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).Hello Friends,
Hi Friends,
I hope you'll be able to join us tomorrow (Wednesday, October 21) for prayer at 11:30 in the gym conference room followed by lunch together. I'm keeping my email brief because I want to ask you to pay particular attention to our first set of prayer requests this week, sent to me by Hannah Schorr from Jerusalem. See you tomorrow!
Israel and Palestine // Pray for the current violent uprising between Palestinians and Israelis.
From Hannah Schorr, working at The Jerusalem School | (Editor's Note: Hannah is the daughter of the Senior Pastor here at FPC Midland. She is in her second year as a teacher at The Jerusalem School. What follows are prayer requests directly from her concerning the current unrest in Jerusalem. If you want more information about the clashes happening now, this article gives a good overview of the situation.)
This is a tragic time for both Palestinians and Israelis. Pray for the families who have lost loved ones. Pray for the Palestinians who will lose their homes and their Arab Israeli citizenship. Pray that the Israeli government would come up with a peaceful, just strategy to deal with the perpetrators of the violence (whether Palestinian or Israeli) that doesn't involve collective punishment, restriction of the freedom of movement, or point-blank murder.
Pray that Jesus' peace, Jesus' grace, Jesus' love for all (and for enemies) would REIGN in the hearts of the people of Jerusalem. Pray for forgiveness to become stronger than bitterness. Pray that the Kingdom would come.
Pray for the Jerusalem School. Pray for faculty and students who commute from various parts of the city and the West Bank who will now have to go through additional check points to come to school. Pray that these checkpoints would not become hotspots for further clashes. Pray that our school would be a refuge, a place of peace, in this time of violence.
Pray for protection for our students. Many of them are angry, anxious, and frustrated. May God silence the voices in their lives telling them to channel this anger into violence. I'm teaching a class on nonviolent revolutions to Juniors and Seniors this fall. Pray that Christ would be present in that class and that he would use that time to raise up leaders for his Kingdom and peacemakers for this city.
Pray for my relationships with students. May I be a bearer of Christ's hope in the midst of heartache and pain. May my classroom be a place of peace and comfort. May they feel like they are known, understood, and loved when they are around me. Pray for Jesus to make his endless love known to these kids.
India // Praise God for the rescue of 4 young girls from trafficking aboard a moving train.
From IJM | In an incredible story involving the coordinated efforts of a concerned witness, local Indian law enforcement, IJM staff and other NGOs, 4 young girls who were in the process of being trafficked were rescued last week in Mumbai. The youngest was 10 years old, and the children were hundreds of miles away from their homes when a fellow train passenger found their circumstances to be suspicious and alerted authorities. The authorities then alerted IJM who mobilized two teams to identify and board the train when it stopped. They were then able to locate the girls and arrest, with the help of the local authorities, the traffickers. The girls are now in a shelter for trafficking survivors and IJM will ensure they receive the support and services they need. Some of the girls have already been able to make contact with their families. Praise God for concerned citizens who had the necessary training to identify the warning signs of trafficking victims, a quick response from authorities and IJM, and ultimately that these children were rescued before they were exploited.
Algeria // Pray for Algerian young believers who want to share their faith.
From Open Doors | Pray for Algerian youth who are eager to share their faith with Muslim peers in a school system that teaches Islam. Pray for opportunities to share, and wisdom in doing so.
USA // Praise God for the rescue of 149 sexually exploited children and 153 pimps in a nationwide FBI sting this month.
From Denver Post | In a mission called Operation Cross Country IX, the FBI coordinated with other local, state, and federal agencies across the country to recover victims of trafficking. Praise God that these children have been found, rescued, and set on the path to restoration and healing. Please pray for the perpetrators to be brought to full justice. In many states, laws are not strong enough to ensure the pimps are locked up for their crimes. Also, please pray for the thousands of child sex trafficking victims still caught in the trade. The FBI estimates there are up to 2,000 in Colorado and Wyoming alone, each of whom can make as much as $100,000 for a pimp. Please pray for those who provide a market for these kind of heinous crimes. Pray they cease their abuse and that those who do not are caught and brought to justice.
Thank you for your continued passion for vulnerable children around the world. There are a lot of hurting and broken and dark places in this world, and I think as a church, we most look like Jesus when we show up in those places, lifting them up in prayer and extending our hands in love.
Blessings,
Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153
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 info@facesofchildren.net
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