We Are All God’s Children: 40 Days of Prayer for Our Children

National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths - 2006

We are All God’s Children: 40 Days of Prayer for Our Children A Resource for the

National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths

The Children’s Defense Fund (www.childrensdefense.org) began organizing a National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths many years ago.

This interfaith celebration of children and recognition of the issues facing children and families is observed in churches, synagogues, mosques and wherever people of faith gather

around the country. It is an opportunity for people of faith to “encourage prayer, education and service to help children and families”.

The 2006 Children’s Sabbath falls on the weekend of October 20-22,

though congregations may choose an alternate date.

Many of the facts presented in this prayer guide will strike the reader as “depressing”. The facts are depressing, but they open our eyes to the plight of children and families

in this nation. These facts should serve to rally our efforts to improving the outcomes for all children, whether they are across the street, across the state or across the nation.

This resource, We are All God’s Children: 40 Days of Prayer for Our Children,

was compiled and written by Dawn Curlee Carlson, First Congregational Church of Terre Haute, Indiana.

“If we don’t stand up for children, then we don’t stand for much.” “You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.”

Marian Wright Edelman

We are All God’s Children: 40 days of Prayers for Children - 2006 This devotional and prayer guide was developed to assist us in remembering, celebrating and committing ourselves to all children in our communities, culminating in the National Celebration of Children’s Sabbaths on October 22. Each of the 40 days on this calendar lists

important facts about children in our country. Let these important facts guide your prayers for that day. There are additional facts and prayers for each day, if you choose to use them. You may choose just to use the calendar. Join us in 40 days of Prayers for Children.

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

9/10 Prepare your congregation for 40 days of prayer

9/11 Distribute the 40 days of Prayers for Children guide First day of 11 Days for Global Unity

9/12 Contact family, friends and members of your congregation to participate in 40 days of Prayer for Children

9/13 Over 2,000,000 children are being raised by grandparents and other relatives because their parents cannot care for them.

9/14 Every day in the US, a mother dies in childbirth leaving a child to grow up without a mother.

9/15 More preschool children are killed in the US by gun violence every year than law enforcement officers in the line of duty.

9/16 Everyday in the US, 4 children are killed by abuse and / or neglect.

9/17 36% of all US births are to single women

9/18 Every day in the US, 5 children and teens commit suicide.

9/19 12 children are abducted every day in this country.

9/20 1 out of every 4 children in the US lives at a level of poverty that qualifies them for a free lunch.

9/21 Every day in the USA, 7 children die before their first birthday. International Peace Day

9/22 Over 4,000 children are arrested in this country, every day.

9/23 Every day in the USA, almost 3,000 students drop out of high school

9/24 Every day in the USA, 8 children are killed by firearms

9/25 177 children are arrested for violent crimes, every day in the USA

9/26 75% of adolescent deaths are from accident, homicide or suicide.

9/27 90% of all children killed by firearms are boys.

9/28 Infants represent the largest population of abuse and neglect victims.

9/29 The average length of stay for a child in foster care is 31 months.

9/30 1 out of every 4 children in the US is being raised by a single parent

“Created in the image of God, children are a gift to the whole of humanity. We are responsible for and to children as we nurture them into the fullness

of life for which they were created.” (From Vision and Goals for the 21st Century: The National Council of Churches)

40 days of Prayers for Children - 2006

(Continued) Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

10/1 20% of all children live in food-insecure households World Communion Day

10/2 Only 1 in 7 children eligible for child care assistance actually receives it.

10/3 17% of US children are not fully immunized by age two.

10/4 A child in the US is abused or neglected every 35 seconds.

10/5 42% of children raised by a single mother are growing up in poverty

10/6 1 out of every 6 children in this country is living in poverty.

10/7 65% of America’s children are below grade level in math.

10/8 67% of America’s children read below grade level.

10/9 18% of America’s children are seriously overweight

10/10 40% of America’s 3-5 year olds are not read to by their parents / caregivers

10/11 Five years and 1 month ago, over 1200 children were orphaned when their parent was killed in the World Trade Center attack.

10/12 A child in the US is killed by gunfire every 3 hours.

10/13 65% of mothers with children under the age of 6 are in the labor force.

10/14 60% of America’s children under the age of 6 spend their days in some sort of child care

10/15 Every 4 minutes a child is born to a mother who received little or no prenatal care.

10/16 12% of children in the US do not have health insurance.

10/17 23% of all 12th graders report illicit drug use

10/18 The number of children who have serious mental illnesses is on the rise, yet this is often not covered by insurance.

10/19 The number of children living in poverty has risen by 1,000,000 to 13,000,000 in the last 4 years.

10/20 On any given night, 1.2 million children are homeless.

10/21 17% of all children in the US are growing up in poverty

10/22 Today is the National Interfaith Observance of Children’s Sabbaths. We can all make a difference in the lives of children.

A Commitment to All Children • All children have the right to be part of loving and safe families. • All children have a right to quality public education that fosters their intellectual, social, emotional, physical, cultural and

creative development. • Every child has the right to live in a physically and emotionally safe environment that cultivates acceptance and peace and

in which they are protected from the myriad of dangers confronting them. • All children have the right to express and celebrate their souls and spirits through arts, culture, and recreation. • All children have the right to economic security and economic justice. • All children deserve to live in a healthy environment that allows them to thrive.

Day 1: Wednesday, September 13 Over 2,000,000 children are being raised by grandparents and other relatives because their parents cannot care for them. A Prayer for Our Children God, embrace the families with your overwhelming love and give them all a sense of peace in knowing that even unusual families can be strong and productive families. Give strength to the grandparents who are creating homes for those they love. Give peace and a sense of acceptance to parents who are unable to care for their children and give these children the sure knowledge that love comes in many forms. Sometimes giving up something is the greatest act of love we can give our children. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 2: Thursday, September 14 Every day in the US, a mother dies in childbirth leaving a child to grow up without a mother. A Prayer for Our Children Gentle God, today a child was born and will not have the touch of his or her mother to see them through bad dreams, skinned knees, or that first day of school. We pray that you will grant a daily dose of extra strength to the parent who will be there. Help those who care for and raise this child ensure that this small one learns to “know” the mother who is not able to be there. Help all of us to support that single father or other caregiver. Show us the importance of helping when we can and praying when we can’t. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 3: Friday, September 15 More preschool children are killed in the US by gun violence every year than law enforcement officers in the line of duty. A Prayer for Our Children Loving God, too many of our youngest children will die as a result of gun violence this year. We pray today that we will identify ways to reduce this assault on children and make this a priority in each of our communities. Our children are our future. We need your help to ensure that they grow to be strong, safe, productive adults. Help us find the way. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 4, Saturday, September 16 Every day in the US, 4 children are killed by abuse and / or neglect. A Prayer for Our Children God, the abuse and neglect of children is something we don’t understand. Often that inability to understand something makes us avoid the truth. Help us to remember that whether we understand it or not, it’s happening. Help us to take responsibility for ensuring the safety and care of every child in our community. Give us the wisdom to know and recognize abuse or neglect and to take the difficult step to report it if we find it. Keep us ever mindful that every child is not only Your child, but our child as well. Amen.

Day 5, Sunday, September 17 36% of all US births are to single women. A Prayer for Our Children Lord, we know that single women can raise strong, healthy children, but it is so much harder for them to accomplish this. Help us to make their lives a little easier. Remind us that judgment is not our role. Care, compassion, love and support are the roles we should take with all children and their parents. Grant us the wisdom to make a difference for children and families. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 6, Monday, September 18 Every day in the US, 5 children and teens commit suicide. A Prayer for Our Children God, we need your help today to ensure that every child recognizes the precious gift of life that You have given to each of us. We need the wisdom of responsible parents, caregivers and mental health professionals to truly see the pain in children and to work tirelessly to make certain that whatever treatment is needed will be available to each child who requires it. Stay the hand of that child who is considering suicide. Help us be supportive and loving to those who are coping with the tragedy of having lost a child in such a horrific fashion. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 7, Tuesday, September 19 12 children are abducted every day in this country. A Prayer for Our Children God of each and every child, we know there are many reasons why children are missing. We know that some have been abducted by non-custodial parents and family members. We pray that while their lives have been disrupted, they are safe. For the millions of other children who are taken by stranger, we pray that you will guard them and guide our law enforcement officers toward them so that they may be recovered and safely returned to their homes and lives. We know that whatever happens, these children will never be the same. Give us strength and wisdom to build caring communities that protect children and provide the mental health care they may need to recover. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 8, Wednesday, September 20 1 out of every 4 children in US lives at a level of poverty that qualifies them for a free lunch. 14 million children in this country live in food insecure homes where food may be scarce and diets altered due to limited income. A Prayer for Our Children Bountiful God, we pray today for the child who woke up this morning hungry. We pray for the child who goes to bed hungry and for the parent who skips a meal so their child may eat. In a country of plenty, give us the compassion to ensure that no child goes without food. Open our hearts and our pocketbooks so that we may help the food banks that work so hard to provide additional food for our food insecure children and families. We can do so much. Give us the courage to make a difference. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 9, Thursday, September 21

A Prayer for Our Children God of all children, thank you for the medical miracles that happen each day. Thank you for doctors and nurses who have dedicated their lives to saving the lives of others. Help us, as a nation, to recognize and support that our magnificent health care system should be available to everyone, especially our youngest children. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 10, Friday, September 22 Over 4,000 children are arrested in this country every day. Many are arrested for violence and drug related offenses. A Prayer for Our Children God of each day, this is a hard day for our children. For many of our children, every day is more difficult than the last. We know the reasons are many and those reasons, too, should have our prayers. Keep us mindful that there is hope – always hope – if our faith is strong and our resolve is focused. We can make a difference, but we must ALL work at it. Give us patience and creativity to make it happen. We know that all things are possible through You. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 11, Saturday, September 23 Every day in the USA, almost 3000 students drop out of high school. A Prayer for Our Children God of grace, remind us that there are no throw-away children in this country. Each child, created in Your image, has the potential to be a part of contributing society and has the possibility to show your love to another. We also know that our “system” is tired of dealing with problems that have repeated themselves over and over for decades. Wake us up as a nation. Give us the resolve to stand tall and do whatever it takes to make this country better for ALL children. Let us start at home. It can be done, with Your help. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 12, Sunday, September 24 Every day in the USA, 8 children are killed by firearms. Sometimes it isn’t good to be the world leader. American children aged 14 and younger are 16 times more likely to be killed by firearms than are children in 25 other industrialized nations averaged together, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even when the focus shifts from gun-related deaths to all homicides, the U.S. still makes a poor showing. The murder rate for American kids under age 14 is five times the average rate for the other countries. A Prayer for Our Children God, there are so many things we don’t understand and children killing children is one of these things. There must be a way to make this violence end and we must rely on you to help show us the way. We know this is not easy. We know this will not be without cost and additional risk, but our children are our most valuable national asset and we must find a way to keep them strong and safe. Show us the way. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 13, Monday, September 25 177 children are arrested for violent crimes every day in the US. Over 19% of all violent crimes committed in this country are committed by children. The root causes are many and varied, but include the violence children witness on a daily basis. Statistics say that by the time a child turns 18, he or she will have witnessed over 200,000 violent acts on television or in the movies. Even children growing up in solid, stable emotional environments are at risk due to strong media violence. Children growing up in already violent homes have this behavior reinforced by what they see on TV. A Prayer for Our Children God, as adults we can do something to reduce the violence that is witnessed by our children, even in our local communities. Give us the strength to take up our voices and make those voices heard. We know that the future of our children rests not only in Your hands, but also in ours. Help us to take a stand for children. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 14, Tuesday, September 26 75% of all adolescent deaths are from accident, homicide or suicide. A Prayer for Our Children God, we pray today that you will wrap every child in the shelter of your love. Keep each one safe. Block their step into the street where violence may take their lives. Still the hand of the one who seeks to cause them harm. And for the child who seeks to take his or her own life, place a loving adult near them to see and recognize the signs of suicide and step in to help. Give us all the strength we need. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 15, Wednesday, September 27 90% of all children killed by firearms are boys. A Prayer for Our Children God of each and every child, our prayers today are lifted for all children, but especially the young boys in our families and communities. We know that boys are at greater risk for injury and accidents in this nation. Guide them gently and lead them carefully for they are an important part of our future as a nation. Help us to provide strong role models and safe communities that help them to grow into successful, caring men of tomorrow. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 16, Thursday, September 28 Infants represent the largest population of abuse and neglect victims. A Prayer for Our Children God of yesterday, today and tomorrow, each child born into this world is your gift to humanity. Let us treasure these gifts as you treasure them. Let us love each child as you love us. Open our eyes to the possibilities that each child has to bring to our world and open our hearts to protect them as the precious resource they are. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 17, Friday, September 29 The average length of stay for a child in foster care is 31 months. A Prayer for Our Children God of lonely children, we pray today for the millions of American children who are in foster care placement. For many of us, we have no conception of what these children are going through. Help us to take one step toward understanding. Grant to the foster parents the patience, care, and love that is needed to raise these, our children, in gentleness, compassion, and unconditional love. Help us to create a nation where these, our children, have the opportunities to rise up with their peers and be the hope of our future. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 18, Saturday, September 30 1 out of every 4 children in the US is being raised by a single parent. A Prayer for Our Children God of all children, we say a special prayer today for all the single parents who are working hard to raise their children without the support of a partner to help them with the day-to-day task of raising strong, successful children. Gather them all in your loving arms and bring helpful friends and family into the circle of their lives. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 19, Sunday, October 1 20% of all children live in food-insecure households. Food insecurity refers to the lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs at all times due to lack of financial resources. Of the 13.5 million households that are food insecure, 4.4 million suffer from food insecurity that is so severe that USDA's very conservative measure classifies them as "hungry." A Prayer for Our Children God, giver of all blessings, we know that no child in this country should ever go to bed hungry. We know, too, that it does happen. Open our eyes so we see that hunger is happening all around us. Open our hearts and our pocketbooks so that we realize that even the little we can do will make a difference. Guide us to take this one step that can improve every child’s life. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 20, Monday, October 2 Only 1 in 7 children eligible for child care assistance actually receives it. Many working families, working for minimum wage, fall into the category of the working poor. Without child care assistance, they would not be able to remain in the work force. A Prayer for Our Children God of grace, on this day we lift up multiple prayers, all for our children. Be with working parents who are struggling to pay the bills and love and care for their children. We know they must feel pulled in many directions. Ease their burdens. Be with the child care providers who are helping by caring for these children. Give them the wisdom and gentleness to provide safe, secure, loving environments for these children to grow and thrive. Be with the children. Help them to see the love that is around them. Help us to recognize and prioritize so that funds are available for this child care. We are all YOUR children. Amen. Day 21, Tuesday, October 3 17% of US children are not fully immunized by age two. A Prayer for Our Children God of all that we are, we have made great strides in the immunization and disease prevention for our children, but we have a ways to go. Guide the hearts and minds of decision makers, physicians, community organizers and make this one area in early childhood health, education and safety where we can shout from the rooftops that we have achieved great success. We know that being healthy, being without fear of disease, can make our children stronger and smarter and better able to be the great people of our nation that you have planned for them to become. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 22, Wednesday, October 4 A child in the US is abused or neglected every 35 seconds. A Prayer for Our Children All seeing God, we don’t quite know what to pray for today. Do we ask that the amount of time between incidents of abuse and neglect is lengthened? Would we improve the outcomes for children if it only happened every 70 seconds? Would half the children be spared the trauma? Teach us what to pray for. Teach us what to do. Our children are our greatest assets. Teach us how to protect them. You know the need. Teach us to make the difference. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 23, Thursday, October 5 42% of children raised by a single mother are growing up in poverty A Prayer for Our Children God of abundance, we pray today for all the women in this country who are raising children alone. We don’t know their circumstances or why they are alone in parenting. Help us not to rush to judgment. Our thoughts are not what are important. Our work to raise up these children and their mothers is important. Help us to see that we can make a difference. We can create and fund supports that fill the gap. Help us to offer whatever we have, to do whatever we can, to end poverty and bring joy to the lives of our children. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 24, Friday, October 8 1 out of every 6 children in this country is living in poverty A Prayer for Our Children We are surrounded by the facts, O God. We want to bury our heads in the sand and think that this problem is someone else’s problem. Help us to see that this is not the case. If one child’s life is diminished because we did not do what we should, we have diminished ourselves. Help us to remember that the face of Jesus is in the face of each child. Help us to remember that whatever we do for “the least of these”, we do for Him. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 25, Saturday, October 7 65% of America’s children are below grade level in math A Prayer for Our Children We know, O God, that this fact is an indicator of so many things – overcrowded classroom, poverty, hunger, and violence. Again we pray for your guidance in tackling the issues and finding solutions. Our children are our future. Grant us the wisdom to make it a joyous future. Give us the strength to make it a successful future. The lives of all of us depend on these children. Show us how to make a difference. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 26, Sunday, October 8 67% of America’s children read below grade level A Prayer for Our Children We hear it all the time, God of words, that reading is fundamental. Remind us of how true those words are. If a person can read, they can accomplish almost anything. Help us to make this skill a priority for all children. Show us where we can trim our busy schedules to read and teach children to read. It truly is such a small thing that has large impact. Show us what to do to make a difference. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 27, Monday, October 9 18% of America’s children are seriously overweight A Prayer for Our Children God of miracles, we have done it before as a nation. We have conquered those things that are killing and making ill our children. We have conquered the diseases that rip them from the fabric of our lives. This one should be easy, though we know it is not. Give us the tenacity to tackle it. Help us raise children out of poverty, where we know obesity is highest. We are one of the most resource rich nations on Your earth. We can do this because we are all Your children. Amen.

Day 28, Tuesday, October 10 40% of America’s 3-5 year olds are not read to by their parents or caregivers A Prayer for Our Children We’re working on this issue, God, but we’re not working hard enough. Show us what more we can do. Teach us to make the time for children because a little time reading to a child can bring peace, security, education and closeness for children and their families. Guide us, O God, to make the time and make available the books. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 29, Wednesday, October 11 Five years and 1 month ago, over 1200 children were orphaned when their parent was killed in the World Trade Center attack. A Prayer for Our Children God who knows all, we pray today for the children who were left behind to try to understand the horrors that can happen in this world. We don’t understand it. How can they? For all children who are growing up without the parent they loved, we pray for their security and safety. Help us to reach out. It is such a little distance between us. Remind us that we share more than we even know because we are all Your children. Amen. Day 30, Thursday, October 12 A child in the US is killed by gunfire every 3 hours. A Prayer for Our Children It doesn’t matter how, O God, it only matters that it happens. Whether from accident, violence or suicide, our children are victims of a horrible death. In memory of the children who die from an accident, help us make a push to keep firearms put away more safely. For the children who die from violence, help us build safer communities where violence is not an option. For the children who die from suicide, open our hearts so they know that life can be better. We can make a difference because we are all Your children. Amen. Day 31, Friday, October 13 65% of mothers with children under the age of 6 are in the labor force. A Prayer for Our Children Thank you, God, for making this fact about children not read “working mothers” because we know that all mothers are working mothers. Give these mothers the strength to work hard each day and come home with still enough energy to parent their children. Give them the patience to accomplish all the things they must do each day. Give them the wisdom to order their priorities. Give the children the knowledge that they are loved. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 32, Saturday, October 14 60% of America’s children under the age of 6 spend their days in some sort of child care A Prayer for Our Children God of every child, today we thank you for caregivers who open their homes and hearts every day to provide safe and secure places for children to grow. Give them infinite patience, a warm smile, and the wisdom to always communicate the milestones every child achieves with his or her parents. Help each of us to recognize and support quality, affordable child care for parents who are working. Amen. Day 33, Sunday, October 15 Every 4 minutes, a child is born to a mother who received little or not prenatal care. A Prayer for Our Children It just makes sense, O God, that pregnant women get prenatal care. We know that this step improves birth outcomes and child development possibilities. We don’t know why it isn’t happening, so help us to find out. Help us to educate all young women on the importance of this medical fact. Help us to make prenatal care accessible and affordable so these are not barriers. Guide our efforts so that we can help bring healthy children into this world. We are all Your children and we can make a difference. Amen. Day 34, Monday, October 16 12% of children in the US do not have health insurance A Prayer for Our Children Lack of health insurance for everyone has risen to crisis status, God, and we have to do something. Where is our commitment? As a nation we have pledged ourselves to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, but without proper medical care, all of these things are in jeopardy. Stop us in our tracks, God, and help us see the moral imperative of ensuring health care for all Your children. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 35, Tuesday, October 17 23% of all 12th graders report use of illicit drugs A Prayer for Our Children Almost 1 in every 4 of our children, God, who are about to go out into the world is risking their lives and their futures on drugs. This has become an epidemic in our nation. Give us the strength to fight this war, because it is claiming lives on all fronts. Help us educate our children to the dangers they face. Help us build our communities in such a way that we give our children a path that is different from the one they are choosing. Help us to find ways to reclaim the children who are too easily dropped by the wayside. It can be done and we are the ones who must do it. We are all Your children. Amen.

Day 36, Wednesday, October 18 The number of children who have serious mental illnesses is on the rise, yet this is often not covered by insurance. A Prayer for Our Children God of all we know, we don’t have all the answers to children who have mental illnesses. We don’t even know all the questions to ask, God. Help us to take up this cause and put our resources towards identifying the issues and then tackling the solutions. We are a great nation. It surely can be done. Give us the passion and the strength to do it for our children. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 37, Thursday, October 19 The number of children living in poverty has risen by 1,000,000 to 13,000,000 in the last 4 years. A Prayer for Our Children God of apparently lost causes, help us to see that increases in numbers don’t mean there is nothing we can do. We know that we can do “all things” with Your help. Remind us that the situation is the challenge and the children are not a lost cause. It is a long path on which we begin. Guide our steps each day. Keep our faith strong and our resolve focused. We can make a difference because we must make a difference. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 38, Friday, October 20 On any given night, 1.2 million children are homeless. A Prayer for Our Children God, help us all to see that families do not choose to be homeless. Loss of employment, accidents, injury, and abuse all contribute to this challenge that faces us. As communities of care, help us find the solutions to each issue that prevents these, our children, from growing up in secure and affordable housing. One day at a time, dear God, and we ask Your strength to face each of these days. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 39, Saturday, October 21 17% of all children in the US are growing up in poverty A Prayer for Our Children Most of us, God, don’t know what poverty means. We can’t imagine what it would feel like to have to choose between food and shelter for our children. We think we know what it feels like to be hungry and we are so far wrong. Help us to find one, small action we can take that will make a difference. We are all Your children. Amen. Day 40, Sunday, October 22 – National Celebration of Children’s Sabbaths A Prayer for Our Children God of grace and God of glory, on this day let us not finish our prayers for children, but begin again to renew our commitment to every child born in this country. We truly are all the children of Your heart. Help us to take very child to our hearts and to continue to pray and begin to work to make a true difference. It can be done. All things are possible through You. Amen.

20 Things You can do to Make Your Prayers Go Further Identify organizations that are making a difference for children and families and give them your time or money: 1) Children’s Defense Fund – www.childrensdefense.org 2) Bread for the World – www.bread.org 3) Stand for Children – www.stand.org 4) The ONE Campaign – www.one.org 5) Boys & Girls Clubs - http://www.bgca.org/clubs/ 6) Organize a food drive for your local food bank. 7) Organize a school supply drive at the end of the summer. You can

find children who need school supplies from area children’s programs. 8) Provide scholarships at your area YMCA or YWCA. 9) Collect periodic (monthly, quarterly, etc) Mission Sunday offerings

to help fund area children’s programs. Even small amounts of money can make a difference.

10) Organize an Angel Tree project at Christmas to provide presents for children who might not otherwise celebrate Christmas. 11) Organize a teddy bear collection for Child Protective Services workers to give to children who are removed from their homes because

of abuse or neglect. 12) Adopt and early childhood / early intervention program, like Head Start / Early Head Start or Healthy Families. By supporting their

supply or administrative budget, they might be able to hire an additional staff person to serve more children. 13) Conduct a clothing drive for an area charity like Salvation Army. (Be sure to talk with them first. Some groups, like Red Cross, are

not able to use “used” clothing.) 14) Contact your local fire department and find out what they need to support children and families who are burned out of their homes. 15) Conduct a children’s book drive for parents participating in community literacy programs. When they learn to read, they can read to

their children. 16) Work with a local movie theater to provide free movies for area children during summer or school breaks. 17) Work with local law enforcement to start or support their “Shop with a Cop” program. In addition to providing clothing to low income

children, it gives them a positive interaction with police officers. 18) Organize a diaper drive. Distribute them through the area WIC / Well Child Clinic programs. 19) Fix a meal for area firemen / policemen. Our first responders are often charged with protecting our children. 20) Coordinate volunteers for the story hour at the library.

This devotional guide to 40 Days of Prayer for Our Children was researched, compiled and written by Dawn Curlee Carlson, First Congregational Church, Terre Haute, Indiana. It is intended for use within her church and other

gatherings of faith throughout the country.

Just imagine what could happen if people all over the country were praying for specific children’s issues on certain days. While God knows our prayers before we form them, the power of significant numbers might just move

mountains.

We truly can make a difference for our children.