………whoever is kind to the needy honours God. Proverbs 14:31
Jan 1/2
As we look back over the past year and look forward to 2018, please give thanks and praise for every expression of God’s love and blessing and for His great faithfulness to the compassion work of Hands of Mercy. We are increasingly aware that God is at work, touching people’s lives in a powerful way. Please pray that we can make a difference to someone during 2018 and that others will join us in helping the poor and needy. Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.
Jan 3/4
Please pray for Sally and Joey Escoto and the Hands of Mercy staff that during this holiday time they may have rest and refreshment and to know God’s strength and guidance as they serve their needy neighbours during the coming year.
Jan 5/6
Please continue to pray for the UK Trustees as they meet regularly throughout the year – Keith, Michele, Bob, Samantha, Rob, and Fran. Pray that they will have wisdom and discernment in the decisions they take and guidance they give to the compassion ministry Hands of Mercy.
Jan 7/8
Give thanks to God for the special Anniversary Service at the Baguio Mercy Community Church and for the safe journey for Sally and Joey Escoto who travelled six hours north from Manila to the city of Baguio. There they took part in the Service as well as enjoying the sponsored children’s Christmas parties. Please pray for Sevalyn and Godofredo as they take the Services each week.
Jan 9/10
Please pray that more children in Baguio and in Mandaluyong will have a sponsor and will be able to go to school. Whilst children are often the greatest victims of poverty, they also hold the key to breaking the cycle of poverty in the future. Education is high on the list for parents, but for those parents living in poverty and who scavenge each day to obtain a few pesos, it is too expensive to send a child to school.
Jan 11/12
Give thanks that the owners of the shanty building in the Sto Rosario community, have allowed Hands of Mercy to continue using the building, with just a small increase in the rent. This is where one of the Mercy Community churches hold its services, and where Hands of Mercy feed the malnourished children three times a week.
Jan 13/14
The shanty buildings used by Hands of Mercy for their compassion ministries in the communities are rented each month. The buildings are crucial when the rain and typhoons come as well as giving protection from the heat of the sun. They are essential for the hygienic preparation of the food for the feeding of the malnourished children. They are also used in many other ways. Please pray that money will be given to cover the rents for Busilak, Block 38, Block 37, Florante, St. Rosario and Barangka. Please also pray for the safety of the buildings as well as the staff accommodation. Burglaries, typhoons, flooding and fires are a constant threat.
Jan 15/16
Through our committed team of Filipino staff, needy families are identified and offered help with their house repairs. In Mandaluyong you will find hundreds of people squatting side-by-side on a deserted portion of land in haphazardly constructed ‘shanty’ homes. Usually people’s homes have been hastily erected and with materials which have been salvaged from around the community. Because of holes and cracks in the materials, many homes are unstable and prone to leaks and flooding. Through your financial support of the Home Improvement Programme you can bring positive and lasting change in the life of someone in need. Please pray that Hands of Mercy will be able to help more families have a safer and more enjoyable place in which to live with a new sense of hope for the future.
Jan 17/18
A new 2017 video has been produced for Hands of Mercy and this can be seen on: YouTube.com – under Hands of Mercy Philippines. Please pray that God will use this video to enhance the compassion ministry and that it will be seen by interested individuals who would be encouraged to help with the needs of the squatter families.
Click on the play button to watch the video.
Jan 19/20
Please pray for David Gunn the Founder of Hands of Mercy International as he goes to the Philippines on the 19th for a six months visit. For those of you who know David, it will not surprise you to know that his passion for the Hands of Mercy ministry remains as strong as ever. Please pray that David will have God’s wisdom and guidance as he focuses his attention on where he can add the most value for the future of the compassion ministry of Hands of Mercy.
Jan 21/22
We may not be able to change the whole world, but we can change the life of an individual child. Give thanks for the sponsors and please pray that more people will come forward to help a child through the Child Sponsorship Programme. (Please contact the UK office on 01582 416151 if you would like to sponsor a child)
Jan 23/24
When we use the toilet or turn on a tap today, thank God that our water and sanitation is clean, safe and a few short steps away. In the squatter communities of Mandaluyong sanitation facilities are inadequate, which creates a real health risk for the people. Please pray that the local authorities will empower the people to develop and improve their own water and sanitation system. The high concentration of people living in cramped shanty homes results in unhealthy living conditions. Please pray for protection again illness particularly TB.
Jan 25/26
Please remember in prayer the Hands of Mercy staff members leading the Small Bible Study Groups that meet regularly in the Mandaluyong communities. Please pray that each leader will encourage and help nurture each person who attends. Please pray for the leaders as they visit people in the squatter community where they live. Give thanks for those who have become Christians and are now attending one of the Mercy Community Churches.
Jan 27/28
Please remember in prayer the children who are in a difficult family Situation – for peace when tensions between parents run high, and for comfort when they feel broken-hearted. Some fathers drink or use drugs and neglect their children. Some mothers are working abroad and without the stability of a caring home the children are greatly affected. Please pray that parents will think deeply about the affect their behaviour is having on their family and be willing to change their ways.
Jan 29/30
The young people in Mandaluyong are exposed to many risks such as gangs, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, alcohol and drug addiction. Each child is precious to God. Please pray that God will protect all the children and young people living in the squatter communities from the dangers and temptations that surround them. Please pray for Ajit who used to be sponsored. She is now in prison because of drugs. The prisons are most unpleasant places.
Jan 31
The Family Support Programme is an enormous help to the very poor and needy families in Mandaluyong, many of whom need to scavenge each day to afford a meal. Hands of Mercy needs more sponsors to help these people receive supplementary food each month. Please pray that God will nudge concerned individuals to offer to sponsor a “family” with food items. £20 a month would make a major difference in a family’s life. Please contact the UK office on 01582 416151 if you would like to help a family. At the moment we have 13 families waiting for help.
Find out about our compassion programmes and how you can help. Visit: Hands of Mercy Compassion Programmes
You can download and print the prayer calendar by following this link: News and update and subjects of prayer – Jan 2018
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