Last Friday Chinese Christians had to pray at home to observe the annual World Day of Prayer (WDP) amidst the coronavirus crisis. Churches in China are closed down and public services have been prohibited since late January.
The international event, this year hosted by Zimbabwe, falls on the first Friday of March and gathers people together to pray for world peace. The theme of this year's prayer service is Rise! Take Your Mat and Walk (John 5:8).
The Chinese service procedure was published by China Christian Council & Three-Self Patriotic Movement with an appeal to home-based prayer for world peace.
According to the official website of WDP, "Zimbabwe means 'House of Stones' and it is located in Southern Africa. It is a landlocked country that lies between the Limpopo River in the south and the mighty Zambezi River in the north.
Harare is the capital city and also the seat of government, while Bulawayo is the second largest city. The country has an estimated population of about 16 million people and 16 official languages. English, Shona and Ndebele are the most widely used.
Major tourist attractions include Victoria Falls, which is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Hwange National Park, a wildlife conservancy, and the Great Zimbabwe Monument or ruins from which the country derives its name."
The "Women's World Day of Prayer" initiative first started from a prayer service jointly organized by Christian women from Canada and the USA with the aim to care for women and children. Founded in 1964, the World Day of Prayer International Committee sets the first Friday of March as the World Day of Prayer.
The program for WDP 2021 written by Vanuatu will feature the theme, "Build on a Strong Foundation".
