Bread for the World believes prayer is central to the work of ending hunger by 2030. Hunger happens in every corner of the world. In this blog series, we will provide a prayer for a different group of countries each week and their efforts to end hunger.
This prayer series will follow the Ecumenical Prayer Cycle, a list compiled by the World Council of Churches that enables Christians around the world to journey in prayer through every region of the world, affirming our solidarity with Christians all over the world, brothers and sisters living in diverse situations, experiencing their challenges and sharing their gifts.
We will especially be lifting up in prayer the challenges related to hunger and poverty that the people of each week’s countries face. In prayer, God’s story and our own story connect—and we and the world are transformed. In a prayer common to all of us—the Lord’s Prayer/the Our Father—we pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This line from this prayer can also be a prayer for the end of hunger.
We invite you to join Bread in our prayers for the world’s countries to end hunger. And we encourage you to share with us your prayers for the featured countries of the week or for the end of hunger in general.
For the week of for February 28 – March 5: France and Germany
The colours of life
God, creator of all things,
you are our sun, our light, our strength.
Help us to grow in your love.
Grant that your church may shine with your light.
Your church today is spread all over the earth, as you wanted it to be:
thousands of colours to give you thanks,
thousands of colours to sing your glory,
thousands of colours who dance and are united in you.
Father, we bless you for the love with which you love us.
Father, we bless you for the love you give us each day.
In the midst of our sadness, you place your love of many colours.
Glory be to you. Amen.
(By Louis Devichi, France)
Percentage of the gross national income of these countries that goes toward poverty-focused development:
France: 0.36
Germany: 0.41
United States: 0.19 (for comparison)
Source: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Prayer is a central part of Bread for the World’s work. Learn more about how you can get involved with prayer at Bread.
Photo: Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Dalyce Wilson for Bread for the World.
