07 Nov Day 30
The Village
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit. John 15:8
How great if we were prayed for every day of the year as much as during the last 30 days? We want to challenge you to really pray for us all year long. If you – our village – don’t pray for us, who will? I know it’s sometimes hard to think of something specific to pray for. Here’s a quick, one page summary of some of our specific needs for prayer.
Please pray for physical and emotional safety for our children. Our Brazil campuses are located in neighborhoods where youth homicides are an everyday reality. As a result, our youth often arrive with apathy towards life, rather than a zest for it, because they know that at any moment life may be taken away. They have learned that it’s better to have low expectations – or no expectations – than to be disappointed again. We ask for prayer for their physical safety, yes. But almost as importantly, please pray that each child will feel safe to love – to not only receive love, but give it back.
Please pray for our house parents and ministry team. Anyone who’s been a parent has had moments when they think, “This is not what I signed up for.” Imagine being a house parent to 15 former street kids, still getting used to taking baths, wearing shoes, and brushing their teeth. It takes time to establish trust, and relationships take time to build. Every team member has to love each child ferociously, while being able to let go – again and again and again. We ask house parents for a 10-year commitment to ensure continuity in their relationships, even after the children leave. But it’s tough. Please pray for our house parents, our leaders, and every member of our incredible staff team.
Please pray for even more decisions to follow Christ. It’s wonderful to be able to provide a child with warm bed, three meals, and a job skill to equip them to be productive citizens. But “worldly” success is not our goal. We want our kids to know Jesus! Pray that every child in our care will meet their heavenly Father in a personal way. We want them to know that God loves them more than anyone ever will, and embrace His plan for their lives.
Please pray for our finances. Join us in gratitude and praise as, for the second year in a row – even despite COVID – we ended the year in the green. Having said that, please pray for our key leadership staff. They know full well our ministry is dependent on gifts, but often have to overcome their own awkwardness or even crippling fear to invite people to partner with us. Pray that they will have peace in their hearts as they do so. No one wants to ask, but the reward – sharing the blessing of seeing God transform lives—makes it all worth it.
Finally, please pray for the fruit or our labors: our graduates. It’s scary to let go. As our program grows and becomes more “mature,” more graduates are getting married, starting families . . . and experiencing the hiccups that come with spreading their wings. We’d love to be there for every need, but we have a really big family! uch as you pray for your own kids when they leave the nest, pray for divine protection over these young adults. Pray for the Lord to be their guide. And pray that He will put kind and Godly people in their paths, who will mentor them in their areas of need. We are their family . . . but as they say, it takes a village