Creative Prayer: Sponsor a Child in Prayer

Focus: Caring for a child through prayer

Before You Begin:

You’ve probably seen advertisements to sponsor a child financially through a relief organization. Perhaps your family even has “adopted” a child in another country through one of these charities. In this adventure, your family will sponsor a child through prayer for a year.

The Prayer Time!

First, talk together and choose a child your family would like to support in prayer. If you do sponsor a child through a relief organization, perhaps you could choose that child. Or it could be a neighbor, a child you’ve read about in the newspaper, a child at school, a missing child, or any other child your family feels is in need of regular prayer.

If possible, obtain a picture of your chosen child and keep it on your refrigerator or another noticeable location. If a picture isn’t available, select another object that will represent this person to your family. You might choose a small flag from the country where the child lives. Or if your chosen child is in need of medical attention, you might use a get-well card as your reminder.

Over the next year, gather your family and pray every Saturday morning for this child. Make your prayers as specific as possible using any information you have access to. If it’s appropriate, your family may also want to send cards or notes of encouragement or make other similar gestures to show your love and concern for this child.

After a year, thank God for any changes you’ve seen in this child. Then let your family decide if they’d like to continue praying for this child, or if they’d like to choose another child to pray for during the coming year.