Pray for Haiti on Sunday, October 13, 2013
Lectionary Selection: Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-7
Prayers for Haiti:
O God. How excellent is your name in all the earth! You are love—continuous love beyond our understanding. You are grace—giving humanity that that we don’t deserve. You are mercy—not giving us what we do deserve. You are creator of all—we live and breathe the life that you give us every day. However, we come before you O God because in all the earth, there are places of suffering and injustice—a place like Haiti that has been terrorized by greed. Yet, despite their horrific living conditions, our Haitian sisters and brothers praise and worship you O God. As they worship, they offer their whole self to you God.
At this time God, we pray for the government and other leaders of Haiti to begin to make just decisions that will provide an opportunity for the people of Haiti to live a productive life–the healthy, productive life that you God offer all of us as human beings. Please clear their mind, their heart and restore their sight so that they will be able to think, feel and see those that suffer daily. It is in the name of Jesus Christ that we say…AMEN.
Mission Stewardship Moment from Haiti:
The graduation season has passed and graduates are either furthering their education, seeking employment or traveling to other parts of the world. Many graduates in developing countries long to continue their education but are not financial situated to do so. In a place like Haiti with eighty-five percent unemployment, going to school becomes a dream deferred.
Since there are many mission teams that visit Haiti and translators needed, I started Translator Training Groups for students. We taught graduates of CONASPEH interested in using their English language skills to become translators. Being a translator provides opportunity for employment and income.
They can use this earned income to save for college or to help support themselves and their families. Being able to speak English also makes young men and women more marketable therefore providing a way to do what Jeremiah 29:5 says, “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce.”
Most of all, the students have hope of fulfilling their dreams of making a better life for themselves, their families and their country—Haiti.
(Prayer and Mission Moment by Jeanette Salley)
- Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti
- Christian Center Integral Development (Sant Kretyen pou Devlopman Entegre (SKDE))
- CONASPEH -National Spiritual Council of Haitian Churches
- Ecumenical Committee for Peace and Justice
- Hospice St. Joseph
- Service Chretien D’Haiti
- Teachers Helping Teachers (Pwof Ansanm)
Video Resources about Haiti:
HAITI: Beginning a term of service with CONASPEH (Jeanette Salley, GM Missionary)
More information on Haiti: http://globalministries.org/lac/countries/haiti/
Global Ministries Missionary in Haiti:
Jeanette Salley, a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Richmond, Virginia, served with the National Spiritual Council of Churches in Haiti (CONASPEH) as an assistant for disaster preparation and response. She also taught at St. Andrew Seminary and St. Andrew Classical School. She was recently assigned to the Reformed Church of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean.