Pray for Thailand on Sunday November 14, 2010

Pray for Thailand on Sunday November 14, 2010

Lectionary Text and Prayers for Thailand: Luke 21:5-19

God, our creator and redeemer.
We  thank you for your blessing upon the kingdom of Thailand,
For its verdant forests, its fertile lands and its beautiful mountains.
For its hardworking, friendly and hospitable people.
 
Today the land suffers from warring political factions.
We pray that true reconciliation may soon come–
   that political leaders may learn to be humble
   and work only for the welfare of the people.
The people are anxious about the health of their beloved king.
We pray for strength and healing upon the King–
   that he may be able to continue to fulfill his dreams
   to improve the lives of the poorest in his realm.
There those who suffer for various reasons.
We pray for the unemployed, for the poor and for the sick–
   bring  healing upon those who live with HIV-AIDS,
   and home for the refugees at the borders,
 
We pray that in your abundant grace and mercy,
the Thai people will in time find true peace and justice.
We pray in Christ name.  Amen.

                                                                               (Prayer by Salvador T. Martinez)

Global Ministries International Partners in Thailand:

  • McGilvary College of Divinity at Payap University is dedicated to preparing quality leadership for the Christian church in Thailand and in the region with its international program.  Payap University is a Christian institution that offers an excellent education and training in a variety of subjects. Both Payap University and McGilvary are attended by students from several nations of Southern Asia in addition to Thailand, including China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Recently, Global Ministries missionary, Salvador T. Martinez, has spent fourteen years teaching  at McGilvary and directing the International M. Div. Program.
  • The Church of Christ in Thailand has active programs in HIV/AIDS education and prevention. They also are providing vocational training to tribal women in the hope that this will reduce the numbers of women joining the sex industry
  • The Thai Burma Border Consortium provides only basic food and shelter for refugee populations, but the need exceeds the available assistance. They have estimated that as many as 600,000 Burmese are internally displaced persons (IDPs) The Burmese Army destroys homes in areas where they have found ethnic resistance and as a result the population flees to resettlement sites. Many of these IDPs are used for forced labor and many flee the country becoming refugees by crossing the border into Thailand. The Consortium has reported that this year has seen the worst human rights abuses across the border since 1997. They are seeking support for their Emergency Rice Assistance Program. Thailand does not wish to accept any more refugees and would like to begin repatriation of those already in Thailand. The situation in Burma (Myanmar) has not substantially improved, however, and although repatriation will be an issue at some point, it does not seem likely to happen soon.∩╗┐

Global Ministries Missionary in Thailand:

Salvador T. Martinez, a member of Silliman University Church of theUnited Church of Christ in the Philippines, served the Church of Christ in Thailand. He taught ethics, theology, homiletics and church history at McGilvary College of Divinity, Payap University since 1993 and directed the International M. Div. Program of the College since 2004.  He also helped in the HIV-AIDS ministry of the Church of Christ in Thailand.