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. 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,

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. 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.

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

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"For the LORD your God is living among you.

He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs."

Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

Dear Intercessors,

One of the sweetest moments of my week was also one of the most simple and unplanned. My six-year-old daughter, Cora, decided she wanted to set up a "Kid's Craft Table" in our front yard and wait for neighborhood children to walk by so she could invite them to make something with her. There were no special kits or fancy supplies -- just a stack of white paper, a basket of scissors, stickers, glue and beads, and old tin cans which she carefully labeled to hold crayons, markers, and decorative tape. I helped her carry her supplies outside and set them out on a small table. She taped a sign she made to the front of the table, and then sat down to wait.

"Do you think anyone will come, Mama?" she asked.

"I think so. School is getting out now, and the neighborhood kids will be walking by soon."

A few minutes later, her favorite playmates from down the street walked by with their mom and Cora ran out in the street to meet them. She invited them to the table and before long, the three little girls were busy cutting, gluing, stringing, laughing and chattering. Their mom and I sat in the shade of the tree in our yard, enjoying the slow pace and simple joy of spontaneous childhood unfolding before.

Courtesy Photo

Over the last few weeks, I've somehow slipped into a fast-paced/performance-based/never-enough-hours-in-the-day mentality. I've been tired... deep-down soul tired. But as I sat there watching my girl with her friends, each of them fully present to the moment they were in and not worrying if they were doing a 'good enough' job coloring or if they had time to pause and paste pink hearts to white paper, I felt nothing but pure joy and delight. They were precious not because they were making spectacular art, but just because they were.

And as I watched, God brought to mind a verse I've been pondering this week, Zepheniah 3:17... and I heard the Spirit whisper to my heart, "Just as you delight in them, so the Father delights over you... just because you are."

I never cease to be grateful for the ways my children show me the heart of God. I didn't have the easiest childhood, and I've grieved what I missed. Truthfully sometimes it feels like I'm raising not just the two little girls God entrusted to me, but three... Cora, Alea, and myself. Through my journey as their mama, God has been healing some of my broken heart, restoring some of what I lost, and learning what it means to be a beloved daughter.

Children are such a gift... simply because they are. This week, as we pray for children and mourn all the ways they are wounded, may we start from a place of gratitude and wonder -- praising God for how He uses them to raise us up.

This week, I'd like to invite you to join me in praying for the following matters:

Malaysia // Over half of Rohingya girls who fled violence became child brides - UN survey

Reuters Photo by Mohammad Ponier Hossain

"More than half of Rohingya Muslim girls who fled violence in western Myanmar ended up becoming child brides, according to a United Nations survey that also showed widespread domestic abuse." ... "In a survey of 85 Rohingya women and girls who have fled to India, Malaysia and Indonesia, UNHCR found about 60 percent married before the age of 18. The average age that they gave birth to their first child was 18. One in every three women and girls also said they were victims of domestic violence, according to UNHCR's 2016 Report on Mixed Movements in Southeast Asia." Learn more here ...

Please pray for God's protection over these girls and for organizations who work to support the Rohingya, like Partner's Relief and Development.

Dallas, Texas // Police Officer Who Fatally Shot 15-Year-Old Texas Boy Is Charged With Murder

File Photo

"The police officer in a Dallas suburb was charged with murder on Friday, six days after he fired his rifle into a car full of teenagers leaving a party, killing a black 15-year-old in the front passenger seat. The Dallas County Sheriff's Department issued a warrant on Friday for the arrest of the officer, Roy D. Oliver II, 37, the authorities said. Mr. Oliver turned himself in Friday night in Parker County, Tex., officials said. Mr. Oliver, who was a patrol officer with the Balch Springs Police Department, responded late last Saturday to reports of underage drinking at a house party. Mr. Oliver and another officer entered the house but left after the police said they heard gunshots outside the residence. As a car with five black teenagers inside drove away from the house, Mr. Oliver, who is white, fired his AR-15 rifle, fatally striking Jordan Edwards, a freshman at Mesquite High School, in the head, according to the police and the law firm representing the Edwards family." Learn more here ...

Please pray for the family and friends of Jordan Edwards as the grieve the loss of a precious son, brother and friend. Please pray for the family of Roy Oliver as well, who are undoubtedly reeling from the sudden turn his life took. Finally, please pray for justice to be done and peace to prevail both in Dallas and around the country.

Guatemala // Femicide the rallying cry for families of girls killed in Guatemalan orphanage fire

Guardian Photo

"After a fire killed 41 girls locked in an orphanage room last month, families are pressing for government and orphanage officials to be held accountable not only for homicide charges, but also for femicide. "They argue that the girls were subjected to abuse and neglect indicative of wider state failings on the protection of women in Guatemala. Lawyers and campaigners are also calling for an investigation into the failure of the police to act on accusations of abuse made by the girls." "Though Guatemala introduced legislation outlawing violence against women in 2008, the country still has one of the world's highest rates of femicide and an impunity rate - 98% - to match. For crimes committed against children - including sexual abuse, rape and murder - 88% of cases go unpunished." Learn more here ...

Please pray for the protection of girls and women in Guatemala. With these kinds of impunity rates, it is hard to imagine how dangerous it is to be female in Guatemala. Please pray for justice to be served and for groups like International Justice mission who work with countries to help them strengthen their justice systems.

Praying with you,
Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

* Name changed to protect her privacy.

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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

In the News ... "Breaking Bread Kitchen going mobile"

KWES Photo

• Added outreach effort will begin June 5

By Gerald Tracy, Multimedia Journalist
• KWES-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Right now, homeless people in Midland can get lunch and dinner for free from local volunteers. Starting this summer, they'll be able to get breakfast as well.

Breaking Bread Kitchen in Midland has been serving dinner to the homeless of Midland at its Florida Avenue location since 2002.

Starting June 5, they're adding everyone's favorite meal to their list, breakfast, this time on a food truck ...

 • read/watch the rest of this KWES report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 8, 2017

PASTOR-SCHOLAR SHARES GIFT WITH CHURCH - Dennis Hughes had always known that in life — and in death — he belonged to God. But in more than seven decades of living, he knew the latter all too well. ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 7, 2017

MINUTE FOR MISSION: WILLS EMPHASIS SUNDAY - A few years ago, Judy Whitford decided that it was time to get her estate in order. After the passing of her husband, she realized how his work in “putting things in order” had helped her—something she wanted to do for her two children and six grandchildren ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 6, 2017

EVERDITH (EVIE) LANDRAU: YOUNG PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER - Fresh out of college, Everdith (Evie) Landrau embarked on her first international experience—a month in Geneva. The visit was also her first exposure to global ecumenical body—the World Council of Churches.

“It was life-changing,” she said. Landrau served as a steward at the 2006 meeting of the WCC Central Committee. She joined young adults from around the world in helping with the logistics of the gathering while learning about issues important to the global church ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

From @FWMission ...Friday Story: "Did you catch our April highlights?"

• https://www.freewheelchairmission.org/

Founded in 2001, Free Wheelchair Mission is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to providing wheelchairs for the impoverished disabled in developing nations. Headquartered in Irvine, California, FWM works around the world in partnership with a vast network of humanitarian, faith-based and government organizations, sending wheelchairs to hundreds of thousands of disabled people, providing not only the gift of mobility, but of dignity, independence, and hope.

FWM Photos

Friday Story: "Did you catch our April highlights?"

I just returned from Peru a few days ago. It was a wonderful ending to a fantastic trip. I have so much more to tell you.

While we do share many of our stories here on our blog, we post others on our social media sites. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow us to frequently share quick updates– often, in real-time, as we did during our trip to Peru.

Social media helps our partners and supporters stay connected, wherever they may be in the world. If you haven’t been following us already, you might have missed these highlights from the month of April ...

• read the rest of this story ...

In the News ... “Food2Kids receives a $5,000 grant"

BSH Photo by Roger Cline

• Serving needy kids in five schools

Staff Report
• Big Spring Herald

BIG SPRING, TEXAS - It’s not too controversial a statement to say that kids need to eat

Thanks to a $5,000 charitable grant from the Illinois-based Grainger Foundation, local school kids will be eating a little bit better. Food2Kids Big Spring Inc., the recipient of the grant, will use the funds to provide food during weekends to needy kids who rely on school-provided lunches Monday through Friday  ...

 • read the rest of this BSH report

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 5, 2017

COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN - Leslie Cox is a second-year seminary student at Columbia Theological Seminary in the Masters of Divinity program. She is focusing her efforts in advocacy and inclusion, and has started the blog loveles.co about “Queer Love Stories” ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

FBR Report: "Good Life Club in Al Rashidia"

The Free Burma Rangers (FBR) is a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement. They bring help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma (Myanmar) and the Middle East. Groups send teams to be trained, supplied and sent into the areas under attack to provide emergency assistance and human rights documentation. Together with other groups, the teams work to serve people in need.

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FBR Photo

Good Life Club in Al Rashidia

Being in Al Rashidia, a neighborhood in northeast Mosul, with the Iraqi Army’s 36th Armored Brigade, gave us another opportunity to invite the kids living in a front-line area to a Good Life Club program, which we held at the school that served as both the 36’s HQ and their casualty collection point (CCP). We had already done several distributions, of food, water and kerosene, that had seen crowds of desperate people pushing and shoving to get what they knew were limited resources. We had been treating patients daily, many with primary care needs who had not had access to medical care for months, and others with trauma wounds from the ongoing attacks of a retreating ISIS who has not stopped lashing out, using armed drones, suicide cars and mortars ...

• CLICK HERE to read the rest of this FBR Report ...

• CLICK HERE to learn how YOU can get involved in FBR and its mission ...

In the News ... “China Aid banquet highlights growing need for human rights work"

MRT Photo by James Durbin

• Event celebrated organization's 15th anniversary

Simone Jasper, Reporter
• Midland Reporter-Telegram

MIDLAND, TEXAS - After five people were arrested for leading Christian services in a remote part of western China, the nonprofit China Aid sponsored lawyers for their defense. Bob Fu, founder and president of the Midland-based organization, said the leaders recently received sentences ranging from three to five years.

“It really represents a major escalation of religious persecution in China for the past 10 years,” Fu said ...

 • read the rest of this MRT report

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 4, 2017

2017 "NEXTCHURCH" NATIONAL GATHERING, PT. 2 - The 2017 gathering of NEXT Church concluded March 15 with worship and a sermon by the Rev. Paul Roberts Sr., president of Johnson C. Smith Seminary in Atlanta. In its seventh year, the three-day conference was attended by 550 people under the theme of “Wells & Walls: Well-Being in a Thirsty World” ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

WAW Wednesday ... "Are we there yet???"

"The Word at Work is a ministry that mobilizes churches and individuals to answer God's call to minister to those in need," writes Rev. Tim Tam, Director of the Amarillo, Texas-based ministry. "Through our relationships, God reveals needs and opportunities for service. As we come along side the poor, new friendships develop and doors for ministry open. As we serve, God provides the resources to supply for the needs he reveals."

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WAW Wednesday: "Are we there yet???"

Hello Friends,

Mollie here - I know you're anxious to hear more from our founder Tim Tam - stay tuned for more from him next week, please!

In the meantime, I thought I'd share some pix and update you on happenings recently in Belize ...

This week Kenny is leading a team of physical therapists from Twenty-six:12, an organization that encourages service by providing opportunities for those employed by Accolade Home Health. The team is traveling all over Belize, seeing patients who are under care of Belize Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation. They'll also train volunteers and caregivers to keep the therapy going. We're really grateful for this partnership!!!

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You may not recognize this fellow -- that's Pastor Marvin Meza from Ebenezer Church in the Burial Grounds. What's he doing up there? Preparing forms for the roof beam on the new church building! We are beyond excited for this new building to become a reality!

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And this lovely lady? Yup, that's Pastor Phillipa Miller from Exodus Church in the Pickstock neighborhood of Belize City! The kids at Easter VBS had a blast (and so did Phil) playing on the inflatable that was donated to TWAW by our friends the Straub's in Paoli, Pennsylvania.

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It sort of feels like the calm before the storm around here -- anxious for Tim Tam to be back and for all God will do through our U.S. teams and Belize partners in the coming weeks and months. Our summer teams are forming and training has begun - we'd appreciate your prayers for them!

Blessings, Mollie
#wearethewordatwork

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Speaking from my own first-hand experience - working side-by-side with Tim, Kenny and our brothers and sisters in Belize - won't you give thoughtful, prayerful consideration to supporting the efforts of Tim, the Word At Work staff and their partners? Please please fill out this Commitment Card and return it to their office!

Also, remember that you can follow The Word At Work on their Facebook page!

In the News ... "Fairmont Park Church of Christ reaching out to the community"

KWES Photo

• ShareFest is THIS Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon

By Caitlyn Nix, Multimedia Journalist
• KWES-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Fairmont Park Church of Christ has found a way to reach out to the Midland community with their annual ShareFest event.

"ShareFest is an outreach where we serve our community by donating new and gently used items as a congregation and then we open it up and give it away for free," said Mitci Bartlett, member at Fairmont Park Church of Christ ...

 • read/watch the rest of this KWES report ...

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... TODAY

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 ... TODAY

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 - TODAY - 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.

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,

Open Doors recently published their 2017 World Watch List, ranking the top 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution for their faith. This week, I'd like to invite us to pray for families living in the top 3 countries.

In each of these countries, children are caught up in the persecution right alongside their parents. They undoubtedly have watched as their parents are arrested, tortured, imprisoned and killed for their faith. In some cases, they have suffered the same fates. These children have known the ridicule and isolation that comes from a belief system not accepted by the majority. And they face an uncertain future where things like school, education, and even their livelihoods might not be protected due to their faith.

As we pray for these families, let's pray they also know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. May they feel upheld by His mighty arms and know His strength and love and presence.

Courtesy Photo

• Source for following information: World Watch List 2017

NORTH KOREA
Once again, North Korea is ranked as the most oppressive place in the world for Christians, #1 on the World Watch List. In this totalitarian communist state, Christians are forced to hide their faith completely from government authorities, neighbors and often, even their own spouses and children. Due to ever-present surveillance, many pray with eyes open, and gathering for praise or fellowship is practically impossible. Worship of the ruling Kim family is mandated for all citizens, and those who don't comply (including Christians) are arrested, imprisoned, tortured or killed. Entire Christian families are imprisoned in hard labor camps, where unknown numbers die each year from torture, beatings, overexertion and starvation. Those who attempt to flee to South Korea through China risk execution or life imprisonment, and those who stay behind often fare no better.

Through local partners, Open Doors is serving Christians in North Korea by providing them with emergency relief aid, including food, medicine and clothes, as well as Bibles, books and other discipleship materials. Open Doors partners in China also provide shelter and aid for Christians who have fled the country, as well as training for those who wish to return to North Korea for ministry.

Prayer Points for North Korea:
• Pray for North Korean believers who are languishing in prison camps, and for the proclamation of the gospel both in and outside the prison walls.
• Also, pray that Christians in the country would have access to Bibles and fellowship.
• Pray that God would open Kim Jong-Un's eyes to the surpassing glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

SOMALIA
Somalia has been on the World Watch List since 1993. Islam was already firmly established in Somalia before the arrival of Christianity, and as a result, life for believers is defined by hostility. Somalia's tribal system - as an informal way of governing Somalia - is very resistant to modern government models, including democracy, which means that Christians have absolutely no voice in society. Since the downfall of Ziad Barre in 1991, Somalia has become a safe haven for Islamic militants. Christian converts from Islam in the country have been facing a great deal of persecution, and martyrdom is very common. The mere suspicion of one's having renounced Islam leads to a rushed public execution.

To aid believers in Somalia, Open Doors works through local partners, providing underground Christians with discipleship training, Bibles and Christian books, along with community development programs and more, helping these believers to survive on the outskirts of society.

Prayer Points for Somalia
• Pray for Christians in Somalia who risk martyrdom if their faith is discovered and struggle with keeping it to themselves.
• Pray that they would have wisdom and discernment in sharing the gospel with others, along with a quiet boldness and sense of God's presence with them.
• Pray for Christians in Somalia who are isolated from the larger Body of Christ.

AFGHANISTAN
Christians in Afghanistan experience extreme persecution. Severe pressure on believers, resulting from Islamic oppression, is exerted mostly by families, friends and community, but also by local religious leaders. The state authorities are weak, and Islam is viewed as a welcome unifying factor, especially as society agrees that conversion away from Islam cannot be tolerated. Many who convert from Islam to Christianity are murdered once their extended families learn of their new faith. In other families, Christian converts are delivered to mental hospitals under the premise that no one in their right mind would ever choose to leave Islam. In any case, converts usually lose their rights to personal property and possessions, effectively leaving them destitute. This can occur even upon the mere suspicion of conversion - a fear tactic that leads family members to react all the more harshly in curbing even the slightest hints of interest in Christianity.

To help persecuted Christians in Afghanistan, Open Doors provides emergency aid, counseling, literacy training, radio programs, vocational projects, biblical and pastoral training courses and more.

Prayer Points for Afghanistan
• Pray for believers in Afghanistan who lack fellowship, especially new converts who fear telling anyone about their faith in Christ.
• Pray for those who lose worldly possessions to persecution when they gain eternal life.
• Pray that they would be able to forgive their persecutors to the glory of God.

Rounding out the top ten: Pakistan | Sudan | Syria | Iraq | Iran | Yemen | Eritrea

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

* Name changed to protect her privacy.

---

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

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 3, 2017

THE FIRST 500 YEARS: "THEOLOGICAL CONVERSATIONS" - “Theological Conversations,” a series of papers designed to invite congregational leaders in the PC(USA) into discussion wherever they gather as sessions, presbyteries or for adult education in congregations, has continued its celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation with the release of “The First 500 Years” by the Rev. Dr. Jerry Andrews ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

Partners Blog: "Land Mine Zone"

Steve and Oddny Gumaer started Partners Relief and Development in response to the needs of refugees and displaced people from Burma, and now in the Middle East, as well. Their mission is to demonstrate, through holistic action, God’s love to children and communities made vulnerable by war in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and other conflict zones.

Partners Photo

Land Mine Zone

Last year at this time, I spent time in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in northern Myanmar near the border of China. Before departing on the trip, we were briefed about the areas we’d be visiting. The camp’s inhabitants had fled their villages because the war conflict between the Burmese military and the rebel army had been creeping ever-closer to their villages, and it was no longer safe. They took their children by the hands, hoisted all they could carry on their backs, and ran ...

• read the rest of this post ...

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Partners Relief and Development is a registered charity in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. "We’re a small, grassroots nonprofit passionate about making a big impact in communities affected by conflict and oppression, demonstrating God’s love to children and giving them the opportunity to live free, full lives." For more information aboput Partners, visit their website at partners.ngo/

Invitation to Prayer from Faces of Children ... Tomorrow

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. 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.

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,

Open Doors recently published their 2017 World Watch List, ranking the top 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution for their faith. This week, I'd like to invite us to pray for families living in the top 3 countries.

In each of these countries, children are caught up in the persecution right alongside their parents. They undoubtedly have watched as their parents are arrested, tortured, imprisoned and killed for their faith. In some cases, they have suffered the same fates. These children have known the ridicule and isolation that comes from a belief system not accepted by the majority. And they face an uncertain future where things like school, education, and even their livelihoods might not be protected due to their faith.

As we pray for these families, let's pray they also know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. May they feel upheld by His mighty arms and know His strength and love and presence.

Courtesy Photo

• Source for following information: World Watch List 2017

NORTH KOREA
Once again, North Korea is ranked as the most oppressive place in the world for Christians, #1 on the World Watch List. In this totalitarian communist state, Christians are forced to hide their faith completely from government authorities, neighbors and often, even their own spouses and children. Due to ever-present surveillance, many pray with eyes open, and gathering for praise or fellowship is practically impossible. Worship of the ruling Kim family is mandated for all citizens, and those who don't comply (including Christians) are arrested, imprisoned, tortured or killed. Entire Christian families are imprisoned in hard labor camps, where unknown numbers die each year from torture, beatings, overexertion and starvation. Those who attempt to flee to South Korea through China risk execution or life imprisonment, and those who stay behind often fare no better.

Through local partners, Open Doors is serving Christians in North Korea by providing them with emergency relief aid, including food, medicine and clothes, as well as Bibles, books and other discipleship materials. Open Doors partners in China also provide shelter and aid for Christians who have fled the country, as well as training for those who wish to return to North Korea for ministry.

Prayer Points for North Korea:
• Pray for North Korean believers who are languishing in prison camps, and for the proclamation of the gospel both in and outside the prison walls.
• Also, pray that Christians in the country would have access to Bibles and fellowship.
• Pray that God would open Kim Jong-Un's eyes to the surpassing glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

SOMALIA
Somalia has been on the World Watch List since 1993. Islam was already firmly established in Somalia before the arrival of Christianity, and as a result, life for believers is defined by hostility. Somalia's tribal system - as an informal way of governing Somalia - is very resistant to modern government models, including democracy, which means that Christians have absolutely no voice in society. Since the downfall of Ziad Barre in 1991, Somalia has become a safe haven for Islamic militants. Christian converts from Islam in the country have been facing a great deal of persecution, and martyrdom is very common. The mere suspicion of one's having renounced Islam leads to a rushed public execution.

To aid believers in Somalia, Open Doors works through local partners, providing underground Christians with discipleship training, Bibles and Christian books, along with community development programs and more, helping these believers to survive on the outskirts of society.

Prayer Points for Somalia
• Pray for Christians in Somalia who risk martyrdom if their faith is discovered and struggle with keeping it to themselves.
• Pray that they would have wisdom and discernment in sharing the gospel with others, along with a quiet boldness and sense of God's presence with them.
• Pray for Christians in Somalia who are isolated from the larger Body of Christ.

AFGHANISTAN
Christians in Afghanistan experience extreme persecution. Severe pressure on believers, resulting from Islamic oppression, is exerted mostly by families, friends and community, but also by local religious leaders. The state authorities are weak, and Islam is viewed as a welcome unifying factor, especially as society agrees that conversion away from Islam cannot be tolerated. Many who convert from Islam to Christianity are murdered once their extended families learn of their new faith. In other families, Christian converts are delivered to mental hospitals under the premise that no one in their right mind would ever choose to leave Islam. In any case, converts usually lose their rights to personal property and possessions, effectively leaving them destitute. This can occur even upon the mere suspicion of conversion - a fear tactic that leads family members to react all the more harshly in curbing even the slightest hints of interest in Christianity.

To help persecuted Christians in Afghanistan, Open Doors provides emergency aid, counseling, literacy training, radio programs, vocational projects, biblical and pastoral training courses and more.

Prayer Points for Afghanistan
• Pray for believers in Afghanistan who lack fellowship, especially new converts who fear telling anyone about their faith in Christ.
• Pray for those who lose worldly possessions to persecution when they gain eternal life.
• Pray that they would be able to forgive their persecutors to the glory of God.

Rounding out the top ten: Pakistan | Sudan | Syria | Iraq | Iran | Yemen | Eritrea

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

* Name changed to protect her privacy.

---

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

In the News ... "Meals on Wheels volunteers rewarded for hard work"

KOSA Photo

• Part of #NationalVolunteerWeek observance

Staff Report
• KOSA-TV

MIDLAND, TEXAS - Senior Link Midland took time to honor the people who help make their organization run successfully. Volunteers for Meals on Wheels were thanked for all of their hard work [last Thursday] with a party ...

• read the rest of this KOSA report 

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 122017

2017 "NEXTCHURCH" NATIONAL GATHERING, PT. 1 - The 550 attendees of the 2017 NEXT Church National Gathering in March were treated to inspiring testimonies, over a dozen workshops, worship opportunities and a discussion on the “spiritual but not religious” research of the Rev. Dr. Linda Mercadante as the conference concluded its first day and began the second ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.

From @chinaaid : "Zhejiang province orders churches to install surveillance equipment"

The China Aid Association is a non-profit Christian organization - based in Midland, Texas - with a mission to uncover and reveal the truth about religious persecution in China, focusing especially on the unofficial church. They do this, they explain in their website, by exposing the abuses, encouraging the abused and equipping the saints to advance the kingdom of God throughout China.

CAA Photo

Zhejiang province orders churches to install surveillance equipment
Distributed by ChinaAid, April, 2017 ...

WENZHOU, ZHEJIANG, CHINA – The government in China’s coastal Zhejiang Province recently ordered surveillance equipment to be installed in churches, allowing them to easily monitor church activities ...

• more on this story from China Aid

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. 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,

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. 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.

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

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Dear Intercessors,

Open Doors recently published their 2017 World Watch List, ranking the top 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution for their faith. This week, I'd like to invite us to pray for families living in the top 3 countries.

In each of these countries, children are caught up in the persecution right alongside their parents. They undoubtedly have watched as their parents are arrested, tortured, imprisoned and killed for their faith. In some cases, they have suffered the same fates. These children have known the ridicule and isolation that comes from a belief system not accepted by the majority. And they face an uncertain future where things like school, education, and even their livelihoods might not be protected due to their faith.

As we pray for these families, let's pray they also know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. May they feel upheld by His mighty arms and know His strength and love and presence.

Courtesy Photo

• Source for following information: World Watch List 2017

NORTH KOREA
Once again, North Korea is ranked as the most oppressive place in the world for Christians, #1 on the World Watch List. In this totalitarian communist state, Christians are forced to hide their faith completely from government authorities, neighbors and often, even their own spouses and children. Due to ever-present surveillance, many pray with eyes open, and gathering for praise or fellowship is practically impossible. Worship of the ruling Kim family is mandated for all citizens, and those who don't comply (including Christians) are arrested, imprisoned, tortured or killed. Entire Christian families are imprisoned in hard labor camps, where unknown numbers die each year from torture, beatings, overexertion and starvation. Those who attempt to flee to South Korea through China risk execution or life imprisonment, and those who stay behind often fare no better.

Through local partners, Open Doors is serving Christians in North Korea by providing them with emergency relief aid, including food, medicine and clothes, as well as Bibles, books and other discipleship materials. Open Doors partners in China also provide shelter and aid for Christians who have fled the country, as well as training for those who wish to return to North Korea for ministry.

Prayer Points for North Korea:
• Pray for North Korean believers who are languishing in prison camps, and for the proclamation of the gospel both in and outside the prison walls.
• Also, pray that Christians in the country would have access to Bibles and fellowship.
• Pray that God would open Kim Jong-Un's eyes to the surpassing glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

SOMALIA
Somalia has been on the World Watch List since 1993. Islam was already firmly established in Somalia before the arrival of Christianity, and as a result, life for believers is defined by hostility. Somalia's tribal system - as an informal way of governing Somalia - is very resistant to modern government models, including democracy, which means that Christians have absolutely no voice in society. Since the downfall of Ziad Barre in 1991, Somalia has become a safe haven for Islamic militants. Christian converts from Islam in the country have been facing a great deal of persecution, and martyrdom is very common. The mere suspicion of one's having renounced Islam leads to a rushed public execution.

To aid believers in Somalia, Open Doors works through local partners, providing underground Christians with discipleship training, Bibles and Christian books, along with community development programs and more, helping these believers to survive on the outskirts of society.

Prayer Points for Somalia
• Pray for Christians in Somalia who risk martyrdom if their faith is discovered and struggle with keeping it to themselves.
• Pray that they would have wisdom and discernment in sharing the gospel with others, along with a quiet boldness and sense of God's presence with them.
• Pray for Christians in Somalia who are isolated from the larger Body of Christ.

AFGHANISTAN
Christians in Afghanistan experience extreme persecution. Severe pressure on believers, resulting from Islamic oppression, is exerted mostly by families, friends and community, but also by local religious leaders. The state authorities are weak, and Islam is viewed as a welcome unifying factor, especially as society agrees that conversion away from Islam cannot be tolerated. Many who convert from Islam to Christianity are murdered once their extended families learn of their new faith. In other families, Christian converts are delivered to mental hospitals under the premise that no one in their right mind would ever choose to leave Islam. In any case, converts usually lose their rights to personal property and possessions, effectively leaving them destitute. This can occur even upon the mere suspicion of conversion - a fear tactic that leads family members to react all the more harshly in curbing even the slightest hints of interest in Christianity.

To help persecuted Christians in Afghanistan, Open Doors provides emergency aid, counseling, literacy training, radio programs, vocational projects, biblical and pastoral training courses and more.

Prayer Points for Afghanistan
• Pray for believers in Afghanistan who lack fellowship, especially new converts who fear telling anyone about their faith in Christ.
• Pray for those who lose worldly possessions to persecution when they gain eternal life.
• Pray that they would be able to forgive their persecutors to the glory of God.

Rounding out the top ten: Pakistan | Sudan | Syria | Iraq | Iran | Yemen | Eritrea

Praying with you,

Carrie

Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153

* Name changed to protect her privacy.

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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

In the News ... "Bishop Sis heads giant diocese"

OA Photo by Mark Sterkel

• Building new school among challenges

By Bob Campbell, Reporter
• Odessa American

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS - Leading the 29-county San Angelo Diocese and its 65 faith communities is an epic task, but it’s one Bishop Michael Sis had prepared for most of his life before his December 2013 appointment to succeed Bishop Michael Pfeifer.

The 57-year-old Bryan native had foreseen his destiny during a summer camp at St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston at age 13. “I’m motivated by my love for God and secondly by my love for people, and I can live out both of those loves in the priesthood,” he said ...

• read the rest of this OA report ...

Today in the PC-USA Mission Yearbook

The Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study is a daily devotional with 365 inspiring mission stories that come from next door and all across the globe. It inspires thousands of Presbyterians daily as they uphold the mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in intercessory prayer.

Today in the Mission Yearbook: May 1, 2017

UNITED STATES / GUATEMALA PARTNERSHIP - Around 850 people from Guatemala’s Maya Quiché Presbytery and visitors from Heartland Presbytery gathered in January at the Maya Quiché Bible Institute in the Guatemalan highlands near Quetzaltenango to celebrate more than 21 years of partnership ...

• CLICK HERE to read more.