Uganda (First Presbyterian Church, Midland, TX – http://www.fpcmid.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=7&Itemid=128)
- Give thanks to God for the new church at Nalumbembe and for the work of the mission team from First Presbyterian, Midland, Texas and the local pastors/interpreters. Team members and their pastor/interpreters shared the message of Jesus Christ with the people of the Nalumbembe area during a church plant effort.
- Thanks be to God for the new medical clinic and water well that were also a part of the church plant. This area is quite impoverished and the medical needs of the children and families there are enormous.
- Pray for 14-month-old Bessy who had been abandoned by her mother and, along with eight other children, is being raised by her stepmother. When Bessy was brought to the medical clinic, she was extremely malnourished and close to death. Bessy’s stepmother and father didn’t have the resources to feed or care for her properly and were more focused on the problems and anger in their marriage.
- Pray that Bessy’s caregivers will respond positively to the counseling they received at the clinic.
- Give thanks to God for their profession of faith in Jesus Christ.
- Pray that they will commit to fully care for the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of Bessy and the other children in their care.
- Pray for Robert, the new pastor, and for the other leaders of this new church as they follow up with the children and people of the area who have recently professed faith in Jesus Christ.
- Pray for Dr. Patrick and his staff as they bring medical care to the children and people of Nalumbembe.
- Give thanks to God for the work of the staff and volunteers at the Lulwanda Children’s Home. Please pray for the 90 children living and going to school at this home.
- Thanks be to God for the new deep water well at the home. Having easy access to clean water has literally transformed the lives of these children.
- Pray for the hundreds of children in the primary and secondary schools visited by the mission team during the week and for the people who will follow up in the months to come.
- Pray for the men and women in prisons that members of the mission team visited and especially for the children living with their imprisoned mothers.
- Thanks be to God for the safe travels for this mission team comprised of children, youth, college students, young adults, adults and older adults.
United States
- Please continue to keep in prayer the 465 children of a fundamentalist sect who were taken into custody by Texas Child Protective Services last April and who were recently released into their parent’s custody. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/us/03polygamy.html?_r=2&th=&emc&oref=slogin&oref=slogin http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/02/AR2008060200873.html)
- Pray for children who had difficulty separating from their caregivers in the foster homes and for the staff who had bonded with them.
- Pray for the mothers and fathers of these children as they go through the parenting programs and other court-ordered procedures required to protect the children.
- Pray for families who have decided not to return to the sect’s ranch and live independently in other communities.Continue to pray for the girls and boys who may have been victims of sexual and/or physical abuse.
- Pray for those who may have physically, emotionally and/or sexually abused these children.
- Pray for those who are continuing to work on this case—for all of the case managers, social workers, investigators, law enforcement and legal system personnel. Pray for the children who will be testifying before the grand jury in the coming weeks. (AP http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=8559675)
- Pray for God’s wisdom and guiding hand on everyone involved with the children in this case.
- Pray for all foster children who live with uncertainty about where and with whom they will live and go to school.
- Pray for children who have lived in many different foster homes and feel unwanted or unloved.
- Pray that all children who age out of the foster care system will have the resources and skills to be independent young adults.
- Give thanks to God for organizations like Presbyterian Children’s Homes who offer Christ-centered services to about 300 children and families every day. These hurting children struggle with poverty, neglect, abuse and abandonment issues. Please pray for these children and their families and for the staff of Presbyterian Children’s homes as they minister to them. (Presbyterian Children’s Homes http://www.pchas.org/)
- Please pray for the health, welfare and safety of all abused children. Pray for all caregivers of abused and neglected children.
Faces of Children
- Please be in prayer for all of the participants and leaders at Viva Network’s International Cutting Edge 2008 conference in Illinois this week. This is an international conference for those who work in ministries with children at risk. (http://www.viva.org/?page_id=106)
- Pray that God will bless this time for each person and provide encouragement and support for all those working in ministries with at-risk children. Please pray that God will sustain the staff and volunteers who remain behind to care for the children in their ministries.
- Please pray for those traveling to and from this conference and especially for those coming from overseas.
- Pray that God will guide the Faces of Children coordinator and founder as they present at a topical networking session. Please ask God to direct them to the individuals and ministries with whom God would have them work and support through prayer.
- Pray that they will be open to divine appointments throughout the week.
