Focus on East Asia
‘To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame;’ Psalm 25:1-2a
We are grateful to Mrs Ngui, East Asia Area President, and to the Area’s two Helen Kim Memorial Scholars for the prayer points for this month.
Pray that the spread of the coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, may be contained. Pray for those who now face travel restrictions and for those who feel threatened by the spread of the virus. There have been confirmed cases in other cities in China as well as Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Thailand and further afield.
The deadly volcano Taal in the Philippines continued to generate explosions and earthquakes a week after it started emitting ash and steam. More than 170,000 people have fled their homes and are staying in evacuation centres. Damage has reached about US$5 millions with destruction of plantations and fisheries. This eruption also severely disrupted the tourism sector of the country. We pray that relief will come to those who have been affected by this disaster.
We continue to pray about the unsettled situation in Hong Kong, where protests and arrests are still frequent. We pray peace and the Lord’s healing for this city. We thank God for the Methodists in Hong Kong who are faithful in their work with those in need, empowered by God’s grace.
We thank God for Mrs Ngui’s recent successful visit to Cambodia, meeting Methodist women who are keen to become fully affiliated with the World Federation. We thank God for the economic development in this Buddhist country in recent years but also see the widening gap between the rich and the poor. May our Lord grant hope and salvation to the unsaved in this nation, and prosper the work of Christian mission through the Westminster Theological College and Seminary Cambodia.
The incumbent President Tsai Eng Man party in Taiwan republic has won the recent election. We pray for wisdom for the ruling government as well as transparency and accountability in its policy.
We continue to pray for peaceful relationships across the Korean peninsular, thanking God for the witness and mission of the Korean Methodist people across the world, and for our founder Dr Helen Kim, whose vision still inspires us as Federation sisters. We thank God for our former World President Oknah Kim Lah, in Seoul and for her ongoing support of the Federation.
We thank God for the Federation of Kyodan Women’s Societies in Japan who celebrated their 50th anniversary last year and for the peace-making efforts of their country.
Severe flooding and landslides in Malaysia and Indonesia caused many people to find refuge in evacuation centres. We thank God for those who bring aid and relief.
The Helen Kim Memorial Scholars, Kyeo Re Lee in Taiwan and Ruth Amarasuriya in Malaysia, also invite us to pray for the extension of women’s rights, improved environments for women’s education and employment and increased participation in society for women across Asia. Pray that the Methodist women all around Asia will catch the vision of the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women.
In the name of Christ, Amen.