Greetings!
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ~ Philippians 4:6-8
Prayer, thanksgiving, and worthy thoughts…this is how you live with hope! Of course, it is easier when you have access to food and don’t have to resort to selling your sons and daughters off to older men in order to eat.
PRAYER
We have seen growing desperation in our poorest countries where the government still has its people on lockdown. Teenage Pregnancy Crisis – up to 4,000 adolescent girls have gotten pregnant in Mombasa County alone between January and May 2020. The figure for the whole country may run into several thousand. Adolescent girls are encouraged by their parents to indulge in sexual behaviors with older men so that they can put food on the table. This situation puts them at risk of early pregnancies, early marriages, and dropping out of school. This scenario has been happening since the start of the pandemic in public schools, around Mikindani, and the slum areas of Mikindani, where most of our children reside.
This desperate situation is more harmful to the girls than the Covid-19 virus.
THANKSGIVING
We can’t lose focus on the positive results that have been achieved in our projects through our intervention programs. Teacher Involvement in-home visits to our children, counseling the children, and checking up on their education progress has enabled our children to stay focused and connected to their education.
Another blessing is that Star of Hope Kenya has incorporated a new program, the Pastoral Care Program for the Girl Child, which is focused on helping our girls deal with the challenges they are facing at home during this time.
The Relief Feeding program has also made it possible for our female children and their families to avoid being victims of trafficking and the teenage pregnancy crisis as they have enough food to sustain themselves.
WORTHY THOUGHTS
We are not alone. We have Christ, our Savior, and we have each other. You do not have to help these children with only your own energy, on your own dime, or depending on your own knowledge. We all come together, offering what we have, and together we make a difference in this world. Together you can educate and feed children. You can protect young girls. You can teach children about Christ. You can do all this without ever leaving the USA because the body of Christ reaches around the world for us…we need to pray for it and support it financially.
In prayer,
Mark Presson
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