Faces of Children: Prayer Concerns for This Week

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 10/29/14

Nigeria

• Continue to pray for the more than 200 school girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram last April. Pray for the girls’ safety and their quick release. Nigeria’s government had made a truce with a representative of the Islamist militant group, but a wave of violence shortly after the announcement raises doubts about the girls’ release.
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• Pray for the parents of the missing girls as they wait and hope for news about their daughters’ release. Pray God will sustain them during this season of uncertainty and fear.
• Please pray for children and families living in the religiously mixed northeast region of Nigeria where Boko Haram (whose name means Western education is forbidden) is trying to create an Islamic state. Pray for those who’ve had their homes and communities attacked by Boko Haram militants. Pray God will comfort those whose loved ones have been massacred by this violent group.
• Pray for peace and an end to the violence in northeast Nigeria.

Pakistan, India, Britain

• Give God thanks for 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai and her fearlessness in advocating for the education of all children. The Pakistani teen was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian child’s rights advocate.
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• Thanks be to God the courageous efforts of Malala (a Pakistani Muslim) and Kailash (an Indian Hindu) were recognized in this joint award by the Nobel Committee. The committee wanted to highlight this common struggle for the education of children and against extremism by individuals who are from countries currently involved in ongoing conflict.
• Continue to pray for Malala, who was shot in the head two years ago by Taliban gunmen intent on silencing her. Malala now lives in Britain with her family as they cannot return to Pakistan because of ongoing threats by the Taliban. Pray for her efforts to empower girls through education.
• Please keep Kailash in prayer as he continues to work to stop the exploitation of children for financial gain through peaceful protests and demonstrations.

United States

• Keep 16-year-old Hackett, Dakota, Jacob, and Carly and Stephanie close in prayer.
• Pray for all the sick children all over the world. Pray for their safety and healing.

Faces of Children

• Please keep in prayer 5-year-old Carolyn, the granddaughter of a Faces of Children intercessor, as she faces additional surgery to clear scar tissue from a previous surgery that’s now blocking her kidney. Carolyn has Ewing’s sarcoma, a primary bone cancer that affects mainly children and adolescents, and has recently gone into remission, thanks be to God.
• Please continue to keep Hank Richey, the brother of Faces of Children prayer partner Robin Richey, close in prayer as he begins radiation treatments for cancer. Pray God will bless him with healing and the peace that surpasses all understanding during this difficult season.
• Keep close in prayer Faces of Children intercessor Ramon and her husband Bob as they grieve the loss of Bob’s sister Betty. Pray God will comfort them in this season of sorrow. Pray for Betty’s husband Herb as he deals with the loss of his wife and his own Alzheimer’s disease.
• Give thanks to God for the new prayer partners who joined with Faces of Children following the presentation and workshop at First Presbyterian Church, Pensacola, FL last Saturday. Thanks be to God for the opportunity to share the ministry of Faces of Children with so many at this event and during worship at First Presbyterian Church the next morning. Please pray those who heard the message of prayer for children will take it into their churches and communities.
• 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.

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If you have prayer requests 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 Chris Laufer, FOC Coordinator, at claufer@facesofchildren.net