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).Invitation to Prayer, Wednesday
Hi Friends,
I hope you can make it to our time of prayer Wednesday at 11:30, at First Presbyterian Churchof Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together. Also, please pray for our intercessors and friends, Ramon and Bob Billhimer, as they head to Uganda this week to visit some of their water well projects and to explore new project opportunities!
Dear intercessors,
As I sat down to gather stories and happenings around the world for us to lift up together in prayer this week, I was struck by a common theme that emerged ... education, freedom, and the rights of women. Please pray that no matter what corner of the world a young girl may find herself in, that she would be in a place where her value is known, her rights are protected, her body isn't violated, and she is given the opportunity to pursue all her hopes and dreams. Sometimes the things we pray for seem monumentally large and nearly impossible to imagine becoming reality... but we serve a God who moves in mysterious and mighty ways, and we are told to come boldly before his throne. So let's pray bold and impossible prayers with confidence in our good and faithful Father who wants to see justice for each of his children.
Thank you for your faithful prayers ...
BURMA
Free Burma Rangers recently sent teams into Chin state and came back noting that "one of the most pressing concerns in the region was the state of the regional educational system. One village lost a school in the landslides. The central government pledged recovery funds for the school, but as of the time rangers wrote this report, no money had been received. All of the villages that they visited have or have had schools, although the quality and the availability of education varies by economic status. Schools that have since shut down mostly did so due to difficulty surrounding retaining teachers. The rangers noted that several teachers have resorted to making side money by turning their homes into unlicensed guesthouses and hostels. Poorer families in the region tend to lack the ability to help pay for school supplies in government schools and therefore receive subpar education from government teachers or refuse to enroll their children in schools at all. Meanwhile, richer families tend to pay for private home education in recognition of the low quality of government education. Lack of road access has also increased the cost of school supplies such as books and writing implements, making it even more difficult for children in the region to receive an adequate education." Please pray for the educational system in Burma.
NIGER
A recent BBC News Magazine article shared the story of a brave young girl who sued her family (and won!) for the right to remain unmarried and continue her studies. "Niger's tradition of marrying its girls young - it has the highest rate of child marriage in the world - is partly rooted in its grinding poverty," the article shares. But with the help of her teacher and a local NGO, Balkissa Chaibou was able to stand up to this tradition and has recently passed her International Baccalaureate exam and is now studying in medical school. But it wasn't an easy fight; her uncle threatened to kill her after he was taken to court for his role in the arranged marriage, and Balkissa was forced to move into a women's shelter temporarily for her own safety. But in the end, Balkissa prevailed and she wants other girls to understand that they can stand up for themselves and their dreams, too. "I'm not saying don't marry," she tells one group of schoolgirls. "But choose the right moment to do so. The advice I have for you is to fight - study with all your might. I know studying isn't easy but you must force yourself because those studies are your only hope." Praise God for Balkissa's bravery and the community support she received!
INDIA
Conservative estimates suggest that each year at least 1,000 young women in India have acid flung in their faces by men who are angry for not being allowed to have their way with them. At Sheroes Cafe in the shadow of the Taj Majal, a group of young victims are fighting back by refusing to cover their faces. By remaining a part of society rather than hiding in the shadows, they empower other victims to do the same, forcing political and social attention to remain on the abhorrent practice and hopefully bringing justice to their perpetrators and ultimately an end to the practice. Please pray for these women as they heal from both their physical and emotional wounds. Pray that they come to know God is with them as they try to make a new life - one often marked by pain, blindness, and an often a bleak future as outsiders. Please pray for laws to be passed around the world, regulating the sale of acid and bringing to justice those who cause harm. Underlying these acts of violence is a deep-seated misogynistic attitude among many men around the world; pray that God would work on their hearts so that they see women as valuable and worthy of respect.
USA
February 25 marked the annual End It Day, a day dedicated to shining a light on modern day slavery. End It is a "Coalition of the leading organizations in the world in the fight for FREEDOM. Each of our amazing Coalition Partners are doing the work, on the ground, everyday, to bring AWARENESS, PREVENTION, RESCUE, and RESTORATION." Groups like IJM, A21, World Vision, and World Relief come together to raise awareness and action on behalf of those trapped in slavery. This year the Coalition is seeking to lobby Congress to pass The End Modern Slavery Act of 2015, a piece of legislation aimed at seeing a measurable 50 percent decrease in slavery in the next 7 years. Please consider reaching out to your representatives to express your support of this Act. And please pray that the world's attention continues to focus on ending slavery in all its forms. Pray that governments, NGOs, businesses and individuals would take a united stand and work together to end slavery in our lifetime.
Thank you for your faithful prayers,
Carrie
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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