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 05/05/10

China
• Please keep the children injured in several recent classroom attacks held close in prayer as they recover from the physical and emotional trauma of these experiences. There have been four separate classroom attacks since late March in China's eastern coastal provinces. Pray that God will bring comfort and peace to the families of the eight schoolchildren killed in the March 23 attack. Pray for healing and peace in this region.
A report from the Washington Post
A report from the New York Times

Niger
• Please pray for the nearly eight million people in Niger, roughly 60 percent of the population, who will be threatened with severe food shortages this year. Pray for the 19,000 children who have dropped out of school to accompany their parents in search of food, water, and pastures for their livestock. Pray for relief from the drought conditions causing this mass exodus. Pray that vulnerable children will be protected from those who would exploit or abuse them while they are following their parents from place to place.
A report from alertnet.org
Another report from alertnet.org
Another report from alertnet.org

Thailand
• Please keep the children and people of Thailand in prayer during this time of political unrest and upheaval. Political tensions are reported to be at their highest level in almost two decades and some analysts are beginning to raise the possibility of civil war.
A report from alertnet.org
• Pray for peaceful resolution to the protests and for transparency in government. Pray that both sides in this standoff between an anti-establishment group (mostly rural and urban poor) and the government (military and royalist backers) will be willing to compromise and engage in the peacemaking process with sincerity and honesty.
A report from alertnet.org
Another report from alertnet.org
Another report from alertnet.org
A report from the BBC
• Please keep the staff, volunteers, women, and children at NightLight in Bangkok held close in prayer as their facilities are near an area of the city occupied by the protestors. Pray for their safety and peace of mind throughout this uncertain time.

United States
• Pray that God will provide an after school ministry with the resources it needs to reach children in a low income neighborhood in San Antonio, Texas. Please pray for the children in this target area ... that God will bring the ones God desires to this program and that they will recognize their incredible value and worth in God's eyes. Pray for the leaders and volunteers in this program as they teach the AMO model that nurtures the whole child with beauty, truth, and moral goodness.
A report from the AMO Program
• Please be in prayer for Caleb, a little boy experiencing serious medical problems, and his family and friends. Pray that God will surround him with healing mercies and compassionate medical personnel as they try to find out why his body is rejecting the shunts in his brain.
• Please pray for Patty as she provides care for children with physical and emotional disabilities. Pray that God's strength will sustain and encourage her in this challenging work. Many group homes in Patty's state are being closed down. Please pray for the children in these homes who will soon find themselves in new placements. Pray that God will comfort them as they make the transition to new environments. Pray for the caregivers of these children who find themselves unemployed in this tough economic climate. Pray for all caregivers in this world who work with children with disabilities.

Faces of Children
• Give thanks to God for the life of Bonnie Dempsey Cain who died on Saturday, April 24, 2010. Bonnie was a devoted intercessor with Faces of Children for five years and the mother of Faces of Children Coordinator Chris Laufer.
• 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.