May 2009

31 May 2009 is Global Day of Prayer where hundreds of millions of Christian from different nations will humble themselves and pray that God will transform the nations.

Please click on this link for information on how you can be a part of this momentous day
http://www.globaldayofprayer.com/.

Micah Network announced the release of its first CD, Our Sins last June. It is a compilation of worship and reflective songs on the theme of justice. Most of the songs were written during Micah Network’s 3rd Triennial Global Consultation held in September 2006 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It features music by Leonardo Alvarez, Stefan Eicher, Luca Hansen, Dave Khai and Helen Mottee.

For more information on the CD including ordering instructions, please visit this link http://www.micahnetwork.orghttp://www.micahnetwork.orghttp://www.micahnetwork.org/en/story/micah-network-cd-worship-and-reflective-music-theme-justice

We are also keen to hear from members and friends who would be willing to distribute the CD in their own country. If you are interested or would like more information, please contact Angeline.Emery@micahnetwork.org.

Members may be interested to know that Overseas Development Institute (ODI) recently organized a public event on research for advocacy. The event, Knowledge to Policy: Making the most of Development Research, focused on evaluating research communication for policy influence.

The event was streamed live over the internet on 29 April 2009. Please click on this link for the resources
http://www.odi.org.uk/events/details.asp?id=478&title=knowledge-policy-making-most-development-research.

The Micah Network Disability Forum recently distributed The World Bank’s list of some of the most important organizations within the disability and development community.

Other members may find this list useful and it can be accessed at this link http://go.worldbank.org/9FRM9ME020.

The ProVention Consortium offers a Community Risk Assessment Toolkit aimed at helping practitioners work with communities to assess and reduce disaster risk.

Please click on this link for more information on the toolkit http://www.proventionconsortium.org/CRA_toolkit

The ProVention Consortium is a global coalition of international organisations, governments, the private sector, civil society organisations and academic institutions dedicated to increasing the safety of vulnerable communities and to reducing the impacts of disasters in developing countries. It provides a forum for multi-stakeholder dialogue on disaster risk reduction and a framework for collective action.

The UK-based International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC) has released a report titled, "What is Distinctive about FBO's; How European FBO's define and operationalize their faith.” The report profiles how FBO's in Europe operate in a climate that has asserted that religion is "anti-developmental".

Please visit this link for the full report: http://www.intrac.org/resources_database.php?id=367.

Please join with us in prayer for the following:

World

• Sri Lanka – the Sri Lankan Government on Tuesday formally declared an end to the 25 year civil war after the army killed the leader of the rebel Tamil Tigers. EU foreign ministers appealed to the Sri Lankan Government to let UN aid groups into the country to help provide food and medical care to civilians caught in the fighting and to seek reconciliation with the country’s minority Tamil population. A UN spokesperson expressed concern about the fate of up to 80,000 people in the combat zone. Relief agencies in the camps and hospitals say that an enormous amount of work lies ahead. Please pray that aid will flow effectively into the country and that it will go wholly and directly to those who need it most and pray for long term peace, that civilians will be safe and be able to return to their homes and normal life.
• India – we praise God for the peaceful conduct of the polls following the elections in India last week. We pray also for a mandate that allows for stability and that the right people will be chosen by the Government in the formation of the ministries.
• Malawi – Malawi's Presidential and Parliamentary Elections took place on Tuesday 19th May, 2009. Campaigning officially ended last Sunday and so far the country has been very peaceful. It was a closely fought election between the incumbent, Dr. Bingu Wamutharika, of the Democratic Progressive Party and the Malawi Congress Party, Presidential candidate, Mr. John Tembo. Please pray for God's perfect will for this nation and its people. Results are likely to be announced by Friday 22nd May, 2009.
• Africa – please pray for Presidents of African Countries that their faith clearly mark their politics. Give thanks for democracies allowing communities to have a voice in the decision making processes through attempts of decentralisation and good governance.
• Pakistan – the UN refugee agency has warned that the human exodus from the Swat valley in north Pakistan is turning into the world’s most dramatic displacement crisis since the Rwandan genocide of 1994. Almost 1.5 million people have registered for assistance bringing the total number of displaced people in the region to 2 million. Pray that aid will safely reach all those who are in need, and for their safety and wellbeing – as well as for long term solutions to this crisis.

Events

• We pray for ongoing planning of Micah Network’s 4th Triennial Global Consultation in Kenya in July. We had some concern about the low number of registrations received to date. We now know that at least 100 people are planning to join us, so we are pleased to announce that the consultation will be proceeding. Please pray for all those involved in the planning, including the:
  • Local Organising Committee based in Kenya
  • Logistics team
  • Program Team
  • Climate Change Advisory Group
• Please pray for plans for other meetings associated with the 4th Triennial Global Consultation, including:
  • Disaster Management Task Force
  • Gender Strategic Conversation
  • Micah Challenge Facilitators’ meeting
  • Micah Network Coordinating Group (board) meetings
  • Micah Challenge International (board) meetings.
• Pray for all those who attended the National Conversations on Integral Mission Initiative in Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania; that lessons heard will have been learned and national strategies implemented. Pray for all those leaders as they seek not only to lead their Churches and their Christian Organisations but to influence the direction towards Integral Mission in their countries.
• Pray for wisdom as we discuss HIV and the theological education initiative. Pray for the theological college teachers of Nepal who are planning the lessons. Pray also for the PNG efforts in this regard.
• Please pray for David Westlake and Sundar Daniel who will be attending the Call2all Congress in Hong Kong from 31 May to 5 June, 2009. Pray for wisdom as they prepare for the workshop they will be delivering on Integral Mission, and discussions with organisers who are seeking to establish a Global Compassion Network.

People

• Please continue to pray for Roshan Mendis and his team at LEADS Sri Lanka who are looking after approximately 100,000 refugees following the conflict in north-west Sri Lanka.

If you would like to contribute to or be added to Micah Network’s weekly prayer update, please contact Angeline Emery (angeline.emery@micahnetwork.org).

Thank you very much for your prayers and support.