Prayer Walking the Neighborhood

Dear Friends,

As you may or may not know, my husband and I have been blessed with three perfect, adorable children: twin boys (20 mo) and a little girl (4.5 mo). Whenever I get a quiet moment to watch them (unusual in my house!) I feel GRATITUDE. They are healthy, happy, live in a secure household, have never known real fear, have never known serious want. I can give them what they need to grow: good food, discipline and restrictions, enough sleep, love and affection.

When I see my children, I am overwhelmed with two emotions: joy, and mourning.

Mourning?

Mourning because I read the papers and watch the news and know that there are kids all over the world who DON'T have the privileged lifestyle that my children enjoy. They suffer from malnutrition, abuse, neglect, sexual molestation. They grow up with mothers who cannot feed them, fathers in prison, or strangers-friends-relatives-parents-siblings who inflict unimaginable atrocities against them, innocent children and babies.

We see this almost everyday. Broken families and broken lives. Cycles that result in more brokenness.

Friends, sometimes I get dismayed at the evil that exists around us - and inside us. I want to fix it, or punish the evil-doers, or just do something. I let my anger and (yes) even hatred overtake me. How can we fight the evil that exists all around us?

As one prayer supporter reminded me, one way is through prayer.

We can pray.

This morning a few of us at the clinic went on a prayer walk around our neighborhood, Wellington Heights. We prayed for lives to be changed, cycles to be broken, and Christ to reign. I prayed for the children.

As Christians, God has challenged us to love our neighbors. At His Hands, we want to take up that challenge and love our neighborhood. And I have to believe that love - and prayer - can start a movement right here in Wellington Heights that will move across the world. After all, God has already won the battle, right?

Please pray with us:

- For the safety of our neighborhood in general

- For the safety of the kids in our neighborhood, city, world

- For the emergence of outreach programs directed towards fathers, helping them understand their pivotal role in their families

- For the mothers to be steadfast, supportive, patient

- For God to transform lives

- For the His Hands community to pursue prayer

- and For me specifically, to always chose love, no matter what

In Christ,

Sharon
Executive Director

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Sharon Patten
Executive Director
His Hands Free Medical Clinic
400 12th Street SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa  52404
(319) 862-2636