Join us in prayer: Pray for the hungry
Today, more than 50 million people are one step away from starvation. A deadly mix of conflict, climate change and the economic fallout of COVID-19 are driving ever worsening hunger for millions of children and their families.
In some hunger hotspots, children are literally living under famine conditions. Girls and boys are not just starving but are being starved to death.
The last time the world faced a catastrophe of this scale – the 2011 Somalia famine – 260,000 people died. Half of them were children. The world said never again.
But now, the hunger crisis has gone global.
Just because hunger has persisted doesn’t mean it has escaped God’s notice: “He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the sea, and everything in them - He remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.” - Psalm 146:6-7 (NIV).
His expectations of His people haven’t changed, either. When God gave Moses the law for His people, one was to let some crops stay in the fields so the poor could glean them for their families (Leviticus 19:9-10).
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”
- Matthew 25:35 (NIV)
Pray for the hungry
Almighty God, it is difficult to see children suffer, especially from hunger. We pray for You to give the hungry daily bread today (Matthew 6:11) and end their persistent hunger. Provide the food they need to grow and thrive. Pour out Your grace on hungry families, especially parents straining to feed their children despite dwindling resources.
“For He … fills the hungry with good things.”
- Psalm 107:9 (NIV)
Pray for the millions of people struggling from
famine-like conditions and food shortages
More than 40 nations around the world are facing a hunger emergency or worse.
World Vision staff are on the ground in most of them, bringing food assistance, protecting children and supporting the most vulnerable, including refugees.
Good Shepherd, we pray for cooperation and support for life-saving assistance to people struggling from food insecurity and hunger around the world. Send life-giving rains at just the right time, create good conditions for families to grow food for their survival, and cease conflict so Your children will no longer go to bed hungry each night.
"Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to live there for a while because the famine was severe."
- Genesis 12:10 (NIV)
Pray for children affected by acute and chronic malnutrition
We are making progress. In Sierra Leone, we’ve helped severely malnourished children make a full recovery. We’ve fought against infection and disease in Zambia - training community health workers and families in prevention, and providing bed nets to protect children from malaria as they sleep.
We’ve been courageous against injustice by challenging causes of early pregnancy in Eswatini and by enabling access to essential health services for Somali children.
But there’s more to be done. We see children dying from preventable issues because of violence, isolation, and powerlessness. We want hope to be restored. We want to promote good hygiene and nutrition for children. We want to strengthen health systems to serve vulnerable people through distribution of medication and medical supplies.
Ask God to intervene.
Great Physician, we don’t have words to express how much this breaks our hearts. Have mercy on these children. Protect their little bodies and give them strength. Put Your healing hand on those with developmental issues, and allow them to grow up strong and healthy despite the hunger that afflicts them.
“… You haven’t eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive.”
- Acts 27:33-34 (NIV)
Pray that children can learn despite hunger
Children who attend school hungry have difficulty concentrating in their classes, and their learning suffers.
Heavenly Father, be with little ones as they seek to learn. Provide their parents with the means to send them to school well-fed so the only hunger they know is an insatiable hunger to learn. Equip them with an education that prepares them to do the great things You have planned for their lives.
“Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.”
- Proverbs 4:13 (NIV)
Pray for World Vision’s work to feed the hungry
We are a global food leader and partner with the Nobel Peace prize-winning World Food Programme (WFP), governments and communities to save lives. But time is running out and much more needs to be done to prevent mass hunger and starvation.
Loving Provider, Isaiah 58:10 tells us that if we give ourselves on behalf of the hungry, then our light will shine in the dark. Thank You for those who are shining lights, and please call forth others to make a difference. Be a fortress against danger for World Vision’s staff who work in Your name to feed the hungry. Continue to use relief workers to bring not only much-needed food but to also show Your love so people can be fed spiritually and physically.
“… and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
- Isaiah 58:10 (NIV)
In prayer, thank God for success against hunger
Great Deliverer, we thank You for the precious lives that have been saved. We pray that Your love will guide our steps as we continue on the path to eradicating hunger.
“… ‘Everything is possible for one who believes.’”
- Mark 9:23 (NIV)