Sunday, June 20, 2010

One Day by Matisyahu

Sometimes I lay
under the moon
and thank God I'm breathing
then I pray
don't take me soon
I am here for a reason
sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around
because

All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we don't wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day

It's not about
win or lose
we all lose
when they feed on the souls of the innocent
blood drenched pavement
keep on moving though the waters stay raging
in this maze you can lose your way (your way)
it might drive you crazy but don't let it faze you no way (no way)
sometimes in my tears I drown
but I never let it get me down
so when negativity surrounds
I know some day it'll all turn around
‘cause

All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we don't wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day
one day this all will change
treat people all the same
stop with the violence
down with the hate
one day we'll all be free
and proud to be
under the same sun
singing songs of freedom like
one day

All my life I've been waiting for
I've been praying for
for the people to say
that we don't wanna fight no more
they'll be no more wars
and our children will play
one day

Sunday, June 6, 2010

The Child In The Midst Affected By Loss and Death

Approximately 33 million people were living with HIV in 2008; 2.1 million of
them were estimated to be children under 15 years of age.
• Around 17.5 million children under the age of 18 have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Millions more have been affected, with a vastly increased risk of poverty, homelessness, school dropout, discrimination and loss of life opportunities. These hardships include illness and death
• Of the estimated 2 million people who died of AIDS-related illnesses in 2008, 280,000 of them were children under 15 years old

Ecclesiastes 3
‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to …’
(Read and pray as led by the rest of this passage.)

Pray for -
• More local church families to be open to welcoming HIV/AIDS orphans into their homes or supporting them
• The children who end up being the head of a family, that they would have support, training and encouragement
• The ministries and initiatives who are working to educate people about issues relating to HIV/AIDS
• More governments to follow Uganda’s example by supporting services to give all pregnant women very effective antiretroviral therapy in a bid to stop children from becoming infected
• The strengthening of marriages and family relationships, which encourages commitment to one sexual partner for life thus preventing the spread of HIV.
• Children in other situations where they suffer loss. (War, disease, natural disaster…)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Worldwide Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk

This weekend is the Worldwide Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk. I hope that you'll take at least 60 seconds out of your busy schedule to be in prayer for children around the world, including our own country. That includes street children, homeless, hungry, poor, orphans, HIV/AIDS victims, child soldiers, child laborers, etc. If you read some of my previous posts, you will see how you can pray for these families. What a great way for your children to respond by praying.
Lay a world map on the floor, toss a bean bag (or something similar) onto a country and pray for those children.
Maybe your child could pray for a child his or her own age.
Don't let them go unnoticed. For those of you that work with and regularly pray for children at risk, thanks for all the work that you do. May God truly bless you for your faithfulness.

The Child In The Midst Who Suffers Through Hunger or Poverty

27,000 children die every day because of hunger or preventable illnesses and
100 million children live or work on the streets (UNICEF).
• More than 140 million children are malnourished and 5.6 million die every year through starvation
• The International Labour Organization (ILO), estimate that 12 million children are victims of trafficking each year, being moved from one country to another to fulfill selfish sexual needs. In India, children are exploited and end up working as slaves to pay off debts incurred by their families

Matthew 25: 44-45
They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ He
will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least
of these, you did not do for me.’

Pray for -
• A greater kindness and love to be shown to those who live in poverty
• Governmental practice to improve for better distribution of relief, food and resources so that real needs are met
• Fewer deaths and less suffering through untreated diseases because people commit to giving proper attention to the needs of the poor and hungry
• New and creative ways to be found to help poor communities
• Governments to create laws in favor of children, so that better choices to break away from poverty and lack of opportunity are available
• An increase of faith in Christian communities to experience God’s supernatural intervention where necessary

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Child In The Midst With No Education

It is estimated that there are 700 million children of primary school age and more than 121 million do not attend school, mostly in South Asia and sub- Saharan Africa where poverty prevents them.
• 50 million babies have started life without a legal identity. With no documentation to prove how old they are or even if they exist, they are likely to be faced with discrimination and lack of basic access to services such as education or health care

‘All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your
children’s peace.’ Isaiah 54:13

Pray for -
• Children who do not have an opportunity to go to school because of physical or
mental disability
• Children who live in very poor families who cannot afford school uniforms, shoes or books, which means they are excluded
• Children who work during the day and cannot attend school because they must earn money to feed themselves and their families
• The many ministries which are seeking to develop and educate children-particularly
those doing so in line with Godly values and wisdom
• The daily provision of resources both financial and human to give children the
opportunity to learn
• That governments would keep their commitments to provide universal education for all primary age children

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

The Child In The Midst Of Violence

According to UNICEF, millions of children run away from home because of violence and abuse. 185 million children under 18 years of age live in Latin America and every year six million suffer extreme violence and some 80,000 die in their own homes.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Pray for -
• Children who suffer physical or verbal abuse from parents or other adults; that these adults would change their ways
• Good teaching and training of parents to discipline children without resorting to bodily harm
• The adults who do not treat children well. That they would be changed and become aware of children’s needs
• Families to give more time to teaching, praying, playing and blessing children both within and outside their own families
Governments to acknowledge the significance of the family unit, to honor marriage
and legislate to protect and help keep families together

The Child In The Midst Who Needs A Family

UNICEF estimates that the total number of children in institutional care globally is 2.2
million, but they point out that due to under-reporting and lack of regulation this is an underestimate. Studies show that even good quality institutional care can unhelpfully effect a child’s ability to form relationships throughout life. Nothing can replace a real family.
• A child’s first emotional attachment to their main care giver (mother figure) is considered to
be the blue print for all later emotional attachments as the young child learns how to love and
be loved.


‘A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing’.
Psalm 68:5-6

Pray for -
• Children who live in institutions in the country where you live
• The many people responding with compassion to the needs of children within Christian orphanages and ministries around the world. When no families are available this is often the only alternative
• Ministries, organizations and churches who are working to help children find families
• Society to respond to the needs of children who need parenting, to prioritize helping children in their communities to find homes and families
• Children to overcome difficulties or challenges that prevent them taking hold of a
better future, no matter what they might have been through