Our Lord and our God,

Together with my Canadian Baptist family, I give you thanks and praise for your unending faithfulness that extends to every generation. Despite our unfaithfulness, you lavish us you’re your grace and mercy, and you sustain us and provide for our needs. We bring glory to your name!

Today, as we come before you in prayer, I first want to lift up the Philippines. Although a limited supply of vaccines has reached the country over the past number of months, the number of vaccinated people in the country remains low. As a result, the daily infection rate of COVID-19 continues to rise and has reached nearly 30,000 new cases each day. So many individuals and families are hurting because of this pandemic; because they’ve lost a loved one, or they’ve lost their job, they don’t have enough food, their children are missing out on basic education, or because they (or a loved one) are sick and can’t afford treatment. God, I ask for your protection and provision for those who are most vulnerable, for those who live on the margins, for those who are overlooked by society, and for those who are suffering physically, emotionally, economically, and spiritually. I also ask for healing for those who are unwell.

I also want to pray for CBM’s partner in the Philippines, Kabuganaan Philippines Ministries (KPM). I pray for Rev. Job and Phoebe Santiago and for KPM board members and staff who are working together to serve the needs of the poor and marginalized in Capiz province. I ask that you protect them and their families from sickness and harm and provide for them what they need to continue in their good work. These are discouraging days and at times the challenges they face can feel overwhelming, but we know that you are sovereign, and we place our trust in you.

The pandemic continues to cause challenges for KPM and the various programs that they provide, but I am thankful that they have been able to adapt so that lives can continue to be touched with the love of Christ through word and deed. We remember KPM’s five childcare centers that are preparing to re-open this month using a home-based modular learning model for yet another year. I pray for each child and their families. May they grow and learn throughout the coming school year, and may they choose to follow you all the days of their lives. I also pray for the pastors participating in KPM’s continuing theological education program, which is concluding its final course later this fall, that they will be strengthened in their ministries as they work to build your church throughout Capiz province.

I also want to pray for CBM’s expanding involvement in the marketplace, and as we journey alongside people and partners in discovering how faith integrates with everyday work in the world. I pray for CBM staff who are learning more about Faith+Work though theological courses developed by CBM’s partner, the Institute for Marketplace Transformation. And I pray for CBM’s partners around the world, such as Alempang Baptist Church in India and KPM in the Philippines, who have undertaken Faith+Work initiatives that are providing training and employment opportunities for those in need of meaningful work. May you continue to bless the work of their hands as they bring glory to you and provide products and services that benefit their communities.

I give you thanks for the many ways that you continue to bless CBM and our work around the world through our network of partners. Please be with CBM’s Executive Director, Jennifer Lau, and CBM’s leadership team and board of directors, as they continue to give prayerful guidance to all CBM’s work here in Canada and around the world.

Thank you for the gift of prayer and for the assurance of your presence as we go forward.

I pray all these things in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.