Three major earthquakes have now hit eastern Afghanistan in five days, killing more than 2,200 people and injuring over 3,600.
The impact is devastating. People are digging their relatives out of the rubble with their bare hands. Villages have been destroyed. Roads are blocked by landslides, and rescue attempts are difficult. Survivors desperately need shelter, food and safe sanitation.
Tearfund’s partners are responding to people’s urgent needs and providing life-saving aid.
You can use this prayer guide to call out to God in intercessory prayer, which simply means praying on behalf of someone else. God hears your prayers. You can trust him with them.
What you can pray for
We’ve received some prayer requests from our partners in the region. Please take time to reach out to God and pray over these.
Pray for comfort
- These earthquakes have been deadly and have devastated the region. Pray for comfort for those facing the loss of loved ones, homes and livelihoods.
Pray for strength
- Right now, families are desperately digging through rubble to find missing loved ones. Pray for strength for all the people who have been impacted by the earthquakes, especially people who are still trapped under the rubble and awaiting rescue.
Pray for aid
- Every second counts in emergency situations like this. Pray for help to reach those who need it most in time – that there will be no large aftershocks and that no more lives will be lost.
Pray for Tearfund’s partners
- Take time to pray for Tearfund’s partners in the area who are responding to the disaster and coordinating rescue efforts. Pray that God gives Tearfund’s local staff and partner staff strength, safety, wisdom and the resources required to respond to this emergency.
Prayer for Afghanistan
Heavenly Father,
We come before you in this time of grief and loss in the aftermath of the deadly earthquakes in Afghanistan. We pray for the people affected by this disaster – those who are mourning loved ones, those who are recovering from injury, and those who are still waiting to be rescued.
As rescue efforts are made difficult by landslides and mountainous terrain, we ask that you clear the way for help to reach those who need it. Comfort those who mourn. Heal the injured. And provide shelter and essentials for the displaced.
Strengthen Tearfund’s staff and partners who are faithfully responding to the needs of survivors. Lay your loving hand over the areas affected. And bring peace, hope and restoration where there is devastation.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Creative ways to pray
You can try some of these ideas while praying for Afghanistan:
Praying with the senses
Close your eyes and put yourself in the shoes of those affected. Use your senses to think about what they are going through.
- See collapsed homes and pray for shelter and safety.
- Hear the cries of those affected and pray for God’s comfort and provision.
- Touch the rubble and pray for rescue teams working with their hands.
- Smell the dust and smoke and pray for clean air, health and healing.
As you finish, pray for peace for yourself, for all those affected and those who are responding.
Pray using circles of impact
On a piece of paper, draw a small circle, and then a larger one around it and then the same again.
- Starting with the smallest circle, pray for survivors and those affected – for help to reach them quickly, for strength, protection and healing.
- Move to the next circle and pray for families who have lost loved ones – for comfort, strength and other people to support them.
- Move to the next circle and pray for rescue workers and medical staff – for endurance, safety, resources and effective coordination.
- Move to the next circle and pray for Tearfund’s staff and partners – for strength, safety, wisdom and the resources required to respond to this emergency.
- As you look at all the circles, pray for any other groups affected that God puts on your heart.
Pray with children
A simple way you can invite children to pray for the earthquakes is to do it by using building blocks, such as Lego or Duplo.
- Together, build a house and explain to them as you go that many people have lost their homes due to the earthquakes.
- Give your homes a new name – such a ‘House of Peace’ – and as you build, ask the children what they should be filled with, e.g. hope, warmth, joy, beds and food. Pray for the people affected to have these and to be able to rebuild their homes and lives.
- If you don’t have building blocks, this activity also works by painting or drawing a house with the children.
- Keep the homes the children have built or drawn up in your house as a reminder to pray.
Thank you for praying with us
Thank you for joining us in prayer. Let’s continue to pray and act together on behalf of people suffering the effects of disasters everywhere.
