Global Day of Prayer Update

PRAYER HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD
200 Million Christians Join Together on Global Day of Prayer
CWNews

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http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/CWN/052005gdp.asp

May 20, 2005
CBN.com –

George Thomas reporting from New Delhi:In New Delhi, India, people began to gather early for the historic day. As you know, people from around the world are participating in this event, not just in India. The day began in the South Pacific island of Fiji. That’s where we begin our international coverage of the Global Day of Prayer.

Manasa Kolivuso reporting from Fiji:In Fiji, the land where the new day begins, the government realized the importance of divine intervention in our social reconstruction, national unity efforts, reconciliation, and the healing of our land. This morning his excellency, Ratu Josefa Uluivuda, President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, opened the day by praying for the world.

President Uluivuda said, “Almighty God, not to us, oh Lord, but to You, goes all the glory. We regret our sins, we have disobeyed Your Word, disregarded Your gifts, and disowned Your children. We are sorry. Forgive us, dear Father.”

For two hours the youth of Fiji called the nation to repentance, claiming this nation for Jesus Christ. We are definitely looking forward to that day when repentance shall come and forgiveness shall come, and God will heal the nation of Fiji.

A young person prayed, “Lord, we want revival! But we know that revival cannot come unless the nation is called unto repentance. But at this point in time, Father, we choose to exalt the Name of Jesus as Lord, the Almighty over the nation of Fiji.”

Another young person prayed, “For so long we have suffered distrust and lack of cooperation between the native Fijians and our ethnic Indian population. But through the power of prayer and forgiveness we are believing God that genuine reconciliation, unity will become prevalent in Fiji, and Fiji shall become a light to the nations of the South Pacific and the world.”

Jay Esteban reporting from Manila:As the sun moves west, rising over the nations of Asia, so do the prayers of God’s people. In the Philippines, Christians gathered in individual churches, but the day before they gathered together for a time of prayer and fasting.

In observance of the Global Day of Prayer, Christian leaders in the Philippines crossed denominational barriers to come together and seek God’s help to bring about God’s agenda for the country. The leaders feel that prayer is crucial to helping bring reform to their country, which was recently named “the second-most corrupt nation in Asia.” That is a heavy irony, since the Philippines is considered the only Christian nation in the Asian continent.

Bishop Efraim Tendero is the Director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical of Churches. He explained how a Christian nation can be corrupt, “The main reason is because many of our people are professing Christians. Christians by lips but not by their lives, Christians by profession but not by practice.”

He added, “We do not live out our Christianity in our day-to-day experience. This is the time for us to really cry out before God! For Christians—real Christians—will say, ‘God, do something!’ In order that there will be a real Christianity in the hearts and lives of men and women, and Christianity will be lived out in everyday lives.”

The younger generation also celebrated the Global Day of Prayer with a vibrant and youth-oriented meeting. The Norwegian Mission Alliance gathered thousands of its callers in an evangelistic crusade. Their goal is to lead this captive audience to Christ and mold them to be the godly Christian future leaders of their country.

An important part of the program was a time of prayer for the Philippines and the rest of the world. More than 6,000 young people in metro Manila gathered here for today to celebrate the Global Day of Prayer. The enthusiasm shows that, amid the troubling national concerns, they too believe that it is only through prayer that transformation and revival can happen in the country.

It is also the way transformation and revival will come to other countries in East Asia. Just north of here in Taiwan, Christians gathered to pray for their nation.

Bonnie Sun, reporting from Taipei, Taiwan:More than 30,000 people came to Taipei on the Global Day of Prayer, to pray for the land of Taiwan.
Tony Tseng is the GDOP Organizer for Taiwan. He said, “We believe this is proclaimed by faith, that the spiritual atmosphere will be changed in Taiwan.”

The rally began with joyful singing by regional peoples in Taiwan. Praise and worship of God is God-inspired and not affected by men at all. Many even came with their families. Besides inspiring worship and prayer, the rally also demonstrated the spirit of unity by building the Altar of Covenant, symbolically, as they built a fire on a concrete block altar.
Eighty-four people, representing different ethnic, political and professional groups stood united, hand-in-hand, for the future of Taiwan. They sang together and literally held hands.

The TV provided a live simulcast all over the nation to help Christians fan the flame of prayer. The Global Day of Prayer is not only a local activity in Taipei but is happening in every major city in Taiwan.

CWN reporter in Hong Kong:Moving on to Hong Kong, which has been under Chinese Communist rule for the past 10 years. The religious restrictions did not stop Christians there from gathering on this historic day.

With the blowing of the shofars, Hong Kong’s participation in the GDOP began. Over 30,000 people attended the prayer meeting, which was held in the city stadium. The event opened with a parade of flags representing all the countries of the world. Although this is the first year for the Global Day of Prayer in Hong Kong, 30 percent of its Christian population attended.
Wilson Chow is the head of the China Graduate School of Theology. He said, “I use just one word: awesome. God is awesome. Everybody participating in this prayer meeting can feel that the Holy Spirit really descended upon us.”

Hong Kong’s GDOP was presented in both Chinese and English. This large-scale prayer meeting was a unique opportunity for Christians in Hong Kong to unite the territory’s diverse community of believers. Over 300 churches and Christian organizations were involved in this event. Local pastors, government officials, representatives of the business community, and young people all shared the same platform to pray.

A young woman speaker said, “This is what the youth of Hong Kong need, the kind of love that nothing, and no one else, can give.”
They prayed for peace and stability throughout the world, as well as healing for the Asian regions that have been devastated by natural disasters over the past year.

The people of Hong Kong also prayed for mainland China, the country that now rules this former British colony. At one point the entire crowd of 30,000 people turned to face north, the direction of China, to pray for the Christians and to bless this emerging country.

George Thomas reporting from New Delhi, India:Now we come back to India, where there have been several Global Day of Prayer events scattered across this country.

People here are getting ready for the music, because this is an evangelistic crusade. But they have set time apart to pray for believers --not just the believers in this country, but believers around the world. In fact, Christians are all excited about penetrating this nation for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

CWN reporter for Korea:In South Korea, thousands of young people prayed all night long on the GDOP, May 15.

This event, held in the capitol of Seoul, was broadcast to sites in four other cities. Organizers say they'll expand to 10 cities next year.

They hope to hold a prayer meeting in North Korea in 2007.

posted by Jaeson Ma @ 5/24/2005 01:45:00 PM