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Praying for Tsunami Victims
Somewhere in this hopeless whirlpool of life a hand extends to help. Singapore
We are at a loss for adequate words of comfort. We offer the words of the Psalmist as our prayer for you in these traumatic days.
In my distress I cry to the Lord, that he may
answer me.
Psalm 120:1
I lift up mine eyes to the hills--from where
will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2
We pray that the people in the affected countries will experience God’s mercy and kindness through the outpouring of concern, compassion and humanitarian assistance. Despite the enormity of the devastation and the immensity of the tragedy, it is our fervent prayer that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
John McCullough, Church World Service Executive Director, in a letter to partners in the affected countries
After The Storm
Dear God, after the storm, what is left?
Death and destruction beyond imagining,
Shattered villages and buildings,
The empty stares of those
Who have seen everyone they love washed away.
Where are you in such sorrow?
Your Son said that to find your face
We need only look at the hungry, the thirsty,
Those without shelter, those who are sick.
If so, then the face of God calls out to us
From the victims of the tsunami disaster.
Give us the strength to meet their gaze and respond.
Give us the courage to risk sharing that they might begin to rebuild their
lives.
Amen.
Tom Hampson, Coordinator for Congregational Development, Church World Service
Blessing for an Offering of Cash or “Gift of the Heart” Kits
Leader: Loving God, in the face of the tsunami’s destruction what we can do seems small. Yet our hearts call us to respond.
Women: May our offering today join with those of thousands of other congregations in this country and around the world. May we be part of a great wave of compassion for those who have suffered so much.
Men: May our offering be a sign that they are not alone in their sorrow.
All: We give thanks for the life-saving work of Church World Service supported by our contribution today. Bless their efforts in this emergency and keep their staff safe.
Leader: We thank you, O God, for life, for love, for the opportunity to be your caring hand in a hurting world.
All: Amen
Other Prayers and Reflections
The Prayers and Reflections below are by Ramani Leathard, regional communications manager for Asia with CWS sister agency Christian Aid in Great Britain. She was on sabbatical in Sri Lanka when the tsunami struck. The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka is a partner agency of Church World Service.
O Lord, no words can ease
the pain of the bereaved,
the fear of the survivors,
the shock of the nations.
But let our words
bring the promise
of shelter to the homeless,
food to the hungry,
healing to the sick
for all in Asia this day.
Amen
From the comfort of my home
my heart goes out
to those who have lost everything they own.
From the warmth of my circle of friends
my heart goes out
to those who grieve the loss of people they love.
From the celebrations for a year's end
my heart goes out
to those who face the future with great fear.
Lord God,
take my heart, my prayers, my money,
and use them to bring hope
to the people of the Indian Ocean.
Amen
God who in creation formed wave and wind,
oceans, land and all human life,
we hold before you the pain of all whose lives are shattered by the
terrifying power of this tsunami – be for them a refuge and strength
in their trouble.
Awaken and encourage in us actions and words to support the suffering
and all who seek to bring relief.
In the midst of trouble we praise you for the help, which is being brought
by Church World Service and so many others from around the world.
Each deed and word of care proclaims your love,
which no waters can quench and no floods drown.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who gave everything for the sake of all
human kind.
Amen
A reflection from Sri Lanka 12/31/04
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
The tropical waters of this fabled island paradise lap its palm-fringed shores. Yet in a mere 15 minutes on Sunday 26 December, 2004 a calamity beyond imagination crashed into the lives of the island’s coastal communities. Villagers, fishermen, tourists and local holidaymakers alike experienced the terrifying strength of the tsunami, which had its source off the north west coast of Sumatra.
The death toll in Sri Lanka now exceeds 20,000, with over a million people rendered homeless. It is feared that the number of deaths will increase due to the spread of disease caused by the lack of safe drinking water, sanitation and shelter.
In the midst of shock and fear the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL), bids us focus on the words of the psalm – 'God is our refuge and strength.'
Communities divided on the grounds of ethnicity and religion are working together to bring immediate relief to those in need throughout the country. Local churches are working with Buddhist temples, mosques and Hindu temples to coordinate the collection and distribution of relief items.
One young woman I met watched her two young sons, aged 5 and 7 years, her husband and her parents being sucked away by the wave before her eyes. She is numb with shock and is one of thousands who has suffered a similar fate. 'Many are ridden with guilt and feel responsible for not being able to save or protect their young children or elderly dependants. 'Addressing this issue is going to be an immense task over the next few months as people begin to re-build their lives.' says the Rev. Ebenezer Joseph, former General Secretary of the NCCSL.
Other sources for worship and other resources:
CWS Tsunami Recovery Information and Resources: http://www.churchworldservice.org/news/tsunami/index.html
Overview of U.S. Denominational Responses to the Tsunami: http://www.ncccusa.org/news/04tsunamiresponsebycommunions.html
Worship Resources in the Wake of the Tsunami:
http://www.ncccusa.org/resources/tsunami-worship-resources.htm
Worship Resources from:
Australia: http://www.ncca.org.au/dov/*_tsunami_response_resources
New Zealand: http://www.cws.org.nz/Emergencies/Asian-Tsunami-Worship.asp
Great Britain: http://www.cafod.org.uk/resources/worship/prayers/tsunami?
PHPSESSID=34e13c9eb03210715ed651f3ae71ebea
Pastoral Message to World Council of Churches member churches in South and Southeast Asia and other countries affected by the tsunami: http://www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/tsunami.html