Prayer
God of Life, God of Jesus of Nazareth,
Your son has taught me that we women are your daughters, subjects of your love.
But in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that plagues humanity, I hear sad news from Colombia.
Women are victims of violence within their homes.
More than 37 women were murdered by their partners between January and February 2021.
In the middle of the pandemic, an indigenous girl was raped and killed by soldiers.
In Barranquilla, we women have to protest and demand that women’s quotas be met in small municipalities.
We pray, O God, for women who are victims of abuse.
For women whose rights are not recognized in companies, in the church, in universities, in the family, in politics, in the economy, in society in general.
We pray for the women who, in the midst of this pandemic, have been kidnapped, abducted.
For the women who are victims of sexual violence, even from their husbands.
We pray for the women who cry because a teacher or a fellow student has made indecent proposals to them.
We pray for the girls forced to stay away from school because they are unable to attend their classes online.
In your grace, protect them, O God, and may your church bring hope and relief in the midst of the pandemic and lift up its voice to defend them.
Amen
Rev. Gloria N. Ulloa Alvarado
Executive Secretary, Presbiterio de la costa norte (Presbyterian Church of Colombia)
This prayer was also published as part of the publication Voices of Lament, Hope and Courage, available in English, French, German and Spanish.
