Indian Ocean Islands: Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles

INTERCESSIONS

We are thankful for:
•    the spectacular scenery, exotic plants, rare animals and abundant sea life that flourish in the region
•    how people who are ethnically and religiously diverse have long lived together
•    the economic developments that have lifted some out of poverty
•    the vital evangelism, social and public witness of churches, and how the churches relate to people of other faiths.

We pray for:
•    the fragile environment and the unique plants, animals and lands, that they will be protected, especially as the sea rises
•    tourism and other economic developments, that they will not threaten, but enhance life for all the people in these countries
•    churches, that they will  grow through evangelistic efforts and in their work with those of other faiths
•    Christians to be bolder in their public witness for justice and reconciliation, especially in times of political turmoil.

PRAYERS

Heavenly Father,
you have welcomed us into your kingdom
and your hearts’ desire is to draw every human being to yourself.
Grant us clear eyes to see people as you see them,
sensitive feet to stand in their shoes,
and warm smiles to welcome them into your name.
Give us generous hearts
that our church becomes a foretaste of heaven
where every soul you send us
finds their loving home in the community of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.

(Prayer from the Anglican Diocese of Mauritius, The Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean.)

Lord Jesus,
the storm is life and life is the storm
and there is no escaping it;
but what matters is that you are in the storm with us,
a beacon and a presence that is sure.

(From Madagascar, www.cms-uk.org/prayer-month.htm Used with permission.)

Our heavenly Father,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we glorify you,
we give thanks to you,
for in your infinite mercy you extended your family
to include the islands of the sea,
even islands at the end of the earth:
Comoros, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius and Seychelles.
We praise your name
for you moved your Holy Spirit
who stirred and sustained
a century-long revival movement in Madagascar,
an awakening to your power that brought transformation, reconciliation,
healing and empowerment.
We magnify your name
for through this revival the different denominations have discovered
a spirit-filled way to come to a unity in diversity.
Lord of the church,
we pray that the churches be strengthened in their spirituality,
one that would powerfully engage them
in a priestly and prophetic way in the midst of their local contexts.
Strengthen the churches to recover their sight
and so to resist overt and covert manipulation
in the political arena,
from either government officials or politicians.
God of all creation and nature, we pray for the inhabitants of these islands,
that they may be spared the devastation of cyclones or typhoons
with the open seas lashing every year against the coastal areas,
causing suffering and loss for the population.

(© 2005 Péri Rasolondraibe, Antananarivo, Madagascar.)