Faces of Children: Prayer Requests

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

Prayer Concerns for the week of 02/04/09

The Netherlands, Democratic Republic of Congo
• Please pray that justice will triumph in the International Criminal Court (ICC) case of a Congolese militia leader accused of abducting and using hundreds of children as soldiers or sex slaves in a 5-year-long conflict in Congo.
• Pray for the former child soldiers who will testify against Thomas Lubanga in this trial. Pray that God will give them the strength and courage to face this man in court.
• Please pray for all of the children who were used to kill, pillage and rape during this conflict that ended in 2003. Pray for their victims. Pray for all children—victims and perpetrators—who were physically, mentally and emotionally wounded during this conflict. More than 30,000 children were recruited during this war and an estimated 60,000 people died.
• Pray for peace and reconciliation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A report from BBC

Pakistan (Presbyterian Education Board)
• Please pray for Meshezebel, a 17-year-old high school girl who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
• Pray that the recent surgery to remove the tumor was successful and that she will recover completely from this frightening condition.
• Pray that God will give her family and friends the strength to endure the physical and emotional stresses of this experience.
• Pray for Meshezebel’s physicians and nurses—that God will give them wisdom in treating this young woman.
• Please pray that Meshezebel will sense the comforting presence of Jesus Christ throughout this ordeal.
• Pray for her health and for her future—that she might achieve her ambitions.

Palestine, Israel
• Please continue to be in prayer for the children of Palestine and of Israel who have seen more violence and bloodshed than any child should ever have to witness.
• Give thanks to God for the recent ceasefire between the two countries. Continue to pray for peacemakers to rise up and for the cycle of retribution to end.
• Pray that God will give the leaders of each country wisdom.
• Pray for children who suffer severe psychological trauma because of the bombing, shelling and fighting.
• Pray that the children of both countries will learn conflict resolution skills and that they may look forward to a future of peace and not one of violence. Pray that they may learn to see the good in one another despite their cultural and religious differences. Please pray this for all children.
A report from The Washington Post
A report from alertnet.org
• Please keep the Christian community in Gaza held close in prayer throughout this tense time. Pray that the Church will be a light in the midst of this darkness.
• Pray for the 35 families who were allowed to come to Bethlehem during the Christmas holidays and are now stranded there without sufficient resources.

United States
• Please pray for Jeremiah’s family and friends as they continue to cope with his death. Jeremiah, who would have been 3 years old, died last May from an aggressive form of cancer. Pray that God will comfort his parents, and especially Jeremiah’s father who is very, very depressed. Pray for Jeremiah’s parents as they raise his 14-month-old sister Faith.
• Give thanks to God that 5-year-old Braden’s brain tumors are shrinking—one of them is almost gone! Please continue to pray for God’s healing touch upon this little boy whose vision is still impeded by the tumors. And please lift Braden’s family in prayer following the tragic death of his grandparents and great-grandmother in a possible murder/suicide.

Faces of Children
• Please continue to pray that more churches and individuals will join with the ministry of Faces of Children in spreading awareness about children in crisis and inviting more people to pray for children at risk.