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 10/14/09

Brazil (ESTHERS Children – www.estherschildren.org)
• Pray for a 3-year-old girl who was brought to the ESTHERS Children substitute family home recently. Pray that God will help the fulltime ministry team gently restore this little girl psychologically, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and academically.
• Pray for a 6-year-old girl who lives in a very dangerous slum and is at high risk to enter a hazardous lifestyle. Abandoned by her mother at birth, this 6-year-old is not wanted by her father or stepmother and is being raised by an ailing grandmother with limited resources. Pray for protection for this little one who has already been introduced to alcohol and cigarettes by older teen relatives. • Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as the ESTHERS Children team reach out to her.
• Please keep in prayer the 16 girls currently in the care of ESTHERS Children and the willing staff and volunteers who care for them every day.
○ Pray for the girls who struggle in school and particularly with mathematics.
○ Pray for Daniel who is tutoring them in math each weekend as well as teaching them art.
○ Pray for the Christian psychologist who is considering helping with the much needed professional counseling services for these girls.
○ Pray for healing for the older girls who have experienced deep trauma in their past.

India
• Please keep the 81 children and staff members of Grace Home orphanage held close in prayer as they deal with severe flooding in their state. No word has been received from Grace Home since the flooding began. Pray for their safety and for that of all the flood victims in the area. Pray that God will protect them from illnesses caused by flooding like malaria, cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, etc. (Orphans First — www.orphansfirst.org)
• Pray for the 2.5 million people left homeless in south India because of floods triggered by heavy rains. Pray for children and families who have lost loved ones, homes, schools, crops, and businesses as a result of the massive flooding.

Peru (ESTHERS Children – www.estherschildren.org)
• Pray in advance for an outreach team that will work with 124 children at risk in Peru from December 27, 2009 to January 4, 2010. Please pray the children will be receptive to the Christmas message that will be presented to them at vacation Bible school. Pray for the planned outreach event for the children’s parents.

Dominican Republic (CURE International – www.helpcurenow.org)
• Pray for the disabled children receiving treatment at the CURE International Hospital in the Dominican Republic and for the medical staff and caregivers there. Please also pray for a 10-year-old boy named Cristian and two little girls, 9-year-old Eva and 8-year-old Noemi.

United States
• Please pray for Anne who is caring for seven children since her daughter’s recent arrest. Pray that God will provide the material resources Anne needs to care for these children. Pray that God will give her the strength and encouragement to care for an autistic child and for one suffering from influenza. Pray for all of these children.
• Please keep the family of 1-year-old Madison held close in prayer as they grieve for this little girl who drowned.
• Pray that God would comfort and heal baby Z’miya who has health issues and has already had surgery. Pray that she receives love and attention in her present foster care placement. Pray for a loving forever family for her.

Zambia
• Please pray for young girls who are trafficked out of the country by people posing as employment agents. Once out of the country, the girls, most of whom have just completed grade 12, are sold into prostitution and then to pornographers. Pray for release and healing of the girls who are prostituted off and on camera. Pray for justice for those who have been trafficked in this way.
• Please pray for girls in the city of Livingstone who aren’t able to secure jobs unless they have sex with the business owner or employer.
• Pray for widespread education among girls and families about these practices and for more legitimate employment opportunities for girls within Zambia.

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.