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,
We will be meeting this Wednesday at 11:00 a.m., in the gym conference room at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. I hope you can join us!
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.
Warmly,
Carrie
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| Photo by Nivin Hotary |
"Syria's Eastern Ghouta has become a "death sentence" for children as heavy bombing is killing scores of young people trapped in the besieged enclave, aid agencies said on Tuesday.
"The airstrikes have been unrelenting in a Damascus suburb, where frames of bombed buildings loom over ghostly streets. Hundreds of lives have been lost in less than two weeks of a government siege of the suburb, eastern Ghouta. Dozens of children are among the dead. Many have been crushed by the collapsing walls of homes leveled by missiles. The siege has been deemed "one of the most pitiless onslaughts in this long-running and brutal civil war" by the top United Nations human rights official, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein. Families have headed into basements and dank tunnels, with small cookstoves, flour and warm clothes. Children, born into war, bring what they love: Their toys." Read more here ...
May this poignant and intimate look at the lives of Syrian children spur us on to pray for their childhoods to be restored and their lives to be protected.
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| NYT Photo by Nicholas Kristof |
""We are like a bird in a cage," Zainul Abedin told me. "They give us less and less, we get smaller and smaller, and then we die. Or we can try to flee, and then they can kill us." Read more here ...
May this in-depth and personal account of the sufferings faced by the Rohingya people spur us on to pray for their lives to be valued and their children to be saved.
And lest we start to despair... may we always remember to look for signs of hope. Some of our friends just returned from a trip to Bangladesh to meet displaced Rohingya families. Their report reminds us that there is always hope. Read more here ...
LOCAL // School Safety
In light of the Parkland shooting and continued talks about gun reform and mental healthcare, please continue to pray for students in school to be able to learn in peace and safety. This isn't a faraway problem... it's right here in our own neighborhood. Midland High School, across the street from our church, has been placed on lock-down twice in the last few weeks due to reports of weapons. Please pray for families and teachers of troubled students -- may their outcries be heard and responded to in a timely manner to prevent future tragedies. Please pray for district leaders and administrators who often face decisions about how to best respond to potential threats. And please pray for students who may be dealing with increased anxiety and fear about school and the threats there.
One Faces of Children intercessor suggested that we use driving through school zones as a reminder to pray. As we slow down to safely drive past the school, use that time to pray for the students and teachers inside and in schools across the country. I thought that was a great way to remember.
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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