Monday, May 9, 2016

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... WEDNESDAY

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,

Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us on Wednesday, May 11, at 11:30, in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch.

Also, Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.

Thank you!

Carrie



Dear Intercessors,

Recently First Presbyterian Church enjoyed a visit from Annie Dieselberg and Natalie Shirley, our ministry partners at NightLight International Ministies. Nightlight is an international organization working with women negatively impacted by sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. While Annie lives and works in Bangkok, Natalie is based in Houston. In addition to her work with NightLight, Natalie is also one of the founders of Freedom Place., the first long-term, comprehensive care facility in Texas for underage victims of domestic child sex trafficking. It is one of only five such facilities in the United States.

According to Natalie, Texas has emerged as a hub for human trafficking. Consider the following statistics collected by Freedom Place:
 • 100,000 - 300,000 American children are likely victims of human trafficking in the United States compared to 17,500 international victims trafficked into the United States each year
 • Texas houses the I-10 corridor, which the Department of Justice designated as the number one route in the USA for human trafficking.
 • The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children say 74 percent of those caught in trafficking are children from our foster care system.
 • The average age that a girl enters prostitution in the USA is 12 to 14.
 • There are over 6,000 runaways in Houston and according to National Incidence Studies of Missing Abducted Runaway and Throwaway Children, an estimated 1 out of every 3 children who run away is lured into sex trafficking within 48 hours of leaving home.

Please pray for local community leaders, law enforcement agencies, and social service groups to join forces to form a comprehensive and holistic response to trafficking in our area.

Please pray for teachers, schools, counselors, social service agencies, and youth workers to recognize those children who are at risk of running away or being trafficked.

Please pray for children who grow up in homes marked by violence, abuse, and neglect and do not understand they are created in the Image of God. Children with this background are particularly vulnerable to traffickers.

If you want to be a part of an ongoing local conversation about what we can do about trafficking in our area, please email me at info@facesofchildren.net.

Sincerely,

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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