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,

If you're in Midland this week, we'll be meeting at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 6 - TODAY - for prayer. We meet in the prayer closet at First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Please join us in lifting up the needs of vulnerable children in our community and around the world!

Blessings,

Carrie

Dear Intercessors,

This week I've been thinking about how complex the world is... and how praying for certain things can be so difficult because we don't know exactly what to pray for. Last week my email regarding praying for the new abortion law in New York did elicit some feedback -- from a concerned prayer partner who thought I didn't have the facts quite right. We had a great conversation about the complexity of the situation, and I admitted my source material was perhaps more inflammatory than I initially thought, and in the end agreed we could find common ground for our prayers. Our conversation reminded me how difficult it can be to navigate the complex issues facing our society, communities and the whole world.

In that vein, I thought I'd share two stories I ran across this week... in both of these cases, I don't think any of us could say we know exactly what would be best. But we can agree to pray and beseech God for wisdom, discernment, and clear direction for our leaders and those in the trenches.

Reuters Photo by Jim Young

The first situation involves the US's withdrawal from Syria. Some advocate for this move, eager to remove US troops from conflict zones. I wanted to share this video that one of our long-time partners prepared regarding the USA's withdrawal from Syria. We have regularly prayed for Free Burma Rangers over the last few years, and many of us know and trust Dave, his family, and his team, so I think his perspective is worth hearing.

As you watch this video and read this article, I pray you'll find God leading you in how to pray.

Dave Eubank Shares Reasons for Staying in Syria

The second story involves the reunification of migrant children with their families after the policy of removing them at border crossings went into full effect this past summer for a few weeks. It is becoming clear that "many more migrant children may have been split from their families than previously reported. The government didn't adequately track separated children before a federal judge in San Diego ruled in June that children in its custody be reunited with their parents." Now that efforts towards reunification are being made, the head of DHS "says it would require extraordinary effort to reunite what may be thousands of migrant children who have been separated from their parents and, even if it could, the children would likely be emotionally harmed." -- presumably because they have now settled into life and routines with their sponsor families.

As an adoptive mom with close connections to the foster care world, I actually do understand the complexity in this situation. Sometimes reunification is in the best interest of kids and sometimes it isn't -- but in situations when children were removed from their families with no just cause (i.e. - no legitimate cause connected to their health, safety and well-being, but instead as a form of political pressure on their families), this becomes far more complex. Perhaps they are now settled and thriving, but they should never have been taken from their families to begin with!

Again, in this situation, I'm not going to suggest all the outcomes I think we should pray for... but I do think we can pray that the powers-that-be would have the children's true best interest at heart, and admit when their own oversights and chaotic program implementation resulted in confusion about where these children belong, rather than possibly trying to cover their inaction with claims that they are now acting in the children's best interest.

I take great comfort in the fact that God's justice is true and unchanging and we can even approach him with a simple prayer of: "God, I don't know what's best in this situation, but you do... help my heart to come into alignment with yours. Help the hearts of our leaders to come into alignment with yours. Help this world reflect your justice."

This week, I hope.

Blessings,

Carrie

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