Women joined in prayer for day
Palestinian women organised service shared across world
An international day of prayer will give a voice to women in Palestine this year. World Day of Prayer is an international and ecumenical Christian movement in which people from various denominations gather in one another’s churches to celebrate, using a worship service prepared by women of a different country each year.
Reverend Kim Wright, who is the chaplain at Taranaki Diocesan School for Girls in Stratford, says the fact this year’s service has been designed by Palestinian women is incredibly meaningful.
“The decision as to which country’s women will prepare the service is made years in advance, so when that decision was made, it wasn’t with a knowledge of what would be happening in Palestine right now. So for it to have happened in this way, to happen this year, alongside what is happening in Palestine right now, for me that is an act of God in itself.”
As well as being designed by women from a specific country, each year an artwork is chosen to represent the country.
This year’s artwork is called Praying Palestinian Women and is by Halima Aziz, a Palestinian visual artist and design student based in Germany. Designed specifically for World Day of Prayer, the image shows three Palestinian women joined together in prayer. They are seated under an olive tree — a Christian symbol of everlasting life, with some olive trees in Palestine today likely to be the same olive trees that were there during the time of Jesus.
Kim says each year has a specific theme, and this year’s theme — “I beg you . . . bear with one another in love,” is something that will resonate with women across the globe.
“It’s not new, this idea of women joining together in prayer. Across denominations, across cultures, across history, women have not always been given a voice in their places of worship. They haven’t been able to preach or lead prayers from the front, so they have always joined together in prayer together, and the World Day of Prayer asks us all to do exactly that. To stand and pray together, with love.”
Prayer, says Kim, is a powerful tool everyone can access.
“I read somewhere recently something about how when we pray, we let in more light, and that really resonated with me. The more we pray, the more we replace darkness with light, and that is something we can all be a part of. Through prayer, we can make a difference for others.”
As a chaplain in a girls’ school, Kim says she often has conversations with students about the power of prayer.
“Sometimes there is a perception that teenagers aren’t interested in matters of faith but that’s not my experience at all. When you consider social justice, that is something Christianity is very closely aligned with, and I find students really do want to talk about the issues and to consider how faith can be part of the answer.”
The beauty of the World Day of Prayer is that so many people are joining together to give their voice to the same thing, she says.
“There is power in unity, and the fact that, wherever we are, we are following the same service, using the same words, and thinking about the same things over that one day, it is really meaningful and brings us together in love and faith.”
The current destruction in Gaza and other cities and towns across Palestine is a reminder that prayer is possible any time, anywhere. The usual places of worship throughout Gaza are but rubble, but God is in the rubble with the women and children who we are praying for, says Kim.
‘You can pray anywhere. You can look for a service for the World Day of Prayer, or you can simply pray on your own. It doesn’t matter.”
When it comes to how World Day of Prayer first started, there are different stories, says Kim.
“It’s interesting, because there are a few dates floating around, but as I said, I think women especially have always had this concept of sharing in prayer, of joining together, but technology has now meant we can share more easily and find out more.”
It’s not just World Day of Prayer that has benefited from technology, she says, pointing out there is now a wide range of apps available for people to download on their mobile phone to help with their faith journey.
“With my own family, I often use one called Lectio For Families and the website www.24-7prayer.com has lots of resources too.”
At the end of the day it doesn’t matter how or where you pray, she says.
“What matters is we can and we do. For many, it seems there is little we can do to affect change for those suffering in Palestine, the majority of whom are women and children. But through our collective voice, we not only lament together, but also dare to dream of hope for those who may have very little of that right now.”