In response to US parents not knowing what to do with their children who had been sent home from closed schools, Verses for Zion (VfZ)was born, a biblically-rooted project connecting Christian children to Israel, as an opportunity to engage them in a multigenerational project with parents and grandparents. Now, as summer is starting and schools that had opened are closing again, it offers parents a way to add meaning and substance to their children's extended vacation. VfZ, the brainchild of an Orthodox Israeli Jew and an evangelical Christian pastor in Texas, aims to give children the opportunity to learn more about God, His Word and His people. One mother said, ‘It entrenches children’s faith and deepens their understanding of God, the Bible and how that relates to us today through Israel.’

In much of the world, coronavirus lockdowns are easing. In the UK some normality is returning with the reopening of businesses and public spaces. However, the four countries are at different stages of lockdown, as politicians in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland take diverse approaches from their English counterparts. At the same time the coronavirus threat is still very real. On 15 July Public Health England data showed there have been 291,911 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and 45,053 associated deaths. Pray for a spirit of peace, prosperity and safety to rest on our streets as the new normality emerges. Pray also for God's wisdom to flow through Parliament, the Cabinet, MPs, civil servants and advisors. Also pray for the safety of people in Leicester who have to endure a second lockdown of shops and schools and reinstated shielding measures.

Lockdown has been challenging for young asylum-seekers. Ali used wi-fi at the college he attended to contact his family back home, but in lockdown this has not been possible. With little money, he is unable to afford internet access, leaving him isolated. But a non-profit theatre company called Compass Collective (CC) have been providing young asylum-seekers with data packages so they can stay in touch with their families and also access virtual creative workshops. Ali and other young refugees used the workshops to stay connected and to rehearse their acting and singing skills for a film that was streamed nationally on Refugee Day. CC also connects organisations and develops partnerships, collaborating with charities like the British Red Cross and theatres such as the Globe to offer a platform for cultural sharing and celebration in a social environment; building their confidence, developing life skills and reaching their potential. See https://www.compasscollect.com/about-compass

On 12 July as many as 180 migrants crossed the English Channel to the UK (see https://news.sky.com/story/number-of-migrants-crossing-english-channel-hits-new-daily-high-12027639) In six months 2,600+ people have crossed illegally into the UK, compared with 1,850 during the whole of 2019. The home secretary met her French counterpart Gerald Darmanin to push for fresh action to curb the ‘unacceptable’ daily crossings and tackle the ruthless people-smuggling gangs behind them. The two ministers will establish a joint intelligence unit based near Calais, where UK Border Force and National Crime Agency officers will work alongside their French counterparts. The new unit will consist of six British and six French police officers. Also, Miss Patel said France should start towing boatloads of illegal migrants back to its shores, saying it was not beyond the collective experience of French and UK officials to create a plan for returns at sea.