Recently, I asked our Sunrise team members to share specific ways Kentucky churches can pray for Sunrise Children’s Services. Here are their responses: 

• Pray for the youth we serve to be able to tell the difference between positive friends/supports and negative friends/supports. — Rick Ferguson, Sunrise Foster Care and Independent Living Supervisor, Lakes and Rivers Region 

• Pray for peace and understanding as we work with children whose behaviors are just the tip of the iceberg and strength and knowledge as we chisel down that iceberg to better support and help these young lives and create a better future. — Macayla Douglas, Sunrise Foster Parent Trainer, Morehead 

• Pray for Sunrise’s effort to reach prospect foster parents from the Hispanic culture. Pray that we connect with the right people. Pray that we can, intentionally, expand our reach to this culture in Kentucky. Pray that we can develop materials that are appealing to this culture, and that will bring these families to our foster parent family, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Spanish Translation: “Oremos por el esfuerzo de Sunrise para alcanzar prospectos padres sustitutos de la comunidad y cultura hispana. Oremos para que podamos conectar con las personas correctas. Oremos para que, intencionalmente, podamos expandir nuestro alcance a esta cultura en Kentucky. Oremos para que podamos desarrollar materiales que sean atractivos para esta cultura y que traigan a estas familias a formar parte de nuestra familia de padres sustitutos, en el nombre de Jesús, Amén.”) — Jaime Masso, Sunrise Foster Parent Trainer, Paducah

• Pray for more families to say “yes” to opening their home to a foster child. — Jeanne McQuerry, Sunrise Foster Care Trainer, Danville

• Pray for understanding and growth in the boys who choose to wake up for 6:30 a.m. Bible study at Spring Meadows facility on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. — Kyle Bagwell, Sunrise Direct Care Counselor, Spring Meadows Center, Mt. Washington. 

• Pray for hope to be given to our children who are feeling hopeless, for a peace and calmness to them who are searching to ease their anxieties. Pray for grace, love and understanding to be witnessed by all children who are served within Sunrise. Pray God’s word continues to be searched by these eager minds who are searching for a savior and the truth. Pray for Sunrise caregivers to share God’s truth and love to all those who are searching for it. Pray for our children’s biological families who may or may not be in their life. May they find peace and find the Lord. Many of their children still love them. Pray for those who support Sunrise through prayer, voluntarily, monetarily, physically. May they continue to be able to do so and may our support continue to grow so that we may support more children in need. — Rachel White, Sunrise Case Manager, Glen Dale Center, Elizabethtown 

• Pray for churches to embrace the ministry of foster care by sharing the need, hosting foster care pre-service training and learning how to support children in foster care. — Bruce Treon, Sunrise Director of Faith-Based Initiatives 

• Pray for our needs at Sunrise Children Services and sow a seed to meet a need and to change a life. One-dollar challenge: most people waste that much or more in a day — I will be the first to give a dollar. – John Bates, Sunrise Direct Care Counselor, Cumberland Adventure Program, Bronston 

• Pray for the love of God to overwhelmingly meet the distinct needs of our young people under our care. – Rick Burslem, Sunrise Vice President of Marketing & Advancement. 

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 David Lyninger is associate director of communications for Sunrise Children’s Services.