Please pray that Khalid gets the nutrition he needs each day

LET CHILDREN LIVE. PLEASE PRAY FOR KHALID

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine.

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

Please pray that Khalid gets the nutrition he needs each day

Please pray that Khalid and his family are able to access nutritious food to sustain life and growth. Please pray they continue to receive uninterrupted food supplies which give hope to Khalid and his family. Please pray that any family food supplies remain safe from soaking winter rains. Please pray that supplies of food stuffs including meat, chicken and fresh vegetables are able to enter Gaza without challenge and swiftly be distributed. Please give thanks to God for all the UN partner organizations providing general food assistance and for the 208 community kitchens providing nutritious hot meals to Gazans.

The food situation in Gaza

• In August 2025 the World Food Program (WFP) indicated that over half a million people in the Gaza Strip- including children- were facing catastrophic hunger- characterized by starvation, destitution and death- and over 1 million more were facing Emergency levels of food insecurity. This represents the vast majority of the population of Gaza.

• In October 2025 WFP reported the Palestine/ Israeli conflict has led to a complete collapse of Gaza’s food production, job market, economy and infrastructure. More than 80% of Gaza’s farms, bakeries and food storage facilities have been destroyed. Virtually all marketplaces, grocery stores and restaurants are closed or destroyed. Jobs at fisheries and farms, once major sources of employment, are gone. After two years of war, most Gazans no longer have any cash so cannot afford what little food might be available. These catastrophic conditions have left Gazans dependent on humanitarian aid.

• The ceasefire opens a critical window for WFP to scale up and deliver lifesaving food, but it will take months to reverse famine and pull people back from starvation. Hundreds of thousands of families remain displaced. Most are returning to find their homes completely destroyed, damaged or unsafe. Severely malnourished women and children need specialized, weeks-long treatment to recover.

• In the first half of December the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported the following:

• In the first 10 days of December, Food Security Sector partners reached 73,000 households (about 365,000 people) with the monthly cycle of general food assistance via 60 distribution points across the Strip. This represents 17 per cent of the 2.1 million people that partners aim to reach with household-level food distributions each month.

• As of 10 December, 1,571,000 meals continued to be prepared and delivered daily by 26 partners through 208 kitchens - 366,000 meals by 45 kitchens in the north and 1,205,000 meals by 163 kitchens in south central Gaza.

• Since 12 December, due to limited supplies caused by challenges to humanitarian aid entering Gaza, UN partners have been unable to maintain the standard family ration of two food parcels and one 25-kilogram flour bag (covering 75 per cent of minimum caloric needs). For the remainder of the month, the ration has been reduced to one food parcel, one flour bag, and 1.5 kilograms of high-energy biscuits, covering approximately 50 per cent of minimum caloric needs per family.

• 18 WFP bakeries are running as of early December. They are producing 160,000 two-kilogram bundles of bread daily. The goal is to eventually have 25 to 30 bakeries operational to meet the immense needs across Gaza.

• On 5 December, for the first time since August 2024, some 3,500 veterinary kits entered Gaza via UN coordination. On 9 December, the first day of the kits’ distribution, over 130 herders received essential supplies to support the health of their animals. Since 10 October, UN partners have also supplied fodder to 1,700 animal herders to sustain surviving livestock and enable the resumption of local production of milk and dairy products.

• In addition to soaking Gazans tents, blankets, clothing and any food supplies, winter rains in Gaza periodically impact the functioning of community kitchens and of aid distribution.

Pray that Khalid receives mental health and psychosocial support

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine- (Gaza and the West Bank).

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

For more than two years, children in Gaza have opened their eyes every morning to another day of displacement, hunger, loss and lack of access to basic services. In April 2024, UNICEF declared that 100% of children in Gaza needed mental health and psychosocial support, an unprecedented situation. Mental health experts report pervasive trauma symptoms like nightmares, bed-wetting, and deep emotional withdrawal. Children experience intense stress, violence, and loss which disrupts brain development and leads to aggression, self-harm, and deep hopelessness.

Organizations like the Gaza Community Mental Health Program, UNICEF, IRC, UNESCO, PAMA, War Child and UNRWA provide crucial services. These include psychological first aid, play-based activities, group counseling, caregiver support, and recreational programs in child-friendly spaces. Efforts focus on helping children process trauma, build resilience, and regain a sense of normalcy through structured activities. Spanish NGO Ayuda en Accion, working in conjunction with UNRWA, is funding a plan aimed at strengthening 3,000 caregivers to recognize signs of trauma and improve communication with children, thereby creating more stable care environments. In addition, 3,000 young people are being trained as agents of resilience and community leadership, facilitating therapeutic activities that will benefit over 30,000 minors.

The World Health Organization underscores that mental health services in Gaza are currently operating at a fraction of their capacity due to recurrent violence, aid restrictions, limited supplies and resources, damaged infrastructure, lack of safe spaces, and lack of trained personnel. This reality produces severe consequences that will profoundly shape the future of Gazan society.



Please pray that Khalid and his siblings find trained and loving caregivers who provide the psychosocial support they need to address their trauma. Please pray that Khalid is able to overcome nightmares, depression, and other war related trauma. Please pray he finds reprieve from fear and sorrow by interacting with other children in games and psychosocial activities. Please pray that God heals Khalid from his anguish and fears and grants him peace.

Pray that Khalid receives an education

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine- (Gaza and the West Bank).

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

Before October 2023, the literacy rate in Gaza was one of the highest in the world- about 97-98%. The secondary education enrollment rate was 90% and for higher education 45%. The basic and secondary education system served over 625,000 students in 815 schools. Since Oct 2023 more than 97% of the schools have been damaged or destroyed with 91.8% requiring major rehabilitation or complete reconstruction. Most of the more than 600,000 school age children have had limited access to face-to-face learning for over two academic years.



Classes are now being held in tents provided by humanitarian organizations or in surviving school buildings which at night also serve as shelters for displaced people. As of Nov 4, UNICEF has provided spaces in 78 learning centers to accommodate 109,310 children in non-formal education. These enrolled students attend class 3 hours per day, 3 days per week. This provides consistent access to learning, fortified snacks, and other essential services including some psychosocial support. However, the majority of pre-school and school age children remain unenrolled due to insufficient space and lack of learning materials. Currently the IDF enforces restrictions on large scale entry of tents, and it is impossible to get educational supplies into Gaza as they are not considered lifesaving humanitarian aid. In addition, the UNICEF education team reported that in Gaza City potential learning center spaces needed to be cleared of unexploded ordinance, chemical hazards and rubble before the spaces are usable. This is likely true throughout Gaza.

Please pray that Khalid and his siblings are able to enroll for and attend school. Pray that Khalid is able to focus on learning amidst continuing trauma and uncertainty. Pray that his teachers and classmates are an encouragement and his classroom is a safe refuge for him. Pray that his teachers are able to use meaningful, creative teaching techniques that meet the needs of the children. Pray that the children continue to prioritize education and that they have hope for a decent future. Pray that Khalid finds solace in education.

Pray That Khalid Has Water

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine- (Gaza and the West Bank).

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

The average American uses about 82 gallons (310 liters) of water per day for indoor and outdoor household use. Average daily consumption in Israel is around 247 liters a day, according to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem. The United Nations says the minimum emergency level of water consumption per person is 15 liters a day for drinking, cooking, cleaning and washing. Bushra Khalidi, humanitarian policy lead for the aid agency Oxfam in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, said average consumption in Gaza is now just 3 to 5 liters a day.

Thirsty Gazans scour the shattered Gazan landscape for any source of water. Most water and sanitation infrastructure has been destroyed. Most residents rely on wells tapped into a brackish aquifer now contaminated by sewage and toxic chemicals leaking through the rubble – fueling outbreaks of diarrhea and hepatitis. Pumps from the aquifer often rely on electricity from small generators – for which fuel is rarely available. After a total blockade, fuel is now allowed to enter Gaza, but the quantity is insufficient to meet the immense humanitarian needs. Queuing for water and carrying it takes hours each day for many Gazans. It is often the children who have this responsibility so the adults can concentrate on finding food.

In August, Oxfam said that preventable and treatable waterborne diseases were “ripping through Gaza,” with reported rates increasing by almost 150% over a three-month period.

In June UNICEF Spokesperson, James Elder quoted a friend in Gaza who said “We have learnt to live without so much. Without our homes; without safety; without loved ones…we have even learnt we can live without food for a week, or more…but we cannot survive days without water.”

Please pray that Khalid and those caring for him are able to find water fit to drink and water for cleaning. Please pray that Khalid is safe as he struggles to help his family find and carry water. Pray for his strength and his patience and his hope. Pray that he and his caregivers are protected from water born disease. Pray that Khalid may enjoy clean life-giving water each day.

Pray That Khalid Has Shelter

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine- (Gaza and the West Bank).

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

More than 80 percent of buildings across Gaza have been damaged or destroyed during the war, according to UN figures, forcing massive displacement. Families now returning to the cities where they previously lived, camp in the rubble of ruined apartment buildings. Families sheltering in tents worn out from displacements are now suffering from heavy winter rains which have submerged tens of thousands of tents across Gaza, soaking bedding and clothing and ruining supplies. The United Nations confirmed more than 13,000 households were affected within hours after the first rain started.

Aid groups warned in early November that about 260,000 Palestinian families, totaling nearly 1.5 million people, faced vulnerability as winter approached. Following a complete blockade on shelter items for six months, needs across Gaza remain overwhelming. Since the ceasefire announcement, aid organizations have begun delivering essential assistance such as tents and tarpaulins, but far more is required to meet the urgent needs of the people lacking adequate shelter. The UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson said “millions” of urgently needed shelter items are still stuck in Jordan, Egypt and Israel, waiting for approval to enter the enclave.

Please pray that 9-year-old Khalid has adequate protection from the cold and rain- in a tent or other structure. Pray that he has a warm blanket and dry mattress. Pray that he shelters with family members who love him and comfort him. Pray that he does not suffer from exhaustion and despair. Pray that he experiences God’s peace and love.

A Prayer for Khalid and the Starving Children of Gaza

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine- (Gaza and the West Bank).

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

Almighty and most merciful God, whose compassion doesn’t fail and whose justice never sleeps: Behold with pity the suffering of your children in Gaza, especially Khalid and the little ones who perish for want of bread. In the midst of devastation, stretch forth your arm to save; open the hearts of the powerful to mercy, and grant wisdom and courage to the leaders of the nations, that violence may cease, and aid may swiftly come.

Comfort the grieving, shield the innocent, and stir us to work for a world where none shall hunger, and every child may grow in safety and hope.

All this we ask through Jesus Christ, who took children into his arms and blessed them, and now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

From Episcopalians on Facebook

LET KHALID LIVE. LET CHILDREN LIVE.

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Let Children Live campaign to pray and advocate for the children of Palestine- (Gaza and the West Bank).

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy. Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying today that Khalid may live and that he may know peace.

If there has ever been a time for prayer, this is that time.

If there has ever been a place forsaken, Gaza is that place.

Lord who is the creator of Khalid and of all children, hear our prayer this accursed day. God whom we call Blessed, turn your face to Khalid and these, the children of Gaza, that they may know your blessings, and your shelter, that they may know light and warmth, where there is now only blackness and smoke, and a cold which cuts and clenches the skin.

Almighty who makes exceptions, which we call miracles, make an exception of Khalid and all the children of Gaza. Shield them from us and from their own. Spare them. Heal them. Let them stand in safety. Deliver them from hunger and horror and fury and grief. Deliver them from us, and from their own.

Restore to them their stolen childhoods, their birthright, which is a taste of heaven…

Allah, whose name we call Elohim, who gives life, who knows the value and the fragility of every life, send Khalid and these children your angels. Save them, Khalid and the children of this place, Gaza the most beautiful, and Gaza the damned.

In this day, when the trepidation and rage and mourning that is called war, seizes our hearts and patches them in scars, we call to you, the Lord whose name is Peace: Bless Khalid and these children, and keep them from harm.

Turn Your face toward them, O Lord. Show them, as if for the first time, light and kindness, and overwhelming graciousness. Look up at them, O Lord. Let them see your face. And, as if for the first time, grant them peace.

With thanks to Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman of Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem.

Please pray for Khalid

Please pray for Khalid

More than two million children live under brutal oppression in Gaza and the West Bank.

Their lives are too often reduced to statistics. But Jesus reminds us:

Every child is beloved by God.

Children in Gaza are enduring unimaginable devastation:

Bombs fall without warning.

Parents, siblings, and friends disappear in an instant.

Psychological scars cut deep into young hearts.

A generation’s future is being vaporized before it even begins.

Southminster has joined Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) to walk with the global Let Children Live campaign.

We have received the name of a child to lift in prayer and advocacy.

Our child is 9-year-old Khalid. We do not have his photo. We can only imagine the reality of his life. Please begin praying for him today.