"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." These words from Matthew 11:28 have been the heartbeat of the 2026 World Day of Prayer—and they were chosen by women in Nigeria, a country where the need for rest is not a luxury but a survival necessity.

The World Day of Prayer is one of the oldest ecumenical movements in the world, uniting Christians across denominations and nations in a single act of collective prayer. Each year, women from a different country prepare the service, bringing their own context, their own struggles, and their own faith to the global church. This year, it was Nigeria's turn.

The theme—"I will give you rest, come"—is particularly poignant given the insecurity and hardship that many Nigerian communities face. Mothers' Union members there do not simply pray this promise; they live it. They run seminars and workshops to strengthen spiritual life. They lead gender-based violence awareness campaigns, encouraging women and children to seek help. They distribute Christmas packages to children and widows. They organise fellowship gatherings that make Christ's promise of rest tangible for those facing daily challenges.

Mothers' Union has been a global movement for over 140 years, and the World Day of Prayer is one of the moments when that global solidarity becomes most visible. Christians in the UK who joined the service on 6 March were praying in solidarity with women in Nigeria who are doing the hard, faithful work of making the Kingdom of God real in their communities.

The invitation stands: come, all who are weary. There is rest here.