I Will Show You My Love and Say That You Are My People
The Horn of Africa Is Experiencing the Worst Drought
Somalia is a country in East Africa, bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, Ethiopia to the west, the Gulf of Aden and Yemen to the north, and the Indian Ocean to the east. Over the past 30 years, hundreds of thousands of people have left Somalia because of political unrest and the dangerous civil war that began in the 1990s. Today, more than 650,000 Somali refugees remain in neighboring countries, and more than 2.97 million Somalis have been internally displaced.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing the worst drought in 40 years due to changes in precipitation patterns and climatic conditions. This drought is having a severe impact on millions of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and their key communities, mainly in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. Due to this year’s severe drought, more than 758,000 people in Somalia have been internally displaced, and since January 2021, when the drought began, a total of 1 million people have been forced to flee.
Water sources are being exhausted, and livelihoods are becoming increasingly difficult due to the impact of climate change, in addition to ongoing conflict. As food and essential goods prices continue to rise, new crises have emerged both within Somalia and across its borders. The negative effects of drought are also affecting existing refugee camps, settlements, and the three major affected countries.
This increased refugee population is further aggravating food shortages and driving up food and commodity prices, which were already rising due to the global economic crisis. Somalia is also experiencing a sharp decline in food aid. The actual food market prices have risen by 36%, leaving many refugees and displaced people unable to afford even basic necessities.
Meanwhile, since Somalis have been refugees for many generations, many children were born in refugee camps. They have never known a life free from exile, but the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is working for their future.
Somali refugee children have access to education and opportunities to attend university. Additionally, new laws and agreements established between the Ethiopian government and Somalia allow Somali refugees to earn a living and better integrate into their communities.
》Scripture Prayer
(Hosea 2:14-15, 18-20, 23,NIV)
14 “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her.
15 There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.
18 In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety.
19 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.20 I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
23 I will plant her for myself in the land; I will show my love to the one I called ‘Not my loved one.’ I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’”
》Pray that the Word may become the Conclusion.
1. Many people are being driven into refugee status due to civil war and severe drought. Let us pray for the Somalis who are suffering from the worst drought in 40 years and a severe food crisis, that they may receive the true comfort from the Lord, who declares, “You are My people.“
2. Let us pray that the gospel will be swiftly spread to refugees through the churches, so that they may come to know the God who is rich in justice, righteousness, grace, and mercy. Thus, let us pray that through this crisis, people will turn back to the Lord and a great movement of praising the saving grace of God will arise.
3. Let us pray that refugee children suffering from malnutrition will receive physical nourishment, and that God will raise ministers to serve the next generation so that they may learn to rely solely on Him. May they stand with perseverance and faith, holding onto God’s promise to turn the Valley of Achor into a door of hope, even amid these difficult circumstances.
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