
WHITE RIVER – The people of Peebles and Masoyi recently gathered for a community prayer meeting.
They listened to prayer requests of leaders representing various organisations and then prayed for them at Petra Mountain Retreat and conference centre.
Const Sonnyboy Matsane of the SAPS wanted to pray for unity among the units of the SAPS, the fight against crime and for the safety of its members, who often endanger their own lives in the protection of others. ASM(African School of Missions) request was for leadership, coordination and good relationships. It expressed concern regarding the challenges of building quality relationships and the lack of time spent with God. “We shouldn’t neglect it but unfortunately, when we are very tired, that’s the first thing we tend to forget,” said Mr Werner Momberg, training director. ACTS clinic operations manager
Mr Leonard Brand said one of the most important things to pray for was leadership.
They prayed every morning to put on the armour of God, the shoes of readiness to spread the gospel of peace, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit and the helmet of salvation (Ephesians). The prayer requests for the clinic were to hear God’s voice and not only listen to it, but to do what God wants them to do. “We need to spend time with God, which is the only way that we can actually hear what He wants each one of us to do,” Brand said.
The founder and CEO of Hands at Work, Mr George Snyman, said in his position he experienced vulnerability and his requests were for wisdom, humility, discernment and friends to keep him, as the leader, accountable. The Jock of the Bushveld Conservancy’s requests were for the conservancy, leadership, a sense of calling within the organisation and restoration. “I think the greatest need in our area is that there has been a lot of breaking down, a lot of deterioration, and the main function is to pull people up again,” said the conservancy’s Mr Cobus Kok.
The general manager at Petra Institute for Children’s Ministry, Mr Manie Loubser, asked the community to intercede for wisdom for management. The need for young people to join Petra Institute was considered to be among one of the most important requests as well as prayers of thanksgiving for competent people already working there. Mr Busi Marule, representing the Chief Mashego of Masoyi Traditional Council, asked that the community focus on the crime rate. “But when we intercede like this, it gives us hope that things will improve,” Marule said. The community prayed with the Masoyi Traditional Council for the community prayer meetings and evil spirits affecting pupils in the schools.
“Prayer changes everything and is so powerful,” were the words of Rev Ropafadzo Sabiya of Phumelela Bible College. It wants the community to pray for more harvesters to join Christian training institutions – from ASM, Petra Institute, Phumelela Bible College to Freeman Bible College. “Let’s ask for more harvesters to come and work in the kingdom of God.”