Remembering, Praying, and Responding!

 

People of Haiti

 

A Prayer for the People

God of healing and mercy, we come before you with our hearts filled with grief as we see the devastation.
We pray that your presence would be felt by those who are grieving, who are injured, who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
We pray for wisdom and safety for those who are responding to the people in need and the many challenges left in the wake of the event.
We pray for our church, that it may be a witness to your compassion and care for all who suffer.
God, you are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. For this we give you thanks and ask that you hear our prayers for the people of natural disasters.

- Adopted from a prayer of the Mennonite World Conference for the people of Japan following the earthquake and tsunami of March 11, 2011.

Hurricane Matthew

A Prayer of Relief

Loving and gracious God,
 All love and mercy compels us to the side of our global brothers and sisters.
 In our charity, and in our compassion, help us stand with them.
 In our solidarity and in our sharing, help us stand with them.
 In our advocacy, and in our prayer, help us stand with them.
 And as we turn to them in their peril, we ask your grace go with us:
 To feed the hungry:
      -give us your grace.
 To give drink to the thirsty:
      -give us your grace.
 To clothe the naked:
      -give us your grace.
 To shelter the homeless:
      -give us your grace.
 To care for the sick:
      -give us your grace.
 To reach the trapped and the stranded:
      -give us your grace.
 To mourn the dead:
      -give us your grace.
And in reaching out, may we find you in them.
 And may they find you in us, Amen.

- Adopted from a prayer of Catholic Relief Services following Typhoon Haiyan, November 2013



Hurricane Matthew approaches Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

(CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS/REUTERS)