Colombia
- Please keep the 4 million internally displaced people of Colombia, of whom 75 percent are women and children, in prayer. Colombia has the largest displaced population in the world. Pray for families forced from their land by legal and illegal armed groups. Over the past 20 years, an estimated 7.2 million acres have been stolen from Colombians who were displaced from their property. http://www.peaceincolombia.org/actionday09.htm
- Give thanks to God that the government of Colombia recently ordered the return of thousands of acres to displaced farmers. More than 3,000 poor Afro-Colombian farmers, descendants of African slaves, were forced off their land by illegal militias over a decade ago. That land was seized by businessmen with political connections and then turned into lucrative palm oil plantations. Pray that the rest of the land will be returned to its rightful owners and that families will be able to go home.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2009/03/22/AR2009032202029.html?referrer=emailarticle - Please keep a young family in prayer as they return to Colombia after living in the United States for three years. Both the mother and father are pastors and fled Colombia with their two young sons after receiving death threats. Give thanks to God that the situation in Colombia has changed such that this family feels safe to return. Please pray for their safety and pray that God will bless their transition back into their home country.
Italy
- Please pray for the children and people of Italy after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck the central part of the country last week. At least 16 children were among the 279 killed.
- Pray for the 28,000 children, youth and adults who lost their homes in the earthquake. Thousands of buildings collapsed, including historic churches, and older houses and buildings made of stone.
- Pray for those whose entire towns were destroyed in Italy’s worst earthquake in 30 years.
- Pray for children and families living in tent villages, in their cars, with friends or other family members.
- Pray that God will provide strong arms of comfort for children who are terrorized by the ongoing aftershocks.
- Pray that the aftershocks will cease so rescuers and volunteers can continue their work.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L6278438.htm http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L9590609.htm
Kenya (Kenya Kids Can – http://kenyakidscan.org/)
- Give thanks to God for the work of Kenya Kids Can ministry providing lunch every day for 18,300 children at 34 impoverished schools in the Rift Valley. These are the only meals many of the children receive during the day. Also praise God that the daily meal has helped so many children improve in their school work.
- Thanks be to God for the ministry’s work in teaching children basic computer skills through the computer centers they have established at 10 of the schools. And thank God that the computer centers are providing much needed job skills training for these children.
- Pray that God will provide the resources needed to continue this work during an economically challenging time in Kenya and the rest of the world. Three crop failures in a row in the valley have caused food prices to skyrocket.
United States
- Please keep 11-year-old Lizzy held close in prayer as she is being treated for a serious brain injury. Pray that God will place healing hands on this sick little girl and comfort her and her family.
- Please continue to pray for newborn Luke* who is in a neonatal intensive care unit and is very, very ill with a rare disease. Pray for understanding and comfort for his parents who are ethnic hill tribe refugees from Burma and struggle to comprehend the complex medical issues facing their baby. Pray for Luke’s 4-year-old brother who doesn’t understand why his baby brother can’t come home. Give thanks to God for the supportive and loving community around this refugee family.
- Please pray for God’s healing touch upon 10-year-old Libby* who has been suffering from an unknown illness for three years. Pray that her doctors will be able to diagnose her and provide a treatment plan for this hurting little girl. Pray for God’s comforting presence to surround Libby and her family.
*Name changed for confidentiality and/or protection.
