I shed a tear

I attended a prayer breakfast for clergy in Swindon today. It was led (excellently) by two members of Swindon Youth for Christ.

The SYFC team explained how in the various schools they attend the young people were amazed to think that people would pray for them. So SYFC had brought along some requests for prayer that children (all at secondary school I think) had requested. I was given this:

"I prey to see all my brothers and sisters again and no that they are safe with there carers"

(I've typed it exactly as written.)

This broke my heart. And I was almost unable to read it out in the small group I was with.

I think it was partly because Mrs Not a normal vicar works in social services and shares with me so many of the tragic tales she encounters of children in care. This prayer was almost as if I knew the child making the request.

I hope and pray that God hears this prayer and answers it as the child wishes - even if in the long term the child may be better off in care (which is sometimes the case after all.)