"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."

– Isaiah 40:26

Africa & Europe

• Pray for a trial that will proceed this month for a case of sexual violence against children allegedly perpetrated by a teacher in Uganda. Pray for justice in that case. Pray also for the ongoing care for the survivors; for the complete healing of these boys and for them to know their own priceless worth.

Latin America

• Pray for Latin America — the region now accounts for over 50% of daily coronavirus deaths worldwide, and has yet to reach a peak. Full lockdowns are not an option in many parts of the region as a high percentage of the population lives on a daily income from informal commerce. Pray for God's hand over the region, for strength and stamina for healthcare workers as they continue to work in overloaded systems, and for safety and health for our staff, partners, local authorities and the survivors of violence we serve.

South Asia

• Praise God for a rescue operation at the end of June that freed 56 people from bondage at a brick kiln. These families had been trapped for three months and were slowly starving during the COVID-19 lockdown. IJM and our grassroots partner helped rally local authorities to rescue them, and then we arranged warm meals and their safe travel home. Pray for legal follow-up in this case — that the brutal kiln owner would be held accountable for abusing and exploiting these vulnerable families.

Southeast Asia

• Pray for ongoing discussions with government partners and shelters in the Philippines about planning for placement of young survivors of cybersex trafficking. Pray especially for an increase in the number of shelter partners who will commit to accepting OSEC survivors who may have specific needs, such as older boys.

IJM HQ & Global Partners

IJM headquarters is located in the United States. IJM has international advancement offices in Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

• Praise God for U.S. Senator Gardner (R-CO) who signed on as a cosponsor to the Central American Women and Children Protection Act. As we shared in May, the bill has already passed the House, but the Senate bill remains in committee. Continue to pray for U.S. Senator Risch (R-ID) to bring the bill to markup in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's next July business meeting. If it becomes law, this legislation will help resource and strengthen public justice systems to protect women and girls from sexual assault, domestic violence and abuse.