As we enter the week of Orphan Sunday, it’s life-giving to see the myriad ways that Orphan Sunday will glimmer around the globe.  From family discussions over the Orphan’s Table to region-wide events, I suspect 2012 will be the most meaningful Orphan Sunday ever.   I’m especially excited about the film Zambia’s Gift to the World, now in final stages of post-production and its stirring original soundtrack just now complete.

One of newest members of the amazing team of Orphan Sunday Regional Coordinators is Amy Callahan from Idaho.  Amy recently created a prayer guide for the week of Orphan Sunday for her fellow Coordinators and folks in her region.  We thought it’d be something worth sharing with everyone.  Please do join us in prayer daily beginning today!

Monday, October 29 (Judea: your town)

Today, pray for local foster and adoptive folks who are on the front lines of orphan care to be encouraged, supported by the local church, and that God may give them the strength to continue. This includes, but is not limited to: foster and adoptive parents, those who work within the foster care system, those who facilitate foster care or adoptive services, case workers, social workers, psychologists and therapists. These folks are on the front lines of orphan care and often feel alone or bound by a system.

Tuesday, October 30 (Judea: your town)

Today, pray for your pastor, your church leadership, and the Church as a whole to feel the Lord’s heart for the orphans as seen in Psalm 68:5-6 (below) and for Him to raise up workers for the harvest from your church and community to go to the “fields of the fatherless.”

“A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families…”

~Psalm 68:5-6

“Give up your wicked ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows.”

~Isaiah 1:16-17

Wednesday, October 31 (Samaria: The U.S.)

Today, pray for state and federal policy makers, judges, attorneys, penitentiary and correction officers and workers, and national organizations committed to helping orphans. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom as they make decisions directly affecting children, particularly the orphan.

Thursday, November 1 (Samaria: The U.S.)

Today, pray that God would move mightily within the Church across the United States and give the Church a positive voice across America as it reaches out to homeless children and youth, victims of child trafficking, foster care, parents struggling to care for and raise their children, birth parents, and children trapped in an abusive situation.

 Friday, November 2 (The Uttermost Parts of the World)

Today, ask the Lord help parents struggling to care for their children due to financial, physical, medical, stress or social stigma due to a birth defect. Ask the Lord to protect children and their parents from kidnapping, child trafficking, hunger, disease and war.

 Saturday, November 3 (The Uttermost Parts of the World) Fasting Day: If you are able to fast (give up food for the day), then fast and pray. If you are unable to fast, consider giving up one meal, a favorite item, TV, Facebook or your phone.

Today, ask God that of the 2 billion Christians in the world, 7% would show hope to a single orphan, looking after the child in their distress. Ask the Lord to convict the church around the world that if we did this, there would effectively be no more orphans. Ask the Lord to show each of His followers that we can each do something. Within your prayers, choose a country or countries to pray specifically over and pray for nationals within that country to rise up and be willing to care for orphans.

Sunday, November 4 (ORPHAN SUNDAY!)

Today, pray for Orphan Sunday events around the world to go smoothly. Pray for the Lord to speak through pastors and speakers around the world. Pray for the Spirit to convict, encourage, challenge and confirm families, pastors and orphan care workers all over the world.

*For a 40 Day Prayer Guide for Orphan Care visit: http://orphansunday.org/resources/prayer-guides/.  The prayer for November 3 came from that very useful guide.