Embedded Files
6th September 2026
South Sudan is one of the poorest and corrupt countries. It has been trapped in conflict for many years and now also faces a drought. On Friday, a group of armed men attacked the military base in Warrap, in the country's northeast, killing 16 military and police personnel, and four civilians. The Information Minister declared a state of emergency in Warrap State on Friday, saying, "The state faces an unprecedented dry spell caused by severe rainfall deficits, causing severe crop failures, also leading to catastrophic loss of livestock and grazing lands." About 1 million people in South Sudan are internally displaced due to violent conflict and around 7.8 million people (56% of the popultaion) are currently living with high levels of acute hunger, according to the latest 2026 IPC and UN agency assessments. The country faces myriad challenges at a time when international aid is also falling sharply. Elections are to be held for the first time in December since 2011. However there are fears that these could ignite renewed conflict and heighten the risk of atrocities, the UN-appointed Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan said last month.
Lord Jesus, you bless the peacemakers and comfort those who mourn. We pray to you for all people affected by the conflict in South Sudan. May there be hope for healing across the country. Console with your presence all who are fearful, exhausted, and grieving, and all who are hungry. Shelter with your love all who have had to leave their homes and face an uncertain future.. Lord Jesus, you challenge us to love our neighbour, to do good, and to seek justice. We pray that those who have the power and resources to act will turn their attention to this crisis. Move among the international community that it will seek to negotiate a peacful settlement of the conflict and also provide humanitarian support to vulnerable people. May elections provide an opportunity to put aside violence and to embrace peace, hope, and unity. In the life of the people of South Sudan, may your will be done as it is in heaven. Amen.
David, felt “powerless” to change the circumstances on his block at 171st between Broadway and Fort Washington in New York. It was dirty, grimy covered in litter. Whether wrapped around the bolts securing a fire hydrant or choking the tree plots on the sidewalk, litter was everywhere. So David decided to do something about it. He bought some bags and a grabber stick and announced on his TikTok account that he was going to clean the litter off of a single NYC block every day for 100 days. The project uncovered a caring community desperate for change, just waiting for someone to show that it was possible to do something. David discovered that litter was correlated with pride and a sense of community. “I could have picked up trash my whole life, but instead I want to give people a reason not to litter” he wrote in his blog. What began as a one man cleanup grew into a community effort. Local businesses donated plants, timber, and equipment to help improve neighbourhood. Many of David's neighbours joined him, picking up litter, badgering city officials to make more of an effort to keep streets clean, and cultivating beds of flowers and plants where the city’s trees grow on the sidewalk.
We thank you Father God, for the world you have made
and for all your love and care.
For the wonder of creation; for the universe,
for the earth, the sea, the sky, flowers and animals;
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise.
For the different countries of the world,
their cultures, customs, music, and ideas;
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise.
For food, clean water, medical care
and all that meets our physical needs here on earth;
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise.
For our homes, families, friends, work, school and holidays;
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise.
For sending your Son, Jesus Christ to be our guide and Saviour
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise.
For all your bountiful gifts.
Father in heaven, we give you thanks and praise.
AMEN
5th September 2026
In May, Syria’s new leadership located remnants of previous President, al-Assad’s chemical weapons programme and has now stated destroying its the remnants. This includes raw materials and munitions similar to those used in deadly gas attacks during the country’s civil war. Last month, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) deployed a team to Syria to verify the destruction of “category-three” chemical weapons, defined as unfilled munitions and other equipment used to release chemical weapons. Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, said the team verified “the irreversible destruction of 42 aerial bombs” as part of that mission. Syria’s UN envoy Ibrahim Olabi the United Nations Security Council on Thursday that Syria was “protecting the world and the region through such work”. However, he added that repeated Israeli attacks had impeded some search-and-destruction operations and exposed the Syrian teams at work to risk. “We cannot safeguard the security of the region if our security is exposed to attacks at the hands of Israel, and they are flouting the security of the region at large and they are breaching the conventions and treaties we have talked about,” he added.
Loving God, we give you thanks and praise for this good news. We thank you that these weapons are being destroyed so they are unable to be used. As the authorities continue this work we ask your protection for all involved. May no external forces interrupt, hinder, or put at risk the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons. May the UN support Syria in returning the country to peace and stability. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Two people have been pulled out alive from a hydropower tunnel in Nepal nine days after flash floods left them trapped behind mud and boulders. Sanjay Shah, a foreman, was the first to be rescued and was taken to the army barracks in Trishuli. Another person, identified as Kabir Maharjan, a project supervisor, was also pulled from the tunnel. They were recovered from a depth of 170 metres (558ft) inside the tunnel according to the army spokesperson Brig Gen Raja Ram Basnet. Both men were flown to hospital in Kathmandu. The latest figures show that more than 270 people have been rescued so far.
Prayer based on a hymn by William Howard Doane
Glory be to you O God
You have done great things.
You loved the world so much
that you gave us your Son,
who yielded his life as an atonement for sin,
and opened the life gate that all may go in.
We praise you Lord,
let the earth hear your voice!
We praise the Lord, and we rejoice!
We come to you Father, through Jesus your Son,
and give you great glory,
great things you have done.
Amen.
4th September 2026
Yesterday Yemen's government-aligned National Resistance Forces and Houthis exchange fire in heavy clashes involving ballistic missiles and drones in southern Hodeidah, a strategic Red Sea coastal province in western Yemen. The conflict began in 2014, when the Houthis launched a coup against Yemen’s government, and then seized much of northwest Yemen, including the capital Sanaa. Fighting has resumed in several provinces in recent weeks, including Marib, Al-Jawf, Al-Dhalea and Taiz, as the country continues to face one of the world’s worst humanitarian and economic crises.
God of life, hears the cries from Yemen; hear our cries for hope, for change, for peace. In your mercy, break political deadlocks, soften hardened hearts, change closed minds, open unhearing ears.
Bring your comfort and love to all traumatised by war, your healing to all who are injured, your compassion to all who grieve.
Guide the leaders of the nations to find solutions to dispute and difference. May violence give way to talking and reaching agreement. Let people come before power. Let life be holy again. Let your justice and peace shape the nation of Yemen and the lives of all people. In the name of Jesus the Prince of Peace we pray, Amen.
Prayer based on a prayer from CAFOD.
The Billion Oyster Project, is a not for profit organisation working on Governor Island, New York. Its objective is to restore 100 acres of lost, historic oyster reefs using the waste streams from dozens of partner restaurants. The Project uses diverts discarded oyster shells from restaurants from reaching landfill and turns them into new oyster reefs that filter pollutants from the harbor, absorb wave energy, and supply the city’s restaurant industry. Staff estimate that the 200 million live oysters they’ve raised on 3.2 million pounds of discarded shells have filtered tens of trillions of gallons harbour water across 19 acres of restored reefs. Bela Altman, Volunteer Coordinator for the Billion Oyster Project, told Reuters new agency, “Oysters are what we call a keystone species, meaning if the oysters are thriving in an environment all other biodiversity is thriving in that environment.” the Billion Oyster Project was launched in 2008, with 1 billion oysters expected by 2035. That would make a major difference to the city, bringing down the cost of oysters to to the restaurant trade, and create 100 new reefs which would refresh the entire water volume of New York Harbour every 3 days.
Praise be to you O Lord,
you are the King of creation.
Praise be to you O Lord,
you reign over all things.
Praise be to you O Lord,
all that is in me adores you.
Praise be to you O Lord,
for you are the great provider and protector.
Praise be to you O Lord,
you shelter me under your wing,
you heal and save me.
3rd September 2026
Save the Children released a report yesterday highlighting the fact that despite agreements between the Lebanon and Israel governments aimed at ending the fighting, children remain at risk due to Israel’s ongoing aggression towards civilian infrastructure. Since March, Israel has killed an average of seven children every single day in Lebanon. Over the last six months, Israel has killed at least 4,300 people, wounded over 12,000 and destroyed between 60 and 70 villages, according to Save the Children. Save the Children have also emphasised the impact of Israel's violence on children's education in Lebanon. 340 schools have been damaged or destroyed in the past six months and at least 100,000 children are at risk of missing the next school year.
Loving God, forgive the war and violence takes the lives of children and prevents them gaining an education. Forgive that killing and destruction are considered to be acceptable ways of resolving difference. Forgive that the world seems to care so little for these little ones. Bring an end to this violence. Bring an end to trauma and fear. Bring and end to parents tears. We look for that day when neighbours live in unity. In the name of Jesus the Prince of Peace we pray, Amen.
After a period of tireless negotiations by the UN lasting over 2 years Libya's civil waring factions agreed to put down their guns and hold elections. A NATO-backed insurrection toppled the government in 2011. This was followed by a civil war that lasted from 2014 to 2020. Over the past six years there has been peace but now this has transformed into an environment where elections can be held. Rival factions came together on Sunday in a signing ceremony at the United Nations Support Mission to Libya in Tripoli. “Today’s signing represents an important step in overcoming the political and institutional impasse that has delayed Libya’s electoral process,” UN Special Rep. for the Secretary General, Hanna Tetteh said. “The agreement demonstrates what can be achieved when Libyans constructively engage in dialogue and seek practical and implementable solutions to outstanding issues.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the deal demonstrated that progress could be achieved through dialogue and called on all relevant Libyan institutions and political actors to engage in good faith to advance implementation of the agreement.
A prayer based on Psalm 104 (CEV)
Creator God, how wonderful is the world you have made.
You built foundations for the earth,
and it will never be shaken.
You covered the earth with the ocean
that rose above the mountains.
Then your voice thundered!
And the water flowed down the mountains and through the valleys to the place you prepared.
You provide streams of water in the hills and valleys,
so that the donkeys and other wild animals
can satisfy their thirst.
Birds build their nests nearby and sing in the trees.
You let the earth produce grass for cattle,
plants for our food,
wine to cheer us up,
olive oil for our skin,
and grain for our health.
How wonderful, how marvellous,
how magnificent you are.
All praise and glory be to you Holy Father.
Amen.
2nd September 2026
A study commissioned by Pesticide Action Network, found there to be an estimated 402-433 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisoning of farmers and farm workers across the world every year. These numbers indicate that just under half of all farmers are being poisoned every year. The greatest estimated number of poisonings was in southern Asia, followed by south-east Asia and east Africa. In Burkina Faso in west Africa, nearly 84% of farmers and farm workers were reported to have experienced poisoning. The study did not consider the impact of pesticide exposure on the estimated 84 million children working in agriculture. Dr Sheila Willis, the head of international programmes at Pesticide Action Network UK, said: “Now that the scale of suffering has been revealed, farmers must be supported to access safer alternatives to protect their health and that of their families.”
You can read the full report here.
Loving God, forgive us that we are so careless and neglect the health of those who grow our food. Forgive us that we care little for biodiversity across the world. May this report be given prominence and taken seriously by governments across the world and by all engaged in agriculture. May farming practices change and be appropriately monitored so that farmers' health need not suffer as a consequence of their doing their work. We also ask your care and protection of all children engaged in agriculture. May the global agricultural market, wholesalers, and national supermarkets, play their role in ensuring safe and healthy supply chains. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Around the world, armed conflict, violence, disasters and migration separate families every day, leaving many without any word on whether a loved one is alive or dead leaving relatives with unresolved grief for decades. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has worked on this issue for more than 160 years. Its Central Tracing Agency (CTA), established under the Geneva Conventions, searches for missing people, restores contact between separated families and helps ensure the dead are treated with dignity. Last year, the ICRC and its partners registered 178,329 new tracing requests and clarified the fate of 28,693 people. The Family Links Network facilitated over 1.4 million phone and video calls between separated relatives, and ICRC-supported teams recovered 631 sets of human remains, working to identify them and return them to families. The ICRC's also reminds parties to conflict of their legal obligation to prevent disappearances and to account for those who go missing. It supports states in building national mechanisms to search for the missing, and trains forensic specialists to manage human remains with dignity. In addition the ICRC works at a diplomatic level to keep this issue on the international agenda.
Loving God,
We praise you with all our hearts and souls;
we praise you with songs for your faithfulness,
we praise you with thanksgiving
for your great power and love.
Lord, we praise you with our lips,
and with our lives.
Our very existence is a gift from you;
for you have made us in your image
and breathed life into us.
We thank you for your constant companionship,
for your strength when we are weary,
for your guidance when we have choices to make
and for your help in carrying the burdens we bear.
All glory, honour and praise be yours,
almighty, and eternal Lord.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
1st September 2026
Two people have died and 14 remain missing or unaccounted for after flash flooding swept through parts of the Grand Canyon National Park at the weekend, destroying footbridges and carrying boulders downstream. A water pipe line was also damaged cutting supplies for visitors and approximately 2,500 residents. Authorities have closed the North Kaibab Trail from the trailhead to Phantom Ranch due to the ongoing search and recovery operations. Visitors have been instructed to stay away from the restricted area until further notice. The park service asked anyone with details about hikers or campers still unaccounted for to get in touch.
Loving God, comfort your people, all who grieve the deaths of those they loved, those with whom they were holidaying. Bring healing to anyone injured and peace to all traumatised by these floods. Direct the search and rescue effort that all unaccounted for will be found soon and reunited with their families. Draw the people of the US closer to the people of Nepal as they have both experienced the trauma of floods and landslides. In their common challenges may they be able to empathise with each other, so a lasting unity may develop to their mutual benefit uniting peoples across the globe. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Researchers from the University of Cape Town are cleaning 36,000 litres of water, polluted by sewage, chemicals, and traces of drugs and medication, every day to make it usable for growing food, without chemicals and using renewable energy. They are transforming South Africa’s heavily polluted Stiebeuel River into a resource clean enough for irrigating. Kevin Winter, one of the researchers behind the Water Hub project in Langrug, has said that “You’d be very hard pressed to know the difference between it and your municipal treated water, which has been through a treatment plant and been chlorinated.” Large stones and a layer of biochar – wood burned at 800C (1,470F) – traps dirt and particles and filters out traces of drugs, pharmaceutical waste. Smaller stones and sand absorb the remaining toxins and pollutants. “Making water available for food, and for food security, as a climate-change strategy is absolutely crucial worldwide and we’ve got to learn to be able to do that more and more,” Winter said.
I am in awe and wonder at your magnificence,
almighty, creator God.
When I observe the stars
and consider the expanse of the universe,
and microscopic life
my soul sings to you.
When I wander through the woods and fields,
hear the bird song and feel the breeze.
my soul sings to you.
I am in awe of your love for us;
that you sent your son, Jesus Christ,
to be the Saviour of the world.
bearing the burden of our sin upon the cross.
I cannot grasp the extent of your power
that you raised him to new life.
I bow in honour and give you glory
that you enable us, through faith,
to share in his resurrection.
In awe and wonder my soul sings to you.
You are a great and mighty, loving and merciful God.
Alleluia!
31st August 2026
A privately owned passenger ferry left the popular holiday resort of Kyrenia in Cyrus at lunch time yesterday with 267 people on board. The ferry subsequently capsized taking the lives of 18 people with a further 18 still missing. Helicopters and coastguard boats were dispatched to the scene, while ambulances were stationed on the beach ready to receive rescued passengers. Filo Denizcilik, the company which operates the capsized passenger boat, said it was "deeply saddened by the tragic accident". A phoneline has been established to provide passengers' relatives with information.
Loving God, who calmed a storm, we ask your care for all caught up in this incident. May all who are berieved and grieving be comforted. May a full investigation be able to explain to them how their loved ones perished. We thank you for the safety and rescue of all who have survived. Be with them in their trauma, and be alongside them in the love and compassion shown to them. We thank you for all who risk their own lives on the sea to rescue others, may all be accounted for. We ask your protection for all who travel. Guide the authorities in thier work that it may be carried out professionally, cometently and extensively that all lessons will be learned. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Whilst global hunger remains significant, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says the number of people facing hunger globally has declined for the third consecutive year from 8.6% in 2022 to 7.8% in 2025. It further estimates that in 2025, hunger affected 14 million people fewer than in 2024 and 43 million fewer people than in 2022. Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, are regions where there has been a steady improvements in recent years. FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu: “The report shows that progress is possible, but we must move faster. Ending hunger and making healthy diets affordable requires political commitment, sustained investment and enabling policies."
Prayer based on Psalm 30
Lord my God, I will exalt you,
for you lifted me out of the depths
I called to you for help, and you healed me.
You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing.
I am no longer sad and no longer wear sackcloth.
I thank you from my heart.
I will never stop singing your praises,
my Lord and my God. Amen.
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