3 Prayers That Changed Lives

We know from Scripture that God wants us to pray in all situations. We pray both in sorrow and in peace. We pray urgently in times of emergency and patiently in times of hope for the future. When it comes to prayer, no topic is off-limits. God cares about all our requests — big or small — and he works through our prayers to change lives.

May you be encouraged in your prayer life by these three stories of prayers that changed lives around the world. As you read them, reflect on God’s promise from Philippians 4:6 (ESV) …

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

A Prayer for Happiness in Peru

Ten-year-old Mathias lives in northern Peru with his mother, Tatiana. Mathias’ biological father left when Tatiana told him she was pregnant. Life was hard for her as a single mother. She registered Mathias at the Compassion center six years ago, and it continues to be a constant source of support, encouragement and hope in their lives — even now that she is remarried.

Over the years, they’ve received countless food baskets, home visits and school supplies. Tatiana is also attending a sewing workshop where she’s learning to make clothes as a source of income. Yet, the most significant blessing has been Mathias’ growing relationship with God and his sponsor.

“I’m so grateful for everything, but my favorite part is that Mathias is being taught about God and has someone special in his life. I want my son to grow up, be a good man and fear God. He’s learning good values at the center, and I know his sponsor makes it possible for him to be there,” says Tatiana. “As a mother, I appreciate that someone who lives so far away has my son in his prayers. It means a lot. It blesses his life, it makes him happy, and that makes me happy, too.”

Likewise, Mathias is amazed that someone on the other side of the world is praying for him, and he is encouraged by his sponsor’s prayers every day. “My favorite part about going to the center is learning about God, receiving letters from my sponsor and reading that he’s praying for me,” Mathias says. “I love my sponsor!”

A Prayer for Healing in Mexico

When 7-year-old Alejandra’s fever climbed to over 105 F and she lost consciousness, her parents rushed her to the nearest hospital. Doctors there struggled to determine a diagnosis, and her fever kept rising. Alejandra’s mother, Norma, was devastated.

“I froze completely when the doctor told me that if we had faith, we should pray because my daughter was in a very critical condition — at the brink of death,” Norma says.

It wasn’t until Alejandra was transferred to another hospital with better services that her family finally got a diagnosis: Dengue fever had affected her lungs and her liver. They didn’t know if she would recover. Alejandra remained unconscious and connected to an oxygen source for the rest of the week. She was hydrated and fed intravenously. The only sources of hope for Alejandra’s parents were the prayers of their church and family members.

“Compassion center staff members called and prayed on the phone for Alejandra and us. Thanks to this, I felt loads of strength in those difficult moments,” Alejandra’s father says. “We realized that even though we are not always faithful to God, he is always faithful to us.”

Miraculously, after several days, Alejandra woke up. She has since made a full recovery and is in the second grade at school, where she loves reading and playing ball. She and her family are grateful for God’s healing hand and for the prayers of her Compassion center staff that they believe made all the difference in Alejandra’s recovery.

“I believe that if Compassion and the church hadn’t been there, my daughter wouldn’t be here today,” Norma says. “We believe that God put the Compassion staff members in our lives for a reason because they were a great support for us.”

A Prayer for a Dream in Togo

Ever since she was a little girl, Reine has been obsessed with music. Her dream is to be a professional drum player. However, in her community in Togo, many parents struggle to afford to send their kids to school. Learning an extra skill outside of school like music is an opportunity available only to the wealthiest. Reine’s family is no different. Her father’s work as a taxi driver simply doesn’t allow her to pursue her dream.

“There was no way I could learn music; my parents couldn’t pay for the classes,” Reine says. “It often hurt me, not being able to do what I loved just because of a lack of means.”

However, that changed when Reine was registered with the Compassion center when she was 7 years old. In addition to providing support with schooling and nutrition, the center bought musical instruments and gave Reine and other children the opportunity to learn how to play them.

“I prayed many times that God would help the center to provide us with musical instruments to allow us to learn how to play them. God answered my prayers!” she says.

Reine learned how to play drums and piano, and now she is learning the trumpet. She is grateful for the opportunity she’s been given — and her prayer for her own dream has turned into a prayer for the dreams of others.

“I love music a lot. The Compassion center is the only place that gave me the opportunity to learn music and play drums, as I had always dreamed. Now I pray that all children who are willing to learn something special like me may be allowed to do so,” Reine says.

Amen.