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Christian Aid - fighting for a world free of poverty and injustice Zimbabwe appeal
Christian Aid has launched an urgent appeal to help the people of Zimbabwe break the cycle of poverty as they face another year of hunger.
Help Zimbabwe
Support Christian Aid's urgent appeal for Zimbabwe as the country faces the next 'hunger season' that may result in as many as seven million people being reliant on food aid.
DONATE HERE Tearfund's weekly World Watch Prayer Link
Pakistan conflict brings humanitarian crisis
14 May 2009 There are mounting concerns of a humanitarian disaster unfolding in Pakistan's Swat Valley as the government goes on the offensive against the Taleban. It's estimated 800,000 people have fled their homes due to fighting taking place 80 ... More >>
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Thousands hit by flooding misery in Brazil
14 May 2009 Severe flooding has displaced many tens of thousands of people in northern and north eastern Brazil and killed dozens of others. Weeks of torrential rain have affected several Brazilian states, especially the ones in the semi-arid regio... More >>
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Partner seeks reconciliation in Zimbabwe
14 May 2009 Troubled Zimbabwe has seen more than its fair share of political confrontation and violence in recent months. Disputed elections led to many attacks and tit-for-tat retaliations, fostering a climate of suspicion and division which linge... More >>
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Burundi takes another step to heal tensions
14 May 2009 Peace has been a distant stranger to the people of Burundi in recent times but there are encouraging signs that's changing. African Union troops are disarming the country's last remaining active rebel group, the Forces for National Libe... More >>
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Political storm clouds gather over Nepal
7 May 2009 Nepal is facing fresh political turmoil this week with the ruling Maoists storming out of the government. The development has prompted fears that the Himalayan republic could be returning to a period of increasing instability and possibl... More >>
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Looking ahead to Copenhagen climate talks
7 May 2009 World leaders will be sitting down in eight months' time to discuss a global crisis. For once it's not the economic meltdown that'll be on the agenda but climate change. The Danish capital of Copenhagen is the venue for the most importa... More >>
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Breaking the stigma of HIV in Cambodia
7 May 2009 When her husband died from an AIDS-related illness, Som-Rah had not only grief to contend with but exclusion. Having sold all her belongings to pay for the funeral, the 41-year-old Cambodian needed the help of her family. But because sh... More >>
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Books How to guide: Creative Prayer
Prayer is vital in everything Tearfund does - which is why for us it's such an important part of campaigning for justice. Let's be creative, says Ben Clowney.
'This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know
that we have what we asked of him.' (1 John 5:14-15)
Prayer works. We have a God who listens and responds to the cries of his people. We also have a God who is passionate about trade justice, halting climate chaos, stopping
the spread of HIV and seeing people lifted from poverty.
Yet we so often struggle to involve God in our campaigning.
Why is that? Is it because the issues feel too big? Or maybe action feels more measurable? Maybe we even find it tedious.
Using creativity can help bring our prayer times to life, making it easier to engage in the vital work of praying for those living in poverty. Tearfund have put together five suggestions to start us thinking.
1 Take a prayer walk
Let your prayer be inspired by the world around you. Gather a group or go it alone, taking a walk through the areas of your community where poverty is most evident. Stop at various intervals to pray, or make notes and pray when you get home. Another option is to pray around places of power near you. Get ideas from the "Blow the whistle" creative prayer walk around Westminster
Pray through the news
Buy a few different newspapers and cut out articles and pictures related to poverty. Add these to any articles that you can find online - the Tearfund website is a good
place to start for relevant news and prayer points. Lay these out or stick them on a wall and use them as prompts to pray.
Visit News or Prayer for up-to-date news and prayer requests.
3 Use objects
Sometimes looking at or holding an object can stimulate our prayers. For example,when praying for the issue of water and sanitation you could look into a glass of dirty water and imagine having to drink it. Or if you are praying for a specific area, a world or country map could help to provide context. Try reflections on trade, climate change, AIDS and water from Campaigning/pray
4 Express your creativity
From drawing to writing, painting to sculpting, we all have the ability to be creative. Why not spend some time creating something that will remind you to pray for those in
poverty? It could be as simple as sticking large pieces of paper on the wall for people to scribble their prayers on.
Send us any photos of the result and we'll stick them up on the website.
5 Join in Tearfund's Global poverty prayer week
Tearfund is inviting you to become part of a Global poverty prayer chain - connecting with Christians across the world to pray for those in poverty. You can add your prayers
to the online prayer wall and from 12 to 18 November there will be a Global poverty prayer week to get your church involved in.
Find out more and add yourself to our prayer map at bepartofamiracle
'When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action.' (Matthew 18:18, The Message)
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