Mali, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal
· Please pray for children at risk of going hungry in the Sahel, a semi-arid region below the Sahara desert that is experiencing drought, insect infestations, and as a result, poor harvests. Pray for children in Niger, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Senegal who are affected by this situation…between five and nine million people are at risk of going hungry. http://tinyurl.com/7lbsv6q
· Pray for children from northern Mali who are not only affected by this food crisis, but also by the fighting between government troops and rebels seeking an independent home for the Tuareg people. Pray God will provide for those living in makeshift camps without basic necessities like clean water, food, adequate shelter, or medical care.
o Pray for the estimated 140,000 Malian children and families forced to flee their homes because of this conflict—about half are internally displaced (IDPs).
o Pray for the 70,000 who’ve fled to the neighboring countries of Mauritania, Burkina Faso, and Algeria.
o Pray for the estimated 10,000 Malian children and people who fled the fighting and are now living in an area of Niger that’s been hard hit by food shortages. http://tinyurl.com/72mx643
Kenya (Naomi’s Village – http://naomisvillage.com/)
· Pray for 3-month-old Maxwell who was abandoned and is in a hospital waiting to be placed into a foster home. Pray that the nursing strike in Kenya will end quickly as Maxwell’s care has been compromised by the strike and lack of nurses.
· Please pray that God will smooth the way for Maxwell to be placed at Naomi’s Village or another good home soon. Pray that those in charge of making decisions about Maxwell and his placement will keep Maxwell’s best interests at heart.
· Give thanks to God for the staff and volunteers with Naomi’s Village and the compassion and concern they have for abandoned, neglected, and at-risk children in Kenya. Praise God for their strong faith and trust in God’s provision and love.
Pakistan
· Please keep the child laborers of Pakistan held close in prayer. Pray for the estimated 10 million children who must work to help their families pay for rising food and fuel costs. Pray for teenagers who leave their village homes to live and work in larger cities in Pakistan. http://tinyurl.com/7p9qqd2
· Pray for the safety and health of children and teens who work long hours in dangerous jobs either manufacturing glass bangles; cleaning oil tankers; manufacturing soccer balls; or working on poultry farms, in motor workshops, at brick kilns, or in small hotels. Please pray for those who are verbally and/or physically abused by supervisors or other workers.
· Pray for children who are unable to attend school because they must work. Pakistan spends less than two percent of its gross domestic product on education, forcing unskilled youth onto the streets to look for work.
· Pray that Pakistan’s government and military leaders will place a renewed emphasis on the welfare of the children of their country. Pray for a change of hearts and minds regarding child labor and the desperate conditions that compel parents to force their children into dangerous or damaging jobs.
Faces of Children
· Please keep Margaret, a Faces of Children intercessor, held close in prayer as she faces multiple health challenges and medical decisions. Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom in this dedicated prayer partner’s life. Pray for her healing… that she might be able to continue her work and ministry efforts.
· Pray for healing for the mother of a Faces of Children prayer partner as she receives treatment for a very serious infection. Pray God will bring peace to Bridget who isn’t able to be with her mother at this time.
· Give thanks to God for Gregory’s* safe trip to his native country of Ethiopia after being away for over 30 years. This Faces of Children intercessor was persecuted, imprisoned, and tortured for his Christian faith while he was a citizen of Ethiopia and risked imprisonment or worse if he returned. Praise God for the joy filled meeting Gregory had with his mother, whom he hadn’t seen in 31 years. Please pray for her health as she was ill and in the hospital when Gregory visited.
*Name changed for confidentiality and/or protection.
