Photo: Dalyce Wilson for Bread for the World.
By Kierra Stuvland
The presence of the Lord is here. We feel it in the atmosphere.
This holy hour, we bring ourselves into your presence, O God. To you we offer our prayers, our praise, and our supplications.
This month, we celebrate Black History Month and honor the culture of our brothers and sisters. We remember the legacy of those who came before us – who not only paved the way but carried the bricks on broken backs that then built that road. We remember the songs, stories, and fiery hope of old men and little girls, granny midwives and marvelous musicians, great orators and leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators – those who are earth-tone brown, black as night, fair like the sands of Egypt. We are kings and queens. We are descendants of royalty.
Lord, when it’s too hard living, we remember you are the great “I am” and our source of strength and purpose for each new day. Help us in our advocacy efforts with Bread for the World – to honor you with our work for justice, healing, and peace in our day. Help us as we labor for the end of hunger. Help us to stay educated and active as we read the unacceptable statistics that point to the fact that 1 in 4 African-American households is food-insecure as compared with 1 in 10 of white households, and that more than 1 in 3 African-American children live in food-insecure households compared to 1 in 7 white children.
God, help us to value diversity beyond variety. Help us value diversity with a vision for a progressive future that acknowledges our strength together as well as the power, creativity, ideas, and part that we all bring when we are all welcome – to come to the table and taste and see that the Lord is good.
Help us labor on until we all can sing, for good and right reasons: Oh happy day! Amen.
Kierra Stuvland is major gifts coordinator/development officer at Bread for the World.
