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Prayers for Hurricane Matthew

Points for prayer

  • Pray that the threat of cholera from contaminated water will be contained and its spread prevented.
  • Pray that Christian Aid and Norwegian Church Aid will manage to get water purifying tablets to as many people as possible. Pray for the 1,500 families, around 9,000 people, who they are working to reach with the tablets in these immediate days after the hurricane.
  • Pray that the materials and expertise being provided by Christian Aid partners will help families rebuild their homes as quickly as possible.
  • Pray for the thousands who have been bereaved by Hurricane Matthew.
  • Pray for the tens of thousands who are in need of shelter because their homes have been badly damaged or destroyed.
  • Pray for the hundreds of thousands who are in need of aid.
  • Give thanks that the houses built by Christian Aid partners following the 2010 earthquake have withstood the storm and are being used as shelter for between two and five families each.

'Even if they know they are living in the path of hurricanes, they continue to believe in a brighter future for their children.' 
Prospery Raymond, Country Manager for Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Jeremiah 31: 27-34

And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD. Jeremiah 31:28

Faithful God,
who spoke words of restoration
to your people devastated by exile.
We pray for restoration
to those devastated by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti.

Restore shelter to those who are homeless
Restore health to those who are sick
Restore infrastructure to those who are isolated
Restore peace to those who are distressed

Faithful God,
watch over them and 
all who are working
to rebuild and to replant.
In Jesus' name,

Amen

Genesis 32:22-31

But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go, unless you bless me.' Genesis 32: 26b

Wrestling God,
Bless the people of Haiti
with food supplies, 
rebuilding materials and 
water purification tablets.

Wrestling God
Bless the people of Haiti
with good leadership, 
coordinated disaster relief and 
restored infrastructure.

Wrestling God,
Bless the people of Haiti
with sustained media coverage, 
international compassion and 
an abundance of appropriate aid.

Wrestling God,
we will not let you go, 
until the people of Haiti are blessed.

Amen

Psalm 121

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- from where will my help come? Psalm 121:1
Haiti means ‘land of the high mountains’

Lord, we lift up our eyes to the high hills of Haiti,
and ask for your help to come
to all those affected by Hurricane Matthew. 
Protect them from cholera, failed harvests and hunger, 
keep them from the trauma of past disasters,
shade them from the threat of future hurricanes,
preserve their lives and their hope
from this time on and forevermore.
Lord we lift up our eyes to the high hills of Haiti,
and ask for your help to come.

Amen

Luke 18: 1-8

And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? 
Will he delay long in helping them?
 Luke 18:7

God of justice,
who told us to pray always 
and not to lose heart,
we pray for Haiti.

Grant justice to Haiti
against the human-induced climate change
that made Hurricane Matthew so intense. 

Grant justice to Haiti
against the poverty and corruption  
that prevented many from being better prepared.

Grant justice to Haiti
against the political and international interests
that do not always prioritise what Haiti needs or wants.

Grant justice to Haiti
so all who live there may be able to thrive.
Do not delay long in helping them
through our gifts, actions and prayers.

Amen