Wednesday, September 21, 2011

It's a Small World After All ~ Prayer for the Nations

Today marks the first post in a series of seven that will encourage prayer for nations and regions of the world. Each day, I will write a new informative post that describes a current situation that is demanding the prayer of the body of Christ.

Somalia and the Horn of Africa

Each decade seems to have its famines, its natural disasters, or its genocide. Tragedies seem almost a dime a dozen that so often we forget the horrifying reality of each individual situation. The latest famine is taking place in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

Terrifying pictures of starving children flash across our computers and television screens. Worldwide, people react in shock and awe, but can we really relate to their daily trials?

 29,000 children have likely died in the Somalian famine thus far. And it seems that things are taking a turn, not for the better, but for the worse. The U.N. has projected that 750,000 people could face death in the next month should conditions continue to decline. 

While the cause of the famine is debatable, it is likely caused in part by drought conditions, as well as ineffective government policies. If drought is the root of the issue, rains are predicted to be on their way. But this is no promise of resolution. Instead, some sources predict that the rains will bring on diseases such as cholera, malaria and measles, which will only threaten the lives of many more Africans.

Food aid and humanitarian projects can help to quell the dangerous food shortages, but they cannot cure everything. The nation and the people are in need of prayer. May we rise up as the unified body of Christ to lift them up in prayer during these trying times.


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