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,
Please join us in lifting up the needs of vulnerable children around the world. Faces Of Children will be meeting at 11:00 (not 11:30) this Wednesday, September 26, for prayer. We are now meeting in the prayer closet at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, instead of in the gym conference room. The prayer closet is near the library and reception desk of the church. I hope you can join them to pray together for children in our community and around the world!
Warmly,
Carrie
Dear Intercessors,
Disabled or differently-abled?
In our own country, we often wrestle with how to properly integrate children with special needs into our classrooms and how to make appropriate accommodations for their unique needs. But in much of the world, the challenges are even greater.
This week, I'd like to invite you to pray for the following places, situations and children in them ...
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| Al Jazeera Photo by Nathalie Bertrams |
Thousands of boys and girls with disabilities in Ethiopia are invisible in government statistics, unable to access health services, discriminated against by society and trapped in a cycle of poverty and violence. A report from UNFPA and the Population Council highlights that one in every three girls living with disabilities has been sexually assaulted. They also face systematic and violent abuse at home and in their communities; they're blamed for being different and feared because they're seen to be under the spell of witchcraft. Eniyat Belete, 17, has been blind since birth. In her village, as in many other towns all over Ethiopia, disability comes with a heavy stigma. "They believe I was cursed with blindness because God was angry," explains the teenager. Fisseha Arage Haile, himself blind, works as a special needs and inclusive education expert for the South Gondar Zone Education Office. He confirms that teenagers with disabilities are largely excluded from education, health and social welfare services. The Charities and Societies Proclamation (CSP) law makes it impossible for NGOs and other civil societies to operate in the country, which compounds the severe gap in service provision Keep reading, and see the photo gallery ...
KENYA // Deaf Education
This Human Rights Campaign video celebrates the progress being made in Kenya to provide education to deaf students while also highlighting the challenges and deficits that remain.
MIDLAND // I'm going to call him Seth.
That's not his real name, but God knows who he is. I met Seth because he comes over to the church in the mornings to get coffee before school. We've exchanged lots of small talk these last few weeks, watching videos on YouTube and discussing just how much sugar in the morning is too much sugar, but things grew more serious this week when he shared that as a Freshman in high school, he can't read. From what I can understand, it sounds like a mix of possibly undiagnosed special needs and ESL contributed to this situation... along with other factors: not having glasses in elementary school when initial reading lessons were being taught; a family that isn't able to navigate the school system very fluently, and even his own outbursts and behavior as school grew more and more difficult and stressful. Whatever the case may be, Seth seems to want to be able to read and God brought him to our church... please pray for Seth as we explore how we can help him.
Praying with you,
Carrie
Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153
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