6th August 2026

The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that the hunger crisis in Afghanistan is reaching increasingly devastating proportions. The country is experiencing the sharpest surge in malnutrition ever recorded. Nearly 5 million mothers and children are malnourished and twelve provinces are now experiencing critical levels of acute child malnutrition – the highest number on record. The WFP's country representative for Afghanistan, John Aylieff, said on Tuesday that cuts to development aid from other countries is resulting in the WFP now only able to support one in nine malnourished children in the country, with 47% of children being malnourished in the first quarter of this year. The WFP has so far received only just over a 10th of the $900 million it had budgeted for Afghanistan this year. Aylieff added that, the consequences are likely to be felt beyond Afghanistan's borders; "Abject hunger drives migration, radicalisation and ultimately brings instability. And instability, as history shows, has a tendency to spill over beyond Afghan borders," he said. 

Loving God, we bring to you our concerns for our neighbours in Afghanistan, for hungry children and the inability of the WFP to meet their needs. We ask you comfort and care for all with responsibilities for feeding families, vulnerable people, and children. We pray that the authorties will make feeding the country a top priority, and that the nations of the world will meet their obligations and commitments to the WFP. May they understand the consequences that stretch far beyond cointry borders. We thank you for those working within Afghanistan to bring relief, hope and love to destitute and desperate people.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.

More than 300 people abducted in separate attacks in Nigeria have been rescued .Those freed include 163 people abducted during a February attack on the Woro community in Kwara State, and at least 145 others taken in Niger State. The rescue is understood to be the largest single-day operation by joint security forces in Nigeria. In June, the president announced that the military had “neutralised” more than 13,000 “terrorists” in the past year. The army also said it had rescued 360 people abducted by Boko Haram, which has spread across parts of the country from Borno State, once considered the centre of its operations. 

For the love you have shown us

since the moment of our birth;

the path you open up for us

to be your servants here on earth;

for the footsteps that we follow,

and your words that we shall say;

for the seed that we shall scatter

as we walk your narrow way;

and the harvest you shall gather

on that great and glorious day.

O Lord to you we raise,

this our offering of praise.

Amen