How prayer fuels the Christian schools in Finland
A primary school pupil in Helsinki. Photo AFP, Antti Aimo-Koivisto
Northern Europe
Helsinki prays (Helsinki rukoilee) and Finland prays (Suomi rukoilee). These are the names of two very particular prayer networks in Finland. The central desire is the spreading of Christian schools over the country.
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Jorma and Anneli Lahikainen started those prayer groups. I recently met with Anneli to ask her about this initiative.
What led you to start with those prayer groups?
“It began in 1981, when I became a Christian. Very quickly, I felt that God was calling me to pray. I wanted to pray out loudly, but my husband Jorma was not a believer at that time. So, I found a cellar near one of the harbours of Helsinki where I could pray freely.
Soon, my heart was turned to pray for my country, Finland. Then, someone who knew what I was doing asked me if I could pray for the establishment of Christian schools in the country. I took a map and began to put pins on key areas. And so, I prayed that each of them would have a Christian school."
How did your private initiative become an actual network?
“Within a few years, my two best friends became Christians too. We formed a prayer group with another member as well. We prayed for the whole of Finland, in particular for the children, the youth, and of course for the schools.
After his conversion, my husband started a prayer network for the Finnish Parliament. We even reached the point where we had one intercessor assigned to each parliamentarian.”
When and how did you receive your first answers to prayer?
“The first Christian school to be established after we began to pray was in Helsinki. Even our eight-year-old son unexpectedly asked to go to a school where he could learn the Bible. This is how we became involved with the Christian schools in a practical way. Later on, I even worked for the school myself.”
How do you pray in practice?
“Whenever there are practical plans to start a school, we intercede for all the permissions to be granted, since this part is always a battle. Then at the inauguration of the school, we go there to bless it. We pray over the premises and do prayer walks in the area. We pray so that no negative background linked to those places will influence the school. And then, we continue to pray for the areas that still lack Christian schools. We go there physically and do prayer walks.”
What are the Biblical principles that lead you through your prayers?
“We always recognise and proclaim the authority of God wherever we go. Then we ask God persistently, like a child, because we know that He will answer our prayers.
We pray to the invisible; what we pray for becomes visible. We believe that prayer can crush the forces of evil, that it can forcefully gain ground against the strongholds of Satan. Through prayer, we hit the nail and advance the kingdom of God. It is through prayer that we build God’s peace. We have also learned to wait for God to take care of the situation.”
What is your most precious answer to prayer?
“Five years ago, a principal of a Christian school called me. It was in November. She told me that if finances were not released from the authorities, she would not be able to pay the teachers over the Christmas holiday.
In my spirit, I felt that God was angry at the devil, because the Bible says that every worker deserves his wages (1 Timothy 5:18). So, I took a flask of oil and a map of the city in question, and I went there. I walked around the area of the school proclaiming the coming of the kingdom of God. I also went to the city centre and prayed for all the offices. I blessed every office door and prayed for the release of the funds.
In the beginning of December, the principal told me that the finances had been released. They were now able to finish the school year and begin the next one in peace. God can do much more than what we believe, ask or imagine.”
About Christian education in Finland
Until the 1980s, just a few Christian schools existed in Finland. In 1985, Helsinki Christian school was the first one established following the work of the prayer network. A few years later, two other schools were opened in the capital region of Uusimaa, in Järvenpää and Espoo. Today, Finland counts 28 Christian kindergartens, 17 Christian schools and 2 high schools (age 16 to 18), with more projects in the pipeline.
What is your network praying for currently?
“We are praying for the establishment of two new Christian schools, in Seinäjoki and Kouvola. We are also praying to get a prayer centre in the heart of Helsinki, from where we will be able to pray for the government, and also for the ministry of education.”
Is there a final comment that you would like to leave to the readers of CNE.news?
“Yes. A guitar without strings cannot make music. And prayer is like the strings of a guitar. That’s how you can connect with God.”
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