Prayer Guide for the PLACE

Thank you for your continued prayers! Last week, we met with people at the PLACE to pray over each room. We want to invite each of you to do the same. Below is a prayer guide with prayer points for each room in our new community center. Please spend this month praying over the spaces, programs, and people listed there. We hope this gives you a deeper vision for what we are hoping to accomplish here! May God multiply your prayers!

Pray for the PLACE

Main Room: This is the room where we have our first chance to welcome and serve refugees. It’s the first location in Amarillo’s history where refugees can interact with the broader community in a neutral environment.

• Pray that all cultures will feel welcome here.
• Pray for the hosts, both employed and volunteer, who are the first ones to shake hands, serve tea, and welcome our new friends.
• Pray for the connections that people make here, that they will be deep, long-lasting, and move far beyond these walls.
• Pray for our Table Talk program, where the broader community has the chance to interact with refugees, many for the first time.
• Pray that this informal learning environment—through TV, conversations, and makeshift tutoring—will help refugees meet their own goals.
• Pray that our computer lab will help refugees to apply for jobs, start new businesses, and connect with loved ones back home.
• Pray for the We Find in Love organization, under the leadership of Emma Rohrs and Sara Walsh, as they collaborate to run this community center. They are also in charge of the computer lab. Pray for encouragement, creative ideas, and community connections.
• Pray that we can find volunteer hosts who help us remain open during nights & weekends.

Classroom: This is the room where we will focus on structured English classes, as well as community meetings focused on the immigrants of our city.

• Pray for our literacy class, which has long served Somali women, as it moves and adapts under the leadership of RLP’s Literacy Coordinator, Emily Cooper.
• Pray for our finances, that we will find new donors and grants to help us fund the educational resources and staff members we need to be successful.
• Pray for new community partners who can run their own English classes at various times.
• Pray for the development of our new Refugee Advisory Council, a monthly opportunity for community partners to gather and problem-solve in an encouraging environment. This begins Wednesday, February 23 at noon.

Kitchen & Café: This is the area where we will prepare drinks, snacks, and meals to serve refugee communities. This is also one of the places where we hope to equip refugee-owned businesses to grow and thrive, enabling us to become sustainable.

• Pray for Square Mile, under the leadership of Brady Clark & Donna Madison, as they utilize our kitchen and café area to build businesses that help us serve refugees. Pray for wisdom and focus as they balance many responsibilities alongside this venture.
• Pray for our Cause Drink fundraiser with Palace Coffee, which aims to fund a coffee and tea bar here.
• Pray for Matthew & Fariba Salar, who are dreaming about how to highlight their Persian culture through Persian English classes and a Persian tea service, for the glory of God.

RLP Office: This is where RLP’s staff work, launching new mentorships, planning Table Talk, and telling the world what we’re doing.

• Pray for Jennifer Freeze, RLP’s Mentorship Coordinator, who spends her days equipping members of our community to interact in God-honoring and helpful ways with refugees in our community. Pray against discouragement. In its place, pray for discernment, and hope! Also pray for rest, as Jen’s position often puts her on call during nights and weekends.
• Pray for Mandi Garcia, RLP’s Community Programs Coordinator, who plans our Table Talk program, equips volunteers as hosts, and helps us to interact with other organizations. Pray that she will have God-given boundaries as she connects with many refugees.
• Pray for Crystal Pennington, RLP’s Marketing Director, as she tells the world what we’re doing and encourages additional giving so that we can fund this God-given mission! Pray that she will listen and wisely retell the story of our growing organization.
• Pray for Ryan Pennington, RLP’s President & Executive Director, as he casts vision and leads his team. Pray that he can find the time to maintain relationships with refugees alongside his leadership responsibilities. Pray also for encouragement, protection from spiritual attack, humility, courage, and wisdom. And pray that he can find spiritual rest from the pressures that seek to burden him—for the Lord’s burden is light.

Language Services Office: This is where Betty coordinates our translation services, storybook project, and the tutoring program.

• Pray for Betty Reyes-Medina, RLP’s Language Services Coordinator, as she leads interpreters and guides our storybook program. Betty is also overseeing our tutoring program, equipping community members to help refugees learn English. Pray that she will be able to balance her many responsibilities, prioritizing things wisely.
• Pray for RLP’s interpreting program. Pray that we will find the right Afghan to hire who can help us connect at the PLACE, as well as serve as an interpreter around our city.
• Pray for RLP’s exciting storybook program, which is helping us to tell the life stories of Amarillo’s refugees. Pray for the right connections, the right steps, and the right stories that help us honor our neighbors as we honor God.

Childcare Room: This is where we serve and educate refugee children as their parents participate in our programs.

• Pray for Jennifer Welch, RLP’s Childcare Coordinator, who watches children, and recruits & coordinates volunteer teams. Pray that she will be able to build trust with refugee parents so they feel safe leaving their children with us, enabling them to take advantage of our programs.
• Pray that we can find volunteers and volunteer teams we can trust, who can help us offer childcare more often throughout the week.