Charity & Not for Profit Welfare, Prayer Letters, Prayers

Charity and Not for Profit Welfare in 2025

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September Prayer Focus – Power to Change (Campus Crusade for Christ in Australia)

(from Young Goh) 

Dear praying friends, 
Warm greetings in Jesus Name! 

The news headlines may often feel heavy with doom and gloom. Yet be encouraged—God is at work! One clear sign is the growing movement of prayer He is stirring across our nation. Thank you for your faithful prayers for Power to Change, the Australian arm of Campus Crusade for Christ International. 

Founded in 1951 by Dr. Bill and Vonette Bright, Campus Crusade has grown to more than 16,000 staff serving in nearly 190 nations, all committed to fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Here in Australia, about 160 staff members serve in six key ministries: campus, church movements, digital, youth, global aid, and the JESUS Film—all united in the same mission of helping people know and follow Jesus. 

Reaching University Students 

Our campus ministry focuses on sharing the life-transforming gospel of Jesus with Australia’s 1.4 million university students across 40 campuses. Many international students come here from countries where the gospel is harder to access—and often they are more open to hearing it while in Australia. Simple acts of hospitality, such as sharing meals, are creating wonderful opportunities for staff and students to build relationships and share Christ. Pray for our campus ministry – for the Lord to raise up more labourers for the ripe harvest – as Jesus said ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few’ (Matthew 9:35-38). 

Please also pray for our Catalytic ministry, which identifies and trains Christian students to lead movements on their own campuses—multiplying impact far beyond what staff alone can do. 

Meeting Needs, Opening Hearts 

Often the door to the gospel opens first through compassion. Our humanitarian arm, Global Aid International Network (GAiN), is seeing thousands come to Christ each year through medical and relief trips to India, the Philippines, and across Southeast Asia. Meeting physical needs paves the way for eternal hope. Praise God for new staff who have joined recently – and pray for more doors to open with more Christians and churches across Australia taking part in these life-changing trips! 

Multiplying Disciples in the Church 

Author Dallas Willard once wrote: 

“The greatest issue facing the world today…is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as Christians will become disciples—students, apprentices, practitioners—of Jesus Christ.” 

That conviction fuels our Church Movements ministry. We partner with pastors and churches to move beyond running programs—however successful they may be—towards creating a culture where disciples who make disciples are formed. Following Jesus’ own model, the goal is a multiplying movement that can impact the world, just as His few followers became a global church of billions. 

Please pray for the Lord to lead our team to great churches in every capital city that can become real model churches that would inspire yet other churches and pastors to sign up! 

Reaching Youth with the Gospel 

Our youth ministry is dedicated to helping school students encounter Jesus. Amber Lights, our youth band, communicates Christ’s message in a powerful, contemporary way that resonates with young people. 

Please pray for Power to Change, along with Scripture Union, Crusaders, Youth for Christ, and all who minister in schools—that every young person in Australia would meet genuine followers of Jesus and discover the One who is the true source of identity and self-worth. 

Sharing Christ in the Digital World 

Every second, 200 people search online for “Is God real?”—that’s 17 million seekers every single day! What an extraordinary opportunity to reach people searching for truth. 

Our Digital Ministry is committed to meeting seekers where they are, using today’s tools to share the timeless good news of Jesus. Please pray for our team to have God’s creativity and wisdom in this vital mission field. 

The JESUS Film – A Tool for Generations 

The JESUS Film Project has already been viewed over 10 billion times, translated into 2,200 languages, and has helped more than 600 million people make decisions for Christ. It remains one of the most effective evangelistic tools in history. 

Now, work is underway on a new animated version to reach younger generations with the story of Jesus. Please pray for the production team, and for the ongoing impact of the original film as it continues to be used worldwide. 

Even today, while 2.6 billion people identify as Christians, there are still 5.4 billion who have not yet heard or responded to the gospel. Let’s continue to pray and labour together until every person has the opportunity to know Jesus. 

Thank you for your prayers. 
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact: young.goh@powertochange.org.au

Websites for more information: 
powertochange.org.au
globalaid.net.au
jesus.au
jesus.au/help-us-accelerate-our-mission

The Spheres of Influence, God’s Way to Nation Building 

(by Ana Roncal) 

1995, and There Was Light 

It happened in June 1995. The bi-annual University of the Nations Workshop would take place in the YWAM Restenas location in Sweden.  Until the time of that event, we had been hearing from YWAM founder Loren Cunningham and other international leaders about the fact that, in order to fulfill our mandate to disciple the nations, we needed to understand the “spheres of influence” as they are exposed in the Bible. Many of us did not have, however, a clear idea about the nature of such spheres.  As a staff member in the School of Biblical Studies in Wiler, Switzerland, I kept feeling overwhelmed when it was about teaching the longer books of the Bible.  Deuteronomy was one of those books, its content appeared to be in great measure repetitive, a mixture of topics with no apparent real order… until that workshop in Restenas took place. 

During one of the plenary sessions, Landa Cope, Dean of the College of Communications, exposed an awesome fact: the books of the Pentateuch were really a way to disciple a nation, Israel, so they could embrace life in the promised land with concrete, practical guidance and so become an example to the nations of the world (Deuteronomy 4:5-8; 1 Kings 10:1-13). He was there with them, an immanent God, telling His people how they could actually do everything. From the way to educate a new generation of parents who would later pass a precious nation building legacy, to the political organization of the twelve tribes, the lengthy process of becoming owners, the right way to create a financial system, hygiene measures dealing with bacteria, to war instructions, all the principles for a nation to become prosperous and attain to welfare were there.  And that meant a substantial change for us as Mission Movement, the way we were to fulfill Jesus’ mandate to disciple the nations would have to change, if we were to be consequent with our “learning and living” educative motto. The Old Testament Law (OT Law), until then very much considered a metaphor of personal salvation, became a real social model, the basis for understanding God’s prophetic Word to Israel and the nations in the subsequent books. 

It was an eye-opening moment and today I ask myself: how is that in so many congregations you never get to understand the nature of morals and ethics as having a practical expression in all aspects of life?  “A Christian can vote for any political party” a friend once told me from the congregation where I started my Christian life and whom I got to meet after years of not seeing each other. Trying to explain to her that political parties are expressions of different ways to see life, government, economics, was useless. She had already been trained to think those are secular matters, there was nothing I could do about it. 

Finally Making Sense 

Realizing the fact that the OT Law is about spheres of human dominion leads to the understanding of why teaching the Bible was previously such a difficult task: If we approach the Biblical text with dualistic eyes, affected by Greek thinking, separating “sacred” from what is considered “secular”, we are not just depriving ourselves from real content, left with a mystical message, devoid of concrete meaning, but we are also denigrating vital aspects of life in society. Of course, if you look at passages of the OT Law where topics seem to be all mixed, and repeated in two and even three books of the Pentateuch with a sacred-secular perspective, they do not make much sense, and we miss the fact that they are new instances where conditions for a nation going through a process of discipleship have changed. But, how can we teach about justice, love, mercy without real references of how to live up to them?  As well, we are depriving people of the real meaning and purpose for their lives, families and work. And we are also declining our authority in favor of secularism and handing education over to the State, the implications of it being obvious. 

No Wonder the Relativism 

Phrases like “I give thanks to God for the Social Welfare State”, or “God is not legalistic”, used to offer resistance to change in the way to consider the Scriptures and go for a change. This tells us that there is a new orthodoxy in the Church and very little real reference to Biblical content for most aspects of life.  If the absolute source of practical meaning provided by the Bible is banned from our religious life and from education, we should not be surprised at the fact that Christians are actually “baptizing” sinful and dubious ideas, like the State as the provider of -by now- almost everything.  The consequences are now evident in the crisis that especially affects the West, although its negative impact can be appreciated globally, as we can see it when the enraged populations of developing nations demand the same thing from their governments regardless of whether the conditions for it are given, or whether the much-desired Welfare State “provides” at a high and contradictory cost for the citizens. For now, the populations of European nations and beyond cannot conceive of life without the State as provider, and trying to escape to such a scheme in these times is not a possibility, we are beyond the point of return. If we consider Paul’s phrase “I would not have known sin except through the law” (Romans 7:7-9), our conclusion is simple: the lack of understanding of the role of Christians explains in great measure, if not all, much of the crisis of the world, there is no reference to truth, reason and morals. If the Church does not know God’s prophetic message for the nations there cannot be light, and we need to recover it and make sense again. 

Discipling in the Spheres is a Lengthy Process 

It took God forty years of discipleship before the Israelites could enter the promised land. We can identify a process related to every sphere: not even personal freedom was imposed, a servant could decide to stay with his master (Exodus 21:1-6), showing that God’s intent was not only a matter of regulation but of spiritual and mental transformation; parents did not undertake the task of education until the end of their time in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 4:9), when they became associated to the Levites in that role; obviously they had just left behind Egypt and its ways and were not in conditions to educate their children in God’s ways. 

In the same manner, Israel became the first nation of owners of history, but that condition took place after due process: it was about possessing herds and cattle first, not land and houses. They were trained about the inalienable right of property with regulations for restitution in cases of robbery or damage; the act that the punishment was sometimes until five times what had been robbed or damaged installed in the minds of the people the notion of the relevance of property as a human right. This differs completely from humanistic revolutions which plunder land and resources from one sector of society “in the name of the people”, without previous training of those who suddenly find they are now the owners but do not have the education and the means to administrate the new possessions. Historically, violent changes have not brought about sustainable positive change. 

This is an aspect we should take in consideration when praying for the nations, as commonly, the reference for “Christian civilization” is granted by the West. The Western Civilization, however, came about through many centuries and was never perfect: philosophies, ideologies, imperialisms and wars abounded, but the promised generational blessings can be still appreciated, in spite of the obvious changes in the last decades.  We should take into account that many nations of the world are young entities, founded in the last two hundred years or even less. They are supposedly sovereign, but they need to embrace it and learn how to actually be a free nation. 

The fact that it is all about a process to train nation in all aspects of life, takes us to the next point. 

Comprehensive, Wholistic Vision: All Spheres in Coherence 

It is not unusual to think of a “specialist” in a certain area—a politician, an artist, a businessperson—when it is about Biblical training for young students and professionals in their field of work. Over the last three decades, we have had abundant church-sponsored teaching about entrepreneurship, and we should ask ourselves about the results for society as a whole. Invited to teach on the biblical view of society in a course on “Business as Mission” a few years ago, and finding a class made up of students from different countries and even continents, I couldn’t help but confirm thoughts I had harbored for a long time: some students would find it much more difficult than others to become successful start-ups simply because their countries do not provide the moral and legal conditions for a small entrepreneur to succeed. To put it simply: an entrepreneur with a biblical understanding of spheres knows whether his context offers legal and ethical conditions -structures for entrepreneurship- or not. Therefore, it is not enough to teach business principles; training for entrepreneurs must offer a coherent perspective on government and economics. 

The high rate of informal business activity in some countries clearly shows us that the conditions for entrepreneurship are such that the vast majority cannot and do not want to establish themselves legally, preferring to survive informally rather than face the unfavorable business conditions imposed by their governments. This, which was once a characteristic of developing nations, is now a reality in developed countries where citizens see how their governments’ agendas, focused on favoring big business and patronage, make things more difficult for them. However, the same small business owner who complains about unfavorable conditions continues to affirm the suitability of the welfare state. The lack of biblical education leads to a lack of connection. 

And, of course, all spheres require this comprehensive vision and connection with each other:  Establishing solutions for marine pollution off the coast of the world’s most populous cities is not primarily a technical issue of water treatment as it may seem. Most densely populated cities are home to a large percentage of the national population. Questions must be asked about why some areas of the national territory are deserted while the population survives in the capital cities* in bad living conditions, and carrying negative effects like the pollution of the ocean. We will find that national property schemes are inadequate and even non-existent, and therefore there are no conditions for livelihood. Science and technology, we conclude, also depend on a legal framework that governments must promote. Claims made by ecological movements are mostly wrong approaches to creation care and environment and blame business instead of pointing to the deficient structures promoted by governments. 

Conclusion 

By providing laws pertaining to all fields of human action, the Bible offers a panoramic vision for nations to establish an adequate, inclusive agenda and sure direction for their just development and wellbeing. In a time when Geopolitics and macroeconomics have gained territory, diverting the attention of the citizens towards a confusing global scenario, nations need to know again what is important and return to the schemes God has provided for a nation to be sovereign and flourish. 

For God so loved the “cosmos”(John 3:16) that Jesus could do not less than fulfill the Law (Romans 13:10) pertaining to every single instance of human action (Matthew 5:17-20), so we could know what love really looks like. 

Ana Roncal V. 

* Ana Roncal, “SGE and Creation Care, much more than a perfect fit”, article in The Christian Manager, Chennai, India, February-March edition, 2025. Pages 16 to 20

Author Bio

Ana Roncal leads the School of Government and Economics of the University of the Nations (UofN), the educational arm of Youth With A Mission (YWAM). Prior to joining the UofN, Ana worked as an International Banking Officer. Due to her work, she has resided in Perú, the United States, Chile, and Switzerland. She currently lives in Spain from where she continues to write articles and books. Ana also travels to fulfill teaching commitments in various countries in Europe and beyond. At present, she is also dedicated to writing a Biblical curriculum of Government and Economics as a contribution to the Third Education Revolution, global movement of which the purpose is to recover the educational role God assigned to the Body of Christ and which has been seized by Governments around the globe with enormous consequences.

Pray to End Child Slavery and Sex Trafficking

(by from Lilian Schmid) 

Dear friends in Christ, 
please share this with your network so we can all pray. 

Research 

Child trafficking is one of the most devastating forms of exploitation affecting millions of children globally. Here’s a comprehensive overview of the issue, based on the latest research and reports: 

Global Scope and Statistics 

Rising Numbers: According to the UNODC 2024 Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, child trafficking cases increased by 31% between 2019 and 2022. Children now account for 38% of detected trafficking victims. 

Gender and Location Trends 

  • Girls: Mostly trafficked for sexual exploitation (60% of cases). 
  • Boys: Often trafficked for forced labour (45%) and forced criminality or begging (47%). 
  • Regional Hotspots: Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and parts of Asia report the highest proportions of child victims. 
  • In high-income countries, trafficking often involves girls exploited for sex. 

Root Causes 

  • Poverty and Inequality: Economic hardship drives families to make desperate choices, sometimes even involving family members in trafficking. 
  • Conflict and Displacement: Wars, natural disasters, and climate change displace children, leaving them vulnerable to traffickers. 
  • Weak Protection Systems: Inadequate child protection laws and enforcement mechanisms allow traffickers to operate with impunity. 
  • Technology-Facilitated Exploitation: Online platforms are increasingly used to groom and traffic children. 

Forms of Exploitation 

  • Sexual exploitation 
    Common Regions: High-income countries, Africa 
    Victim Profile: Mostly girls 
  • Forced labour 
    Common Regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America 
    Victim Profile: Boys and girls 
  • Forced criminality 
    Common Regions: Global (esp. online scams) 
    Victim Profile: Boys, often unaccompanied 
  • Forced marriage 
    Common Regions: South Asia, parts of Africa 
    Victim Profile: Girls, sometimes trafficked by family 
  • Begging and servitude 
    Common Regions: Urban centers, conflict zones 
    Victim Profile: Young children 

International Response 

  • UNICEF Initiatives: Focus on prevention, protection, and reintegration of trafficked children. They work with governments and NGOs to strengthen child protection systems. 
  • ICAT Call to Action: A coalition of 31 international organizations urging countries to improve victim identification, online safety, and legal protections. 
  • Global Compact for Migration: Encourages safe migration pathways and protection for children on the move. 

What Needs to Be Done 

  • Early Detection & Intervention: Training frontline workers to spot signs of trafficking. 
  • Cross-border Cooperation: Sharing intelligence and coordinating rescue operations. 
  • Victim-Centered Support: Trauma-informed care, legal aid, and reintegration programs. 
  • Public Awareness: Educating communities about the risks and signs of trafficking. 

Rescue Organisations – International 

Several Christian organisations are courageously working to rescue children from sex slavery and trafficking, combining frontline action with faith-based compassion. Here are some of the most impactful groups: 

Shared Hope International 

  • Founded by: Former U.S. Congresswoman Linda Smith in 1998. 
  • Mission: Prevent sex trafficking, restore survivors, and bring justice. 
  • Approach: 
    • Awareness & Prevention: Training communities and professionals to identify and prevent trafficking. 
    • Restoration: Providing trauma-informed care and long-term support for survivors. 
    • Justice Advocacy: Influencing legislation and policy to protect children. 
  • Reach: Active in the U.S. and internationally, with research in countries like Japan, Jamaica, and the Netherlands. 
  • Learn more on Shared Hope’s official site: sharedhope.org 

Hope for Justice 

  • Mission: End human trafficking and modern slavery. 
  • Faith Foundation: Rooted in Christian values of justice and mercy. 
  • Programs:
    • Rescue & Advocacy: Works with law enforcement to remove victims from exploitation. 
    • Aftercare: Offers safe housing, counseling, and reintegration support. 
    • Training: Equips churches and communities to recognize trafficking signs. 
  • Explore their work: hopeforjustice.org 

The A21 Campaign 

  • Goal: Abolish slavery everywhere, forever. 
  • Faith-Driven Action: Founded by Christian leaders with a global vision. 
  • Key Initiatives:
    • Rescue Operations: In partnership with law enforcement. 
    • Shelters & Transition Homes: Located in Greece, Ukraine, and Bulgaria. 
    • Education & Prevention: School programs and awareness campaigns. 
  • More details at: a21.org 

Rescue Organisations – Australia 

In Australia, several Christian organizations are actively working to rescue children from sex trafficking and exploitation, combining frontline action with faith-based care and advocacy. Here are some of the most impactful efforts: 

Destiny Rescue Australia 

  • Mission: Rescue children from sexual exploitation and trafficking. 
  • Faith Foundation: Operates with a Christian ethos of justice, compassion, and restoration. 
  • Global Reach: While based in Australia, they conduct rescue missions in countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Uganda. 
  • Rescue & Restoration:
    • Covert operations in partnership with local authorities. 
    • Residential care programs offering trauma counselling, vocational training, and spiritual healing. 

ZOE Foundation Australia

  • Mission: Rescue children from slavery and restore them through Christian love and care. 
  • Programs:
    • Prevention education in Australian schools. 
    • Safe homes and long-term support for rescued children. 
    • Advocacy and awareness campaigns to mobilize churches and communities. 
  • Faith Focus: Deeply rooted in biblical principles of justice and mercy. 
  • Visit ZOE Foundation Australia for more: gozoe.org.au 

Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) 

Prayer Strategy for Rescuing Children from Sex Trafficking Rings 

This is a deeply urgent and spiritual battle. Prayer can be a powerful force for justice, healing, and protection. Here’s a structured approach to guide your intercession: 

Spiritual Warfare & Protection 

Pray for divine intervention to expose and dismantle trafficking networks. 

  • Scripture Focus: Psalm 10:15 – “Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account.” 
  • Prayer Points:
    • Ask God to frustrate the plans of traffickers and buyers. 
    • Declare confusion and exposure over hidden operations. 
    • Pray for angelic protection over vulnerable children. 

Revelation & Exposure 

Pray that authorities, NGOs, and communities receive supernatural insight. 

  • Scripture Focus: Luke 8:17 – “For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest.” 
  • Prayer Points:
    • That law enforcement will uncover hidden criminal rings. 
    • That whistle-blowers will be emboldened to speak out. 
    • That digital and physical evidence will come to light. 

Healing for Survivors 

Pray for emotional, physical, and spiritual restoration. 

  • Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 30:17 – “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” 
  • Prayer Points:
    • For trauma recovery and safe housing. 
    • For loving caregivers and counsellors. 
    • For survivors to rediscover their identity and worth. 

Repentance & Redemption 

Pray for traffickers and buyers to be convicted and transformed. 

  • Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 36:26 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” 
  • Prayer Points:
    • That perpetrators would be stopped and brought to justice. 
    • That they would encounter the mercy and truth of Christ. 
    • That cycles of abuse would be broken in families and communities. 

Global Awakening & Advocacy 

Pray for the Church and society to rise up in action. 

  • Scripture Focus: Isaiah 1:17 – “Seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless.” 
  • Prayer Points:
    • That churches would speak boldly and act compassionately. 
    • That governments would pass and enforce protective laws. 
    • That awareness would lead to prevention and rescue. 

Prayer to End Child Slavery and Sex Trafficking 

Heavenly Father, 
We come before You with heavy hearts, burdened by the suffering of innocent children and vulnerable souls trapped in slavery and exploitation.
We lift them up to You, Lord, asking for Your divine protection and deliverance. 

Bjorn and Lilian Schmid 
Prayer Coordinators 
Spheres of Influence 
prayerstrategy.org 
prayerstrategy.org/books/ 

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