Orphans First Prayer Request Update June 18th 2003

Dear Prayer Friends,

     Below is story of a sad situation we recently encountered reflecting the 
fragility of life.  But before you scroll down to that story, I'll paste some 
brief prayer updates.

CONVENTION in BALTIMORE - trip  
     It seems God is opening doors for me to go.  We'll be taking our son to 
Italy to stay with a family we led to Christ years ago who have a son his age. 
 This will be good for his Italian. My husband & I will then travel standy 
Friday morning, taking several planes to Baltimore.  Please pray:
*  for Franceso, our 15-year-old, during our absence and while he's in Italy 
(pray for God's covering, and his stay that all involved would be blessed),
*  that we would make all the planes without a problem
*  for protection over my husband's church during his absence.
*  for God to use our lives at this conference to further His Kingdom, 
particularly to reach suffering children and promote missions, at the same time as 
refreshing our spirits.
*   for the maximum amount of contacts to be made which would result in more 
orphans and suffering children being reached, more laborers and prayer 
warriors being raised up, more finances coming in etc.  Pray for the Monday afternoon 
presentation of Orphans First.

TRAGIC LOSS
     We recently lost one of our closest friends.  He left behind a young 
widow, and two teen children.  This family have also been major supporters for 
Orphans First, and their hearts are enormous.  Please pray for them as they 
suffer.

ADOPTIONS
     Pray for the upcoming adoption of a little Chinese baby by dear friends 
of ours. China has been closing its doors for visits because of Sars so pray 
for God to open the doors.   

Now the story about TINY ABANDONNED LIVES
     Just before getting into our car to avoid a summer storm after our 
Sunday afternoon swim, we were arrested by a feeble cry. Mini, pathetic cries 
seemingly coming from feeble bodies pleading "help!  mama!  help!"  We searched the 
nearby woods.  Nothing.  Thunder!  More cries, so small, so faint, so 
helpless!  Where?  We looked harder.  Finding nothing and thinking it must just be a 
bird, we stepped into the car.  But again the feeble voices floated out way.  
So we looked again.  And there we found them!  Three tiny, abondonned, sickly, 
starving, dehydrated, frightened, sunstruck kittens, barely alive.  They were 
perhaps no older than three weeks.
     They were so dehydrated, their eyes seemed dried up.  And so skinny, 
they felt like fluffy matchsticks.  We were with some young people, and our son.  
Our son climbed down in the ditch to rescue the kittens, and we brought them 
home and gave them water, milk, soft food, and a nice bath.  They "adopted" me 
as their mom, and fell asleep trying to suckle on my arm. 
     Now, several days later, they are romping around, and I've found homes 
for all of them.  But there's more to tell in this story.  Some people thought 
we were crazy to take the kittens in (I have three cats, and our son recently 
found a baby turtle dove we're helping until he can fly).  Some thought we 
should ignore the kitten's pleas and just leave them to die.  Or help them out by 
drowning them.  But how can you ignore the pleas of such tiny, suffering 
victims?
     Now, imagine all the abandonned children in China, or anywhere in the 
world.  Imagine the street children, longing for the touch of a loving mother, 
hungry and afraid.  Imagine the children in state orphanages dreaming to be 
adopted.  Imagine the foster children, being traipsed from house to house and 
often not feeling welcome.  
     May our imaginations run away and empathize to such a measure that we'll 
end up on our knees for the suffering children everywhere.  

     Thank you so much for your prayers, 


Janey L. DeMeo
President/founder of ORPHANS FIRST; freelance writer.
Website: http://www.orphansfirst.org/
E mail:  Janey@...
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