“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” -1 John 5:14
We believe in the power of prayer. We have seen God answer many, many prayers over the 28+ years of our ministry in Brazil. It is because of generous donors, diligent volunteers, and faithful prayer warriors (like you!) that we are able to continue in our mission. We are very grateful for your prayers.
Here are a few specific ways you can pray for us:
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- Please pray for our house parents. Anyone who has been a parent knows there are moments when you think, “This is not what I signed up for.” Imagine being a house parent to 15 former street kids, who are still getting used to taking baths, brushing teeth, and more importantly, following rules. We ask for a 10-year commitment so they are perceived as parent figures, not monitors. But it’s tough—it takes time to establish trust, and relationships take time to build. So we ask you to pray for them. Many of our house parents are program graduates; former students who are still incorporating their own pasts into who they have become as parents—not only to their own biological kids, but to our Hope kids.
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- Please pray for physical and emotional safety for 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.
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- Please pray for our finances. Join us in gratitude and praise as for the first time in over a decade we ended the year in the green, with bills paid, debts retired, and small reserve! Having said that, please pray that our key leadership staff will have peace in their hearts as they invite people to partner with us, sometimes overcoming their own awkwardness or even crippling fear in doing so. No one wants to ask, but the reward—sharing the blessing of seeing God transform lives—makes it all worth it.
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- Please pray for even more decisions to follow Christ. It’s wonderful to be able to provide a warm bed, three meals, and teach a teenager to read for the first time. But “worldly” success is not our goal. We want our kids to know Jesus! Pray that our children 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.
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- Please pray for 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! Much 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.
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Are you ready to partner with us in prayer each month? Join our email list below to receive prayer requests and praises from both of our campuses in your inbox each month.