On Saturday, more than 300 people — including children, parents, youth leaders and volunteers — came together in Suriname for the annual National Children’s Prayer Day, hosted at the Gods Rainville municipality venue. The gathering centered on intercessory prayer for the nation of Suriname, local families, educational institutions, national and global leaders, and children across the world navigating challenging living conditions.
This year’s event was jointly organized by three faith-focused groups: the Weid Mijn Lammeren Foundation, the Suriname Bible Society, and the Children’s Evangelization Society. Young participants came from a wide range of Christian denominational backgrounds, including Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist, and Wesleyan congregations. The day’s program blended a variety of activities, including group singing, dance performances, collective worship, and open prayer sessions.
Gloria Lie Kwie Sjoe, one of the event’s co-organizers, expressed deep gratitude for the large turnout and the enthusiastic engagement from the young participants. “The sincerity that children bring to their prayers is extraordinary,” she shared in remarks during the gathering. “Their prayers come straight from the heart. It is so important for children to learn that prayer is not difficult or boring — anyone can pray, no matter how old or young you are. God listens to the prayers of children just as he listens to adults. Prayer gives people hope, comfort, and strength when they need it most.”
One of the most memorable segments of the day was a personal prayer writing activity, where each child jotted down their own private prayers on small notes. These handwritten messages offered an intimate window into what young people across Suriname care about most, and produced many deeply moving moments for everyone in attendance.
The prayers reflected a wide range of hopes and concerns for both local and global communities: one child prayed that Suriname’s national football team would qualify for the FIFA World Cup, while another wrote that they hoped all conflict and war would end around the world. Many children asked for greater peace within Suriname, improved living conditions for unhoused residents, healing for sick loved ones, and safer public environments for all children.
Education was also a key focus of the children’s prayers. Many young participants prayed for teachers and fellow students, as well as for improved educational infrastructure and resources across the country. Additional prayers called for safer, cleaner public streets and healthy, prosperous futures for all people living in Suriname.
In closing remarks, event organizers emphasized that the gathering made clear an important truth: children are not only the future of the nation, they already hold a meaningful and powerful voice in the present. Their simple, unfiltered, sincere prayers came together to form a strong, unified message of hope, faith, and shared connection across all of Suriname.