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 02/11/09

China
• Please continue to pray for the children of China who are born with physical or mental disabilities. Because of China's "One Child" policy, society sees little wrong with discarding handicapped or disabled children.
• Thank God for the underground house churches that rescue throwaways and provide them with secure homes. Pray for the members of these churches as they struggle to care for unwanted children.
• Pray that God will provide for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of China's throwaway children. May they come to know they are beloved children of God and that God will never discard them.

Malawi / United States
• Give thanks for "God's astounding grace, mercy and provision" regarding the successful five year partnership between First Congregational Church of Hopkinton, Massachusetts and Mbobo Mtonga village in Malawi and for the safe return of all the FCCH mission team members despite snowstorms and airplane problems.
• Praise God for answering so many prayers about the children and people of Mbobo Mtonga. They seem to be doing very well and have become quite self-sufficient.
• Please continue to pray for the many children sponsored by members of the Hopkinton church through World Vision. (This will continue even though the official relationship between the village and the church is over.)
• Thanks be to God for the new grain storage building and the abundance of maize collected there for the winter. One of the Hopkinton team members shared in a recent email that, "Mbobo Mtonga will never be hungry again."
A report from First Congregational Church, Hopkinton

Pakistan (Presbyterian Education Board)
• Give thanks to God for 17-year-old Meshezebel's successful surgery last week. Doctors had planned to spend eight hours in surgery, but it took them just four hours to remove her brain tumor. The PEB director emailed and said Meshezebel's doctors were amazed at how quickly they were able to remove the tumor and that she needed much less blood than expected during the operation. The director praised God for this answer to prayer and also expresses her gratitude to all of the Faces of Children intercessors who lifted Meshezebel in prayer. "Please thank each and every one for their prayers. Your prayer request (the Faces list) came exactly on the same day and time when she was in hospital for her surgery," wrote the director.
• Please continue to pray for Meshezebel's complete recovery from this surgery and that she will know the grace and peace of Jesus Christ each day.

United States
• Pray that God will put healing arms around 8-month-old Amonnie who is being evaluated for a liver transplant. At only 15 pounds, she is struggling to stay healthy this winter. Amonnie also has bronchitis and fluid in her lungs. Please pray for her family as they care for her during this stressful, anxious time. And pray for the medical personnel who are treating Amonnie now.
• Please keep the leaders and volunteers of Pishon Family Ministry in prayer as they prepare five separate mission teams to go to Asia this summer. Pray that God will guide them as they provide training for the leaders of underground ministries, lead a camp for orphans, and provide medical care for these children.

Zimbabwe / South Africa
• Please keep vulnerable Zimbabwean children and women who have crossed into South Africa in prayer. In an effort to escape grinding poverty and a rapidly spreading cholera epidemic in their home country, Zimbabwean children and women are entering South Africa in record numbers.
• Pray for the children and women who have been preyed upon by border thieves, swindlers, and rapists.
• Pray for unaccompanied Zimbabwean children (mostly boys) who are living on the streets of South African border communities. Pray for the girls who are quickly snatched up by "men who turn them into women."
• Please pray for God's healing Spirit to descend on Zimbabwe and mend this hurting nation.
A report from the New York Times

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.