Prayer events will be happening in churches and homes, children's centers and schools, villages and cities across 5 continents.  The prayer material has been translated into 22 languages and can be downloaded from the Viva website, Prayer Pages.

The prayer focus this year is based on John 10:10 and the prayer resource has been produced to be available for use at any time of the year. Why not take a moment to have a look right now -  WWP Abundant Life booklet.

We long for children’s lives to be impacted with the love of Jesus and through the effective prayers of His church. Jesus said - ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’

CHILDREN IN PRAYER -

Across the Nations of the earth there is a gathering momentum of children praying. It is something we have often observed within the networks Viva supports, children ‘at risk’ themselves being the ones who most passionately get involved with praying for their own generation. At a recent prayer consultation in Malaysia, 88 adults and 64 youth and children gathered to pray before God and a powerful vision was received by a 16 year old girl. The essence of the vision was of a three generational call to stand together in spiritual warfare, that we should have on our armor and be ready for battle.

Children praying and worshipping God are not 'just 'cute'. They are His warriors.

• Pray for this growing movement of children learning what it is to pray and know answers to prayer. For increase, protection and favour with both God and men.

• Pray that adults would be good and Godly role models and that we would ‘walk the talk’ of faith.

• Pray for those who are spiritually parenting children who have no earthly parents to love and care for them, that they would point the children towards the knowledge of the most high and a deep and intimate communion with Him as Father God.

MISSING CHILDREN –

The headlines in the UK are highlighting the disappearance of ‘Madeleine,’ a 4 year old girl who disappeared from a holiday resort in Portugal two years ago. It is a timely reminder that every year thousands of children disappear without trace and that the issues of children ‘disappearing’ are many and varied. Madeleine is one of the fortunate ones in that she has parents who have not let go of their desire or HOPE that she can be found and who are committed and able to continue looking for her.

• Pray for the many grieving families who have ‘lost’ children without a trace and who live without resolution to their loss.

• Pray for the many children who disappear but are not missed, with no one looking for them

• Pray that MAJOR breakthroughs would be made in bringing child abductors and businesses which trade in trafficking children to light.

• Pray that there would be justice done. (Particularly in respect of any current court cases.)

• Pray for Madeleine, that she would be reunited with her family.

STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN –

‘The State of the Worlds Children 2009’ published by UNICEF, highlights in it’s report the issue of maternal and newborn health. The report suggests, amongst other things, that creating a supportive environment for maternal and newborn health requires challenging the social, cultural and economic barriers that perpetuate gender inequity. Combating violence against women and children is also critical to improving maternal and newborn health as is mobilizing families, including men and other relatives to recognize and respond to health risks to strengthen and support mothers and babies. Each year, more than half a million women die from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, and nearly 4 million newborns die within 28 days of birth. Millions more suffer from disability, disease, infection and injury. Cost-effective solutions are available that could bring rapid improvements, but urgency and commitment are required to implement them and to meet the Millennium Development Goals related to maternal and child health.

• Pray that governments would once again turn their attention to the youngest and most vulnerable of our society and support mothers and baby’s in prioritizing the Millennium Development Goals related to their survival.

• Let us keep in mind that childhood starts within the womb and pray using Psalm 139 as a guide to inspire our prayers for the tiniest of these.

ASIA, SOUTHEAST ASIA –

This area of the world is sadly most renowned for child sexual exploitation. The issues are many and complex and cover the globe with internet and media exploitation increasing daily. We long to see perpetrators brought to justice. There are many networks and organizations working to highlight issues and who are rescuing and working to restore childhood to abused children.

• Pray for the development of effective networks in Cambodia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka to share and develop resources to combat child sex trafficking and to find better ways to advocate against it.

• Pray that children will be protected, no longer exposed to violent pornography – featuring children – that is easily accessible to them on pirated DVD’s throughout Asia. Pray for key organizations to take action to address the demand for this form of commercial exploitation of children on film.

SRI LANKA –

As Sri Lanka’s army advances in its bid to end the island nation’s 25-year conflict, today's headlines expect the President of Sri Lanka to announce tomorrow that military operations against the Tamil Tigers have ended. The LTTE has decided to silence their guns as government forces have closed in on the last stronghold. Sri Lanka soldiers have cornered the rebels in assault which has trapped 50,000 plus civilians.   Among them are a large number of children who are now caught in the final, intense stages of a war.   Those who have escaped the fighting are now in camps around the towns of Vavuniya and Jaffna. In the last 25 days, their number has almost tripled, to around 200,000.

• Pray that this is the end to the 25 -year conflict and that the 50,000 plus people who are trapped will be released.

• Pray for those working to respond to the immediate needs of the displaced. Pray that they will have strength, wisdom and resource.

• Pray for the many who are now grieving not only the loss of their homes but loved ones and family members.

• Pray for the children caught up in this conflict, many of whom have known no different.

• Pray for the identification of separated and unaccompanied children that they are quickly brought to a ‘safe’ place and under the ‘protection’ of responsible adults.

• Pray especially for those who know and love Jesus that they would be a light in the darkness and know supernatural provision and strength, being object lessons in what it is to know the Lord as a shepherd.

TRAINING AND EQUIPPING

Several networks have been trained and are now using the Viva Quality Improvement System (QIS). This training system is proving to be really effective in equipping projects, organizations and churches to improve the quality of their work with children at risk. A good example of the sort of improvement and awareness that QIS brings is through the child protection module of the training. In February alone 30 reports of child abuse were given to the judicial office in Costa Rica as a result of participants becoming aware of all types of child abuse. Although heart breaking to see how many new cases of abuse there are each month, it brings hope to know the issues are not going unnoticed by the church members and every day more people are becoming intolerant toward the situation of child abuse.

• We praise God for the teams who are coordinating QIS in India, Uganda, South Africa, Bolivia, Peru, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Costa Rica. Pray for them, for wisdom and encouragement, that the training really impacts the lives of children for the better.

• Pray for the trainers of the various modules, that networks will continue to find the right speakers for each workshop.

• Pray for resources and funds for QIS to be implemented in Hyderabad. (The Hyderabad network members are eager to incorporate QIS.)

PRAISE

Several emails have come through recently from ministry partners working with children, giving testimony to God’s amazing provision in often dire and desperate circumstances. From Ghana we heard from Pastor Francis Opoku that the Lord stretched their scanty resource to enable a training and commissioning of new leaders for children’s ministry. 3000 more children will be reached in the Upper East region of Ghana. Let’s be encouraged as we lift up these prayer request.

SCRIPTURAL ENCOURAGEMENTS

Ephesians 6 v 10 -18

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Psalm 23 - The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.

Thank you for praying.