Sabeel Wave of Prayer–Yarmouk, Gaza, Khalida Jarrar

Wave of Prayer: This prayer ministry enables local and international friends of Sabeel to pray over regional concerns on a weekly basis. Sent to Sabeel’s network of supporters, the prayer is used in services around the world and during Sabeel’s Thursday Communion service; as each community in its respective time zone lifts these concerns in prayer at noon every Thursday, this “wave of prayer” washes over the world.

Unimaginable and dire conditions continue in Yarmouk refugee camp in Syria under attack from IS. With the ongoing fighting in the streets, aid workers are unable to help the thousands of trapped Palestinians in desperate need of water, food and a functioning hospital. God of mercy, we continue to pray for an end to the violence there and for all the Palestinian refugees who lost everything, sometimes more than once, whether in Gaza, the West Bank, or in the diaspora. Lord in your mercy…

Six months after donors pledged billions of dollars for devastated Gaza, most of the money remains blocked, and reconstruction efforts are painfully slow. Lord, we pray that the international community does not fail the people of Gaza who desperately need Israel’s blockade to end and for Gaza’s thousands of destroyed and damaged homes, schools, and hospitals to be rebuilt once and for all. Lord in your mercy…

Last week Israeli military authorities arrested Palestinian parliamentarian, feminist and human rights activist Khalida Jarrar from her home in Ramallah and sentenced her to six months of administrative detention, an issue she often spoke out against. Lord, we pray that Israel will end its unjust practice of detaining Palestinians without charge as a measure to silence resistance against the occupation. Lord in your mercy…

Lord, we lift up our gratitude for our spring issue of Cornerstone, “Towards Jerusalem,” which includes Sabeel’s Bible study reflection on Jesus turning his face towards Jerusalem and highlights both the suffering and sumud (steadfastness) of the Palestinians living in the city. Lord in your mercy…

We pray alongside the World Council of Churches for the countries of Japan, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan. Lord in your mercy…