A Prayer for the New Year

As we look back on 2011, as we look ahead to the new year, we thank you for your prayers for the women, teens, and girls of El Callejon.  For the work we hope to do there.  For the joys, tears, struggles, and blessings of the work to which God has called us.

We invite you to join us in praying the following, written by Lord Shaftesbury, a man who fought against slavery, child labor, and other injustices in England in the 1800’s.  Although his words are more than 150 years old, they echo our hearts’ prayer as we look forward to another year of meeting Jesus in El Callejon.

O God, the father of the forsaken,
the helper of the weak,
the supplier of the needy;
you teach us that love towards the race of man
is the bond of perfectness
and the imitation of your blessed self.

Open and touch our hearts
that we may see and do,
both for this world and that which is to come,
the things that belong to our peace.
Strengthen us in the work which we have undertaken;
give us wisdom, perseverance, faith and zeal,
and in your own time and according to your pleasure
prosper the issue;
for the love of your Son, Christ Jesus.

(as found in Hear Our Prayer, A Collection of Classic Prayers)