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Zimbabwe Calls for ‘Day of Prayer’ for MWC Assembly

STRASBOURG, France — Anabaptists in Zimbabwe have requested another International Day of Prayer as they prepare for the Mennonite World Conference Assembly next August. They are asking their brothers and sisters around the world to pray for them on World Fellowship Sunday, January 26. Ethel Sibanda, chair of the Prayer Committee in Bulawayo, has sent a letter with the following special prayer requests:

Thank God for the rains that have fallen and continue to pray for a good rainy season.

Pray for all those involved in making decisions as we draw nearer to August. 2003.

Pray for God's guidance for people planning continental programs for Assembly Gathered, especially for those from countries where it is difficult to meet to make plans due to the distance separating them.

Thank God for the tremendous response to the Global Youth Summit and for youth from most continents who have shared their visions and goals. Pray the words of scripture: "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, 'I find no pleasure in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

Pray for the registration process. Pray that God would assure his people of his omnipotence and take away the lingering fear and uncertainty, especially among people from the North and West. Yahweh is Almighty! Psalm 91:2 says: "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.'" Yaweh is a God who is with us all the time, who revealed himself to Moses as I AM WHO I AM. God's presence was sufficient for Moses; it is sufficient for you and me today.

Pray that God will provide finances for Africa 2003. Pray for brothers and sisters from Latin America, Asia and Africa who struggle to raise sufficient funds to attend the assembly. Pray for the 150 people from the Congo, for youth groups, for a choir from Angola, all of whom hope to come. "The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty" (Haggai 2:8).

Pray for peace and security as well as that human rights will be upheld. The prophet Isaiah has said: "The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him" (Isa. 30:18) and "For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them" (Isaiah 61:8).

Sibanda writes that the committee together with those working at the MWC office in Zimbabwe thank God for all those "who were able to pray in one heart on our International Day of Prayer on 17 October, 2002" and who continue to uphold the coming MWC assembly in their prayers.