June 2018 Prayer Partner Message

Dear friends,

Like many of you, I’ve been deeply troubled by the images and sounds of children who have been separated from their parents over the past several weeks as a result of recent policy changes. More than 12,000 individuals, including more than 1,000 local pastors, added their names to a letter to President Trump urging him to end the “zero tolerance” policy that precipitated this crisis—and  our voices are being heard.  Last week the president signed an executive order to halt family separations.

Still, as of today, there are more than 2,000 children who remain separated from their parents. And while we are encouraged by the president’s shift away from a policy that separated families, there are many questions outstanding about how families will be reunited, how they will be treated as their claims are considered, and if the underlying zero tolerance policy will remain in place or not.

We must continue to advocate, but I also want to ask you to pray: for the children and their parents, for government leaders setting policies, for those caring and advocating for children separated from their parents, and for the countries of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, where high levels of gang violence have led many to feel they had no choice but to flee.

A group of Latino/a evangelical pastors and ministry leaders have specifically invited their Christian brothers and sisters throughout the country to set aside tomorrow, Friday, June 29 as a special day of fasting and prayer. Whether you pray privately or corporately with others, we’ve prepared some specific prayer points that may help guide your prayers. “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18).

In Christ,

Galen Carey
Vice President of Government Relations
National Association of Evangelicals