We pray today for children in our communities
who live without either of their parents:
children whose parents have died,
children who have been abandoned,
children taken away from their parents because of abuse or neglect,
and children who have run away from home.
You care for these little ones God,
and not one of them is lost from your sight.
Guide, guard and protect these children
as they move in with relatives,
as they live with foster parents
as they are adopted into new families
or as they struggle on the street.
Comfort each one who feels unloved, unwanted and afraid.
Give wisdom to people who make decisions about children’s lives.
Empower those who care for them to be loving and compassionate.
Instill in our government leaders a passion for protecting the most vulnerable.
Help us to reach out as individuals and as a congregation
to those who live without the protection and love of parents.
We also pray for parents and children who have been wrongly separated,
that you will end their agony and help them to be reunited.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, who loves the little ones, Amen.
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.