Prayer Calendar – August 2018

August 1/2

Whilst many in the UK are thinking about holidays at this time, please pray for the Filipino families who never have the opportunity to leave their communities and enjoy the beauty of the countryside. Many families, including the children walk around late at night or early morning in the Mandaluyong area acting as unofficial refuse collectors. They are scavengers and are looking for any items they can sell.  Through these refuse items they hope to earn a few pesos to buy food for their families.  Please pray that the parents will find suitable work with a better income.

August 3/4

Please pray for Tess Magtabog, Beth Tocyapao and Maricel Payao who work in the Block 37 community in Walfareville. Beth is the Pastor of the Mercy Community Church in Block 37, as well as being the Child Sponsorship Programme co-ordinator. Tess is a volunteer therapist helping the disabled children, and Family Support Programme coordinator for Block 37. She also helps Beth with the preaching at the church. Maricel helps with the preparation of the food and the thrice weekly meal times for the children. She is a member of the Hands of Mercy Block 37 team.

August 5/6

A major way that poverty can be eradicated is when bribery and corruption are dealt with. Corrupt practices benefit those who are rich and harm those who are poor and vulnerable. Please pray for the Mandaluyong Mayor and for those with authority in local government that they will use their position of power and act with integrity and honesty to help those in poverty in the Mandaluyong communities. Whether their decisions relate to health, water, sanitation or other poverty issues, please pray that they have the courage to make choices that benefit those most in need.

August 7/8

Please pray for the UK Trustees as they meet together on the 8th August. Please pray that they will have wisdom and discernment in the decisions they take and guidance they give to the compassion ministry of Hands of Mercy. With the Hands of Mercy financial needs in mind, please pray that supporters will remember the compassion work in their wills.

August 9/10

Please continue to pray for the Florante Street situation. In the Philippines things often move slowly – please pray that the legal side of the selling of the land and the rebuilding of homes, will soon be sorted out and that the thirty families will have peace about where they will be living. We would also value your prayers about new office and church accommodation, as the Hands of Mercy staff have been told they must leave the Barangka premises as the owner wants to sell the property.

August 11/12

Give thanks to God for the many meals served to underweight and malnourished children through Hands of Mercy. Please pray that through the regular feedings the health of the children will improve. Please continue to pray that people will give financially through the Supplementary Feeding Programme to help buy the food for the children.

August 13/14

Please pray for 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 effect their behaviour is having on their family and be willing to change their ways.

August 15/16

Although often smiling, many Filipinos are hurting, feeling the stress due to lack of money, no regular work, ill health and bad living conditions etc. Please remember them in your prayers. Please also pray for those on the Hands of Mercy staff who are widows – Pina, Alberta, Nenita and Terie, and for those who are single mums – Ara, Mila and Myrna.

August 17/18

The Child Sponsorship Programme has always played a major part in seeing Filipinos lifted out of poverty through access to quality education.  After many years of running this programme, Hands of Mercy is seeing concrete proof of how effective this programme is in improving the lives of its beneficiaries and their respective families. Nonito is a perfect example of the positive impact CSP has had in the life of a sponsored child. He was a CSP scholar from elementary to college and graduated as an IT programmer in 2016. Nonito became a Christian while in college and is now the worship leader at the Barangka Mercy Community Church. He sometimes helps the Director with IT work in the HOM office and is a very committed member of the church.

August 19/20

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. The following is taken from the CARE Prayer diary: “Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development” – Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the UN 1997-2006. Please continue to pray for all the sponsored children – here are some on their way to school.

August 21/22

Please continue to pray for two of the Hands of Mercy staff members who are suffering with cancer. Tess M. and Myrna are having treatment. In addition, another staff member, Ara has been diagnosed with macular degeneration and Jane has a heart defect – she is taking medication. Many of the staff have health problems. Please pray for God’s healing touch on their lives and that they may know God’s peace day by day.

August 23/24

Please pray that through the assistance of the Surgical Treatment Programme, children and adults with physical needs will be given the necessary help and resources to undergo corrective surgery.

August 25/26

Please continue to pray for Sally Escoto with her many responsibilities as she runs the Compassion Ministry of Hands of Mercy. Pray that God will give her wisdom and strength for the many tasks to be dealt with each day. Please give thanks to God for Joey and Sally and for their faithful and diligent ministry among their poor and needy neighbours.

August 27/28

Please remember in prayer the four Pastors of the Mercy Community Churches in Mandaluyong – Joey Escoto at the Barangka Church, Greg Lubiano at Block 38 church, Analyn Eduardo at the St. Rosario church and Beth Tocyapao at Block 37 Church.  Please also pray for the people who lead and share God’s Word at the Mercy Community Church in Baguio City –Sevalyn and Godofredo. Please also pray for Sevalyn as she co-ordinates the Baguio Child Sponsorship Programme.

August 29/30

Please continue to pray for all the members of the Mercy Community Church Men’s Group as they reach out in practical ways to help their poor neighbours. Please pray for them as they befriend and help the men, some who now attend church, to grow in their faith and relationship with God and become role models in their communities.

August 31

Please continue to pray that Hands of Mercy will receive sufficient income to help relieve the material and mental suffering of many of the poorest people in Mandaluyong, Manila and in the north of the country in Baguio/La Trinidad.  Through your love, prayers, and financial support you can bring a positive and lasting change to the life of someone living in poverty. We totally rely on the generosity of concerned individuals to fund our Compassion Programmes. 

Find out about our compassion programmes and how you can help. Visit: Hands of Mercy Compassion Programmes

Return to News update and subjects for prayer