Everyone was warmly welcomed as we gathered together to hold the an ecumenical (different Christian churches coming together) service for the World Day of Prayer. This annual event has been held in Australia since 1927, and it is no coincidence that it is usually held on the Friday closest to International Women’s Day (8th March).
World Day of Prayer is a worldwide movement (website here) of Christian women of many traditions in more than 170 countries who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, affirming their faith in Jesus and sharing their hopes and fears, their joys and sorrows, their opportunities and needs. It is a movement that brings together women of various races, cultures and traditions in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year.
Local churches take turns hosting the service and a morning tea, and this year it was our turn. We conducted the service using Bible readings, prayers, songs and stories prepared by the World Day of Prayer committee in Nigeria, as it has been their turn this year to design a service for use all over the world. After the service, we shared food and conversation, catching up with old friends, making some new ones, and reflecting on what we had learned and shared together.
This year, the prayers, music and artwork were prepared by the committee in Nigeria, who said, “The 2026 World Day of Prayer materials from Nigeria bring us a powerful invitation drawn from Matthew 11:28-30. At a time when people worldwide are carrying heavy burdens, our Nigerian sisters offer profound insights into finding rest in God. Through their exploration of different kinds of burdens – shame, systemic oppression, religious persecution, poverty and despair – the writers help us understand both the weight of human suffering and the depths of divine rest. Their work shows us that true rest isn’t just about physical relief, but about transformation through God’s grace and community support.”
This year’s artist is Gift Amarachi Ottah a final-year Mass Communication student at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike in Ebonyi State, draws inspiration from her home state of Abia in Nigeria. Following her family’s tradition in creative arts and printing, Gift has developed a unique artistic voice that speaks to the struggles and strength of Nigerian women.
She says, “My artwork depicts the daily reality of rural Nigerian women, whose lives are marked by endless labor from sunrise to sunset. These women traverse treacherous paths to their farms, often carrying both their harvest and their children – a toddler strapped to their back, a heavy load balanced on their head, while guiding other children along unmaintained roads through thick bush.
The artwork also shows three women sitting together, their different traditional attire representing Nigeria’s diverse cultures. Though they come from different ethnic groups, their shared experiences unite them. To meet their basic survival needs, these women carry burdens and traumas that are physical, emotional and spiritual.
Yet there is hope for the many burdens these people are carrying. These burdens become bearable when we respond to Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” When we bring our weariness to Christ and support one another in community, we find rest and strength to continue our journey.”
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