Articles

The Power of Prayer

This article was written from an interview with Nuna Matar by the Mission Network News. You can read it here, or you can read it and/or listen to the audio on their website here.

                                                              Lebanon (MNN) – Is there really power in prayer? Triumphant Mercy is working with and prays for refugees in Lebanon and they say yes. “It’s amazing how God just turns hearts,” Triumphant Mercy’s Nuna says. “This is our prayer actually. We pray for that. We pray that hearts would be opened because it cannot be us. It’s not us who can do it. We have to open hearts and give a revelation of the Father, give a revelation of who Jesus is, and we cannot reveal anything. We can just do the act, but the revelation in the heart cannot be done by us. We need the Holy Spirit every day.” Triumphant Mercy workers have shown love to refugees by providing food and supplies and building relationships. The ministry recently took refugee women to a park. Nuna says it cost very little, but the women were full of joy. “Bringing joy is something that is a privilege. Seeing that we can bring joy with anything, which is a small act of love. And I think this is what it is. It’s just loving people. It’s just showing people that we care.” Recently, Nuna says God sent the ministry a volunteer who only wanted to distribute food. She says she hadn’t expected this, but “I believe God really knows the need and just brings them at the right time in the right place.” While many aid organizations have given food, Nuna says Triumphant Mercy doesn’t give refugees food and leave. Instead, they stay or come back so they can build relationships. They work and live alongside refugees. Because of this, they’re seeing people’s hearts opening to the Word of God. They’re seeing hope and encouragement that is taking root. “This is amazing just to be able to live life with people.” Nuna says ‘living life’ with the people is simply showing them love. “I just come and smile or offer a prayer. It’s love. So, love has so many different ways of showing, of being displayed. It can be done by just an act, it can be done by thanks, it can be done by a smile.” These acts of love have stirred the question ‘why’ in refugees’ hearts and minds. Refugees are asking Triumphant Mercy workers why they stay, treat them with love, and want to build relationships with them. “Just a why can open a wide conversation… because we have something to share because we have somebody in us who is Jesus Christ who wants to love through us. So, we can just share who we have in us,” Nuna says. “Somebody who has a physical need and we say let’s pray about that. Somebody who has a worry about her, we pray about that. So, it just shows interest and shows we care and shows practically that we’re here.  One of the ways the ministry is enabled to pray for each person is through their health clinic. They offer services to refugees and pray for every patient. “Every person that comes in the clinic, we pray for them, pray for that God would touch them, or heal them, or do something. And people come, sometimes they really don’t have any physical illness. They just come for the prayer.” Refugees in Lebanon need your help whether that’s by praying for them, contributing financially, or going to serve alongside them. Your prayers aren’t empty. They make a difference and these refugees are coveting your prayers of healing and encouragement. Pray the Lord would continue changing hearts in refugee camps and open doors for Triumphant Mercy to share His Gospel.