Day 4 – Pray for our Care Workers, Primary Caregivers and Children in Nigeria (#40Days2025)

In Nigeria, there are 59 Care Workers who have committed to caring for the most vulnerable children. In many communities in Nigeria and across Africa, the Care Workers are also the Primary Caregivers of the children they serve. A Primary Caregiver is the mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings or other relatives who live with the children coming to the Care Point. The Lagos and Ibadan Service Centres invite you to pray for the Care Workers and Primary Caregivers in their region:

• “Most of the land and sand that they use for farming, has been taken by people building houses. This has affected our Primary Caregivers and Care Workers because they are unable to plant and harvest the palm seeds that they need to produce palm oil. Pray that God will make a way and give a place where they can do farming and earn an income.

• Many Primary Caregivers and Care Workers are widows and because of this, they have been deprived of their rights to have land. This has caused frustration and many have lost hope as it is difficult to make ends meet. Pray that God will help them and give them a place to plant.

• Within the Ibadan communities, there is a stronghold of witchcraft and our Primary Caregivers and Care Workers have been impacted physically, emotionally and spiritually. Pray that they will believe in Jesus, that in Him all things are possible. Pray that they believe that Jesus has power in the darkness and pray that the light of God will shine in the communities.” – Toyin, Service Centre Coordinator (Nigeria) sharing on behalf of the Ibadan Service Centre team

• ”Please pray that the Lord will encourage our Care Workers and give them a heart to serve the children with joy. Please pray that the Lord will give our Care Workers and Primary Caregivers a spirit of unity among themselves at the Care Point and in the community.

• Please pray for the restoration of perfect health as many are sick, family relationships are severed, a heart of love for fathers and mothers experiencing disagreement and have even gone their own ways. Please pray for Love to be restored.” – Vivian, Service Centre Coordinator (Nigeria) sharing on behalf of the Lagos Service Centre team.

Within Nigeria, there are 555 children being loved and cared for. The Lagos and Ibadan Service Centres invite you to pray for the children in their region:

• “Please pray for God to give our children the spirit of obedience. Obedience to their parents and to elders.

• Please pray for the spirit of excellence to rest upon our children. Please pray for good health and long life for our children.” – Esther, Service Centre Member (Nigeria) sharing on behalf of the Lagos Service Centre team.

• “Pray for our youth in Oloba, that God should touch their hearts because it is very tough for us to connect with them.

• Please let pray for the success of our children in Onilemo Care Point as they are preparing to do their common Entrance Examination.” – Toyin

To learn more about Nigeria, the communities that we serve and about our Service Centres (local Hands at Work teams), please visit: https:

Day 3 – Pray for Our Communities in Nigeria (#40Days2025)

Within Nigeria, there are six communities being supported and cared for:

• Alugbo, Oloba and Onilemo (supported by the Ibadan Service Centre)

• Amokoko, Eagles Wings and Temitope (supported by the Lagos Service Centre)

Today we invite you to pray for the challenges that exist in these communities:

• “Within Alugbo, Oloba and Onilemo, there are many potential dangers to our children as people seek to do harm. We need to pray into that, as our children walk through thick bushes every day to school and their farms.” – Taiwo, Service Centre Member (Nigeria)

• “In Eagles Wings, please pray for the families of our children and teachers that there will be peace, joy and love.

• In Temitope, please pray against sicknesses, diseases and infirmities in the health of our children and people in the community.

• In Amokoko, please pray for our youth that they will experience God more, that the heart of Christ will be in them and that they will be taught of the Lord.” – Vivian, Service Centre Coordinator (Nigeria)

To learn more about Nigeria, the Lagos and Ibadan Service Centres and their communities, please visit: https:

Day 1 – Welcome to Nigeria (#40Days2025)

Nigeria is one of eight countries that Hands at Work is serving in across Africa. Nigeria has a population of 225,731,260 people, with 31% of the population living in extreme poverty. Ranking 161 out of 187 on the Human Development Index, 160,000 children are living with HIV/AIDS and 1,200,000 children have been orphaned because of this life-threatening illness.  – Sources: UNAID, UNDP, World Poverty Clock 

As we start 40 Days of Prayer, we invite you to join us in praying for the country of Nigeria:

• “Please pray that the Lord will touch the hearts of our leaders and that of every Nigerian to have a heart of compassion and generosity to each other. Please pray against every kind of greed.

• Please pray that the Lord will restore Nigeria in every good area. That our economy will be restored.

• Please pray for love and unity among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria.

• Please pray against sicknesses, kidnapping, drug abuse, ritual killings, child abuse and all forms of evil in Nigeria.” – Vivian, Service Centre Coordinator (Nigeria)

Day 39 - Care Workers and Primary Caregivers across the Democratic Republic of Congo (#40Days2024)

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. - Philippians 1: 3 to 5

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are 128 Care Workers who have committed to caring for the most vulnerable children. In many communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo and across Africa, the Care Workers are also the Primary Caregivers of the children they serve. A Primary Caregiver is the mother, father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings or other relatives of the children coming to the Care Point.

• Ask God to continue providing for the Care Workers who are struggling to provide for their own children.

• Ask God to give Sons and Daughters to these Care Workers, who have committed themselves for so many years to serve the community, so that when they get older, they can see the young generation continue supporting this work, even taking it to other communities where there is still more need.” (Angel, Local Leader, DRC).

• Pray for peace and acceptance in the Primary Caregivers’ hearts because many of them face rejection within their families and communities. Pray for them to know Christ and find healing from their wounds because many are bitter; they have a spirit of unforgiveness. They also mistreat their children as a way of showing their brokenness. Some smoke and drink alcohol, thinking they won’t mind about anything, but in reality, they are causing more stress to themselves and others.

• Pray for them to be released from the devil and be set free by Jesus Christ who can comfort them and bring peace, love and joy to their hearts.” (Angel, Local Leader, DRC)

“My name is Asie and I became a Care Worker in 2018. The reason I joined is because I felt challenged by the church mobilisation workshop. I like the teaching that I receive at the Care Point, which helps me know how to live with other people – in my own family and the people around me. I have a second family being among the Care Workers and I feel as though I am living among brothers and sisters who care for me and pray and encourage me anytime.”

Day 38 - Children across the Democratic Republic of Congo

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.- Psalm 68:5-6

Within the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are 1,265 children being loved and cared for. Today, we invite you to pray for children across the Democratic Republic of Congo:

• “Pray for peace in our communities in Katembe and Luhonga, and that our children can return to school.

• Pray for our youth to understand the voice of God and to follow the right way of Jesus. We need God’s protection from the enemy’s temptation.” (Bindu, Local Leader, DRC)

• Pray for our secondary school children who are struggling. “Pray that the Lord will protect them from going astray.” (Erick, Regional Support Team Leader, DRC)

Gilbert* is one of the 1,265 children across the Democratic Republic of Congo. He lives in the community of Kitabataba.

Gilbert* is 11 years old and is the middle child. He has an older sister (12) and a little brother (8). Seven years ago, Gilbert’s father died due to an unknown illness. Out of his mother’s grief and pain, she left her children in the care of her late husband's mother, Maman Phoebe*. She, herself, carried scars of having been widowed, and she didn’t know how she would provide for her three grandchildren. Maman Phoebe brought the children to the city of Likasi and a family member helped them find a home in Kitabataba where they could settle. But life continued to be difficult as Gilbert became sick with meningitis, which stunted his growth. But Maman Augustine, a faithful Care Worker, sees her responsibility not just to Gilbert, but to his family as a whole. She likes to visit Maman Phoebe and the children in their small home and encourage them with the hope of Christ.

Day 37 - Meet the Goma Service Centre (#40Days2024)

Across Africa, Hands at Work has local teams comprising of Christian men and women who have answered God’s calling on their lives to serve the most vulnerable. Each of these teams exists to encourage, challenge and support local volunteer Care Workers as they care for the most vulnerable children in the most broken and desperate communities across Africa. We call these teams Service Centres.

In the Goma Service Centre are: Bindu, Denise, Zawadi, Jehoshaphat and Bahati. They serve three of the most vulnerable communities across Africa.

• Pray for the team to stand in the Word of God. “We need to be strong in the hope in God.” (Bindu, Local Leader, DRC)

• Pray for the health of the team, that they will remain strong. Pray for God’s protection when they are serving in the refugee camps.