Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we 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).
A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children
You have conquered death and given us new life in you, O Lord, our God. Alleluia!
“Dear Jesus, you once were condemned; you are still being condemned. You once carried your cross; you are still carrying your cross. You once died; you are dying still. You once rose from the dead; you are still rising from the dead."
"I look at you, and you open my eyes to the way in which your passion, death and resurrection are happening among us every day. But within me there is a deep fear of looking at my own world. You say to me: ‘Do not be afraid to look, to touch, to heal, to comfort and to console.’ I listen to your voice, and, as I enter more deeply into the painful, but also hope-filled, lives of my fellow human beings, I know that I enter more deeply into your heart…"
"As your passion, death and resurrection continue in history, give me the hope, the courage and the confidence to let your heart unite my heart with the hearts of all your suffering people, and so become for us the divine source of new life."
From Christ Our Hope, daily Lenten meditations from the works of Henri J.M. Nouwen
Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,
This was just too perfect to pass up, so you get another dose of Nouwen for Easter Sunday. This letter to Jesus truly gives me encouragement in my own work. As Nouwen confessed, I too will share that I’m afraid to look closely at my own world sometimes. It really is painful to think about what is happening to children in our world. So much unredemptive, negative suffering. So much senseless pain.
Yet Jesus challenged Nouwen to not be afraid of looking, touching, healing, comforting, and consoling. Jesus challenged him to not be afraid of entering more deeply into the pain of others. As odd as this sounds, we’re able to discover new life when we open ourselves up to others’ pain and suffering. We open ourselves up to the source of this new life, Jesus the Christ, when we risk uniting our hearts with the hearts of his suffering children.
This coming Wednesday, April 7, 2010, at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride’s Room at First Presbyterian Church, Midland, we’ll unite our hearts in prayer with those of the suffering children of our world, for children at risk. Please join us for this time of prayer and afterwards for lunch ($5) and fellowship.
If you have prayer requests about children, those who care for them, have authority over them, or harm them, please send them to me at claufer@facesofchildren.net or give me a call.
Celebrating the divine source of this new life,
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