Dear Editor,
I refer to articles published in the Con-sumer’s Corner of the Sunday Stabroek of January 6 and 13, 2008 which articles purported to inform on the World Day of Prayer.
Permit me to point out that the said articles regrettably contained inaccuracies which are significant and thus compel the undersigned to formally draw it to your newspaper’s attention.
World Day of Prayer is a world wide movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year, and who, in many countries, have a continuing relationship in prayer and service.
* It is a movement initiated and carried out by women in more than 170 countries and regions.
* It is a movement symbolized by an annual day of celebration – the 1st Friday in March to which all people are welcome.
* It is a movement which brings together women of various races, cultures and traditions in closer fellowship, understanding and action throughout the year.
Since 1976, the World Day of Prayer is being convened in Guyana by a committee representative of twelve denominations which has overseen the work of this body under various chairpersons over the years.
The service each year is written by a country which has a participating committee. In 2007, Paraguay was the writer country and in 2009, Papua New Guinea is the writer country.
The current WDP Guyana Committee is chaired by Mrs Waveney Benjamin (immediate past Vice Chairperson of International WDP Committee) and Liaison – Mrs Eunice Belle.
This is the first time in the history of the WDP Guyana that the Committee has the honour of having written a Service and the theme is “God’s Wisdom provides New Understanding”. This process was overseen by a broad-based committee in collaboration with the Guyana WDP Committee and the International Committee of the World Day of Prayer which is based in New York, USA.
The service is held each year at St. Andrew’s Kirk and other areas in the country. The WDP Committee has twenty-four services in seven regions inclusive of the Rupununi District.
The German group which was prominently featured in the said articles is in fact a group of interested persons residing in that country which group met with the WDP Committee here in Guyana in July 2007. Ms Roxana Kawall was the interpreter to the German group.
It is the committee’s intention to later provide more information in a more structured manner and we look forward to your newspaper’s interest.
In the interim, should you wish further details on this subject the WDP Committee shall be happy to oblige.
Yours faithfully,
Waveney Benjamin
Chairperson WDP (Guyana) Committee
