Orphans First Prayer Requests April, 2002

Dear Prayer Partners,

        I hope Easter was very special to all of you. Thank you for
consistently praying for the children. As we watch the curtains of time
slowly closing before us, and more and more misery in every country caused
by wars, earthquakes, floods and other catastrophes, we feel compelled to
knock more often on Heaven's doors.  (Thanks for praying for Women's
seminar --- two women got saved).

USA
        Please pray more for D***, an orphan who has waited 14 years for a
family to adopt him.  The sense of rejection in his heart as he is now
being moved from the orphanage to another center for "unadopted teens" is
overwhelming.  The boy has much anger from so much pain.  He is a fine boy,
with a highly sensitive heart.  Please pray for his future, Pray for the
many orphans in the States, and throughout the entire world who long to
have a loving family, to belong to someone.  One of the greatest pains in
life is to feel rejected and alone.  And yet there are millions of children
in this condition.

RUSSIA, UKRAINE etc.
        Continue praying for adoptions of Andrei & Lida, Valery, Sacha,
another Sacha, Katya........the three children in Odessa, and so many
others.  Pray for God to provide a building, and the finances for the
orphanage we hope to begin in St. Petersburg.  Pray for the children who
are cold at night.  Pray for the 10,000 street children in Moscow and who
knows how many thousands and millions throughout Russia.  (I enclose an
article below).

INDIA
        Pray for continued projection and growth of Grace Home (over 100
kids and going into its 15th year).  Pray for the other works we helped
start in India and for new ones to spring up everywhere.  Pray  for the
children on the streets, especially for those who were in one of the homes
and who are now back on the streets for varying reasons.  Pray for a mighty
miracle for India so we can reach many more orphans here and in surrounding
countries (Pakistan, Afghanistan).  Pray for the millions of child-slaves,
hungry and abandoned children, street children, and war or earthquake
victim children, refugees etc.  Pray for child slaves Sher, Baz, Bramhon,
and millions of others.

AFRICA
        Continue praying for our homes there, especially new orphanage in
Burkino Faso.  Pray we can begin something in S. Africa.  Pray for the same
as above: i.e. for child slaves, abused children, street children, AIDS
children etc.  Pray for Shadrack, Jane, Visu, Small, Jeff and the others in
Johannasburg.  Pray for workers in Zimbabwe.

FRANCE
        Pray for our school,  for more teachers for High School, and for a
future International School (this is our vision).  Pray for the many
mistreated children, misguided teens etc.  Pray for souls in France, and
for specific guidance for our future after being here for TWENTY years. 
        
PERSONAL
        Pray for the many details we have regarding missions and also
Orphans First.  Pray for the many "overlapping" projects we're trying to
finish up to the glory of God.  And pray for the future of our children,
their education and especially that they would choose Christ in everything.
 Pray for our future move to major city.

        Because of our Resurrected Savior. 

Janey
Janey L. DeMeo
Founder/director of Orphans First, freelance writer.
ORPHANS FIRST website:  http://www.OrphansFirst.org/
E mail:  janey@...
Subscribe to the free weekly Orphans First prayer list:
http://WeLoveGod.org/digests/orphansfirst/
______________________________________________________
RUSSIA: SYSTEM FAILS MILLIONS OF HOMELESS KIDS
By Peter Graff, Reuters - - February 2002

MOSCOW - Russia is letting millions of orphans and homeless children slip
through the social net and fall prey to drugs, crime and illiteracy,
Prosecutor General Vladimir Ustinov told parliament on Wednesday.

Russia has 700,000 registered orphans and children with no parental
supervision, but Ustinov said experts believe the real number is two or
three million.

"If we judge the spiritual and physical health of the nation by our youth,
it will be no exaggeration to say the health of the nation is in danger,"
he
told the State Duma lower house.

A barrage of statistics shows a system that is failing to protect children,
and getting worse. Children are increasingly likely to become both
criminals
and victims of crimes.

"Ever more frequently we come across cruel treatment of children, their
economic and sexual exploitation and trade in minors," he said. His office
has prosecuted 190 cases of children being sold in the last five years.

More than 1.14 million children were picked up by police for crimes last
year.

Russian teenagers were 7.5 times more likely to be addicted to hard drugs
than adults. There was no system in place to compel them to receive
treatment for addiction.

Russia is not only failing to keep its children off the streets, it is
failing to keep many of them in school. "We find teenage offenders whose
education doesn't match their age. Often they can't read at all."

A decade of post-Soviet economic decline has taken a severe toll on Russian
families, with steep declines in life expectancy, and explosions of drug
use
and other social ills.

Many say the Soviet-era welfare system has not moved with the times,
especially in cases of children. Little aid is offered to families
themselves, foster care is rudimentary, and children who are not assigned
to
institutions have scant access to public help.

Nearly all of the thousands of children living on the streets of Moscow
come
from other parts of the country and are barred from the capital's schools
or
orphanages.

Ustinov said President Putin had written to parliament saying: "There are
many (child welfare) programs that produce no results. Either the programs
are bad or the bureaucrats are useless."