40 Days of Prayer

Day 26 – Church Mobilisation

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9

Central to our vision is seeing the local church actively involved in caring for the most vulnerable children within their own communities. Through church mobilisation, Maranatha Workshops and Hands at Work’s foundations training, we are committed to helping our church leaders grow in their understanding of the Biblical mandate to care for the most vulnerable. Pray that our church leaders will participate and will be willing to learn about what it means to care. Ask God to give courage and wisdom to each person facilitating these trainings.

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Day 25 - Community Gardens

You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.- Psalm 65:11

Our dream is to continually build resilience in our Care Workers, the most vulnerable children, and their families, so that when challenges come they are better equipped to stand. One way that this is done is through the provision of community gardens, enabling greater support and sustainability for whole families. Pray for all the logistics involved in these gardens, that God’s hand will be upon them. Pray that there will be a bountiful harvest and that the right amount of rain will fall. Pray for our Care Workers and Primary Caregivers to feel empowered and better equipped to care for their own families.

Read more about how we build resiliency in our communities through community gardens: www.handsatwork.org/newsroom/2022/3/17/community-gardens

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Day 24 - Under 5s

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6

Recognising that a significant amount of a child’s development happens between the ages of zero and five, Hands at Work is developing facilities and programmes at Care Points for children under the age of five. These include simple routines and tailored programmes incorporating breakfast, play, rest time, and learning basic skills – all whilst their older siblings are in school. Pray for each Care Worker and Primary Caregiver to understand the vision behind these under-fives programmes. Pray for the Care Point to be a safe place for the children, where they can experience the love, care and nurturing that they need.

Pictured here are photos from several of our communities across Africa where under-five programmes have been started!

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Day 23 - Youth Discipleship

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. - 1 Timothy 4:12

Our dream is to raise up a generation who love Jesus, are committed to their families, belong to a local church, are generous to the poor and are positive role models in their communities. This is done through activities such as youth discipleship programmes, youth leader exchange visits, youth camps and community-based youth groups. Pray for each of our youth, that they will know the depth of Christ’s love for them. Pray that they will experience healing from their brokenness and trauma; enabling them to bring the love and hope of Christ to others in their community.

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Day 22 – Supporting Our Primary Caregivers

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” – Psalm 121:1-2

Across Africa the most vulnerable children are being cared for by their Primary Caregivers. These can be their parents, but in most situations it is their grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, older siblings or sometimes neighbours who take on this responsibility – often with families of their own to provide for. Pray that they will feel supported by the Care Workers and know that they are not alone in raising the children who they care for. Pray that as they experience God’s love, they will be set free from the brokenness in their lives.

“The Care Workers started helping me care for my grandchildren when no one else in the community would. Through the Holy Home Visits that the Care Workers have done, I have come to know and accept the Lord Jesus. Through their constant encouragement, I have hope and trust in God.” - A testimony from one of the Primary Caregivers living in Susu Community, Zambia

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