Gather Round the Bus Stop

Over the past several years we have noticed there are several school bus stops in our area of Ocala where a vast number of children of all age groups gather to await their busses each morning. We first made this discovery when our nearby church was attempting to build a youth group. At that time we discussed ways in which we could interest these young people in participating with our church youth group and the best we could come up with was to invite them. This approach failed.

Recently Linda mentioned that she believed God was burdening her to pray with and for these parents and children and told me that she was determined to visit these bus stops weekly, preferably on Mondays. During each visit she would simply ask both parents and children if she could pray with or for them and, if they had any specific needs or concerns needing prayer. As Linda explained this ministry to me I heartily agreed and immediately thought of our phase one 2x2 Fellowship training “saturate the land with prayer.” I suggested that she contact Shiloh immediately and ask him to circulate her idea among the faithful in hopes of uniting many believers in a concerted prayer for its success.

Linda has outlined the following process for this ministry:

1. Locate and select target bus stops (SE 56th Street Ocala, FL)
2. Set a launch date
3. Engage other believers to saturate this ministry with prayer
4. Humbly approach these bus stops weekly asking adults if we could pray for their children – or children if we can pray for them specifically
5. After a “yes” response, pray for:

Childs safety on the bus and at school

For children to make good choices through the week

For children to do their very best in school

For specific requests

Possible opportunities that may develop as friendships are built and prayer needs arise:

• Prayer expands to multiple bus stops over a larger area
• Mom’s Bible studies
• Children’s Bible studies
• Couples Bible studies
• Introduction of family worship times
• Summertime fellowship activities including,, block parties, puppet skits, back yard Bible Clubs w/ storying

Once these weekly prayer times are established at specific bus stops, we begin praying for a “Prince or Princess of Peace” to carry it forward so we can move onto a new bus stop and reproduce, again, and again.

Children as well as parents living in today’s world encounter problems associated with broken homes, peer pressure, teachers, financial stress, and so much more. Our hope is for the bus stop prayer ministry to offer hope and peace in these areas with the ultimate goal of people coming to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and then reproducing similar ministries everywhere.

Please join us in prayer,

Daniel & Linda Draime