Day of Prayer for Zimbabwe (click to read more)

Like many people, we've been following the news from Zimbabwe with mounting anxiety since the election. Despite the bans on reporting, there is evidence of growing violence and of electoral corruption.  The Zimbabwe Council of Churches, the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe recently noted that "Organised violence perpetrated against individuals, families and communities who are accused of campaigning or voting for the 'wrong' political party . . . has been unleashed throughout the country, particularly in the countryside and in some high-density urban areas. People are being abducted, tortured, humiliated by being asked to repeat slogans of the political party they are alleged not to support, ordered to attend mass meetings where they are told they voted for the 'wrong' candidate and should never repeat it in the run-off election for President, and, in some cases, people are murdered."

The Zimbabwean church leaders made their comments as part of a strong appeal for justice and peace. They have been joined by other church leaders in Africa including Rubin Phillip, Bishop of Natal, and other civil and religious activists, who brought the court interdict that prohibited arms for Zimbabwe from being released for transport to that country, and Thabo Makgoba, the Archbishop of Cape Town, who has written an open letter calling on the UN Security Council to impose an arms embargo on Zimbabwe. In the UK, the Archbishops of York and Canterbury have also issued a joint statement on the situation.

Within this context, there has been a call for churches around the world to make Sunday, 27 April, a day of prayer for Zimbabwe. 

Please do consider joining in this day of prayer, either personally or through your church. 

The following prayer points are taken from the Zimbabwean Church Leaders' statement. Please pray that:

• the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) may work towards arresting the deteriorating political and security situation in Zimbabwe
• there may be an immediate end to political intimidation and retribution arising from how people are perceived to have voted in the March 29, 2008 elections and arising from the desire to influence how people will vote in the anticipated run-off in the presidential poll
• youth militia and war veteran/military base camps that have been set up in different parts of the country may be closed
• the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission may release the true results of the presidential poll of March 29, 2008 without further delay
• the Zimbabwean people may maintain and protect their dignity and their vote, refusing to be used for a political party or other people’s selfish end especially where it concerns violence against other people, including those who hold different views

Please pray too for continued strength and wisdom for the church leaders and members in Southern Africa, for all who suffer from hunger and lack of access to shelter or medication because of the ongoing crisis, and for all who have been injured or who mourn loved ones injured or killed during the violence.

Please give thanks for those who have stood for peace and justice, and for the success of the campaign to turn back a shipment of arms destined for Zimbabwe.

If you would like to use a Zimbabwean prayer as part of your worship, you can find one at the Commitment for Life website.