Pray with the global church

Everlasting God, we bring before You the people of Burkina Faso, especially those like Aicha who have been beaten and rejected by their own. In a world that often offers little joy to the persecuted, remind them that Your joy is their strength. Pour out courage and hope into their hearts as they endure opposition from relatives and communities. Guard the believers in Burkina Faso as they gather for worship this Christmas season. Let the light of Christ shine brightly among them even in places of great darkness. Meet those who persecute with Your unyielding love and reveal Jesus to them as the one who came to save all. Sustain the church there by Your Spirit, moving mightily in lives where oppression seeks to silence. We ask these things for Your glory, trusting in Your everlasting promise. Amen.