Displaying items by tag: Government

Foodbanks are appealing for more food than normal; the school holidays have started. For many parents, the summer holidays bring fresh challenges for meagre budgets. The Trussell Trust handed out 4,412 more three-day emergency food parcels for children last July and August than during the previous two months. Almost half go to primary school pupils, and 27% to children, including babies, under the age of four. School holidays financially stretch families struggling to get by. Without free school meals, and with extra childcare costs, families who just about stay afloat risk going under. There is a food poverty crisis in the UK, and the government is starved of ideas. In 2016 teachers reported children returning to school in September sluggish and visibly thinner. Pray for the parents skipping meals, or working out the smallest number of calories they can get by on, or only eating what is left on their children’s plates.

Nearly two thousand homes are empty near the Grenfell Tower, while 100+ families are homeless. Kensington and Chelsea Council, which owns the tower, revealed that dozens of vacant homes may have been empty for 11 to 15 years. 260 properties stand vacant in southern parts of the borough, the opposite end to Grenfell in the poorer north. These vacant homes are associated with the ‘buy-to-leave’ phenomenon, which involves super-rich foreigners buying high-end properties not to live in, but as an investment. The fire has revealed a terrible message about social inequality in today’s cities. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced controversy when he called for Kensington homes left vacant by rich overseas investors to be ‘requisitioned’ for survivors, calling the borough ‘a tale of two cities’.

Christian education leaders have new hope after Prime Minister Theresa May promised that she would be an advocate for the establishment of new faith schools. During the last Prime Minister's Question Time before the summer recess, Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh asked if her Government will be honouring its manifesto pledge to remove the faith-based cap for free schools. He said, ‘Catholic dioceses up and down the country are anxious to open free schools, and some have even purchased sites.’ Theresa May responded, ‘The reason we put that in our manifesto, and the reason it was in the schools Green Paper that we published before the election, is that we do believe it is important to enable more faith schools to be set up and more faith schools to expand.’

The Brexit teams meet this week after a delayed negotiation start. Pray for both Davis and Barnier as they compare their respective positions; may they make good progress, identifying differences and recognising similarities that can be reinforced. The Centre for European Policy Studies believes the delay is indicative of UK politicians’ division and infighting. Pray for a healing of rifts  during the summer break between chancellor Philip Hammond and his colleagues, and  for harmony when parliament resumes in September. Also many believe that, whether through arrogance or incompetence, the reputation of the Foreign Office has been undermined under Boris Johnson. His comment that ‘the EU could go whistle for its money in the Brexit negotiations’ opened a potential no-deal scenario which could dismantle the economy. Pray that Mr Johnson, a man of high intelligence, may reveal the more serious and credible side of his personality.

This year’s G20 launched ‘Africa Partnership’, but charities are wary because it focuses on increasing private investment in the continent. Participating countries were invited to develop their own plans, to reduce the risk for private investors. At the summit, Britain set out proposals to build a partnership with a view to creating ‘more opportunities for London to become the finance hub for Africa’. Christian Aid described the G20 plan as badly flawed as it didn’t mention climate change. Oxfam said that it is important to recognise that growing economies will not automatically provide people with enough food to eat or life-saving medicines - especially as Africa is home to some of the most unequal countries on earth. Global Justice Now described it as ‘more like a partnership to exploit Africa - foisting the demands of international finance onto Africa in return for a bit of aid.’

Nessrine Hamad, aged six, is covered with a painful rash and has tears in her eyes. ‘She has been like that for three days,’ her mother said. ‘It is because of the dirty water. Most of the children here have sores on their skin.’ Dozens of families accused of having relatives in IS have been forcibly displaced to Shahama camp by the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), under the control of the Iraqi army. The camp, located north of Tikrit, has been described by Human Rights Watch as ‘akin to an open-air prison’. They are prevented from coming and going freely, only allowed to leave via ambulance for medical emergencies, and even then some are rejected by the main hospital in Tikrit when staff discover they are from Shahama. Dirty water, food and medical shortages have made living conditions in the camp unbearable. People in the camp are also barred from having mobile phones.

The government plans to legalise recreational marijuana by 1 July 2018. Pray for Canadians to use critical thinking skills as they decide what to do with their vote that could change many God-given lives. There is no shortage of easily accessible information on the topic of marijuana. In fact, there are enough facts to effectively argue two opposing perspectives on the recreational use of marijuana. Where does one go from here? Pray that the Canadian Church will research the long-term and short-term effects of marijuana use, then stand up and speak out on the subject of addiction and where it leads. What would Jesus do? Where would recreational drug use lead me?

For ‘security reasons’, the Government has refused to publish a full report on the funding of UK Islamist extremist groups. Instead, the home secretary has issued a two-page summary which states that most such groups are funded via small, anonymous British-based donations. Opposition parties claimed that the internal review was suppressed to protect Saudi Arabia from being accused of funding extremism in the UK. The Home Office has been under pressure for months to publish its investigation into the nature, scale and origin of the funding, but because of sensitive information it cannot be made public. Some MPs will view it in private but not be allowed to reveal its contents. In future, charities will have to declare any overseas funding to the Charity Commission. Overseas support for institutions that teach deeply conservative forms of Islam and provide conservative literature and preachers will also be banned.

Last summer saw terrorist attacks. Do we still pray during holiday periods? We need recreation, but the enemy doesn’t take holidays - let’s stay alert, continuing to intercede during holidays. Recent events show how quickly alliances between nations can become uncertain. Nations often enter into alliances for economic reasons. Every agreement and negotiation with another nation comes with spiritual consequences. Much wisdom is required for alliances with Iran, Saudi Arabia, China and Africa. Israel must be continually ‘watched over’ in prayer. Pray for Germany’s foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel as he settles into his new office.

Neither Theresa May nor Nicola Sturgeon nor Arlene Foster is superhuman. They have weaknesses, faults and failings, and don't have all the answers. As God's representatives here on earth, we have a responsibility to pray regularly for those who govern us, whether we like their politics or not, if we want to 'live peaceful and quiet lives'. A key prayer is to ask God for His wisdom to guide them in their discussions, debates and decisions. If we want a government that listens, takes good advice and makes wise decisions - pray! If we want a fair and just government - pray! If we want a government that enables the country to prosper - pray! If we want a Government (and a society) that really cares for the poor, the disadvantaged, those genuinely needing the state-provided 'safety-net' - pray! If we want our nations to be safe and secure - pray!