Program written by the

World Day of Prayer Committee of Taiwan for WDP 2023

Ephesians 1:15-19

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One of the WDP Guiding Principles states that ‘Prayer is rooted in listening to God and to one another. In WDP we listen to the Word of God and to voices of women sharing their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, their opportunities and needs.’

The theme of the worship service “I Have Heard About Your Faith,” based on the letter to the Ephesians, is an invitation to active listening, which is the ground of our prayers. Following the example of the letter (1:15-19), where the author praises the church for their faith in Jesus and love toward all the saints, the worship service contextualizes the witness of the saints with the stories from Taiwan.

The worship service shares the letters of encouragement sent to women who faced suffering and injustice. Their stories of faith contemplate issues that are shared by women and girls around the world and that continue to challenge us to prayerful action.

They remind us of the urgency to protect the environment and have a nuclear-free homeland; to be aware of the gender stereotypes women face when defying the traditional role in the workplace or in the family, and to care for the healing of the victims of verbal and sexual abuses. It also brings to light the hidden struggle of the essential workers during the pandemic who had to balance between work and family in a vulnerable economic situation. The sisters thank God for the natural resources of the island and pray for wisdom in face of the political isolation of Taiwan in the international community. They ask for our prayers.

What are the stories of faith in your community? How do you encourage them with your prayers and actions? Include those stories in the WDP activities. Praise God and be inspired by those testimonies of love and justice.

May God give us the wisdom and courage to tell the stories of faith that transform lives.

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