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
11:00 a.m., in the gym conference room at
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas.
Please note the new time. We are trying this for one semester so that we have less time conflict with the new women's Bible study that is starting on Wednesdays at 11:30.
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
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
John 13:34-35
Dear Intercessors,
This week we have a lot to celebrate! Just yesterday, members of the First Pres Midland congregation joined together after our Sunday services and had a quick lunch. Then we got to work, packaging around 200 freezer meals for foster families. We made batches of venison chili, sweet and sour meatballs, salsa chicken tacos, honey teriyaki pork, beef barley stew, and cranberry BBQ chicken. We had toddlers serving alongside seniors, and in just about an hour we had finished and cleaned up! It was a such a fun afternoon, and as we worked we prayed for the families who would be eating these meals. Some of them might be eaten after a long day at court, deciding the fates of children. Some of them might be eaten the day a new foster child joins a family; perhaps the first decent meal the child has eaten in a while. Some of them might be eaten by a family the day a foster child leaves to go to a new home... in each case, we pray these meals nourish more than bodies. We hope they soothe and comfort and fill up both little and big hearts and bellies.
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| FPCM Photo |
This week, even as we celebrate the places we see God moving and bringing hope and comfort and healing, will you join me in praying for the following matters?
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| AP Photo |
CHINA // Children of Detained Uyghurs Face 'Terrible' Conditions in Overcrowded Xinjiang Orphanages
"Uyghur (pronounced we-ger) children whose parents or guardians have been detained in political re-education camps are being held in 'terrible' conditions in orphanages in northwest China's Xinjiang region, and overcrowding has forced authorities to send them to facilities in the country's inner provinces, according to sources. Since April, thousands of Uyghurs accused of harboring "extremist" and "politically incorrect" views have been detained in a vast network of re-education camps throughout Xinjiang, where members of the ethnic group complain of pervasive discrimination, religious repression, and cultural suppression under Chinese rule." ... "A Uyghur worker at a regional orphanage in southern Xinjiang, who requested anonymity, said his facility was seriously overcrowded and described the conditions there as "terrible." "Because there are so many children, they are locked up like farm animals in a shed," he said. "We receive a lot of cash donations from the public, but only a very little is spent on the children." The worker said that some of the money is used to decorate a few rooms and "dress up" some of the children for advertising on television. The orphanage also saves money by giving the children meat only once a week, he said, while the rest of the time they are provided with "rice soup." "In the past we didn't have so many children, but now there are too many," he said."
Learn more here ...
Please join me in praying for these Uyghur children who have been separated from their families and may not be having their basic needs met. Pray for the Uyghur community; for many years, they have faced persecution from the Chinese government. Much like other persecuted groups around the world, they have no one to come to their defense. Pray God brings justice and peace to this part of far northwestern China.
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| Partners Relief & Development Photo |
BURMA // When the Nearest Clinic is Six Hours Away
"Recently, in a remote village in Karen State, Myanmar, a couple added two new babies to their family, now totaling eight children. All seemed well for the mother and twins for the first week. Her recovery was as it had been with all her other births - some bleeding that would go away within a few days. With no antenatal care and having given birth to a total of eight babies, it is likely that this 34-year-old mama was significantly anemic. Dad recalls her bleeding a little bit, and a little bit more, and perhaps it was longer and a little heavier than with the other babies, but his wife was strong and doing well - until she wasn't. She woke this final night to use the bathroom. She was breathless and tired and told her husband that she felt her time was limited, that perhaps tonight she would die. A few hours later she passed away. Heart broken, Dad sat with us at the T-RAD Clinic a few weeks later and asked, had he failed his wife? He explained that getting to the nearest clinic was no simple undertaking. It was costly in both time and money. Initially, it would require hiking out of the village and if his wife was too weak to walk, it meant carrying her. His village has only seven families, so he would have had to go further afield to other villages to find men to help move her. After carrying his wife some distance, he would be able to put her on a motorbike, and eventually to a car - should he find one that he could hire. Transportation is difficult, and it is also expensive."
Learn more here ...
Please join me in praying for people around the world who do not have access to medical care, something we take for granted. Pray for more community health workers to be trained who can go into hard-to-reach communities and bring life-saving medical care. Pray for families like this one who face snowballing tragedies due to preventable losses of life.
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
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.
