How Will You Choose To Love Your Neighbor?

"Love your neighbor as yourself." The Second Great Commandment raises the question, "Who is my neighbor?" One of Jesus Christ's main points in Luke 10:28 was this: we are not to love our own fellow believers to the exclusion of others. God's image was placed in humanity at creation, not at redemption. This divine likeness is essential to the very definition of humanity. Therefore every human being - whether a person living in a country holding different political and religious views or someone in your local church - ought to be treated with dignity and compassionate love, out of respect for the image of God within him.

We urge you to become prayer partners with SFL in fulfilling the Second Great Commandment. Join us in demonstrating God's love to people who have suffered the violence of conflict and disaster, regardless of their religion, gender, ethnicity, or politics. Pray for those who are in despair resulting from the loss of homes, communities, livelihoods, and loved ones.

• Pray first for the PEOPLE who are suffering. Read about their lives, learn about their culture, and become more informed about their situation. Then commit yourself to pray them through their human tragedy.
• Pray next for SFL STAFF who have sacrificed the comforts of home to serve in primitive conditions and dangerous environments. Pray for their physical safety from disease and violence. Pray for wisdom as they train and equip leaders to restore hope and establish the foundation for a stable society.
• Pray also for the various construction and community development PROJECTS that are taking place in each country SFL serves. Whether it is repairing a bridge, restoring a water system, or building a clinic... each project is designed to rebuild communities and restore lives. Pray that the workers, materials, and resources would be supplied. Pray that God would provide the funds required to meet the needs of the poor and suffering.

Pray for our current Capacity building project in Kabul where we are working with local municipality leaders to create a mentorship program and equip Afghanistan urban developers with the tools they need to keep up with the growing demands on the city. Kabul is the fastest growing city in the world with over 4.5 million people living in a city that's infrastructure was designed for 1 million. Conditions are less than ideal for many living in the city. Pray for strong relationships with the local government, pray for strength and security for our staff as they are in a foreign country and away from their families.

Pray for the Shelter Project in Torit, Sudan. Shelter for Life, largely through the financial contributions from the Stewardship Foundation and Cornerstone Foundation, is currently working with the community to training and provide resources to build 100 two room homes. Many refugees are returning to the region after decades of fighting. Pray that we will have the financial resources to complete this project. Pray that families will acclimate well to their new homes. Also pray for churches to come forward as we are still looking for 3-4 churches to partner with SFL to go on a Short Term missions trip.

Pray for our school projects and food programs in Liberia. We are scheduled to begin work in October. Pray that funding and partnerships will be solidified in the coming weeks.