India (Dalit Freedom Network – www.dalitnetwork.org)
- Give thanks to God for the increased enrollments in the Dalit Education Centers—most of the increases are for Lower Kindergarten. Thanks be to God that the very youngest children in the very poorest communities in which the Dalit Freedom Network (DFN) operates schools are embarking on a journey of learning new truths, challenging old notions, and daring to dream a new destiny for their future.
- Pray for the health of these little ones this school year. Pray for their safety as they walk back and forth to school. Pray for their teachers and administrators as they work with these young pupils.
Liberia, Africa, Asia, Middle East, North America, Europe
- Please keep the family of 7-year-old Sata, as well as her friends, classmates, teachers, and school staff, held close in prayer as they mourn the death of this little girl. Sata died shortly before she was supposed to start the second grade at Heritage Learning Center (part of Hinds Feet Ministries—http://www.hindsfeetministries.org/) in Monrovia. While Sata was at her grandmother’s in the country, she was forced to have Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) performed on her and died as a result of this procedure, one that provides no health benefits whatsoever.
- Pray that God will provide Trypetus, the Hinds Feet Ministries founder (and Faces of Children prayer partner), with wisdom and a strategy to educate people about FGM and its destructive consequences. Pray that God will guide and strengthen her efforts in eradicating this damaging practice.
- Pray for the three million African girls at risk for FGM every year. Pray for those in the western, eastern, and north-eastern regions of Africa where FGM is widespread. Pray for girls and women in Asia, the Middle East, and among certain immigrant communities in North America and Europe where the practice of FGM is common.
- Pray for the 100 to 140 million girls and women around the world who are living with the consequences of FGM. Pray for those who suffer with the long-term effects of this practice: Recurrent infections, infertility, increased risk of childbirth complications and newborn deaths, and the need for further surgical procedures.
- Pray for a change of the cultural, religious, or social factors in families and communities that drive this damaging practice on girls between infancy and age 15. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/
United States
- Please pray for 9-year-old Kevin, a boy with severe emotional problems who seems to be getting worse at the court-ordered treatment facility where he was placed. Pray for Kevin’s mother and the rest of his family who are struggling to help this hurting child. Kevin had become a danger to his two younger sisters (also adopted) and had to be removed from their home. Please pray that God will provide the guidance and resources needed to move Kevin to the best treatment facility for his condition. Pray that God will bring complete healing and peace to this little boy so he may return home to his family.
- Keep 4-year-old Evan* held close in prayer as he tries to make sense of the sudden loss of his mother. Evan’s mother died last month following a massive stroke. Pray for Evan’s father who is also grieving the devastating loss of his wife. Pray that a community of support will continue to surround this father and son throughout their season of sorrow. Pray for the peace of Christ to sustain them all during this sad time.
*Named changed for confidentiality and/or protection.
- Please hold 3-year-old Gray and his family close in prayer. Gray is in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston fighting for his life. Pray that God will bring complete healing to Gray’s little body from HUS (hemolytic-uremic syndrome), an illness that may have been caused by an E. coli bacterial infection in his digestive system that then attacked his kidneys. Pray his body will continue to fight the infection and respond well to the treatments he is receiving. Pray for the hospital staff as they care for this little boy. Give thanks to God for the community of support around Gray, his parents, and his siblings. http://tinyurl.com/3zxhs66
Faces of Children
- Give grateful thanks to God for answering prayers about Brittney, the 26-year-old friend of a Faces of Children prayer partner. A recent scan indicated the tumor in Brittney’s neck hasn’t spread throughout her body! Please continue to keep Brittney held close in prayer throughout the rest of the treatment for this very rare cancer.
- Pray that God will bring comfort to Carol, a Faces of Children intercessor, as she goes through a frustrating and challenging time. Carol’s car was stolen, used in a high speed police chase, and then wrecked. Pray for patience, understanding, and courage as Carol deals with an overburdened, uncooperative law enforcement group.
