Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street. Lamentations 2:19 NIV
Could you give just one minute this weekend to “lift up your hands to God for the lives of children at risk”? The“World Wide Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk” was started by the Viva Network back in 1995... Last year over 2 million people took time to be sensitive to this issue that is so close to God’s heart... Christ showed his heart several times for children while needy, hungry, poor people were chosen repeatedly as a theme in the Bible. So... put the two together... children - at risk – and you’ve found something undoubtedly important to God.
Gardenia brought 9 year old Joel to El Jordán, in hopes that we could get him into a kids home to “solve” his many problem... God once again showed me a glimpse of his marvellous grace for children at risk... but before I tell you more about Joel, I’ve copied some information from the Viva Network’s webpage so maybe we can join them in their effort to come together before God to intercede for our world’s needy “little ones”...
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For many children, our world may appear desolate and hopeless - but we believe there is hope. For this reason we want to help increase the number of people praying and participating in this global movement of prayer on behalf of children at risk.
At the time Jesus lived on earth people didn’t fully understand the ‘good news’ message He preached. The disciples tried to stop the children coming to Jesus, yet Jesus did something that must have shocked the local people. He took a child and placed the child in the middle promising them that if they truly wanted to be part of the Kingdom the only way to follow Him would be to become like that child.
Jesus modelled important principles; in this same story we are told that ‘He took them in His arms and blessed them.’ We are called to continue Jesus’ mission on earth. We need to pray that we would take to heart in our prayers and actions the millions of children at risk living in our world today.
Let’s pray together and see transformation! The Viva prayer team.
Viva has facilitated the World Weekend of Prayer for children at risk since 1995. The scale of this weekend has grown over the years and now, as we partner with many prayer ministries and networks, millions of people join us each year to pray for and with vulnerable children.
We come together to pray that children all around the world would know the love of Jesus in their everyday lives, and be able to claim for themselves God's incredible offer of abundant life. We also pray that as a result of our prayers more people will be mobilized to manifest the love of God to this generation.
Please consider praying with us over this weekend, and perhaps even holding an event of your own. The World Weekend of Prayer - child in the midst booklet has many imaginative ideas for interactive intercession and different ways of engaging people in prayer.
Every year more than 2 million people across 89 countries
come together to pray for children at risk
over our World Weekend of Prayer.
You may not have time to organise a prayer event, or to arrange a special church service, but everybody has at least 1 minute to pray.
You can take your 60 seconds at any point over the weekend, and you can use it as creatively as you like:
- Have 1 minute of silence, and remember the many children living without families, homes, education, or healthcare
- Pray for a specific child you know by name
- For 60 seconds of your church service let the children in the room be as noisy as they like while the adults pray for them
- Have 1 minute of family prayer over a meal and pray for the children who are not as fortunate as us
- Simply take a quiet 60 seconds by yourself and pray for children at risk around the world in whatever way you want
“If every person involved takes a minute to pray,
just 1 minute out of a whole weekend, that could mean 2 million minutes –
that’s equal to more than 3 and a half years' worth of prayer
devoted to children at risk!
Our prayers over this weekend
really do have the power to bring about change
in the lives of thousands of vulnerable children.
So get involved; stand with us. Every prayer counts!”
Patrick McDonald Chief Executive of Viva
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Back to Bolivia... I have crossed paths with Gardenia many times over the last 12 years... and most of those have been in/near the canals where our city’s cocaine paste addicts make their “home”... Over the last couple years I’ve been prompted to pray for Gardenia. There are some condominiums being developed with her same name... so when I see their advertisements, I send a quick prayer for Gardenia where ever she might be...
About two weeks ago, she dropped by El Jordán to talk to Marco... she has been living with “Luis” – better known as “Walo” - who Marco has known for many years... Together they just had a baby girl... and are struggling to work... stay off the streets... and truly change so that their little one can grow up in a different environment...
I don’t even know how many children Gardenia has had (only the youngest is under her care)... one of those is Joel... 9 years old... who has grown up with his grandmother... Although I’m sure the grandma tries her best in raising three of her grandchildren, Joel has grown up without security or control in his life... He is addicted to internet games (every neighbourhood has at least one place where people can go and use internet... Unfortunately it is most widely used by kids who, with no restrictions, can play any game on the web.) and he has suffered different degrees of sexual abuse at the hands of neighbours... His grandma no longer knows what to do with him... because he runs away, has a stealing problem and has become a sad and uncommunicative little boy...
Claudia who specializes in working with/counselling children came to talk to Joel the other day... She discovered that Joel was a thinker... and a good communicator - able to express his feelings, hopes and desires... He described the games he plays on internet – and how the main character has to steal and the way you get points is by making him steal more... and not get caught... etc, etc. As he talked with Claudia he realized that he has been copying this character... and where it could lead him... He said that he didn’t want to grow up and have all the people in the neighbourhood point him out and say “That’s Joel... the delinquent... the thief...”. He doesn’t want to keep on stealing and then one day maybe have children and have them do the same thing...
Claudia described him as a kid who still has a soft heart... who just wants to be loved, cared for... and feels that if he were to receive that attention and be taught Biblical values and principles, he would respond in a positive way... He needs his mom to be a part of his life... and the internet games have to stop... He needs to be able to play and interact with other kids – but in a healthy way...
While Claudia was talking to Gardenia and then with me, Joel asked if he could read some books from the library... I grabbed three that looked interesting for a kid his age and he went to the porch to read... Gardenia seemed to have her mind set on sending Joel to a kids’ home even though this went completely against what was recommended... We offered her classes at El Jordan – where she could bring Joel so he could be with kids, having a Bible lesson and doing crafts...
When Claudia was getting ready to leave, Joel called her over to the table... to thank her for her advice... and to show her something that he read... There in one of the books, he found Ephesians 4:28 “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” Joel said he realized that stealing wasn’t right... that God didn’t want him to steal...
Now isn’t that so incredibly full of grace on God’s part??? ...that one of the books I “grabbed” off the shelf in our library, just happened to have that verse in it? ...that Joel happened to choose that book to read – instead of one of the other two... How many kids’ books – that aren’t specifically about stealing – have you ever seen Ephesians 4:28 in? I believe that God in His tender love and mercy... the Father to the fatherless... sent a message to a lonely little boy that day... wanting him to not steal any more...
Joel returned the books to the library... and said goodbye... I told him to wait just for a minute and I went to the library to get the book... I told Joel he could borrow it until he came back again...
Gardenia hasn’t been back to El Jordan... I kind of think that she took the “easy” road out and took Joel to a kids’ home... I just pray that that verse might continue to speak into Joel’s life wherever he might be... that it might be a start of wondering what else God has to say...
So... as we’ve been reminded of God’s heart for children... and for the needy... His love and grace that He is ready to pour out on even small ones, could you join me right now... or sometime this weekend to take even just one minute to pray for Joel or so many other children at risk in our world today?
Thank you so much... Have a great weekend...
Lots of love,
Corina for Marco (and Keiden) (I’d recommend you looking at www.viva.org if you have time and if you’re interested in learning more about children at risk in our world...)