CALL TO PRAYER. Raise up warriors Lord, who will fight on their knees, You King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Raise them up Lord! Raise them up!

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3 CALL TO PRAYER Raise up warriors Lord, who will fight on their knees, who will worship you with their whole hearts! Lord, call us to battle that we may proclaim You King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Raise them up Lord! Raise them up! MS. CLARA, WAR ROOM 1

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5 Imagine an Africa where every child has experienced the love of Christ and chosen to follow Him. When the Africa s Children NOW initiative was launched, one of the goals was to enlist 100,000 people who would pray for the needs of Africa s young. We recognized that anything and everything we do must be bathed in prayer. We have prepared this prayer guide to be a tool to help you pray specific, thoughtful prayers on behalf of the children of Africa. In this prayer guide, you will find 12 different countries that represent each region of the continent. Each country is highlighted with a story to help you begin to truly see Africa both its challenges and successes. In addition to each story, you will find at least four specific prayer requests for each country. We suggest that you use the prayer guide by focusing on one country each month and praying for a specific need each week. The guide can be used in your own personal prayer time, in a small group, with children s groups, or with a church prayer team. Africa has more than its fair share of need. We have tried to communicate those needs in an honest and compassionate way. However, the story of Africa is not just about need but is also about what God is doing through His church in Africa. He is touching the lives of children in amazing ways. You will see an element of hope coming through in many of the stories we have shared. We ask you to join us in thanking God for the good things that He is doing across Africa on behalf of children. Thank you for joining your heart with ours as together, we pray for the needs of the children of Africa.

6 IMAGINE THE CHANGE THAT WOULD HAPPEN IF EVERY CHURCH IN EVERY COUNTRY WERE TO REACH OUT TO EVERY CHILD IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

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8 The country of Burundi is struggling to emerge from a twelve-year ethnic-based civil war between the Hutus and the Tutsis. These are the same tribal groups that were involved in the Rwandan genocide of 1994, which killed nearly one million people. This mountainous country is home to nearly 11 million people. 2 Burundi ranks amongst the poorest countries in the world. It s no surprise that the church has struggled because of the conflict and ongoing economic problems. There are currently only 54 Assemblies of God churches in this country. 2 What do you do when trying to rebuild a church that has endured such hardship and is hampered by economic crisis? The challenges are many, and prioritizing these needs seems overwhelming at times. Along with all the other important ministries that church leaders have identified as urgent priorities, they have specified children s ministry as one of their most urgent needs. The general superintendent of the Burundi Assemblies of God wrote an official letter requesting a missionary to come and work directly with children in his country.

9 Imagine the opportunities and possibilities that are waiting for whoever might respond to that call. Help doesn t always have to come from across the ocean; sometimes it can come right from next door. The church in the neighboring countries of Kenya and Tanzania are also reaching out to their brothers and sisters in Burundi. The children s ministry directors from the Kenya Assemblies of God and the Tanzania Assemblies of God are planning training events for children s workers in Burundi. It will be a long, hard road for the Burundi church on their way to recovery and self-sufficiency, but they won t have to walk the road alone. This resilient church body is ready to do what they can on their own, but they ask that we walk alongside them offering training, guidance, and encouragement. Praise God that the leadership of this fledgling church has recognized the importance of reaching and discipling the next generation in this war-torn country. 3 As the church invests in the lives of children and teaches them that God loves all people and desires that we live in peace with our neighbors, they will insure that Burundi will someday be a country of peace. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can hate be turned to love, for it is the love of Jesus that will transform lives and change people s hearts and attitudes towards others.

10 burundi prayer points Pray that God will empower and enable this church to realize all the dreams and the vision that He has given them for reaching the children of Burundi. Pray for neighboring countries such as Kenya and Tanzania as they reach out to help their neighbors. Pray that God will call and send missionaries to work with children in Burundi. Pray that God will provide the tools and training needed for the churches of Burundi as they minister to the children in their communities. 4 Ultimately, pray that the children of Burundi will come to know Jesus and help shape the future of their nation.

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12 When Mary s father got a job as a night guard at the new Christian school in his town, part of his salary was that his daughter would get to attend the school for free. Mary was taller than the rest of her classmates because she was starting school so late. Due to malnutrition, she often had trouble concentrating in class and wasn t doing very well in her studies. The school director noticed that Mary was having problems, so he started bringing her to his home every day after class for a solid meal with his family and for tutoring on her lessons. At the end of the first year of school, Mary was doing well in her studies and her parents were amazed with her progress. 6 Mary lives in a country in West Africa that is predominantly Muslim. Because of this, parents in her town were reluctant to send their children to an openly Christian school. In fact, there were only 9 students enrolled when the school opened. However, when other parents saw the transformation in Mary s life, they were encouraged to invest in their children s education as well. In just two years, the

13 enrollment grew to over 150 students and the school was completely full. Providing quality education is one of the most compassionate things we can do for children growing up in poverty. It provides them with the tools they need to change their lives for the better. Many of these schools are located in places that are resistant to the gospel and virtually unreached. Providing quality education for a community meets a very real, felt need. It is a way to demonstrate compassion and concern for the children and families in these communities. Praise God for this school and for the local teachers who demonstrate the love of Jesus every day to children like Mary. Not everyone gets to go to school in Senegal and many of those who do only go through the sixth grade. As a result more than 40 percent of the population is illiterate. 3 Senegal is 95 percent Muslim and home to many unreached people groups (UPGs). One thing that is common to each of these UPGs is that nearly half of the population of every UPG is children. It is very challenging to find ways to genuinely show the love of Christ to children in an appropriate way in these sensitive, even hostile, environments. Schools are one way that this has been done successfully in Senegal and other parts of Africa. Almost everyone understands the value of education and the fact that education is the way to break the cycle of poverty. 7

14 senegal prayer points Pray for wisdom and direction for teachers and administrators working in schools among UPGs. Pray that God would use them to show His love in very real ways to these children and their families. Pray for the finances needed to enlarge these schools, as well as to start new ones. Pray that the religious strongholds that have held these people captive for so long would be broken in the name of Jesus. Pray that children like Mary would come to know Jesus through the love and care shown to them by their teachers. 8 Pray that God would call more dedicated teachers to these difficult and often dangerous areas.

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16 Every Saturday, the Bible school campus in Luanda, Angola, is flooded with over 200 children the result of the efforts of one Bible school graduate named Paulo. While still in Bible school, Paulo felt led by the Lord to do some kind of outreach ministry among the children living around the school. His idea was to invite the local children to come and play soccer on Saturdays. Like many other places in Africa, soccer is the most popular sport in Angola. You can find children playing in open areas with simple homemade balls created from plastic bags rolled tightly together and tied with string. Having the opportunity to play on a real soccer field with a real ball is something most of the children in Angola have only dreamed about. Paulo s program started with only 30 children but quickly grew to over 200 simply by word of mouth. 10 As much as Paulo enjoyed seeing the children having fun, his real passion was to help them understand God s love. Now, each Saturday after the children have played soccer, they sit and listen to Paulo share about God s love, how Jesus came to save them from their sins, and how they can live for Him.

17 One of the children who attends regularly is an eight-year-old girl named Filamina. She has five brothers and sisters and has never met her father. Many men in Angola have more than one wife, but they typically live with only one of the wives. As a result, they might not see their other wives and children very frequently. Because of this custom, many women are left to care for their children by themselves. The average family consists of 6 10 children. Often, children are left home alone unattended while their mother is working to provide for the needs of her family. Praise God for Paulo and others like him who have a passion to minister to children and who use creative methods to reach them with the love of Jesus. angola prayer points Pray that Paulo would continue to impact the lives of children like Filamina. 11 Pray that these children s lives would be forever changed as they encounter the love of Jesus. Pray that others in Angola and across Africa would have a burden to reach children and be open to creative ways to reach out to them. Pray that as these children learn about Jesus, they will share the good news with their families. Pray that many families would come to know Jesus through this ministry and others like it.

18 WE BELIEVE THE ANSWER TO AFRICA S CHALLENGES IS healthy local churches ENGAGING THEIR COMMUNITIES.

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20 In 1 Timothy 2, Paul instructs Timothy to pray for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives. He then connects this peace to the fact that God wants people to be saved and know the truth. It s easy to see the correlation between peace and the spread of the gospel. When there is violence, conflict, and war, it is hard for the church to thrive. It is difficult, if not impossible, to spread the good news about Jesus when fighting restricts movement and intimidation squashes free speech. Perhaps one of the places in Africa where this connection is most easily seen is in the Central African Republic (CAR). The nation of the CAR is located in the middle of the continent of Africa and is home to nearly 5 million people. 14 The CAR has been embroiled in conflict for more than a decade. Rebel forces and government troops continue to clash. Groups of armed bandits roam freely in certain parts of the country, looting property and terrorizing those in their path. Not only does the CAR suffer from its own internal problems, but the country also suffers the spillover from conflicts in neighboring Chad and Sudan. UNICEF estimates that one million people in the CAR have been affected by the violence.

21 As always, children are among those who suffer the most. It is estimated that 67 percent of the population lives on less than a dollar a day, making it extremely challenging for families to provide for the basic needs of their children. Only half of all children are enrolled in school, and that number jumps to 75 percent in the regions where the heaviest conflict is taking place. The use of child soldiers remains prevalent. 4 It s no wonder that one report says that nearly two-thirds of all the children in the CAR suffer from some kind of emotional or behavioral problem related to the violence and insecurity. 5 This is one of those situations where it is hard to find any glimmer of hope, and even if such a glimmer exists, how would we know about it? It s difficult to get information about the church and what is happening in the country. Currently, there are no Assemblies of God missionaries in the CAR because of the instability. Obviously the situation is complex, and it is hard to know how we can or should respond. One thing we can do is pray. As Paul instructed in 1 Timothy, we can pray for those in authority so that the people of the CAR can live peaceful and quiet lives. 15 Although it appears that Satan has control of the nation of the CAR at this time, we can praise God that He is the God of the impossible and that He is not willing that anyone perishes without knowing Him. If God s people pray, all things become possible.

22 central african republic prayer points Pray that those in positions of power and influence would find a peaceful resolution to the current political problems at the root of the fighting. Pray for the government relief agencies and non-profits that are working in CAR. Pray that they can get help to those that need it most. Pray that God gives strength and perseverance to families in the midst of the crisis so that they can provide for their family s needs. 16 Pray that there would be peace so that the church would be free to minister to the needs of those around them, especially children. Pray for peace so that children can grow up without the fear of something bad happening to them or their families. Pray for peace so that missionaries can go back into the country to share the good news of Jesus.

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24 The country of Somalia is 99.5 percent Muslim. This East African country has been torn apart by decades of fighting. It s difficult, if not impossible, for foreigners to get into Somalia, and going in as a Christian worker is certainly not allowed. There are an estimated two million Somali refugees living outside Somalia because of the ongoing conflict. 6 Most of them live in neighboring African countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti, but some have moved as far away as Europe and the United States. Most of these countries don t have the same religious restrictions as Somalia, making it possible to reach out to Somali people living in neighboring countries in ways that wouldn t be possible inside Somalia s own borders. 18 In one neighboring country, a Christian family befriended their Somali neighbors. When they first met the family, only two of the four children attended school. The parents did not make enough money to send all their children to school, so only the two oldest children were able to go to school. The mother often took odd jobs outside the home to try to make extra money for the family. The Christian family has had the opportunity to show Christ s love to their Somali

25 neighbors in very practical ways during times of hunger, loss of a pregnancy, illnesses, and other difficulties. During these times, their Somali friends will let them pray for them and share with them about the One who can save, heal, and deliver them. This Christian family has helped to start a school in a predominantly Somali neighborhood in their city. Many of the children who come to the school are from families who struggle to pay for their children s education. There is a feeding program at the school that provides the students with a hot meal each day. When a cook was needed for the school, they offered the job to their Somali friend. This mother now has a job to help provide for her family, and all four of her children now attend the school. At school, the children learn songs about Jesus and stories from the Bible. Living and working in this Somali community has given these followers of Jesus an opportunity to show God s love in very tangible ways to their Somali neighbors. Praise God for this Christian family and the ministry of this school that intentionally reaches out to Somali people. 19 Due to religious and cultural concerns, Somalis are often closed off to their non-somali neighbors. However, it is often the people from the host country who are afraid to interact with their Somali neighbors. Years of mistrust, fear, and prejudice are difficult to overcome, but the love of Jesus overcomes all of these obstacles.

26 somalia prayer points Pray for believers in these host countries to embrace their Somali neighbors and show them the love of Jesus. Pray that more Christians would be willing to move to Somali communities and reach out to Somalis with the love of Jesus. Pray for the school described in this story and for others like it that have been started in Somali communities as a way to reach out to the children and families that live there. Pray for children from these Somali families. Pray that they will meet friends and neighbors who will share the love of Jesus with them. 20

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28 As the missionaries pulled into the church grounds, a neighbor came running to their car and begged them to take his twin daughters to the hospital. The missionaries quickly took the parents and the two tiny girls to the hospital. The two tiny lethargic forms were draped over their parents arms like a couple of rag dolls. Although one year old, the twins were not much larger than newborns. Both of the little infant girls were feverish, breathing shallowly and coughing frequently. Upon arriving at the clinic, the girls condition was immediately classified as urgent. The young French doctor who manned the clinic diagnosed the twins with pneumonia and began an IV of antibiotics on both the girls, even though he admitted that their condition was not very hopeful. 22 The doctor began to question the parents about the history of the girls to determine how they had arrived in their current critical state. After some hesitation, the father admitted that he and his wife had taken the children to the local Muslim holy man who was credited

29 as having supernatural powers. This holy man had removed the girls tonsils with unsterilized instruments, and the resulting infection turned into a severe case of pneumonia. Sadly, both of these precious little girls lost their struggle to pneumonia and died, despite the efforts of the trained medical personnel. Sometimes the harsh realities of Africa are heartbreaking and difficult to talk about. There are so many things that contribute to this kind of senseless loss of life. Traditional religious practices and deeply imbedded superstition are often contributing factors. Lack of adequate medical care, malnutrition, and environmental factors also play a role. In fact, in the country of Chad, 40 percent of the children are chronically malnourished. 7 These problems are always complex in nature, but the church can play a part in meeting these very real needs. Praise God for the few churches that operate medical clinics in Chad; pray that these will increase in number as God calls skilled medical professionals to be a part of the solution to the physical needs of the Chadian people. 23

30 chad prayer points Pray that churches will find creative ways to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of children and families in their communities. Pray for the new missionaries who are headed to Chad. Pray that someone with a burden for children s ministry will join that team. Pray for more church planters to come from within the Chadian church, as well as from neighboring countries. Pray that every church in Chad will see the need for children s ministry and that God will raise up workers to be trained to minister to children. 24

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32 According to UNICEF, Swaziland has the highest HIV rate in the world. 8 Because of this, many children become orphaned and are being raised by gogos (grandmas) or older siblings. Combined with the present economic struggles in many parts of the country, this crisis makes it challenging to adequately care for all the children who have been affected. Sometimes caregivers will send younger children to church just to have a break. In many rural areas of Swaziland, 60 percent of the people at church on Sunday are children. 26 One missionary from Swaziland tells a story of her visit to a local church. She and her daughter had prepared an exciting, interactive Sunday School lesson for the children. They were disappointed when the children started yawning and even falling asleep during the lesson in spite of all the activities and visuals they were using. They were told later that it was normal for the children to respond that way. Many children come to church with empty stomachs, not having eaten that morning or sometimes even the night before. The missionaries decided to take action and bought some food for the children to

33 eat. When Pastor Thembeni, the pastor of the church, saw what could be done with just a little bit of money and effort, he decided to continue to feed the children every week after Sunday School. For some churches, this is a regular part of their Sunday ministry. All the children receive something to eat in what the churches call a manna pack. Praise God for Pastor Thembeni s church and others like it that are taking responsibility for ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of the children in their communities. Swaziland is one of the world s last absolute monarchies. This small land-locked country is bordered by Mozambique and South Africa. With so many children coming to church, the church in Swaziland has an incredible opportunity to impact the lives of the next generation in their country. Most of these children have experienced tremendous loss and perhaps gone through unspeakable heartache. More than anything, they need to know that Jesus loves them and that there is hope for their future when they come to Him. 27

34 swaziland prayer points Pray that churches will see the incredible potential of children s ministry. Pray for passionate, committed children s workers to be raised up in every local church. Pray for training programs and materials for children s workers in local churches. Pray that churches will find creative ways to meet the spiritual and physical needs of children in their communities. Pray that God will comfort and bring healing to the hearts of children who have lost their parents. 28

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36 Traditional religions are very common in Gabon, and sorcery and witchcraft are often a large part of those religious practices. Even those who claim to be Christian often mix traditional religious practices with their Christianity. Many people believe that to be successful, one must have significant supernatural powers that can only come from a local witch doctor or from knowledge of spells and curses. Consequently, business people and politicians will often belong to a traditional religious sect. Unfortunately, children often get drawn into these religious practices by other family members. 30 Suzan, was introduced to witchcraft by her grandmother at a very young age. Because Suzan had been exposed to this kind of demonic activity, she often suffered from intense fear, sleeplessness, and even fits of rage. Life can be very miserable for a young child like Suzan who is frequently tormented because of demonic activity. Children in this kind of situation are often ostracized by family and friends. Fortunately for Suzan, when she was 12 years old, she attended a local church where she was saved and delivered from all demonic activity

37 in her life. Imagine the joy and hope that she must have experienced as she became a child of God and her life changed forever. Now that she has been set free, she regularly attends church and is a part of her church s children s ministry program. This is a place where Suzan can continue to grow in her faith and find the help that she needs to follow Jesus. Suzan also loves to sing and is a member of the children s choir. Suzan found spiritual help and new life because of the ministry of a healthy local church. As Suzan s story shows, the best way to reach Africa s next generation is by empowering and equipping local churches to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of children. In Gabon, some of the ways that local churches are being equipped and empowered is by training teachers, developing children s ministry leaders, and providing curriculum. Praise God for churches like the one Suzan attends that are bringing light to spiritually dark places and making a difference in young lives. 31 Over 41 percent of the 1.7 million people of Gabon are under the age of Even though 75 percent of the population claims to be Christian, many of those who profess Christianity mix their traditional religious beliefs and practices in with their Christian beliefs. In fact, Gabon is known for a form of ancestral worship called Bwiti that is very popular and has spread to other parts of central Africa.

38 gabon prayer points Pray that pastors and churches will take a strong stand for true biblical Christianity. Pray that these strongholds of traditional religion and demonic practices will be broken. Pray that every local church in Gabon will reach out to children in their communities. Pray that churches will be empowered and equipped to minister to children like Suzan and their families. Pray that God will call missionaries to work with the children of Gabon. 32

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40 When Pastor Hery started a new church in Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, he had help from a very special group of people: the Royal Rangers. Young boys and girls and teens dressed in Royal Ranger uniforms helped wherever they were needed to share the gospel of Jesus and establish a church there. (In many countries, Royal Rangers allows both boys and girls to participate.) The Rangers went door to door handing out tracts, inviting people to come to a special evangelistic meeting, and telling people about Jesus. At the meeting itself, they helped set up equipment and served as security and ushers. The local Rangers were involved in all phases of this church-planting experience, doing whatever their hands found to do. When Pastor Hery was asked if this was something unique or special, he replied: No, in our country the Royal Rangers program teaches children to be involved in sharing Jesus with others. It s a part of their responsibility as Rangers. 34 Royal Rangers have helped to start dozens of new churches in Madagascar. The program provides discipleship for young boys and girls and teaches them to be active in sharing their faith. Part of the

41 Royal Rangers pledge is to be ready to serve. These Rangers put their pledge into practice on a regular basis. Training up the next generation is an important task for the church in every culture. Royal Rangers is one of the tools that is being used in Madagascar and other countries in Africa to reach children and disciple them for Jesus. Praise God for the ministry of Royal Rangers in Madagascar. Pray that thousands of children will be reached and discipled through Rangers and other children s ministry programs in this country. Madagascar is an island off the southern coast of Africa and is roughly the same size as the state of Texas. Nearly 40 percent of the 25 million people in Madagascar are younger than 15 years of age. 10 Madagascar ranks among the poorest countries of the world with nearly 80 percent of the population living on under $2 per day Ministry to children is an important part of changing and shaping the next generation in Madagascar. The Assemblies of God has 1,200 churches across the island, but many of those churches don t have any ministry to children.

42 madagascar prayer points Pray that Royal Rangers and other children s ministries will be launched in churches all across Madagascar. Pray that children s workers will be raised up and trained to minister to children in every church. Pray that churches will be planted in the thousands of villages where there is no church. Pray that God will continue to use children to share the message of hope through Jesus across this island nation. 36

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44 Musu lives is Parkers Town, Liberia. This part of Liberia is a very difficult location to reach, and like many parts of Liberia it lacks safe drinking water. Musu and her children walk about twenty minutes every day to fetch water from a local creek. The creek is their only source of water and can get very dirty, especially in the dry season. This same creek serves as the local watering spot for all the animals in the area and is also where bathing is done. Often, there are outbreaks of diarrhea because of the badly contaminated water. When this happens, it is the children who are most affected. Musu and her husband lost a young daughter because of a water-borne disease. 38 One day, there were some people who visited Musu s village and brought water filters with them. They showed Musu and her family how to operate and maintain these simple filter systems. Musu was amazed at how the filter could change dirty water to clean drinking water. Having clean water has greatly improved the quality of life for Musu, her husband, and their children.

45 As excited as Musu is to have a way to give her children safe, clean water, that is not what she is most thankful for. She says the thing that has changed their lives the most is the message of hope and forgiveness through Jesus that the visitors shared when they brought the filters. Musu and her family had never heard this message before. Now Musu and her entire family are followers of Jesus. The day the visitors came to Musu s village, they not only left a method for cleaning water, but they also left a message about Jesus, the Living Water who changes lives. Praise God for the missionaries and local pastors who visit these remote places in Liberia to meet the need for clean water as well as share the message of living water. More than 43 percent of the 4.6 million people of Liberia are under the age of Lack of adequate water sources and purification systems results in countless deaths each year because of water-borne diseases. 39

46 liberia prayer points Pray for the safety of teams that travel throughout Liberia sharing clean drinking water and the message of Jesus Christ. Pray that doors of opportunity will be open to them and that they will find favor with local leaders in every community. Pray that more families like Musu s will come to know Jesus through these clean water projects and other creative ministries. Pray for church-planting initiatives and pastoral training programs so that those who come to know Jesus will have a healthy church to attend. Pray for trained workers in all areas of ministry, including children s ministry, to be called and sent out to every location across Liberia. 40

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48 At the age of 9, Tiago found himself living on the streets of Maputu, Mozambique. His mother left when he was very young, leaving Tiago s father to raise the young boy on his own. Tiago s father later remarried. At first, Tiago s stepmother was kind and loving, but as soon as she had children of her own, things began to change. Then tragedy struck the family when Tiago s father was killed in an accident. Without the father s income, poverty and desperation gripped the family. Tiago s stepmother decided to kick him out of the family home because he was a drain on their constantly shrinking resources. 42 For two years, Tiago struggled to survive on the streets. Then, at the age of 11, he was brought to a special home for street boys. This ministry of the Mozambique Assemblies of God is not a typical orphanage. When a boy comes to live at the center, they receive food, clothing, shelter, and education. An intensive discipleship program introduces the boys to Jesus and then helps them grow to be godly

49 men, but the center is never meant to be the boys permanent home. Those running the ministry recognize the importance of community and family in the lives of children, so while the boys are at the home, the staff diligently search for extended family or other church members who will take these boys into their own families. Once a family has been located, there is a six-month transition process to help the boy become integrated into his new family. In this model, the child is integrated back into normal community and church life. The result is a healthier young adult who is part of the local church and a blessing to the local community. Tiago s life was forever changed through the ministry of this boys home. According to UNICEF, there are an estimated 2 million orphans in the country of Mozambique. 13 Praise God for the Mozambique Assemblies of God and their burden to see young boys rescued from the streets and placed into loving, godly homes. Pray that they will continue to find creative, sustainable ways to minister to these children who have lost their parents. 43

50 mozambique prayer points Pray that more people in local churches would have the burden and ability to take in orphaned children from their local community. Pray for God s provision for those families who gladly accept the additional financial responsibility that comes with adding children to their family. Pray that local churches will work together to find maintainable solutions to the street children problem in Mozambique. Pray for young children like Tiago who have been forced to live on the streets. Pray that God would bring loving people into these children s lives to help them. 44

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52 One day, Madame Deborah noticed that one of her preschool students, Laeticia, had forgotten her snack. This was not the first time. Madame Deborah asked Laeticia, Where is your snack? For three days you have forgotten your snack, and when your classmates offer to share with you, you refuse. What is wrong? Laeticia replied, Madame, you have taught us songs that we can sing about Jesus, and you ve taught us that we can sing to Him anytime. You taught us that we can pray to Jesus whenever and wherever we want. I love to pray and talk to Jesus all the time. Laeticia continued, When I am at home, I love to sing the songs that you have taught us, and sometimes my father doesn t like it. This past weekend, my father heard me singing about Jesus and told me that I had to stop. 46 Laeticia s father had told her that if she did not stop singing her songs to Jesus, she would have to go an entire week without eating. Laeticia then told Madame Deborah that she had not eaten for three days. Immediately, Madame Deborah rushed to get Laeticia something to eat, but Laeticia stopped her. Madame, she said, don t worry about

53 me. I am fine. I have been praying to Jesus, and he is helping me. Before the end of that day, the father came and took Laeticia and her two older siblings out of school. As a Muslim, he was upset that his wife had enrolled the children in a Christian school without his permission. The teachers and students decided to pray for this family. They prayed throughout the weekend. Monday morning when the teachers arrived at school, they were surprised to find that Laeticia s father had brought his children back. The school director asked the father why he had changed his mind. I had the longest weekend of my life, the father replied. My children cried all weekend because they didn t want to leave this school. The joy that was in them when they attended this school has left them. I need you to put that joy back into them. Many churches in Congo have seen the importance of a solid Christian education in the lives of children. Teachers who are trained to share the Word of God in all that they teach can speak volumes into a child s life and the lives of their family. Laeticia s testimony shows what God can do through the lives of children. Praise God for this Christian school that is sharing Jesus with students and their families. 47 According to USAID, there are 3.5 million children in the DRC who are not attending school. Only 67 percent of those who start the first grade will complete the sixth grade. 14 Christian schools are helping to fill this gap.

54 democratic republic of congo prayer points Please pray for our Christian schools, for the directors, teachers, and students to continue to be a light to their communities. Pray for schools and churches to be planted in areas where the gospel is not being preached. Pray for children in these schools to give their lives to Christ and desire to share Him with their friends and families. Pray for children like Laeticia who face persecution because of their faith. 48 Pray for children in the DRC who have grown up with war, corruption, and dishonesty as a means for survival. Pray that this vicious cycle will be broken by a generation that has decided to follow Jesus.

55 CONTRIBUTORS Gloria Biffert Fredna Brown Bryan Davis Brandi Exley Mindy Hines Anjali Jones Donna Muller Mike Ness Jay Rostorfer Sonia Shaw EDITORS Joyce Jarvis Kari Ness PROOFREADING Julia Lowenberg PHOTO CREDITS Colleagues and Friends in Africa Africa s Children is a ministry of AGWM Africa.

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