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 ... Wednesday
Hi Friends,
If you're in town and free, please join us to pray together on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. The church is not currently offering lunch service. If you'd like to have lunch together, please bring a sack lunch and we can eat together.
This will be the last prayer email I send for the a few weeks. I'm going on vacation with my family and will return in early August. The prayer group will still meet while I'm gone, but I won't be sending out emails.
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,
We're in the midst of summer, and my kids are enjoying it immensely. Swimming pools, camping trips, time with grandparents, staying up late eating root beer floats with their daddy. It's been a great summer to be a kid at my house. That being said, when I consider the world around me -- not just the other side of the world, but sometimes just down my street -- I think about how for many children, summer isn't anything special. For kids in my own neighborhood, community, and country, summer can be a time of too-much-time-alone. Of course kids don't need to be entertained all the time, but for some kids summer is filled with isolation, loneliness, and hunger.
And this past week as my girls watched in wide-eyed-wonder as fireworks filled the sky, I thought about kids in war-torn countries for whom rockets streaking through the night mean terror and not delight. There are so many ways a child can loose her innocence, and I find it difficult to live in the tension of gratefully protecting my own children and aching for the children who don't ever get the chance to just be an innocent little kid.
I know that God never grows comfortable with this tension. He didn't create some children to suffer and some children to thrive. He didn't design destruction. So when we see it -- whether it's in the neglect of a child in our community or in the violence directed towards a child on the other side of the world -- may we speak out against it, rise up to stop it, and lift our hearts in prayer.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
I've been thinking a lot about hearts this week. And I'd like to invite you to join me in praying for three little hearts and the hearts of those who love them.
Connor
Connor Hutcheson Langdon was born July 13 at 3:44pm, weighing 8lbs and measuring 21.25 inches. Mary and Travis Langdon, members of FPC, welcomed baby Connor, along with big sisters Sally and Kate. Connor was born with Ebstein's Anomaly of the Tricuspid Valve (learn more here ...), and he's currently hospitalized at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston as his medical team evaluates whether or not he needs heart surgery immediately. Travis shared the following update yesterday:
"Connor had a great first day and then some setbacks on day 2 so he was intubated (breathing tube down his trachea) and put on a respirator. We were worried about that at first, but he seems to be responding very well and getting some good rest at the CVICU. The incredible staff at TCH reminds us that Ebstein's treatment is a marathon, and that if Connor remains stable he may stay in his current status for days or weeks. His small army of care providers reassure us that he is strong and responsive but they need time to dial in what will work for him." Follow his family's journey here ...
Please join me in praying for Connor's heart to beat strong, for his medical team as they determine the best course of care, and for Mary, Travis, Sally, Kate, and the rest of their family, as they learn how to navigate this new season.
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| Photo by meredithtouring |
"This tiny baby girl doesn't have a mom and a dad to claim her, but she has the community of a small foster home in China behind her. It's a miracle she's made it this far -- she arrived at the Beijing foster home from her home orphanage incredibly sick and desperately needing a heart surgery. Under most circumstances, surgeons wouldn't operate on a little one with so many infections, but in her case, not operating meant she would certainly die. So they decided to try. The manager of the foster home shared the following report post-surgery:
"They worked all afternoon and into the China night -- and our Adriel Brave was the strongest little fighter I've ever known. She made it through surgery -- a victory that was far from guaranteed. She came out on life support -- chest swollen open -- but she is alive. She is fighting. She is Brave.
They removed a clot -- over half her heart's size -- and attempted to repair the tiniest valve. Tightened up an artery to protect her lungs, in greatest hope and faith that future surgeries will be part of her story.
She is one desperately sick baby girl -- and I don't say that often. The next days and weeks will be a fight for life -- for hope -- and we will stand with her. Bacterial and fungal pneumonia, fungal meningitis, and a raging infection through her valves, blood, and the lining of her heart. Words that could bring down full grown adults -- and our tiny 12 pound Adriel Brave warriors on.
She's in isolation because of infection in that Chinese ICU, but her doctor has absolutely lost his heart -- sending updates and promising to do his best to fight her through.
I couldn't be more grateful for her Chinese surgical team. When most would have said "No hope" -- they said "We'll try". They stood for hours upon hours into the night, working on the tiniest brave heart -- and they didn't rest.. didn't stop... didn't give up on her once.
She has the longest road ahead and we are so grateful for your prayers -- and we are trusting she is held in His hands until we have her back in our arms. No matter the cost -- no matter the fight... Adriel's hope is worth the risk. We will never stop being grateful for the miracle of each day." Follow Adriel's journey and see other stories of children helped by Morningstar Foundation here ...
Please join me in praying for Adriel's body to fight hard and heal -- both from the heart surgery and all the infections. Pray for Meredith and the rest of the nannies at Morningstar as they love and serve Adriel and other children with critical cardiac needs.
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| Courtesy Photo |
Everett turns 4 in just a few days, and he was adopted from China earlier this year. He came home with a broken heart, and just underwent surgery a couple of weeks ago at one of the best pediatric cardiac facilities in the nation in an attempt to correct the consequences of being born with heterotaxy, a rare congenital heart condition which results in the heart being opposite of its normal placement. Seventeen days after surgery, Everett had a major cardiac arrest and though his medical team was able to bring him back, he suffered significant brain damage and his family have been told he no longer has brain activity. Yesterday, his family gathered around his hospital bed to celebrate his 4th birthday. Follow his family's story here ...
Please join me in praying for a miracle for little Everett, and for his family as they walk through days and weeks to come.
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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