40 Days of Prayer - Day 12

Day 12 – Care Workers

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”- Isaiah 52:7

Thank God for our volunteer Care Workers who are committed to bringing healing into the hearts of our children and ask that God would continue to lead them in supporting each child. Ask God to bring encouragement and hope to the Care Workers, who on a daily basis, give of their time, energy and resources to serve the most vulnerable children. Pray for our Care Workers to be unified as they serve and that more men and women would recognise their calling to serve the most vulnerable.

#40Days2019

Mkwaila is a Care Worker in the community of Kawaza in Malawi and is committed to caring for the most vulnerable children. One of the children that Mkwaila cares for is 13-year-old Paul, with whom he has built a close trusting relationship. Mkwaila shares, “Paul and I are good friends now and he’s very open with me. He is more like a son to me. Whenever he needs me or when something is wrong, he tells me. When the father died, I knew that a child needed somebody to call ‘dad’! And that’s why, as a Care Worker, I’m committed to his life!”

40 Days of Prayer - Day 11

Day 11 – The Local Church

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. – 1 Peter 4:10

Hands at Work envisions the local church in Africa effectively caring for the most vulnerable. Pray for the church to be gracious and compassion; understanding the biblical mandate to care for the orphans and widows in their communities. Ask God to open the hearts and minds in the church to see the needs of the most vulnerable living around them. Pray that local pastors and churches in the areas where Hands at Work are serving will rise up and take on the responsibility of serving the poor and the destitute.

#40Days2019

40 Days of Prayer - Second Sunday

On Sundays, we pause to anticipate the coming of Easter Sunday and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” – Luke 18:31-33

#40Days2019

40 Days of Prayer - Day 10

Day 10 – HIV/AIDS

Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise. - Jeremiah 17:14

The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to devastate the most vulnerable communities across Africa; ending lives, tearing families apart and leaving children as orphans. Pray that the families of those struggling with HIV/AIDS will have grace and compassion with their loved ones and that they would not accept the cultural norms of stigmatising this disease. Pray for those who are victims of abuse resulting in HIV/AIDS. Ask God to guide Hands at Work as we respond to the crisis of orphaned children who have lost one or both of their parents from HIV/AIDS. Ask God to bring hope, love and restoration into the lives of the people afflicted with this disease.

#40Days2019

40 Days of Prayer - Day 9

Day 9 – Children across Africa

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

– Isaiah 41:10

Today, we encourage you to pray for the most vulnerable children like Idah, Amos and Erick who you know by name. Hands at Work deeply desires for each of our children, to have a personal relationship with Jesus, knowing and believing the unconditional love that He has for them. Ask God to give the most vulnerable children a spirit of joy and hope in the midst of desperation. Through the Godly display of love from their Care Workers, pray for each child to feel a sense of belonging, hope and love for their future.

#40Days2019

Chinku, Malawi

Idah* is a 10-year-old girl, living with her mother and four siblings in the community of Chinku. Her father passed away when she was only two years old, leaving her mother, Ellen*, solely responsible for providing for her young children. Ellen did all that she could to meet her children’s needs but it was an immense challenge. In 2014, Idah and her siblings were identified by local volunteer Care Workers as amongst the most vulnerable and invited to attend the Care Point where they would receive a hot, nutritious meal daily and support with their education and basic health care.

Mwaiseni, Zambia

Amos* is a year old. For the first few months of his life, Amos was staying with his mother whose sister, Margret, is one of the Care Workers from Mapalo Community Based Organisation (CBO) in the community of Mwaiseni. Initially, when Amos was born, some of the family members wanted to take him to an orphanage because they were worried that his mother would not care for Amos. Thankfully, other family members and the Care Workers were committed to Amos and fought to ensure that Amos stayed in Mwaiseni, where they could see him grow up and care for him. Margret and her younger sister, Elizabeth, took responsibility for Amos and today, Amos is living with Elizabeth, her husband and their ten children. Elizabeth is acting as a mother-like figure to Amos and treats him as her own child.

Mluti, South Africa

Sixteen-year-old Erick* and his twin sister Shirley* were born in Mozambique. When they were younger, their mother, Tale* fled her home country with her six children in search of a better life. The love that Tale has for her children is unmistakable as she works tirelessly to provide for her children’s needs. When Care Workers from Mluti Community Based Organisation (CBO) learned of the family’s story, they reached out in compassion and invited Erick, Shirley and their siblings to attend the Care Point each day. There they could receive a nutritious meal and support with their education and healthcare.

40 Days of Prayer - Day 8

Day 8 – Essential Services

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; on them he has set the world.

– 1 Samuel 2:8

In countries like Nigeria, having a daily meal and access to education and health care is simply out of reach for the most vulnerable. Pray for Hands at Work as we strive to effectively provide these services for the most vulnerable children. Ask God to give each volunteer Care Worker in our communities across Africa, strength and energy as they fight to ensure that the most vulnerable children are holistically cared for.

#40Days2019