Yemen: rising severe mental health problems
Now in its seventh year, the crisis in Yemen is no longer headline news. But the conflict continues to have a devastating impact on people’s wellbeing, and on their mental health in particular. In Hajjah, Doctors Without Borders teams have found a high need for mental health services. The range of conditions that they treat is very large; there are people suffering from anxiety and insomnia, psychosis, depression, bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. They regularly see patients following suicide attempts: such an attempt might be provoked by a variety of circumstances. Severe symptoms of psychosis can manifest as auditory hallucinations which tell the patient to hurt him or herself, or a patient might be suffering from severe depression. Lack of awareness leads to stigma, discrimination, and segregation, and this leads to people hiding their conditions. Yemen’s conflict has also reduced access to healthcare, education, and food, as well as restricting freedom of movement.
Answered prayer - 1
On 16 October four-year-old Cleo Smith disappeared in the middle of the night while camping with her family in a harsh remote area of Australia. On 21 October we joined with many across Australia to pray for her to be found. Now, after 18 days, she has been rescued from a locked house in Carnarvon. The police have arrested a 36-year-old man and are questioning him. The authorities say they have so far not found any connection between the man and the Smith family. She has now been reunited with her parents. ‘Our family is whole again,’ was the message Cleo’s mother wrote on Instagram. Prime minister Scott Morrison said, ‘It is a huge relief that the nightmare has come to an end and our worst fears were not realised.’
Answered prayer - 2
Recently you prayed for eighty women on a spiritual retreat. Today we received this message: ‘The Lord answered your prayers abundantly! Thank you for praying for the many ladies suffering persecution from their families for their faith in Christ. This retreat gave them hope and allowed them to worship freely. One woman, overwhelmed with thankfulness, said her faith is growing and she looks forward to sharing Christ with others. Another woman, in tears, said, “The retreat taught me what it is like to be loved and valued by God and others”. Time and time again we see broken, weary, fearful attendees who have experienced suffering, trauma, and loss. But through God’s grace and power, after just a few days, a distinct, palpable transformation occurs. Hope-filled smiles and laughter, healing of past wounds, restoration of soul and spirit.’
COP26 - prayers
Hundreds of ‘climate pilgrims’ have trekked miles from across the UK and Europe to Glasgow’s COP26. Some waved flags, others played musical instruments; many carried religious banners. Numerous intercessors prayed as they journeyed and will continue praying in Glasgow streets throughout the two weeks of COP26. We can pray along with them. Pray for world leaders to agree to act swiftly and justly transitioning the global economy from fossil fuels toward renewables. Pray for communities already affected by climate change to be fairly compensated. Pray for delegates to have the wisdom, compassion, humility and courage necessary to work in unity to safeguard the future of all life on this fragile planet. Pray for the Holy Spirit to inspire political leaders to embrace every single change needed to cultivate a more sustainable society, and may we all acknowledge the responsibilities God has placed upon us as stewards of His creation.
COP26 - promises and refusals
The Earth is sending a message to COP26. Delegates must commit to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. China, the world's largest emitter, committed to achieve this by 2060 and India, the third largest emitter, by 2070. Ask God to convict delegates of greed and pride. May they re-assess all commitments and actions according to Micah 6:8 and act justly, love mercy and walk humbly under God’s authority. The Least Developed Countries group said, ‘Raising global ambition and increasing climate finance is paramount to our survival’. Pray that after COP26 the actions of powerful nations will reaffirm their positive pledges. In recent years more than two out of three deaths in the least developed countries were caused by droughts, wildfires, and floods. Pray that this crisis is treated like a crisis, and in the midst of the many voices clamouring to be heard important issues will be understood and positively acted on by decision-makers.
UK reviews how to tackle modern slavery
The UK’s work to tackle modern slavery in developing countries has had limited long-term impact. Its strategy did not build on existing international efforts and experience, and failed to adequately involve survivors - though the Government played a prominent role in raising the profile of the issue globally. Consequently the Government is now reviewing its strategy, to shape how the UK tackles modern slavery in years to come. Civil society organisations were consulted on the development of this strategy. Parliament scrutinised the situation at a hearing on 14 April. Now there are follow-up discussions on government responses to various recommendations. Please pray that key points on access to justice will form part of the Government’s strategy. This process is a key link in the accountability chain, providing Parliament and the public with an account of how well government departments have responded to reviews.
Turning hearts of fathers and children
Malachi 4:6 says, ‘He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers’. We pray for this to happen in these days. May fathers and mothers rediscover their roles and lead their families with God’s wisdom, love, peace and righteous values. We pray that parents will raise their children with loving discipline and counsel that reflect Christian values. Father in heaven please help the fathers in this nation to re-discover the power of strong love, the kindness of Godly discipline and the blessing of patient encouragement, raising a generation of children fully equipped for their future. We cry out for the children across this nation to experience Godly discipline from fathers balanced with the nurture of mothers. Father, please heal the hearts of parents where regret and failure have caused them to feel guilty, and will you help those living in poverty, particularly single parent families.
Covid: hard months to come
England's deputy chief medical officer, Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, predicted that there are hard months to come in the winter because Covid levels are running very high. Too many people believed the pandemic was now over, and winter could ‘potentially be problematic’. He also said there were signs that infections were starting to ‘penetrate’ older age groups, and how Christmas is affected would depend on a whole range of behaviours. We can pray for the nation to recognise that caution is still needed around the elderly, and face coverings should continue to be worn in appropriate places along with social distancing. Meanwhile the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, which provides advice to the Government, said that while the infection rate is high, the current case numbers are not ‘out of control’ although we are at a ‘relatively important crux point’. The total of UK infections recorded on 3 November was 41,299, higher than most of Europe.
Northern Ireland: DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson
After Arlene Foster stood down from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), her replacement only lasted three weeks. Then Sir Jeffrey Donaldson took over the leadership at a significant moment for NI, as it has come to terms with the effects of Covid and battled the repercussions of Brexit. There have been significant changes on things like abortion and same sex marriage. Although the Church spoke out against changing legislation, Donaldson is concerned over the diminishing church voice. He said that church leaders now find it difficult to speak out in public to give a faith-based perspective on social issues and are not being salt and light in our society. He also believes prayer is the most important thing that the church has available to it: ‘I often encourage Christians to intercede and to give prayerful support to those of us who are involved as Christians in the political process’.
Opposition to Tories’ attempt to change the standards system
Sir Keir Starmer accused Tories of ‘wallowing in sleaze’ after they voted to protect the Conservative MP Owen Paterson from suspension over lobbying claims. Starmer said the Labour party would not have anything to do with a complete and utter sham process and will boycott the commission set up to overhaul the parliamentary sleaze system. Boris Johnson initially threw his weight behind an amendment tabled by Andrea Leadsom which will halt Paterson’s punishment until a new cross-party committee, chaired by John Whittingdale, has examined the standards system. But now, the level of cross-part opposition has forced Boris Johnson to withdraw this plan, and Owen Paterson has resigned as an MP.