When the leaders of the world’s most influential nations gather the church has a duty to pray; To pray for God’s will to be done, ‘for justice to roll on like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream’ (Amos 5:24). For Kingdom values and economies to be prized. And when this group of leaders set their agenda around the responsibility of the global rich to care for the global poor and highlights the plight of widows and orphans we should thank God and pray all the more.

This week the G8 forum (leaders from 8 of the worlds richest industrialised nations) is meeting in Huntsville, Canada and the Canadian Prime Minister has called for the group to discuss their collective responsibility to the world’s vulnerable specifically addressing the need for adequate maternal and child healthcare.

Stephen Harper the Canadian Prime Minister speaking of this years response to the disaster that claimed so many lives in Haiti said:

Yet, it should not take a natural disaster to turn our attention to the less fortunate. The world's poor have been hit hardest by the global economic downturn and in these difficult times we must address their pressing needs.



Indeed, all too frequently, tragedy strikes those who can least afford it. The lack of the most basic services can lead to dire consequences, especially for the world's most vulnerable populations. Each year, it is estimated that 500,000 women lose their lives during pregnancy or childbirth. Further, an astonishing 9 million children die before their fifth birthday.

This is simply not acceptable.*

And so as the leaders gather we will pray. Unite Canada have organised ten days of prayer around the G8 meetings and are asking for our support. There are plenty of online resources available from Cityscape in Vancouver and the Unite Canda website has an online sign up facility.

Please join us in praying for this hugely important meeting of leaders. Cityscape ask us to pray for justice for the poor with positive, scripture based prayers full of faith in what God will do. 

And will not God bring justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. Luke 18: 7 & 8

*quote taken from Prime Minister of Canada website