Displaying items by tag: children at risk

This is now the third year of Stop Child Witch Accusation’s (SCWA’s) Standing in the Gap annual prayer campaign for children accused of being witches.

Multiple thousands of children worldwide experience unspeakable abuse because they are perceived to be witches. But we give thanks to God that we are beginning to see change as the understanding, attitudes and practices of those in churches and local communities are being wonderfully transformed through Bible-based teaching and training, and the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit.

God is also graciously responding to the prayers and intercessions of our praying friends, bringing longed-for breakthrough that goes above and beyond human effort.

Thank you so much for joining us in this year’s Standing in the Gap prayer campaign, as we pray over the next three months for God to bring even greater breakthrough into this issue and for his deep healing and restoration to impact communities affected by it. To help guide your prayers, here is the link to the second prayer bulletin: https://stop-cwa.org/posts/prayer-campaign-3b

Let’s continue to pray with expectancy at what God will do through our prayers, by his grace and to his glory!

Pray: For all children to be able to live, learn and grow freely, without dark influences on their lives.

Pray: That any powers of darkness and malevolant spiritual influences will flee from these precious Children of God, in Jesus' name.

Pray: Protection over the vulnerable and those who seek to advocate for them.

1,800+ refugee children have safely and legally entered the UK from Greece, Italy and Spain through routes that ‘Safe Passage’ has opened for them. Working in Northern France, it is asking the home secretary to ensure that unaccompanied child refugees are not Brexit victims. As the UK’s EU exit is debated, little thought has been given to unaccompanied refugee children hoping to join their families in the UK. A no-deal Brexit, or a Brexit that does not consider their situation, means that under current EU law children could no longer access a safe and legal route. They might have to risk their lives in the hands of smugglers and traffickers. The only way to guarantee that Brexit does not leave them separated from their loved ones is for the Government to commit to maintaining the current family reunion safe passage arrangements from day one if the UK exits the EU.

There has been much improvement over the years in quality of life for children, but we have not yet eradicated the serious harm inflicted on children at risk. Risk is increased by poverty, alcohol- or drug-addiction, domestic abuse and where parents have learning disabilities or mental illness. Childhood neglect can be a gateway to deeper problems. UNICEF reported that approximately one in 10 of all girls under 20 have experienced sexual violence. Children not in school are at greater risk. Wars take place in streets these days. In conflict areas, or where natural disasters have struck, vaccination rates plummet, education stops, trauma multiplies. Worldwide 10-20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders. The Church is uniquely well-placed to protect children at risk and make them more resilient, resourceful, and hopeful for a brighter future. No other organisation can supply such time, compassion, volunteers, skills, and spiritual resources.

The second-largest Ebola outbreak in history has killed 97 children, and 811 people have symptoms. ‘We are at a crossroads’, said a spokesperson for Save the Children. ‘If we don't take urgent steps to contain this, the outbreak might last another six months, if not the whole year.’ The fatality rate is currently 63%. There is misinformation in communities, and mistrust of medical responses is an urgent and real concern. People have disrupted funerals because they didn't believe the deceased had the virus. Aid workers are threatened because it is believed that they spread Ebola. ‘We must scale up our efforts to reach the vocal youth and community leaders to build trust and to help us turn this tide. Treating sick people is essential, but stopping Ebola from spreading is just as important.’ Children are at the greatest risk of dying.

'"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind," and "your neighbour as yourself."' — Luke 10:27.

Context

The story of the Good Samaritan starts with Jesus’ commandments in this verse, as Jesus answers the questions of: 'What must we do to inherit eternal life?', and 'Who is my neighbour?' Loving God and loving our neighbour are commands to his followers, his people, his church.

After a horrendous series of beatings, being burnt and left naked to public humiliation a woman accused of witchcraft in Papua New Guinea said this: “Like a bent old cooking pot I laid there alone and nobody came to see me, because I was declared eating humans…” (from an interview led by Fr. Philip Gibbs, 2016). Her story recounts that neither the police, nor her family, nor even a doctor would come to help her.

Who is our neighbour and where are the ‘Good Samaritans’ addressing child witchcraft accusations?

Thank God

Even when situations look and are horrendous, there is light. Give thanks to God for the "countless acts of heroism, generosity and courage …often by strangers", reported by Dr Miranda Forsyth (who is working with Fr. Philip Gibbs to address witchcraft accusations in Papua New Guinea) as these ‘Good Samaritans’ intervene where others will not help.

Let us continue to give thanks for the groups of people SCWA and others are impacting across DRC, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania and elsewhere in Africa, who are seeking to address witchcraft accusations, not by condemnation, but by bringing God’s love and justice into play.

Please Pray

Pray: that children will increasingly have a voice in their communities, nationally and internationally.

Pray: that God will allow his church to move from a position of sometimes colluding and encouraging fear in communities and harm to children, to a position where Christ’s church is seen to take the lead in ending accusations of witchcraft to children.

Pray: that God would heal communities, so that it would not take a stranger to stand up for the abused and rejected in any society, that hate and fear would be replaced by love and acts of kindness.

Pray: Giving thanks that our greatest role model, Jesus, became a stranger, so he could do exactly that.

Thank you for standing with us in our Standing in the Gap prayer campaign. Please continue to press on in prayer with us for the sake of the children and the glory of the name of Jesus. It would be great if you could share this latest bulletin with others in your prayer networks.

With much appreciation,

Susie Howe – Director
The Bethany Children's Trust

http://www.bethanychildrenstrust.org.uk/

More:http://stop-cwa.org/posts/prayer-bulletin-no6-2017