Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Their mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, they 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, Tomorrow
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 this Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by lunch together.
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.
All the best,
Carrie
Dear Intercessors,
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.
Matthew 25:35, ESV
Headlines have been dominated this week with news of President Trump's Executive Order on immigration and the chaos that followed in its implementation. Sometimes it can be hard to cut through all of the rhetoric, but this article by Preemptive Love Coalition helpfully outlines 5 things everyone needs to know about this order. Among them is this important perspective:
"Sometimes we get locked into strident, polarizing positions, as if our only choice is between opening our border completely in the name of love, or locking everyone out in the name of security. Let us be clear: this is a false choice.
You can care about refugees and care about securing our borders. This is not a "liberal vs. conservative" issue. It's not a "Republican vs. Democrat" issue. It's not all black-and-white. There are shades of gray.
There are entirely legitimate reasons to insist on a careful, thorough screening process for those coming into the United States. Insisting on adequate security does not make you a "cold-hearted conservative." Nor does insisting on compassion for refugees make someone a "bleeding-heart liberal."
More importantly, we need to see beyond the dualistic, mutually exclusive categories of "us vs. them." Our security versus their well-being.
What if, in reality, our well-being is tied up in theirs? What if our security is connected to theirs?"
Please join me in praying this week for our leaders and citizens to begin to moving through the divisiveness so we can find some common ground which makes space for both security and compassion.
In addition to that, please join me in praying for the following matters this week:
"The Bangladeshi government's revised proposals to relocate tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote island that appeared only eight years ago, and floods at high tide, threaten to trigger a humanitarian catastrophe, rights groups have warned. Members of the Rohingya Muslim community, who fled from Myanmar to neighbouring Bangladesh to escape persecution, said they were so fearful of the planned relocation they would consider returning to their homeland. Government officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have described the low-lying island of Thengar Char, in south-eastern Bangladesh, as uninhabitable."
Please pray for the Bangladeshi government to find another solution that involves a habitable place to live for the Rohingya. Pray for the children growing up in such uncertainty; for their safety, emotional well-being and basic needs to be met..
• Read more here ...
IRAQ // Iraq faces challenge of educating Mosul's displaced children
"Like millions of children in the country, Yousef's hopes of an education ended when Islamic State swept through northern Iraq in 2014. Many parents opted against enrolling their sons in Islamic State-run schools for fear they would be recruited to join the militant group, leaving the children to find jobs to help support their family. A report by the U.N. children's agency UNICEF last year said that almost 3.5 million Iraqi children of school age were missing out on an education, with more than half a million estimated to be at work rather than in class. The need for income was heightened after the World Food Programme said on Friday it had halved the food rations distributed to 1.4 million displaced Iraqis because of delays in payments of funds from donor states. Ahmed Ali, a former factory worker in Mosul, said his children had to go to work as he could not find a job. "It is a very painful situation. Of course I feel sorry for them. What did he do to deserve this? My son is eight years old now and he doesn't know how to write down his own name," Ali said."
Please pray for the Iraqi government and outside aide organizations as they try to rebuild Mosul's education system. Pray for the families of these children to have enough to eat so that their children can go to school.
• Read more here ...
MIDLAND //
"Beginning this week, Faces of Children will be hosting an exhibit of original pen and watercolor portraits of Syrian and Rohingya refugee children. If you are local to the area, please consider joining us for an art exhibit reception and sale on Wednesday, February 8 from 6 - 8 pm in the Commons Gallery of First Presbyterian Church. The portraits will be sold for a minimum donation of $600 with all proceeds going to the FPC Mission Ministry for distribution to refugee relief"
If you are local, please join us! And if you are not in the area, please pray the gallery touches many hearts and moves more people to action.
Praying with you,
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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