facing street children, and bring them to the attention of high level decision- ... On Sunday 22nd April, six Toybox sup
APRIL 2018 Week 1 – (Sunday 1 – Saturday 7 April) This year our Easter Appeal is focussing on our work with street children in Nairobi, Kenya, highlighting the way in which labels, abuse and violence can start in the home – pushing children on to the streets. This week we pray for protection for the many children on the streets of Nairobi, told they are ‘worthless’ and labelled as ‘illegal’ who become targets for all kinds of verbal and physical abuse. We pray that they will know that they are precious, valued and respected. We also give thanks for our supporters and the response we have already received to the appeal. For more information on the campaign please visit: www.toyboybox.org.uk/livesnotlabels.
Week 2 – (Sunday 8 – Saturday 14 April) The International Day for Street Children is commemorated each year on 12th April. In many of the contexts we work, street children are excluded from policies and laws that exist to protect vulnerable children. The 12th April is an opportunity to shine a spotlight on issues facing street children, and bring them to the attention of high level decision- makers. Let us pray that people in power will take notice of street children and be responsive to their responsibility to protect them.
Week 3 – (Sunday 15 – Saturday 21 April)
Prayer Guide APRIL-JUNE 2018 Welcome to the Spring edition of the Toybox Prayer Guide. Thank you so much for all your prayers for our work with street children. Please feel free to share this guide with your church and friends.
www.toybox.org.uk/pray
The US President recently announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Salvadorans living in the United States. The programme, which provides protection for immigrants from countries whom have experienced ‘life-threatening situations’, has allowed Salvadorans to reside and work legally in the United States since 2001. The end of the TPS is expected to impact over 200,000 Salvadorans. Experts in immigration and gang violence have commented this ruling could further empower the gangs in El Salvador as young people returning will become prime candidates for recruitment by them. This week please join us as we pray for the many families living in fear and uncertainty of this announcement which is due to come into force in September 2019.
Week 4 – (Sunday 22 – Saturday 28 April) On Sunday 22nd April, six Toybox supporters will be taking part in the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon. We give thanks for the incredible time, energy and effort they have all put into fundraising and training for the event. We are so grateful for their determination to help us change the world for street children. Please join us as we pray for strength, protection and stamina for Lukas, Kyle, Paul, Catherine, Richard and Jo in the lead up and also during the marathon itself.
APRIL
MAY 2018
JUNE 2018
Week 1 – (Sunday 29 April – Saturday 5 May)
Week 1 – (Sunday 27 May – Saturday 2 June)
Our Financing Futures project in Nairobi, Kenya empowers women in slum communities to establish small businesses for income generating activities. As a result, it reduces the need for them to seek supplementary income from their children working. It also means they are able to provide for themselves and their children with necessities such as food, clothing and shelter. This month Toybox will be supporting training sessions to help the communities in developing a number of Saving and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs) which help them to save the money to establish these small businesses. Please join us as we give thanks for this project and all that it has achieved so far. We also pray for those who will be attending the training that they gain the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to support them in their business ventures.
At the end of this week, Team Toybox will be attending Wychwood Festival in Cheltenham where we will be speaking to festival goers about our work, the children we support and how they can get involved. Please join us as we pray for a successful event, for many opportunities to speak to new people and that they in turn, will be inspired and motivated to act by the stories they hear.
Week 2 – (Sunday 6 – Saturday 12 May) This week we give thanks for the recent announcement that the Indian government plans to fund a new health insurance scheme. The scheme is set to cover more than 500 million Indians and provide around £5,500 in medical coverage annually for each family. It is designed to be a safety net for the millions of people who struggle to afford medical care as they hold irregular jobs or are unemployed. Please join us as we pray the scheme will be properly implemented and administered to ensure better support for street children and their families.
Week 3 – (Sunday 13 – Saturday 19 May) “The greatest glory in living is not in falling, but in rising every time we fall” Nelson Mandela. This week please join us as we reflect on this quote which encourages us to keep on rising despite the challenges we face. Please join us as we pray for our partners and give thanks for the outreach work they do to support children on the streets. It can take many months – or even years working alongside a child before they make the decision to leave their life on the streets and often face a number of complications or setbacks along the way. Please pray for encouragement for the street outreach workers as they undertake this challenging work.
Week 2 – (Sunday 3 – Saturday 9 June) A recent report from the Indian government estimates that there are 21 million ‘unwanted’ girls in the country, created by the desire among parents to have sons instead of daughters. There were a number of cultural reasons cited, including the fact that property is passed on to sons, not daughters and also the families of girls have to pay dowries to see their daughters married. This week we give thanks for the achievements of our Street to School project in Delhi which is helping street and working girls and boys access and stay in education. One of the project’s Street Educators commented; “This district is a tough area to work in. There was no culture of sending girls to school; parents were not happy to allow their girls to go out alone, for work or to study. Now things have changed a lot, the girls come out to our education clubs and have started going to school.”
Week 3 – (Sunday 10 – Saturday 16 June) Globally there are 152 million are child labourers with almost half of them, 73 million, working in hazardous environments. On the12th June, the International Day Against Child Labour, please join with us as we pray for the many children forced to work as commercial sex workers who are unable to fully enjoy their childhood. Please pray that God will move in the hearts and minds of business owners; inspiring them to bring the practice of child labour to an end.
Week 4 – (Sunday 17 – Saturday 23 June) As we celebrate Father’s Day on 17th June, we give thanks for the role that fathers play as mentors, providers and caregivers. Please join us as we pray for the fathers of the children we work with; for wisdom, strength and discernment to help them through any challenges they may be facing. We also pray that God will abundantly bless fathers with patience, courage and above all, love for their children.
Week 4 – (Sunday 20 – Saturday 26 May) This week, our partner Viva Guatemala has asked that we pray specifically for the Guatemalan government. Please pray that those with the responsibility of leadership, influence and power will acknowledge the rights of vulnerable children and prioritise them and their needs in their decision making and policies.
MAY
Week 5 – (Sunday 24 – Saturday 30 June) This week we pray for the children who work as shoe shiners on the streets of Bolivia’s capital city, La Paz. The children, known as ‘lustrabotas’ have such a low status that they hide their faces in shame behind balaclavas and baseball caps as a defence against the discrimination they face on a daily basis. Please join us as we pray for these children who have been ostracized by mainstream society. We give thanks that our partner Alalay is able to work alongside these children. We pray that they will know that they are unique and special in the eyes of God and that they will feel God’s abundant love and protection on them.
JUNE
