This has been a devastating few days in North Africa. A massive earthquake has rocked the city of Marrakesh and the surrounding towns and villages in Morocco, leaving thousands dead, injured, and homeless. There is a lack of search and rescue capability, but there are huge challenges in providing international support and humanitarian aid. In the same week there have been massive and destructive  floods in the wake of Storm Daniel, leaving tens of thousands of people missing and over 100,000 homeless in Libya.

Please pray for Morocco and Libya, especially for access for international support teams to help in search and rescue, and for the provision, acceptance and proper distribution of aid at a time of massive need.

Click here for more recent update on Fundraising to support the disaster response

As at 6pm on 12th September, the UK Disaster Emergency Committee are continuing to review their ability to initiate a disaster fundraising campaign for the North African disasters. Member charities , Action Aid , UNICEF and the Red Cross UK are now accepting donations to support their relief activities in Morocco.

From Sarah and Graham White at St Mary’s…

‘For many years we took people – young and older – to Amizmiz, a small town in the Atlas Mountains which is very near the epicentre of the Moroccan earthquake. Scenes there are devastating. Houses are unsafe. Many have died. A village we often prayed round nearby is flattened. The Centre where we stayed is unsafe but the garden is being used to distribute blankets, food, water and dressings for the injured.  Over 100 people from Horsham, from several local churches, have spent time praying and serving in the villages in and around Amizmiz, near the epicentre of the earthquake. A fund has now been set up which will directly benefit these villages. The Donorbox link is https://donorbox.org/morocco-earthquake-relief-fund 

A Prayer for the people of Morocco from 24/7 Prayer Team in response to the recent earthquake

Heavenly Father, We lift our hearts in prayer for Morocco, shaken by Friday’s earthquake. Hear the cries of the grieving. Comfort those in that place. Guide the rescue teams to survivors. Heal the injured. Strengthen your Church. Aid the nation’s recovery efforts. Give wisdom to political leaders. Swiftly bring aid.

Lord, let your kingdom come, Amen.

A prayer for the people of Libya from Christian Aid following the impact of Storm David which has brought devastation and flooding.

2nd July 2023, as Horsham Churches Together, people came from the Horsham District to gather for our second in a series of Prayer and Worship events, at Kingdom Faith Horsham.

A word was brought that it was like the Redwood trees, giants of the forest. These trees often grow to well over 300 feet and many can be found standing strong at 20 feet or more in diameter. However, unlike most other smaller trees, the Redwoods have shallow but widespread root systems, intertwining with the roots of other Redwoods. This increases their stability and survival during strong winds and floods. The trees grow in close proximity to each other so they can share nutrients and physically support each other. A reminder that there is power in connection and in community with one another and the importance that we need one another as we move forward as Horsham Churches Together.

A word with another underground natural phenomenon was given, an aquifer – an underground mass of rock, containing water that can be extracted. Each church in Horsham Churches Together is like a well. Each well goes down to the water in the aquifer. Jesus is that living water. As we come together to worship there is a flow of this living water that comes together like a river that God wants to flow out into the town and surrounding villages an area to bring salvation and healing into many people’s lives.

The Bible, God’s word, often communicates using story and metaphor as a way of explaining spiritual truths in human terms. One such metaphor is that Jesus is the ‘Rock of Salvation’ who gives us ‘Living Water’. Many times in the Bible, Jesus is represented as a ‘Rock’ and stability. In the New Testament, Jesus Himself speaks of ‘Living Water’, the Source of Life, not just as natural drinking water, but also as a symbol, spiritually for salvation (for the Holy Spirit). “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink…” John 7:37. Jesus contrasted our natural need for water with our spiritual thirst. Everyone gets thirsty naturally and there will be a spiritual thirst within us as well for reality, truth and purpose that is found only in Jesus.

The church, as the body of Christ, are ‘water carriers’ for this ‘Living Water’, found in Jesus. Our continued prayers are for the Horsham District to come to Jesus and be satisfied in Him the ‘Living Water’.