We did it and we got through unscathed – the power of prayer has once again protected us from the scourges of nature and apart from recent and much needed rain, the cyclone season has come to an end with no cyclones in our part of the world, writes Ruta Mave.

Sadly, not so for our neighbours in East coast of New Zealand and Vanuatu; we feel deeply for your loss and your devastation. Accordingly, we as a people have come together to do what we can to raise funds for them as we know they have done in the past and will no doubt do for us in hour of need when required in a future.

The power of prayer cannot be denied when a concentration of thought and intention are asked and shared. Before the first of November which marks the start of our cyclone season, our people come together to pray and ask for a clear calm and compassionate weather for the five months between November and April. To keep our people, land and crops safe, to deliver us from any disturbing weather or cyclones. Thank you, Jesus they say, thank you father God they say, thank you, mother nature they pray. And for years now it has worked, we have been spared and soon they will come together again to give thanks, love and gratitude for the deliverance of the calm and the exceptionally hot and dry

months while all around us storms brewed and delivered fury on others.

The power of group thought and intention is not lost on science. It has been proven that thoughts and prayers can and do have a power and energy that is measurable, that exists, that can evoke change and direction. Positive thinking is not a gimmick from the hippie sixties, it is a state of being that can and will

bring light and good things into your life. The energy of thought is empowered by belief and action as I have said many times there are many lines of verse from the good book that says when you believe you receive and with thankfulness will you be granted your request. If this can work for our weather system, what other ways can we help change our world and our current circumstances.

Praying for peace is a popular prayer and one that is well needed in the world. The challenge is not knowing where to start because there seems to be so many. If you were to watch the news it would seem there is no peace on earth anywhere, people, children are suffering and dying and we seem at a loss to practice what we preach. I saw once where a world globe was centered in a group for prayer and everyone lay their hands on it somewhere so it appeared to be covered and everyone’s prayers were focused on achieving world peace. That seemed quite symbolic and a way that gave everyone a sense of being connected and feel helpful towards the greater good.

The answer to world crises is personal action. Think global act local. If we want more peace in the world, we need to work with our own people in our own communities and achieve that first. When we do then we will create a force of energy that will empower others as well as ourselves. We have a dire need to improve our humanitarianism to each other, to our children and vulnerable.

Our domestic violence and abuse cases are more common than not and our silence to them is more deafening than bombs. It is our own self-healing that will heal the planet if only we are brave enough to face the rot and dig it out of our community. Then we must clean and disinfect where it has been so it does not come back, it does not fester and become contagious so others carry on the disease through generations.

The power of love is a strong energy and so is forgiveness. However, remorse and repentance is still required from those who are offending. Taking responsibility and being accountable – shouldering the burden of their own choices, decisions and actions themselves needs to happen to create change.

Forgiving someone who does not acknowledge they are to blame only makes the forgiver feel righteous. There is no energy exchange, no vortex created that can evoke change and growth. Instead there is only a vacuum where no life exists. If you want to create change then church should go to the incarcerated

on a daily basis and pray, teach and lead them to salvation – create the change you want in the world.