Missionary teacher Natalie Rolfe writes, "'When He calls me, I will answer ... I'll be somewhere working for my Lord.' My call was Mbale, Uganda and that is where I have returned to serve for another year. Specifically, I am teaching phonics at Lulwanda Children's Home, an orphanage and school for 90 kids." Natalie also keeps an online journal of her service at the weblog, When He calls me, I will answer ...
Oh, Uganda
Today a friend borrowed my car to take it to LCH to pick up one of his GOATS that he wanted to give to his friend as a wedding gift. But the friend lives in Kenya so he needed the car tonight to bring his friend to his village house, pick up the goat, in order to take it across the border to Kenya tomorrow. REALLY?
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Natalie's post
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).
Guidance
A Prayer for Wholeness by Patricia B. Clark
"Lord, I have become too busy:
too busy for you,
too busy for me,
too busy for those who need me.
Gather the fragments of my scattered self.
Help me to discern what is important and what is expendable.
It is so difficult, this business of giving-of being all for you.
I am overwhelmed by its enormity and lose sight of its utter simplicity.
Show me how to let go-to give up control -
that you might draw and bend and mold and carry,
Lord, in your goodness and incomprehensible love for me,
That I may be now and ever one in you,
Gather the fragments of my scattered self.”
Women’s Uncommon Prayers; Our Lives Revealed, Nurtured, Celebrated
edited by Elizabeth Rankin Geitz, Marjorie A. Burke, Tracy J. Sukraw
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,
Thank you so much for your prayers for the women (and also the few brave men) who participated in the 2012 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women in Orlando, Florida last week and for the team that worked the Faces of Children booth there. Let me tell you, God heard and answered those prayers in abundance!
Hundreds and hundreds of women came through the Faces of Children exhibit booth last week and made beaded prayer prompts to remind them to pray for children. Many new prayer partners/intercessors also committed to pray for children regularly using the Faces of Children ministry materials. Will you join with me in welcoming these new prayer partners and in giving God thanks for answering these prayers so generously? Thank you!
The Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, with lunch ($5) and fellowship to follow.
If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.
Grace and peace,
Chris
By Doug Carman
Reporter
Odessa American
ODESSA, TEXAS - There is plenty of sand in the Monahans Sandhills, but Aaron Rogers said he didn’t know of a well-kept recreational sand-pit anywhere in the Permian Basin.
Whether to play volleyball, sand soccer, or even just sit down and build a sand castle or two, Rogers thought the area needed a place for that.
“I saw facilities like this (that were run) well, and they had a huge impact on the community,” Rogers said. “There’s nothing like this up to Fort Worth.”
So, with the help of New Life Church, where Rogers is a member, he opened Sandpit Sports Club in early June on a leased part of the church’s property, east of Odessa just off of Highway 80.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story
The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.
China House Church Alliance’s 7th Anniversary Celebration came to a perfect ending, abundantly blessed by Jehovah the Lord
Distributed by ChinaAid, July, 2012 ...
NANYANG, HENAN, CHINA – On July 4, 2012, over 50 coworkers and ministry partners from across China met at Nanyang, Henan Province to jointly celebrate the 7th Anniversary of China House Church Alliance, testify to the work of the Association in difficult circumstances over the past seven years and the advancement of the Gospel in China, and give glory to the supreme true God for all accomplishments.
CLICK HERE for more on this story from China Aid
By Kathleen Petty
ReporterMidland Reporter-Telegram
MIDLAND, TEXAS - Bob Fu never imagined all that God was calling him to do. When he and his wife, Heidi, started ChinaAid Association from a Pennsylvania garage 10 years ago, their goal was to meet an immediate need, he said. A decade later, the ministry has advocated for the human rights and religious freedom of dozens of Chinese citizens. ChinaAid's staff has grown to include employees in multiple states. Hundreds of volunteers and donors have signed onto the cause. And, after Fu's involvement this year in the release of Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, the Midland-based ministry now is recognized by nearly every major media outlet in the country, as well as by a growing number of elected officials worldwide.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 29, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: PRESBYTERIAN FRONTIER FELLOWSHIP - Presbyterians are bearing fruit today. The good news of Jesus is spreading to ethnic groups around the world where the church has not had a presence. Several Presbyterian congregations have a prayer partner relationship with emerging bodies of believers in a war-torn part of Central Asia. They share prayer requests and pray regularly with each other. A Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship (PFF) staff member connected them and facilitates the relationships.
CLICK HERE to read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 28, 2012
JOHN CALVIN PRESBYTERY - In 2011, John Calvin Presbytery held two mission trips sponsored by the presbytery's Disaster Assistance Team and hosted an international peacemaker. An Annual presbytery-wide leadership even, held throughout the congregations of southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas, drew record attendance. A Ministry begun by a small group of pastors, born from their desire to share faith in Christ and their love for one another as colleagues in ministry, is also bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God. John Calvin is a presbytery of 56 congregations and 6,693 members.
CLICK HERE to read more.
By Lyxan Toledanes
Reporter
Odessa American
SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - The sun was setting on the farm lands outside of San Angelo when more than 100 Catholics began to filter into the backyard of Daryl and Jeanie Schniers’ ranch home for the annual Rural Life Mass. There were five priests from surrounding parishes already present at the home, enough to capably celebrate the Mass that mid-June evening. But the group was waiting on the only man fit to conduct such a special occasion for the farmers and their families.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 27, 2012
HEARTLAND PRESBYTERY - The 102 congregations of Heartland Presbytery are the spiritual home for 20,184 Presbyterians. Heartland's congregations have been "bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God" (Col. 1:10) for a rather long time. Over a long congregational life, growth comes in spurts and fruit changes with the season, but service to Christ continues. Heartland Presbytery strives to help its congregations grow and bear fruit for generations to come.
CLICK HERE to read more.
Natalie Rolfe serves Lulwanda Children's Home in Uganda as program coordinator: organizing and coordinating the programs of the Home, school, and clinic; overseeing sponsor connection and relationships (on the side of the children); and hosting American visitors that come to the Home.
May, 2012
"As May began, children played outside and enjoyed fun and games with their friends. As May concludes, children are busy in their books and looking smart in their school uniforms."
"We are continually blessed and reminded of God’s blessing over Lulwanda Children’s Home as new contacts, interactions, and opportunities present themselves to us."
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Rolfe's May, 2012 report.
By Sara Higgins
Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram
MIDLAND, TEXAS - One church trying to feed hungry children in Midland might have to shut down its summer lunch program if it can't improve attendance within the next week. St. Paul United Methodist Church has been providing free lunches since July 2 for kids between the ages of 1 and 18, with $3 lunches available for adults. The lunches, which are served from 11 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Summer Food Service program. The program intends to provide healthy meals throughout the summer for children who receive free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch during the school year.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 26, 2012
PRESBYTERY OF GIDDINGS-LOVEJOY - The Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy is committed to ministries that build up the urban core of the city. Second Presbyterian Church in St. Louis has intentionally tethered itself to the urban environment. When a lot behind Washington Montessori School, the church’s adopted school, became available, the congregation began an urban garden as a learning lab for elementary school children. Partnering with Gateway Greening, a community organization that promotes urban neighborhood vitality, an abundance of fresh vegetables and flowers were produced in raised beds.
CLICK HERE to read more.
By Lyxan Toledanes
Reporter
Odessa American
ODESSA, TEXAS - As Odessa’s population grows from the economic boom, some of the town’s religious centers are benefitting from the influx of families. Three churches on Highway 191 are in the process of expanding their education wings to accommodate more families and children.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 25, 2012
SYNOD OF MID-AMERICA - As a point of mission to encourage minister members to be attentive and intentional in creating Christian community, the synod started a pilot program, "Coaching Skills for Pastors." It intends for these leaders to experience Spirit-filled confidence, to expect change, and to encourage positive actions in their ministries and in their relationships.
CLICK HERE to read more.
Missionary teacher Natalie Rolfe writes, "'When He calls me, I will answer ... I'll be somewhere working for my Lord.' My call was Mbale, Uganda and that is where I have returned to serve for another year. Specifically, I am teaching phonics at Lulwanda Children's Home, an orphanage and school for 90 kids." Natalie also keeps an online journal of her service at the weblog, When He calls me, I will answer ...
God is good, all the time!!
We are still alive and kickin', enjoying the many summer visitors that we have been blessed to host.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Natalie's post
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).
Morning Prayer
Today by The Reverend Virginia Going
"Let me live today.
Let me be open to the miracle of this day.
Let me breathe the best of today.
Let me not miss the heart of today.
Let me find the gift of today,
hidden like a jewel in rubble of care, duty, and detail.
Let me pause to hear
the steady beat of the heart of God —
hoping, aching, sorrowing, expectant, patient,
despairing heart of God.
Listen, listen.
Do you hear it?
Ever so faint but steady, steady,
rhythmic organ, strong muscle,
thumping, beating, pumping, sustaining, encompassing,
wildly dancing heart of God.
Let me live this day, aware, open, listening, breathing, alive.”
Women’s Uncommon Prayers; Our Lives Revealed, Nurtured, Celebrated
edited by Elizabeth Rankin Geitz, Marjorie A. Burke, Tracy J. Sukraw
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,
I’m sending out the next two weeks’ worth of prayer requests this week because I will be at the 2012 Churchwide Gathering of Presbyterian Women in Orlando, Florida next week. Please keep the women (and also the few brave men) who attend, work, or volunteer at this conference in your prayers. And I’d also like to ask you to keep in prayer the Faces of Children team working our exhibit booth at this national conference. Thank you!
The Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, with lunch ($5) and fellowship to follow.
If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.
Grace and peace,
Chris
By Meagan Lea Buck
Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram
MIDLAND, TEXAS -
When Becca Roepke returned from a Christian Church of Midland mission trip to Haiti in the summer of 2010, she told her mother, Dana Roepke, about the stifling heat and the nine-hour bus ride from Port-au-Prince to the village where she stayed. When Dana Roepke asked her daughter if she'd ever want to make the trip again, Becca said she'd leave the next day if she were given the opportunity.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 24, 2012
VANUATU - Upon the independence of Vanuatu in 1980, the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu (PCV) gave nearly all the schools that they were running to the new government as a show of support and solidarity. Recent studies have shown, however, that the remaining church-run schools in the country have been doing a more effective job than those run by the government. Now the PCV is taking back nearly 80 of the schools.
CLICK HERE to read more.
The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.
Lawyers, Activist Push for Investigation into “Suicide” of Long-time Jailed Christian Dissident
Distributed by ChinaAid, February, 2012 ...
BEIJING, CHINA – group of some of China’s most prominent human rights lawyers and activists have set up a “Legal and Citizens Support Group” to push for an investigation into the “suicide” of long-time jailed dissident Christian Li Wangyang.
CLICK HERE for more on this story from China Aid
By Nathaniel Miller
Reporter
Odessa American
ODESSA, TEXAS - The bishop of the Diocese of Northwest Texas of the Episcopal Church, which covers Episcopal churches in Odessa and Midland, said in a statement he supports the decision of blessing same-sex unions, but has not made it clear whether he will enforce the decision.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the OA story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 23, 2012
TAIWAN - In the States, the main fruits we ate were bananas, apples, oranges, and the occasional berry or melon. In Taiwan, the options have increased exponentially. Here there are star fruit, mangoes, durian, dragons' eyes, pomelo, loquat, lychees, wax apples, Buddha's head, guava, kiwi, passion fruit, pomegranate, bitter melons, and more. Our toddler has a book with pictures of more than 60 fruits. We often get fruit as a gift, sometimes from students' home orchards or from co-workers' hometowns. When this campus was created, missionaries planted papaya, plantain, pomelo, wax apples, and cherries, and sometimes our communion wine for chapel is made from these cherries by an inventive worker on campus.
CLICK HERE to read more.
Lulwanda Children's Home Administrator Patrick Busima holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Makerere University located in Kampala, Uganda. He has also taken formal training in management of personnel and management of projects. For 5 years he was Project Director of the Nawanjuki Child Development Center, after which he spent 5 years as Principal of the Yesu Afaayo Christian School.
May, 2012
"We thank God for his sufficient Grace and mercies which are new every morning. We thank everyone in one way or other for the continued support towards the activities at Lulwanda children home. May God richly bless you."
"The one hundred and nine children are doing very well. Those in secondary boarding school went back on the 14/5/2012 for the second term school calendar, and those in primary are attending at Lulwanda primary school."
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Busima's May, 2012 report.
Missionary teacher Natalie Rolfe writes, "'When He calls me, I will answer ... I'll be somewhere working for my Lord.' My call was Mbale, Uganda and that is where I have returned to serve for another year. Specifically, I am teaching phonics at Lulwanda Children's Home, an orphanage and school for 90 kids." Natalie also keeps an online journal of her service at the weblog, When He calls me, I will answer ...
Time flies when you are having fun
Time flies when you are having fun. This holiday from school has been one of the busiest that I can remember. But I am grateful to embrace each moment and what it brings. From crusades to chameleons, here is a recap of what has been happening the past month at Lulwanda.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Natalie's post
The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.
Chinese State Security Breaks Up Chinese Theological Society’s Teachers Training Camp
Distributed by ChinaAid, June, 2012 ...
FOSHAN, GUANGDONG, CHINA – The Chinese Theological Society was forced on Tuesday to end its first teachers’ training camp early after being harassed and investigated by officials from the Ministry of State Security.
CLICK HERE for more on this story from China Aid
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 15, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: SMALLER MEMBERSHIP CHURCH - We know that "the earth is the Lord's," as the Psalmist sings (Ps. 24:1), "and all that is in it, the world, and those who live in it." And Paul tells us that ``in Christ we have also obtained an inheritance ... so that we ... might live for the praise of his glory'' (Eph. 1:11-12). But how can we teach our children these things?
When mission co-workers to Indonesia Farsijana and Bernie Adeney-Risakotta itinerated through the Wilson Yoked Parish of Presbyterians and United Methodists in 2009, our children were fascinated by their stories of "God's world, and those who live in it'' in Indonesia. The children told Farsijana they would raise money to help her women's group buy goats for families who could not afford to send their children to school.
CLICK HERE to read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 14, 2012
KOREA (NORTH) - Korea was a unified country for 1,300 years until the end of World War II. The division along the 38th parallel in 1945 brought tragedies far beyond the 4 million casualties of the Korean War. As a result of the division, some 10 million Korean people have been separated from their loved ones, and I am one of them.
CLICK HERE to read more.
By Sara Higgins
Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram
MIDLAND, TEXAS -
Maybe it's the potlucks or the long hours of sitting in pews: recent studies show that young adults who frequently attend religious activities have a higher probability than their peers of becoming obese later in life. Young adults attending at least one religious function per week were 50 percent more likely to be obese by middle age than other participants in a 2011 Northwestern University Medicine study, which tracked more than 2,400 normal weight men and women between the ages of 20 to 32 for 18 years.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 13, 2012
KOREA (SOUTH), Pt. 2 - Presbyterian mission in Korea started in 1884 when a medical missionary serving in China, H. N. Allen, was reassigned to Korea. Shortly thereafter, many others came to Korea and shared God's love with the people of the Land of Morning Calm. In 2010, three young Presbyterians came as Young Adult Volunteers (YAV) to Korea.
Korea now sends more Christian missionaries overseas than any country other than the United States. It is not surprising that both Americans and Koreans ask why we need Presbyterian missionaries in a prosperous society like Korea where churches are strong. Within six months of coming here, the YAVs taught us many reasons why God sent them here. One is that they are here to help reveal the image of the Creator in all of us.
CLICK HERE to read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 12, 2012
KOREA (SOUTH) - Sook Hee Bae has been in Korea as a mission co-worker since 2000. In 2008 K.J. Bae joined with her in a team ministry and as the financial representative for the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK). Sook Hee has worked with the Women Ministers' Association (WMA) of the PCK to start two shelters: the Good News Shelter for victims of domestic violence and Another Home for run-away juveniles. She is grateful for the opportunities to see God at work at the shelters. Residents sometimes accept Jesus as their Savior and transform their lives while they stay there. Sook Hee believes that God called her as a missionary to comfort people in places where the Lord asks us to make peace and justice.
CLICK HERE to read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 11, 2012
HONG KONG - Hong Kong's population is 95 percent Chinese, but there are over 7,000 refugees and asylum seekers living in this city of 7 million. They come mainly from South Asia and Africa. Although Hong Kong's churches initially were slow to get involved in ministry to this vulnerable group, over the past few years, more churches and Christian charities have begun programs to welcome them and offer assistance. Hong Kong Christian Council and its members are part of a refugee concern network that provides legal, financial, social, spiritual, and psychological support to those in need, regardless of religious background. This aid is urgently required since Hong Kong is not a signatory to international treaties regarding refugees. The government provides only the bare necessities.
CLICK HERE to read more.
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).
Abuse
The House of Secrets by Gloria Masterson Richardson
"“Like a vise the heavy roof grips the tall house and squeezes out its light and life. Stone eyebrows over narrow windows and airless rooms frown at passersby. Lies slide into shadowed corners of high-ceiling rooms. Dusty cobwebs trap secrets next to dead flies and moths. In the dark, nightmares wake the children, monsters advancing through black corridors and locked doors into their rooms.
The children go forth each morning, concealing bruises, hiding terror behind smiling mouths and cold eyes. In the dusk of late afternoon the children return and hide in their rooms, cowering under beds, in the closets. They shiver in shame remembering their sins — a bike left in the driveway, crumbs on the floor. Then, the father’s long arm snatching, shaking, before they sit down to dinner and he asks the blessing.”
Women’s Uncommon Prayers; Our Lives Revealed, Nurtured, Celebrated
edited by Elizabeth Rankin Geitz, Marjorie A. Burke, Tracy J. Sukraw
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
Greetings, Faces of Children Intercessor,
As I read through the pages of Women’s Uncommon Prayers, my breath was taken away by this prayer/poem above. It reminded me of something my church prayer group prays for the children and people in and around our church… for those in our congregation, in the neighborhood, in the elementary school down the block, and in the church next to ours.
It reminded me of prayers lifted for neighborhood and church children …who live in homes filled with violence, neglect, anger, hopelessness, pain …who come home to an empty house after school …who struggle with school work or homework …who have little or nothing to eat at home …who watch their parents or caregivers self destruct … who don’t believe they are worth being loved …who don’t know how much God loves them.
Aside from God, who really knows what happens behind the closed doors and curtained windows of neighborhood homes? Sometimes the abuse comes to light, and when it does, we see that abuse of children isn’t limited to specific socioeconomic, racial, cultural, or religious groups. It crosses all boundaries. Its scope and magnitude is overwhelming.
When we lift the children of our churches, neighborhoods, and communities before God in prayer, we acknowledge our trust in God to take care of each child in God’s way and in God’s time. When we open our eyes and our hearts to the children of our churches, neighborhoods, and communities, we may see things that are very hard to see. However, when we surrender these painful things in prayer to God, the Holy Spirit will give us the courage, wisdom, and guidance to do the next right thing. But only if we look and see and ask
The Faces of Children prayer group will meet on Wednesday, July 11, 2012, at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride's room at First Presbyterian Church-Midland, to lift in prayer the children of our local and global communities. Lunch ($5) and a time of fellowship will follow.
If you have prayer concerns or celebrations about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.
Grace and peace,
Chris
By Audrie Palmer
Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram
DENTON, TEXAS -
When we left Stonegate Fellowship on June 3, 11 charter buses made their way east on Interstate 20 toward the Metroplex. Newly graduated sixth-grade through 12th-grade students - 494 in total - and 130 volunteers embarked on Camp Copass in Denton for a week.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the MRT story
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 10, 2012
CHINA - Gao Qiao Church began in the early 1990s as a small gathering of Christians in the semi-rural outskirts of Nanjing, and by 1995, they were able to build a small church. However, in 2008 it was announced that the church was located squarely in the path of a planned highway. Some local government officials wanted to simply compensate the members for the property and move them to another city church. However, one influential government leader was impressed that the church had twice been officially commended for its assistance to elderly people and poor students in the community. So he initiated a successful campaign to find a new site nearby for the church.
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The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.
Shouwang Church Members Subjected to Two Days of Persecution Last Weekend
Distributed by ChinaAid, June, 2012 ...
BEIJING, CHINA – The continued persecution of Shouwang Church, which has been meeting outdoors for 14 months in defiance of an official crackdown, took a new turn this past weekend, with security authorities preventing young church members from using campus basketball courts.
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By Lyxan Toledanes
Reporter
Odessa American
KITALE, KENYA - Whether it’s the first steps you learn to walk or the first time you got behind the steering wheel and drove the car on your own, first experiences are milestones that can change the rest of your life. For the 19 members from Immanuel Baptist Church, the first time they embarked on a trip to Kenya was certainly a life-changing experience and one that’s sure not to be the last for many of them.
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The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 9, 2012
MALAYSIA - Christians in Malaysia are known for their faith in Christ and for their love of sharing the gospel. An example of this is the Malaysian churches' commitment to share with migrant workers from Vietnam. These workers often come from rural villages. Once relocated to factory settings in Malaysia, they are isolated from family and friends and unfamiliar with their surroundingse.
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By Sara Higgins
Reporter
Midland Reporter-Telegram
MIDLAND, TEXAS -
The sights and sounds of African folklore will come alive in West Texas as the Ugandan Orphans Choir performs at local venues Saturday through July 15. The choir will be giving free concerts at First United Methodist Church , Alamo Heights Baptist Church , Midland Public Library and Fannin Terrace Baptist Church as part of its eighth annual 11-month tour across the U.S.
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The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 8, 2012
MINUTE FOR MISSION: PRINCETON THEOLOGICALSEMINARY - Matt Rhodes's calling began during a college mission trip to Nicaragua where he visited a home for young adults with disabilities. Apprehensive about his first experience working with people with disabilities, he immediately felt at ease when a 17-year-old boy grabbed his hand like a long-lost friend and led him around the home. "His openness and affection created an instant connection with the community," Matt says. That connection led to Matt's working at L'Arche, a family-like home for the disabled in Washington, DC, the year before he entered Princeton Seminary.
CLICK HERE to read more.
The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer. The stories in the 2012 Mission Yearbook were gathered around the prayer of Paul for the Colossians, that these faithful brothers and sisters would bear fruit and grow in the knowledge of God (1:10).
Today in the Mission Yearbook: July 7, 2012
MYANMAR (BURMA) - Myanmar is a beautiful land with a rich heritage, wonderful people, and deep traditions of tolerance and patience. The Presbyterian Church of Myanmaris committed to sharing the gospel. Church members, while often hard-pressed themselves, bear fruit as they reach out to care for the widow and the orphan and those who struggle with poverty and disease. They see their church and themselves as evangelists and are passionately committed to helping others know Christ as Savior and Lord..
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Missionary teacher Natalie Rolfe writes, "'When He calls me, I will answer ... I'll be somewhere working for my Lord.' My call was Mbale, Uganda and that is where I have returned to serve for another year. Specifically, I am teaching phonics at Lulwanda Children's Home, an orphanage and school for 90 kids." Natalie also keeps an online journal of her service at the weblog, When He calls me, I will answer ...
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