Although the first Friday of March is just one day of the year, behind that are months of ecumenical conversations, thinking, planning, learning, sharing, friendship, prayer and then action!

The preparations for the World Day of Prayer are happening in your community right now! Here are just a few stories: 

PHILIPPINES
“We are busy organizing activities with local communities around the country. We are planning WDP activities in Metro Manila, Rombon, Baguio, Iloilo, Mindoro, Mindanao - Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Davao and Kidapawah.

The various activities encompass a dance showcase by Indigenous peoples, a gathering of evangelicals and Roman Catholic women, welcoming women from WDP Germany, and finalizing a poster with the Bible Society.

I wish I could gather all of the groups we are working with together for mutual encouragement and inspiration.” 

- Prima Formilezza, WDP-P Chairperson

COSTA RICA
"En Costa Rica, sigue la preparación para el programa dedicado a las Filipinas. La próxima etapa, será el taller en Guatemala. Y así se va profundizando la experiencia colectiva y ecuménica de animar las comunidades a la oración y acción.

Google Translation:
"In Costa Rica, the preparation for the program dedicated to the Philippines is underway. The next stage will be a workshop in Guatemala. This is going to deepen the collective and ecumenical experience of encouraging communities to prayer and action."

​- Rebeca Cascante, regional representative of WDPIC for Latin America

SLOVENIA
In Planina, Slovenia, the preparatory workshop for the Philippines celebration was held in early January. All together there were women from Austria, Germany, Bolivia, France, Croatia, and Slovenia. Later in January, the WDPIC chairperson will be in Albania for another workshop.

Here is a link to a video interview of the workshop leaders and participants. Skip ahead to minute 26:20 to begin the interview portion: http://4d.rtvslo.si/arhiv/obzorja-duha/174449034

ENGLAND, WALES AND NORTHERN IRELAND
Since September, leaders of WWDP in the UK, Wales and Northern Ireland have been busy with the Preparation Days. There are workshops and services all over the country. Our WDPIC Executive Director has been able to attend some of the workshops in London, UK. 

Click here for information: http://www.wwdp.org.uk/preparation-days/

This video was made by the WDP Cuba Committee to showcase the celebration as it was held in La Habana, Cuba on March 4, 2016. 

The video contains clips of the service, which was held at the First Reformed Presbyterian Church of La Habana, where WDP was celebrated in Cuba for the first time in 1930. Many people participated and were proud to be part of such a inspiring service, especially the women of WDP Cuba. They felt incredibly blessed to be given the opportunity to organize this service and share a little bit of Cuba with others around the world.

The video also contains interviews from:

Ormara Nolla Cao, WDP Cuba Committee Chairperson
Rosangela Oliveira, WDPIC Executive Director
Joel Ortega Dopico, Council of Churches of Cuba Chairperson

Enjoy!

After 60 years of being present in the country, women from Zimbabwe are getting ready to be the writer country for the celebrations in the year of 2020. From September 8-9, a Strengthening National Committee Meeting was held with almost 30 people in Harare. They came from different parts of the country and from different denominations. WDPIC executive director Rosângela Oliveira and WDPIC Africa Regional representative Joyce Steiner with the support of WDP Zimbabwe led the meeting.

The writing of the worship service and resource material is an ecumenical and collective process. Each participant of the workshop was a potential member of the writing working groups. And each member of the extended community in the country is a supporter of the process through their prayers and wisdom.

The workshop goal was to build an understanding of what will entail to develop and write WDP worship service and resource material for the annual celebration under the theme “Rise! Take your Mat and Walk”. Together we revised the Guidelines for a Writer Country to provide an overview of the complete writing process, components of the worship service and resource material package, timeline and the skills needed to work on this intense and voluntary process. WDPIC will be back in Zimbabwe in 2017 to launch the writing process with the Writer Country Workshop.
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Before leaving the country, there was an opportunity to attend the WDP Zimbabwe General Meeting, Sunday service at the Salvation Army, and listen to the Tuesday rehearsal of the Great Harare Women’s Choir at a United Methodist Church. There are several choirs in the country involved in WDP celebrations. It is one of the highlights of WDP in Zimbabwe. 

Work on World Day of Prayer 2019 Slovenia has already begun! This month we traveled to Slovenia for the preparatory workshop in which groups of women work together to bring you the worship service material. Below is a clip from the WDP Committee President of Slovenia, Tanja Povšnar, where she talks about the experience: