Prayer Topics

Prayer Topics includes specific and general areas of prayer concern.


India-Pakistan 2005 Earthquake Tsunami 2004

India-Pakistan 2005 Earthquake

The earthquake that struck South Asia in October 2005 left devastation that will take years to overcome. Pray for those who lost loved ones in the quake and resulting landslides. Ask God to reveal Himself to them so they can receive His hope even though their loved ones had none. Pray that the thousands who were injured will receive spiritual healing even as their physical wounds heal. Pray for Christian relief teams as they continue to assess needs and discern the best ways to offer aide in northern Pakistan. Pray for their stamina in the face of so much grief and destruction. Ask that they will be His heart, hands and feet, and that they will glorify Him with their mouths in sharing hope. Intercede for the millions of South Asians who do not know Jesus and are asking a lot of questions in the midst of this disaster.

Continue praying for the earthquake victims. Ask God to use His people to minister to their hurts, fears, and uncertainty. Thank God for the volunteers who have come to help out. From Pakistan: "They (volunteers) have been willing to go out under extreme conditions to show the love of Christ. One couple came up to our camp, sleeping on the ground in tents on the side of a mountain at the end of a seemingly endless bumpy dirt track. They are 76 and 80 years old! The people were so thankful to have them and us there to show love and care. Please pray for more volunteers to come and minister to these devastated people in their time of need."

"O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of trouble..." (Psalm 88:1-3 NIV) Cry out today for those who are suffering in Pakistan as a result of the 7.6 earthquake that crumpled buildings, destroyed villages, wiped out roads in October. Pray that aide can reach the remote areas. Ask God to show His children living in these areas how they should respond to those in despair, grief, and pain. Pray that survivors would feel the presence of the Holy Spirit upon their spirits, offering His peace to those who would receive it through Jesus Christ.

After being stranded in a mountain village overnight, medical workers loaded patients on the helicopter for evacuation following the October earthquake. Before leaving themselves, they gave away their own shawls to villagers who had none to protect them from the chilly night air. One worker said, "Even if it means another cold night stranded on a mountainside, the people of Pakistan are worth it. I felt like we were able to meet not only physical needs but also spiritual needs. It was good that we had that extra whole day, so that we had time to do that. God knows what is best, and we had opportunities that we might not have had if it had not rained and we had left right away. As we were leaving, the Pakistani doctor from that village said, ‘I just feel so guilty. I didn’t provide a meal for you. My family doesn’t have a home anymore, so I couldn’t ask them to cook anything.’ He said he felt ashamed. That’s the level of hospitality these people have. People in Pakistan are a loving and kind people. They are very hospitable. They are people who love their families, love their children. They’re really working hard to make things better for the next generation and to make ends meet. Right now they are still reeling from this disaster, but underneath it all, they are really lost and in need of the Savior." Ask God to keep the 'doors' of opportunity open so His Gospel can be shared every day. Pray for long-term opportunities, even as winter isolates many villages, asking that volunteers and other workers be able to continue ministry in some way.

One year ago today, an earthquake shook the ocean depths and sent tsunami waves crashing onto the shores of South Asian countries, killing over 250,000 people and destroying countless villages, homes, and businesses. Pray today for those who survived. The fear and grief has not gone away. Pray that the peace of God would fill the hearts of those who lost so much, drawing them unto Himself to find salvation and a purpose for living.

Tsunami 2004

Praise God for the relationships that are being built between Christians and other religious leaders, government/village leaders, and individuals from all walks of life in the countries affected by the December 2004 Tsunami. Ask God to continue these relationships making them stronger for His glory. Several times, people have commented, "You Christians are nothing like we have been taught all our lives. You love us!" Praise God that they can then respond, "Because Christ loves us and teaches us to love one another as He loves us." Pray that as the conversation continues from there, that God's Word and Gospel will be shared freely.

Pray for the national pastors and church members as they disciple and mentor new believers, particularly in areas where tsunami survivors are turning to the Lord. Pray for these new believers as they share their faith with family and friends. Some have been forced to leave their community and others have faced persecution of various types. As they love people and show Jesus through their lives and work, pray that many will come to trust Jesus with their lives. As Sri Lankans continue to rebuild and recover from the Tsunami disaster, pray that the nationals who work with volunteers and team members would continue to see Jesus Christ through the lives of the workers. Pray that the people might find hope instead of despair, as they cannot see any way out of the losses they face.

The Tsunami relief and recovery work is far from being finished. Please continue to lift this ministry before our all powerful, knowing, and gracious Father. Praise God for those who have found the truth in Jesus. In some areas where work has been going on for almost a year, up to 50% of the villagers have made professions of faith in Christ. Many more are searching for truth and meaning to life. Pray that those attending Bible studies and church services will understand the message of God's love for them and will receive the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ.

India-Pakistan 2005 Earthquake Tsunami 2004

___________________________________________

Stories and prayer requests written and distributed by South Asia News are provided free of cost for publication and circulation. Questions or requests for photographs should be sent to AsiaSouth@pobox.com.