Since the military coup over two years ago, the situation in Myanmar/Burma has become desperate.

More than 20,000 people have been arrested and imprisoned as part of an extensive crackdown on activists, political leaders, journalists, and anyone else the military regime perceives as a threat or critic. At the time of writing, over 16,000 of them are still in prison.

Almost daily military air strikes have taken the lives of nearly 3,000 people and displaced over 1.3 million people, many of whom are living in makeshift camps in the jungles.

Christian-majority states are intensely targeted in airstrikes and artillery attacks. New regulations in Christian-majority Chin state require Christians living in areas under martial law to register seven days before attending worship services. It is unclear how long the new rule will stay in effect, or how the military would respond if the Chin people chose to continue attending church without following it.

Find out more at csw.org.uk/Burma

Join us in praying for Myanmar/Burma this week, using the prayer below (adapted from the Iona Community liturgy for healing for an international situation).

Lord Jesus, we come to you with the wounds of our world.

We think of Myanmar and the dark places where evil roams, where your people suffer and cry aloud for mercy from the oppressor, for justice for their people.

We place before you the suffering places of the world, places of war, of famine, of disasters, of darkness. We place before you the nation of Myanmar/Burma. Take these, your people, to your heart, Lord Jesus, at this time of their need.

We give thanks that in the darkest places of the earth there are sparks of light: that your love in the heart of your people is present, in every small, good deed, in restraining the hand from doing evil, in helping those in need at cost to oneself, in sacrifice and respect for all life.

We give thanks for the countless unknown witnesses who have served you in the darkest situations. We give thanks for those places where you have raised a champion with courage to challenge injustice. Enter each place with your healing touch, through the unsung heroism, the anonymous act, in the goodness of strangers.

Jesus Christ, who ate with the wealthy and provided food to the poor, enter Myanmar, and bring justice, and peace.

We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Download a printable copy of this week’s Prayer Diary.