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.
