The World Day of Prayer service will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Friday, March 7, starting at 10 a.m.

Each year, the service is written by the residents of a different country; this year's service was written by the women of Guyana, which is located on the northern coast of South America, the only English-speaking country on the continent.

Guyana is home to the highest single-drop waterfall in the world, Kaieteur Falls, which is nearly five times as high as Niagara Falls.

Poverty is a major issue affecting a significant portion of the Guyanese population. There were devastating floods in 2005 and 2006, and since the 1960s there has been a steady migration to other countries, resulting in a decreasing population.

There is a concern over the steady increase in the proportion of women infected by HIV/AIDS in Guyana, and there is a strong link between violence against women and HIV/AIDS. Domestic violence is at an alarming level and trafficking in persons has been linked with this issue.

The government, along with churches, faith-based communities, civic and non-governmental organizations are working to improve social conditions.

The World Day of Prayer is held by Christians in more than 170 countries around the world and in 2,000 communities across Canada.

The World Day of Prayer was begun by women in Canada and the U.S. in 1922, and today is facilitated by the World Day of Prayer International Committee. From the offerings received during the services in Canada, grants are provided to various projects. In Saskatchewan, a spirituality program at Tamara's House, a program for sexual abuse survivors, received a grant of $4,000.