 As we say goodbye to 2017, we welcome all the exciting opportunities and blessings 2018 will bring.
This past year was filled with hard times, from natural disasters to political and social upheavals. However, light overcomes darkness, and we saw the light in those who came together to help and be present to the ones in need. Let’s bring this light into 2018! Let’s care for God’s Creation, as the Suriname women call us to. Let’s bring an end to violence against women and girls, as we join the Thursdays in Black campaign! Together we may shine the light of peace, love and justice for all to see!
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“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Luke 1: 46-47  Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus! In these tumultuous times, when our world is divided and struggling, we affirm our hope for peace and joy. Jesus, born to be the Prince of Peace, gives us the strength to care, to love, and to act for justice and peace.
Take this moment to remember the women of the Philippines and keep in mind the women of Suriname. Pray for all the women and girls around the world, that they may have a joyous Christmas. Together we will shine the light of peace and hope. We wish all of our WDP sisters, friends, and ecumenical partners a very Merry Christmas!  We have compiled all of our decisions and reflections at the International Meeting of the World Day of Prayer held on August 20-27, in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil into one document.
You will find in the Report a brief summary of the workshops focus on the theme and WDP movement, and the Talking Wisdom and Care @ 10 conversations. It includes reports in Portuguese and Spanish and also the complete presentations at the plenary sessions, like the Bible studies and Worship meditations. You can find it on our International Meeting page or click here. A shorter version of this compilation will be offered in Spanish and French at a later date. So, how can you use this resource? First of all, please, share it with the WDP Committee and members widely. It may be also shared with church leaders and ecumenical partners at your local and national context. It is a resource for all. Secondly, you can use it to inspire a follow up locally. You may organize workshops or small group conversations based on the topics or the methodology presented here. They can be used towards the preparation for the 2018 WDP Suriname program or throughout the year to follow up on the concerns raised. Look especially for the Meditation of the Opening Celebration and the Bible Study on Genesis 1 for the 2018 WDP Suriname preparations. And read the Bible Study on Luke 14 and the Situation of Roma People for 2019 WDP Slovenia program. Thirdly, join us in appreciation of WDP Brazil for their dedication in hosting the Meeting, and all delegates, facilitators, translators, and executive committee members who ecumenically shared leadership to make it happen. Lastly, use it to prepare your country to participate in the next International Meeting in 2022. See you there!  Dear WDP sisters, friends & ecumenical partners, We are fast approaching the end of 2017, and we do have many joys and blessings to count!
Now, encouraged by the Suriname theme, we affirm “All God’s Creation is Very Good!”, and we repeat it in Sranan Tongue - “A heri grontapu di Gado meki bun doro, dóro!” Let’s take this message to our hearts, and move the world with our prayers. During the Christmas season, my family and I have a special tradition. Do you know about the tradition of passing the light of Bethlehem from one Parish to another? The flame is taken from the candle at the grotto of Bethlehem and is shared all around the world as a sign that the Prince of Peace is shining everywhere. Usually the flame arrives in France during the second week of Advent with the help of the young Scouts. Then we receive the flame, and we keep it until Christmas arrives. When passing the flame, we remember that Jesus was not born in a comfortable house or hospital, that the political situation was not stable or peaceful, that Bethlehem is still a little town with inhabitants who need our prayers. You too may light a candle and remember in your prayers all the suffering of this world, and welcome the Prince of Peace singing with the angels. “Praise God in heaven! Peace on Earth to everyone who pleases God.” (Gospel of Luke 2.14) Sisters and friends, may we celebrate the baby Jesus born to be the Prince of Peace! May we grow in our faith and became the witnesses of peace and love, in our families, neighborhoods, cities or villages, country, churches, or workplace and “by this shall all men, all women know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13.35)
Thank you for your commitment, your engagement, your help, and your support to World Day of Prayer. Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year to you, Laurence Gangloff, WDPIC Chairperson  Today, Human Rights Day, marks the final day of the 16 Days of Activism against gender based violence campaign but it does not mean our fight is over! We must continuously work beyond the days of these dedicated campaigns and work towards a world free of violence against women and girls. Our WDP sisters from around the world are taking lessons learned from the worship services and applying them to real life situations in order to promote awareness for the betterment of women and children. These following stories were taken from the 2016 & 2017 Journals.
In 2016, WDP Malaysia reflected on the theme “Receive children, Receive me” and thought about the refugee children in their country being denied their rights to an education. They affirmed in their service “that all children should be received equally, regardless of their sex or status, and education is very important for the future of refugee children.” Similarly, Bulgaria highlighted the difficulties Roma children experience in their country as opposed to other children. Their main concern is to “make education accessible to them so they may have a better future.” In Latin America this year, Argentina “vowed to work towards defending the rights of women and, above all, to combat gender [based] violence,” and Cuba renewed leadership with young woman engaging in the coordination of WDP and with this they will be able to more actively “promote campaigns for NO violence against children, and will use art to reach out to families in vulnerable situations.” Panama used the 2017 theme of “Am I Being Unfair to You?” as an opportunity to bring awareness to the injustices faced by many woman. They created a game to show the inequality of wealth distributed and how the minority usually suffers the most. They used chairs to represent possessions and gave “the man” most of the chairs while those without chairs had to stand. It really impacted their service and it shows us how we must work together to fight establishments like this that oppress women and young girls. As we celebrate this Advent season, we must remember all of the things Jesus has taught us through these WDP worship services. We must listen to Jesus’ words and help each other, not just one day, but every single day until the end of gender based violence. Nora Carmi, the World Day of Prayer International Committee Regional Representative from Palestine in the Middle East, gives voice to the fight for the elimination of violence against women and girls during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. My name is Nora Carmi. I am a Palestinian from Jerusalem who has worked for over 40 years as a community builder seeking to help and empower society through informing women about their rights and making sure that all conventions, pertaining to women, are not only signed but implemented in full. We can not claim gender equality unless laws protecting women and empowering them are enforced and all forms of violence and discrimination against women in Palestine, the Middle East, and the whole world ends in all aspects of their lives.
From November 25th - the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 1th – World Aids Days, and to December 10th – Human Rights Day as declared by the United Nations, communities and faith based organizations will be engaged in the campaign known as 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. The 2017 theme is “Together We Can End Gender Based Violence in Education!” We are extending the call to action from the Women’s Concerns Ministry of the National Council of Churches, which leads World Day of Prayer in India, to promote awareness that the education of women and girls are at risk because of gender based violence. “As a mother, every morning I take the biggest leap of faith when I wave to my child as she leaves for school. The fear that lurks in my heart is: Will anyone touch the body of my child? Will anyone bully her in school? Will she face corporal punishment for not being able to answer? Our roads are not even safe enough to send our daughters and children walking to school,” shared a concerned mother from one of the Women’s Fellowship of Member Churches of the National Council of Churches during the World Day of Prayer event in Delhi while reflecting on the 2016 WDP theme “Receive Children, Receive Me.” Similar concerns were presented in other countries, like Nigeria where prayer is lifted up in the midst of “poverty and increasing child abuse or trafficking, and the devastating activities of fundamentalist groups like Boko Haram, who kidnapped girls from school in 2014.” Or, Sierra Leone, who vowed to "lobby for children who are rejected, neglected, and often looked over due to disabilities, by promoting their educational rights and also foster children and victims of trafficking.” At the WDP International Meeting, participants of the group conversation ‘Reaching out to Children’ recognized that around the world children are been trafficked, working to put food on the table, or raising themselves when they lose their parents to war or HIV/Aids.  Ms. Moumita Biswas, Executive Secretary of Women’s Concerns Ministry of the National Council of Churches in India and WDPIC Asia Regional Representative, points out “We need to address gender norms at all levels and across multiple settings to prevent gender based violence in schools and the society at large. Violence towards girls and children begins in their own home. Only publicizing child protection polices in school cannot end violence towards children. Therefore we need to have a multi-dimensional, holistic approach to end gender based violence in education.”
We invite you to build upon these stories and campaigns and advocate for an end to all forms of gender-based violence in education. We should not have to live in fear when our children do something as simple as go to school. We must speak up and together bring awareness to this issue. Let’s affirm with the 2018 WDP Suriname theme that "All God’s Creation is Good” thus girls and women should live free of violence.  ©Wendy Hopcroft On June 5th, 2017 millions of people around the world will answer the universal call to ‘connect with nature.’ There will be thousands of events dedicated to positive environmental actions and now more than ever we must take action to protect our earth. A commitment to keep the earth clean depends on public policies implemented by governments, but also on our personal lifestyle. This year’s theme, provided by the United Nations for the World Environmental Day, “Connecting People to Nature,” encourages people to get outdoors and enjoy what our beautiful world has to offer.
It is a perfect time to be reminded of the theme of the 2018 World Day of Prayer service - “All God’s Creation is Very Good!” The earth is God’s greatest creation, our home, and it is in danger. Pollution, climate-change, and exploitation of our lands are all detrimental. The women of Suriname lift up their voices to remind us that we are caretakers of God’s creation. We must realize that we depend on this earth and we must revitalize our relationship. The women of Suriname believe that the Christian faith community can make a great contribution to the preservation of a livable, healthy, and safe environment. The future of the earth to next generations matters. They see this as one of the key elements of the Christian faith. They are reminded of the relationship between God and creation, God and humanity. It is about having respect for every living thing. We encourage you to join in this important and incredible celebration!  Dear WDP sisters,
Every year we look forward to hearing the good news from Easter morning: Christ has risen, he has really risen, Hallelujah! After the weeks of Lent and following the passion of Jesus, from his acclaimed marching in Jerusalem to the last supper with his friends, the betrayal and handing-over to his crucifixion, we are longing to hear the good news. In this Easter season I’d like to send you my heartfelt greetings. Watching and listening to the news all around the world, there are so many concerns that require our prayer. In so many places, people are living in fear and under injustice. Terror, war, and hunger are forcing people to leave their homes and go on a dangerous journey. With Christian love I pray for the people in Syria, in Egypt, in Iraq and Iran, in Palestine and Israel, in Yemen and Lebanon, in the Ukraine and in Russia, in Nigeria and in India, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in Bangladesh, Venezuela and Brazil, Chile and Mexico, in South and North Korea, in Lybia and Sudan, in the Philippines and Suriname... I pray for all who are suffering. Jesus knows the suffering of the people in need and in fear. He went through the darkest valley of life to sympathize with those who are at the margins. “Am I being unfair to you?” He set us an example to follow his footsteps, to live with and for our sisters and brothers in our time between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Christ has risen, he has really risen, Hallelujah! May this wonderful news, first spread by women, fill the hearts of the suffering and fill our hearts with hope, comfort, and joy! I wish you and your families a happy Easter season, may the Easter blessing encourage you and strengthen your faith. With love, Corinna Harbig Chairperson  Dear WDP sisters and friends, “Am I Being Unfair to You?” Prepared by the WDP of the Philippines for the celebration in 2017 Mabuhay! Come to the circle and tell your story! Jesus told stories to teach about the Kingdom of God. We tell stories to make ourselves aware of God’s presence today in the world. The worship service tells the stories of Filipino women seeking for justice. This week, on our common day of prayer, from our own context we will tell the same story, reflect on the same question, and be assured of God’s generosity for all. World Day of Prayer motto - ‘Informed prayer and prayerful action’ – is at its climax. You have dedicated time to learn about the Philippines, to connect with Filipino people in your own country, to listen to their claims and to ecumenically lift up their concerns and joys to God. Since we started preparations for this celebration, important changes have happened to the country’s political and social context. To mention just two for its overall impact, let’s highlight the termination of the Peace Talks between the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the war on drugs. The Peace Talks had the promise to reach agreements about human rights and humanitarian law, ceasefire, social and economic reforms that would alter the context of poverty, violence, and unemployment. The War on Drugs has claimed more than 7,000 lives since last July, and also the arrest of opposition voices to the government’s policy. As our WDP sisters in the Philippines are telling us -- ‘we need the world’s prayer now’. Once again, the WDP program is timely and we trust that the Holy Spirit will carry on our prayers to fill the hearts of the afflicted. With them, we will be sent off affirming that the God of Justice calls us to plant the seeds of hope, to become fruits of liberation and love. As one voice we will offer our hands to plant, nurture, and harvest those seeds. We want to thank all who are celebrating the World Day of Prayer. May we be sent forth with the fruits of our communal harvest by God’s sole generosity! - Rosângela Oliveira, Executive Director & Corinna Harbig, Chairperson Click 'Read More' for the spanish version:
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