Today, on World Day of Prayer, Christians around the world come together in solidarity, lifting up communities affected by conflict, injustice, and hardship. This year, the Presbyterian Church of Wales, a member of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), is turning its hearts and voices toward Manipur, India, joining a growing movement of shared prayer to stand with those enduring violence and displacement.

The church’s concern for Manipur is rooted in a historic relationship with Northeast India that stretches back nearly two centuries. “Our relationship goes back about 180 years,” said Rev. Nan Wyn Powell-Davies, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church of Wales, in an interview. “As a church we felt that God was calling us to begin mission work in Northeast India. So we established our own missionary society and sent missionaries, beginning with Thomas Jones to Cherrapunji in Meghalaya.”

From that early mission work, strong bonds developed between Welsh Christians and communities across Northeast India. Missionaries established schools, hospitals, and churches in the region, and those relationships continue to shape the church’s engagement today. “We are a small nation of about three million people,” Powell-Davies said. “But the largest sending of people outside Wales that ever happened was to Northeast India.” Because of these longstanding connections, the crisis unfolding in Manipur has been deeply felt within the church.

Violence and displacement in Manipur

Since May 2023, the northeastern Indian state of Manipur has been gripped by ethnic violence primarily between the majority Meitei community in the Imphal Valley and predominantly Christian tribal groups, including the Kuki-Zo communities in the surrounding hill districts.

The clashes have left hundreds dead, destroyed thousands of homes and churches, and displaced more than 60,000 people. Many families have fled to neighboring states such as Mizoram, where ethnic and linguistic ties offer some refuge. Powell-Davies says reports of burned villages, destroyed churches, and families fleeing violence compelled the church to act. “We could see villages being burned, churches being burned, people being killed, and families forced to flee,” she said. “There are so many displaced people from Manipur. We saw the need, and we reacted.”

The Presbyterian Church of Wales has since launched an appeal to support affected communities, focusing particularly on education and health care.

A ministry of prayer and solidarity

Yet the church’s response quickly grew beyond financial support. Members felt called to pray alongside those directly affected by the crisis. Every Friday morning at 9 a.m. UK time, a small but committed group gathers online for prayer. Participants include members of the church in Wales, people connected to Manipur, and members of the Manipuri diaspora living in the United Kingdom.

“What we felt strongly was not simply to pray for people far away, but to pray with them,” Powell-Davies said. The prayer meetings often include Scripture readings and reflections alongside updates from those connected to the region. For Powell-Davies, the shared prayer has created a deep sense of spiritual kinship.

“When you grow in prayer with someone, you grow as a family,” she said. “There is no patronizing approach. It is not ‘poor you.’ It is us standing together as sisters and brothers.” In one recent gathering, participants reflected on 2 Corinthians 4:8–9: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.” For many, those words resonate with the resilience of the people of Manipur.

The global church praying together

The prayer gatherings have also built personal connections across continents. Powell-Davies recalled meeting a participant from the Manipuri diaspora for the first time after months of praying together online. “The tears were beyond me,” she said. “To know someone so deeply through prayer—even more deeply than people you see every day—is incredibly powerful.”

Participants continue to share updates and prayer requests through online groups, and the church welcomes others to join the weekly prayers. Powell-Davies believes this spirit of shared prayer reflects the deeper calling of the global church.

“You cannot box the act of prayer,” she said. “We pray for Manipur, but we also pray for each other. The church in Manipur prays for Wales as well.”

As Christians mark World Day of Prayer, the Presbyterian Church of Wales invites the wider communion to join them in prayer for peace, justice, and healing for the people of Manipur. “We believe in the power of prayer and in its beauty,” Powell-Davies said. “Our lives have been enriched so much through it. We are one body—and when one part suffers, we stand together.”