Prayer works hundreds of times

In many places in India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, the participants took out their coloured pencils and brushes and watercolours at the beginning of November 2023 and got creative.

Drawing without ceasing

The motto contest for the year 2024 had been advertised on the Regional Church’s website. This year’s motto is based on 1 Thessalonians 5: 17: “Pray without ceasing.” The participants were asked to unleash their creativity and bring this powerful and unique connection to God to paper or canvas.

An eleven-year-old talent in Goregaon, in the north of Mumbai in India, drew a family kneeling in prayer. Their eyes are closed. The thought bubbles show what the father, mother, and children are grateful for and what they would like from God. One of the figures in the drawing asks for help in an exam, while the little brother has his head full of toys. Above the family is an open Bible with folded hands and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. Eleven-year-old artist Diyansha Waghmare celebrates the beauty and significance of family prayers. She says, “A family has different necessities, but God listens to everyone. I have real experience with family prayer, and I know that it is a powerful prayer.”

Inspiring Bible verses

The submission by Mihir Battise from Gulabwadi in India emphasises the presence of the Holy Spirit in prayer. A dove hovers over the supplicant’s head, who is illuminated from above. Aged 25, he was only just allowed to take part in the contest. The art competition was open to artists up to the age of 25. Mihir says he was inspired by John 5: 16, “The picture that came before my eyes while drawing was the instance of Holy Spirit descending on Jesus after His baptism. If we truly believe and ask with a true heart, then the Holy Spirit will come upon us and lead our prayers to God. This is how prayer works.”

Eight-year-old Sara Magar from Dreams Mall Bhandup in India was inspired by Matthew 18: 20: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” It shows three people praying, a dove, a big heart, and a cross with a crown. Sara was awarded first place. Her drawing features prominently on the Regional Church’s website and other communication and publication channels, including emails and social media.

Winners on the road

And this is not the only reason why the intensive occupation with the annual motto was worthwhile. The ten best-placed young talents received a beautifully illustrated Bible, accompanied by a personal note from Apostle Pravin Gajbhiv. The winners were also treated to an excursion to Murud-Janjira, an impressive historic fort. There they had the opportunity to meet their favourite spiritual leaders in person and spend time with them. The fort was built in the fifteenth century in Raigad, in western India, on an island just off the coastal town of Murud in the Raigad district of Maharashtra.

There was a lot to discover there: many of the artillery towers are still intact and access to the fort’s ramparts is provided by strategically placed steps. The children and ministers marvelled at the preserved towers and cannons. They also used the time to talk to their ministers and each other about all sorts of things, but especially about the annual motto. It was interesting to hear how the power of prayer touches all aspects of life.

Inspiring experiences

Over two hundred artworks poured in from all over: by post, courier, and in some cases the Apostles or Bishops even hand-delivered them. The youngest contestant was Joshua Pawer, aged 5, from Aurangabad in India. “We can’t wait to see your artwork and be inspired by your unique connection to our heavenly Father,” it said on the website of the New Apostolic Church India in November 2023. Many children and young people showed in their pictures what “Prayer works” means to them, how prayer influences their lives, and how they want to incorporate the motto into their daily lives.

And when the winners had been determined by the jury after multiple rounds at the beginning of July 2024, the communications team wrote, “We are thrilled and proud of the enthusiasm and dedication you have all displayed!” Each participant who had adhered to the contest rules was awarded a certificate, recognising their efforts and contribution to the competition. And even if a picture did not make it into the top ten, it was not lost: selected artworks were showcased on the digital media platforms over the course of the year.