BIRTHDAY PRAYERS

Our Father Who Art in Heaven,

Our Lord taught us to pray with this address. Somehow, we are not struck by the wonder of our Lord’s simple description. You are the God of All. You are the God of Heaven and Earth. You are Sovereign, Creator, and Redeemer. You are our Father.

When you chose to disclose the intimacies of your intent you spoke through prophets of the Old Testament; your Son, Jesus; and the Apostles of the New Testament. They all proclaimed you as Father. They had many illustrations of your love. The most striking is of adoption.

Our sin has made us like children abandoned in a field. You have adopted us. You are our hope, protector, and provider. You love us with the intimacies of a Father. You laugh with us and cry with us. You cheer for us. You discipline us. You run to us when we return. To dwell in your house is our greatest desire.

Father, for two years some of us at CCR prayed for you to disclose your will for CCR and vulnerable children. We listened. We wrestled. We tried a few things. Then like a flood you spoke. We should have heard sooner and clearer. Yet, we heard. Children belong in a family.

We repent for substituting activities and projects for your intimacies. Adoption is awe inspiring and consuming – just like you. May our love to vulnerable children reflect your love to us.

Thank you for bringing this blessed messenger – Gabriel Mugisha to our lives. His name states your intent. Gabriel is the Mighty Messenger of God. Mugisha is The Blessed One. We have been blessed by his message.

Father he has survived the unthinkable. Father he has captured the hearts of our family, church, and community. We cheer for him. Throughout Kigali as he enters a room we hear, “Mugisha, how are you?” He teaches us to hunger for you.

Father, thank you for his joy, laughter, hope, and endurance. May you bless all of him.

Father, we vacillate between weeping and anger when we see him in a seizure. We ask for you to touch him as your son touched children years ago. Please heal this child.

Father, we thank you for the counsel of doctors and friends in Kigali and Nairobi. We believe like they that Mugisha’s future is a mysterious hope. We thank you that the seizures have decreased. We ask for you to remove them completely.

Father, we love Mugisha as our own child. We recognize he is your child first.

Father, we ask that you take away our temporary status with Mugisha. Please place him in a permanent family.

Father, on my birthday be with the Rwanda judge who we hope to rule today. If Mugisha has a biological family who can be found to care for him with your love please reunite them. If Mugisha’s family cannot be found please clear the way for another.

Father may your glory be seen through Mugisha.

We come to you in the name of your son, Jesus.

Amen