eternal encouragement and good hope.
Hunger pains are biting as many families have fled their homes; youth and children’s lives have been disrupted and today they find themselves in refugee camps. As many as a quarter of a million people are reported to have been uprooted from their homes – most of these homes have been torched and even in the unlikely circumstance of peace returning tomorrow, friends and their families like most people in this area have no home to return to, you are their only refuge Lord.
We pray for guidance Oh Prince of Peace that you soften the hardened hearts of the perpetrators of this gross human rights violation. Our hope now lies in the proposed peace talks. We pray for success in these peace talks and wish peace once again returns to these parts of the continent.
Merciful, loving God, hear the cries and the prayers of your people. In Jesus’ Holy name we pray and believe.
Amen.