Suffering Church Action and Awareness Week (SCAAW) is an opportunity to stand alongside our suffering and persecuted Church family, to make known their situation and demonstrate Christ’s love to them in prayer and practical action.
This year’s SCAAW began on Sunday 5 November and runs until Sunday 12 November – although your church or prayer group could run a SCAAW event at any time of year that suits your needs.
With anti-Christian discrimination continuing, violent persecution increasing, and believers suffering in many different ways, it has never been more important to pray and to provide for our brothers and sisters around the world.
Christian children in Zimbabwe. The generous donations of Barnabas Aid supporters have provided nearly 2,460,000 servings of nutrient-rich ePap for impoverished believers in Zimbabwe and Malawi. Could your church take up a SCAAW offering to help provide for the practical and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters?
Prayer is the most practical thing we can do for the persecuted and suffering Church of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible encourages us that our prayers are effective (James 5:16), and commands us to “always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18).
We are also told that our love for the Lord and for our Christian brothers and sisters should result in action. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,” asks the Apostle John, “how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)
SCAAW is your opportunity to pray and, if you can, give.
Visit barnabasaid.org/scaaw to download our SCAAW resources for your church, prayer group or personal use. These include our SCAAW overview video, the 2023/24 Praying for the Suffering Church booklet, and the SCAAW 2023 prayer.
You can also find a thought-provoking Bible study on Lamentations, and our eight-day devotional booklet that expands on these important spiritual themes. If you’re already using the devotional booklet, then today (Day 3) is a meditation on the Lord’s great love from Lamentations 3:22-24. If you haven’t, you can of course begin at any time.
You can also contact our UK office by emailing info@barnabasaid.org or calling 01793 744557 to receive hard copies of the devotional booklet, our SCAAW Barnabas Aid magazine (or other magazines and publications), or our SCAAW prayer bookmark. We can also provide a money box for donations at a church service or other SCAAW event, and Gift Aid envelopes for UK taxpayers.
Send your request by Wednesday 8 November if you would like to receive these before Sunday.
Thank you for your continued prayerful support for the suffering and persecuted Church around the world. We pray that SCAAW will be a blessing to you as well as our global Christian family.
