GAZA CITY—Sister Nabila Saleh, a sister of the Holy Rosary, is taking refuge in the Holy Family Parish,along with 700 other Christians. She has made a heartfelt plea for peace and humanitarian aid. In a telephone conversation with Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Sister Nabila expressed deep concern for the 100 traumatized children who are currently housed in the parish complex and have known nothing but war. “We just want peace. We have had six wars in Gaza. ...

Sister Nabila Saleh, a member of the Sisters of the Holy Rosary and ACN’s local project partner, says that she is not going anywhere. “We need medicine. Hospitals have been destroyed. Our school has also been damaged, but we’re not leaving. People have nothing, not even the essentials. Where would we go? To die in the street?"

The international community's pressure is vital to prosecuting those responsible for the attacks. Pakistan relies on Western nations for trade and aid, so it will be open to their intervention.

For now, prayer is the only tool to protect the innocent, said Clancy, citing the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who stressed that, although “prayer cannot solve” the conflict, “it gives light to the heart and eyes.”

Historically, African migrants have gone to Libya for better economic prospect. Cameroon is on a major route to that country. But after Khaddafi's fall, Libya's appeal disappeared, and now, migrants go to Europe instead, even though many die on the journey. At home, they have nothing to lose. Bishop Ateba told ACN that to curb migration, jobs must be created in Africa.

The purpose of the campaign is to pray worldwide for unity and peace. In light of recent events, the focus of this year's edition will be on peace in the Holy Land.