The following is a prayer penned by Pastor Ray Minniecon after the ground-breaking gathering that took place at Surrender 09 with church leaders and indigenous leaders.
I add my own voice to thIs growing prayer.
National Church Prayer
Pastor Ray Minniecon
February 2010.
God and Creator of our all Aboriginal nations in Australia. You have lived among us since time immemorial. We have always known You. You gave this land to our ancestors and to all Aboriginal nations. You have not dispossessed us nor destroyed us. You are the only true God of Justice.
People from other lands, who do not understand our unique culture, our unique lifestyle and our unique heritage have come and destroyed much of our way of life. Many of these people from other lands now want to understand and reconcile with us.
But for many of us Aboriginal people, we find this reconciliation business a little difficult because;
Too many of our children are still in jails. Many have died in custody without justice.
Too many of our children are still living in sub-standard housing.
Too many of our mothers are living on the streets or in refuges.
Too many of our children are still uneducated.
Too many of our children have no land and no community to go back to.
Too many of our children have not got opportunities for good employment.
Too many of our children are living in extremely unhealthy environments.
Too many of our children are living among violence and abuse.
Too many of our children are dying to drugs and other soul-destroying substances.
God our Dreaming and Creator of our people, we feel overwhelmed by these things. Many of us feel like we are refugees in our own land.
Today we are coming together again to cry out to You for mercy and justice for our children, for our families and for our land.
We pray that more resources will be given to our local community Churches to help us grow healthy and strong.
We pray that the leaders of our national churches will be given a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone so that they can hear our cry, understand us and support us properly.
We pray that your Spirit will help and encourage us to grow good strong Aboriginal leaders.
Our heavenly Father we want to grow strong and healthy again in our own land. We want to take our rightful place in our land and make our contribution to the re-building of our families, our communities our nation and Your kingdom.
We ask these mercies in the name of Your Son.
Amen.
