Since our foundation in 1999, Comfort International has been built on the foundations of prayer and faith. Being a Christian has never, and will never, be a prerequisite of receiving support from Comfort International or our partners, but together, we believe that true healing and restoration comes through knowing Jesus and making Him known. All of our decisions are carefully brought before God, in faith that He will guide us and provide for the needs before us. We have a dedicated team who pray for us every month as they receive our prayer news. (If you’d like to receive our prayer news, just let us know and we’ll add you to our list.) This month, we’ve been sharing with them some prayer requests from our partners for 2025. Here are the things on their hearts to be praying for as we step into the new year:
Burundi
Gerard Rukerandanga
Gerard is our wonderful partner in Burundi. He is the leader of Ngozi Elim Church and oversees our CIMS (Comfort International Ministry School) work there. He also spearheads the work with the Batwa people of Burundi, which has involved buying land, cattle and tools to help them cultivate the land and build some stability. He has asked us to pray for three main things as we head into 2025:
1. CIMS
We would like to ask you to pray for us in Burundi, especially here in Ngozi, that we may be able to train more students (church leaders and ministers) in 2025 – if possible to build two groups of students, one here in Ngozi and another in Muyinga. We may also pray for God’s provision of finance so that we may be able to get money for the building a house that students can sleep in during training.
2. Batwa
Please pray for the Batwa project, that this season they will harvest a lot of maize and beans. There is need for a house to store the harvest and another house they can use during the rainy season. Please pray that God may provide the finances needed.
3. Sewing project
We would like to ask God to provide the finances to start a new project in 2025 of training poor people in churches and in the communities, to teach them how they can make new or repair clothes. Pray for materials for this project.
Claude Hakizimana
Working in partnership with Comfort Rwanda, Claude heads up Comfort Burundi, and particularly the Street Kids Rescue Projects in Kamenge and Nyabunyegeri in Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi. Claude has a big heart for the street children of Burundi, and he is asking you to pray for his country this month as it struggles in the areas of conflict and poverty:
1. Peace
Please pray for peace in the country of Burundi.
2. Economy
Pray for the wealth of the country because everything is at a high price and there is a lot of hunger in the country.
3. Comfort Burundi
Pray for the organisation (Comfort Burundi) here in Burundi, that our actions are done on time and with understanding.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Dieudonné Mugongo
Dieudonné Mugongo leads the Comfort Congo team in DRC as they look to bring light and hope in the very dark situation faced there, as violence continues to rage, families are displaced and children miss school and are recruited as child soldiers. Dieudonné and the team have asked for prayer in the following areas:
1. Peace
Pray for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Wars have left behind displaced people, raped women, malnourished children and so much poverty. Please pray for an end to this violence.
2. Widows
Please pray for widows whose husbands have been killed during the wars. They are living without care or support. These widows are living without houses or any assistance because they have been rejected by their husbands’ families. We would like to buy land for them at Kitchanga.
3. CIMS in DRC
We are requesting prayers so that we may see Comfort International Ministry School open in DR Congo in 2025.
Uganda
Fred Wejuli
Pastor Fred of LEMA (Life Edifying Ministries Africa) leads the CIMS (Comfort International Ministry School) training in Busia, Uganda, and also oversees the LEMA Hope Centre, where street children sponsored through Comfort International can access accommodation, healthcare, education and support. Fred has been asking for prayer in the following areas:
For CIMS
1. The Lord’s continual provision to train more church leaders/pastors in Uganda.
2. We are in need of a ministry car for easy transportation and proper coordination of CIMS training study centres in Uganda.
For LEMA Hope Centre (LHC)
1. To get more children’s sponsors on board for the growth and development of the LHC.
2. The Lord’s provisions to buy a permanent rehabilitation home.
3. Registration of more children.
Rwanda
Good News International
The team at Good News International (GNI) continues to work with survivor communities to restore wholeness, purpose and unity to those facing poverty and the effects of conflict. They are also bringing vocational training to young people in Rwanda and working in other community projects. Clement from GNI shared these prayer requests with us:
1. Capacity
Please be praying for the growth of GNI, both in size and capacity, to be able to holistically serve many beneficiaries who are in need. Also pray for God to provide more donors to support this growth.
2. Joy Centre
Pray for the Joy Centre, especially the VTC (vocational training centre) to continue being a blessing for the youth in that area. Specifically we pray God would provide the means so that we can start more classes such as carpentry. We pray for a student house so that we can welcome young people from other areas in Rwanda.
3. Staff
Pray for the staff of GNI, for God to encourage them again and again and continue the good work.
Comfort Rwanda
David Gasana leads the Comfort Rwanda team as they co-ordinate five Street Kids Rescue Projects and the Comfort Babies Project. This year they also continue work on the Comfort Transformation Centre. Please pray for them as they turn to face 2025 in faith:
1. Reintegration of ex-street kids with families
Many kids who have been transformed through the Street Kids Rescue Project are aiming to be reintegrated with their families as a step towards sustainable living. This can be difficult on many levels. Please pray for positive reunification and, where necessary, reconciliation, and for the families to be equipped to take care of their children.
2. Ongoing need
There are still many children and mothers who need support, please pray for the resources to increase so that Comfort Rwanda can reach more of those in need.
3. The team
Pray for the team as they continue to help the projects grow and develop, that they would manage to carry out all of their responsibilities and be blessed in the process.
Solace Ministries
Solace continues their incredible work with genocide survivors and communities. Please pray for them as they enter this year, and pray especially for the elderly survivors who find it harder as the years progress to grow crops or work. And pray for the Solace communities that they grow in their love for and knowledge of Jesus and have a real living faith which is a witness to their villages.
Africa Hope Initiative
Africa Hope Initiative, run by our partner Theophile Rugabira, works with women caught in the sex industry to provide loans and financial education, allowing them to start their own businesses, working in co-operatives. Please pray for many more women to have the opportunity to leave their pasts behind and move into an emotionally, spiritually and economically strong future through new grants for new and expanding businesses.
South Sudan
Comfort South Sudan
The team in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, continue to do amazing work in the midst of extreme adversity. The South Sudan team is overseen by Comfort Rwanda Director, David Gasana, who recently visited the team to encourage them, see how the projects are going and spend time with the children and families over Christmas. He has asked us to pray over the following areas:
1. Security
The main need in South Sudan is the security. The team recently visited the market and noticed many non-officials going around with guns and found it frightening. The situation is dangerous and many people live in fear. Please pray for safety and security.
2. Transformation
Many mothers and their children have been through extreme trauma and have suffered so much. Please pray for heavenly healing for their trauma. When it seems to be more than we have resources for, we need a heavenly intervention, so pray for God’s hand of healing on those who need transformation.
3. Team
Please pray for the team – their situation is very difficult and to work in such an environment is challenging. Pray for their safety, morale, encouragement and faith.
Comfort International
As we look to God for guidance, we want to support our partners in the best way possible, responding to new and existing needs in proportion to their requirements. Our Director, Callum, has been reflecting on what has been an incredible 25th anniversary year, and is asking us to pray over the following areas:
1. Grateful hearts
2024 has been an exceptional year. Pray that we will recognise the grace and goodness of God in that and be careful in 2025 to continue to earnestly seek after God’s grace, to walk in the fear of the Lord and to acknowledge Him consistently in our hearts, words and actions
2. Sponsorship deficit
In our sponsorship projects, we are about 90 sponsors short for the needs that exist. Can we intercede for those gaps to be filled and that God would build a wall of sponsors for each project that is strong and secure?
3. Calling
Proverbs 31:20 says ‘She opens her arms to the poor, and extends her hands to the needy.’ There are many broken, poor, needy and traumatised people that cry out to God for arms to welcome them and hands to reach out to them – pray that God would speak to us clearly so that we would direct that welcome and help to those God is calling us to respond to.
That’s a lot to be praying for! Maybe you could try dividing it up over the days, weeks or months of the year to make it more manageable. However you choose to pray for us and our partners, thank you so much for standing with us. Know that we could not do the work we do without the foundation of prayer and the support of hundreds of people kneeling beside us as we approach the throne of God. Thank you for your faithfulness in this. We wish you all a blessed 2025 and look forward to another year of partnering and praying together.