Women’s World Day of Prayer Mitchell’s Plain team members Louise Tobey, from Woodlands, Patsy Petersen, from Mandalay, co-ordinator Lorraine Williams, from Westridge, Caroll van der Ross, from Westridge, Francina Pienaar, from Beacon Valley and Joan Daniels, from Westridge.
Mitchell’s Plain Christian women prayed for Palestine in their annual Women’s World Day of Prayer (WDP) at the Moravian Church, in Westridge, on Friday March 1.
Organising committee member Patsy Petersen said God “in His infinite wisdom” knew four-years ago that “Palestine would need our prayers now”.
This comes after the country who drew up the programme for 2024 was designated to be Palestine at a world conference in 2020.
The programme, documented in a booklet, included readings, information about the country, hymns and this year’s theme “I beg you... bear with one another in love”, from the Ephesians scripture. It was circulated throughout the world to be enacted on the first Friday of March.
According to the booklet, the WDP committee of Palestine calls on everyone to bear with each other in love, despite difficulties and different opinions which often lead to wars.
“We hope to inspire other women around the world to bear with one another in love during troubled times,” reads the women’s message.
The women of the WDP Palestine compiled the programme themed “Come, See and Act” - 30 years ago. Since it is where Christianity was born the women were invited again to write the programme for 2024.
The readings also included snippets of Palestinian women’s lives, including the late Palestinian Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
Her niece Lina writes: “I lost my Aunt Shireen, a famous journalist who was killed in Jenin.
“Aunt Shireen was like the branch of an olive tree, resisting the strong winds that threatened to erase the truth.”
According to Lina, not many people knew that her aunt was a “Palestinian Christian”.
“Shireen’s faith led her to bear with all in love, despite differences in faith traditions.
“She struggled for both Muslims and Christians to have access to the holy sites in Jerusalem.
“Her truth telling was even a way of bearing with the occupiers in love,” wrote Lina.
She said: “Her memory now nourishes the earth, from which we will gain strength to continue telling the truth and demanding justice.”
“Salaam. Peace be with you,” was the opening line to their programme by the Mitchell’s Plain women who walked to the front of the church with baskets of lemons, oranges, olives, olive oil, cactus plants or leaves and flowers - symbolic gifts from Palestine.