Burma Day of Prayer - Saturday 17 March 2012

Recent events in Burma inspired the theme ‘Glimmers of Hope’ for this year’s Burma Day of Prayer. Hundreds of unjustly detained prisoners have been released, President Thein Sein met Aung San Suu Kyi; and reforms appear to have started. As many delegates told us, it’s important to pray right now into these changes.

There’s a long way to go before we see freedom in Burma. But the recent glimmers of light in the deep darkness have given us cause to hope that things might be changing.

CSW staff went to Burma in January to assess the current situation. Benedict Rogers told us about the visit, and the privilege of meeting some high- profile political activists who had just been released from prison.

Richard Chilvers from Partners Relief & Development, warned us that the situation in Burma would break our hearts, and we’d be unable to walk away unmoved.

Htang Kai’s voice trembled as she told us of the problems of drug addiction and forced conscription in Kachin State. She’s from the Kachin National Organisation, and has just come back from witnessing the difficulties there. The whole room was quiet as we listened to her heartbreaking stories.

Wai Hnin Pwint Thon’s father, Ko Mya Aye, was imprisoned for his role in the democracy uprising of 1988. He’s been in prison for most of Wai Hnin’s life, and she has seen him only rarely. But on 13 January, the Burmese regime released him, along with hundreds of other prisoners.

We prayed for Burma using the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, praying for each human right individually. We wrote prayers on Post-It notes and stuck them to photos of people such as Hillary Clinton, Aung San Suu Kyi and Jeremy Brown MP, UK FCO Minister for Burma, whose actions and words could help to bring change in Burma. Why not use some of these simple and creative ideas to pray for Burma with your church?

‘For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ – Jeremiah 29:11

Let’s pray that God’s plans for Burma are fulfilled, and that the glimmers of hope will grow into shining beacons of truth and justice.

Click here to view more photos from the prayer day on Flickr.