Children & Poverty: The Bishops Initiative

Prayer Guide: February 2005

Prayer

Prayer Focus: That all children will have an adult who cherishes them.

• February 1-5: Pray for children who live with foster parents or in residential homes for children.
• February 6-12: Pray for children who have lost their parents to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
• February 13-19: Pray for teenagers who grew up in group homes and have no place to go for vacations and holidays.
• February 20-26: Pray for children whose parents are sometimes unable to meet their emotional needs.

Call to Action

Learn more about this issue by visiting a social service agency and ask about children in foster care programs or youth in need of an adult mentor. Invite a foster care agency, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) or Big Brothers/Big Sisters representative to speak at your church. Contact the Women's Division or Health & Welfare section of the General Board of Global Ministries to learn about children orphaned by AIDS.

Identify issues related to children who need cherishing in your own neighborhood, the wider community or around the world.

Act by volunteering for CASA. Ask a family with young children how you might support them. Find a foster family to support. Encourage a family to become foster or adoptive parents and build support for that family within your church. "Adopt" a family or children in your congregation to love unconditionally and encourage for their lifetime. Develop ways to support an HIV/AIDS ministry in your conference or through The Advance.

Plan to contact www.preventchildabuse.org for information about organizing educational and advocacy events for Child Abuse Prevention month in April.