Happy To Listen With All Her Friends There

Praise God for an Alagwa lady who was really excited to hear about Jesus at a Christmas party. She is now listening to the Bible stories in Alagwaisa and loves to hear them and wants to know about God. Praise God that two other Alagwa women are involved in sharing Jesus with her, and that she is also happy to listen with all her friends being there. Please pray that she and her whole family will follow Jesus together.

“And You Will Be In Front To Lead Me”

Please pray for one Alagwa man who started following Jesus some time ago but has been struggling and has avoided fellowship with other believers. Last week, he prayed a prayer of repentance. He told God “I will be behind, and you will be in front to lead me.”
PLEASE PRAY for this man; that this prayer will continue to ring in his heart, and will bear fruit in his life. The battle is real, but God is faithful.

Salt and Light

Please pray for Alagwa believers, who are starting to walk a new path in their community and culture. Pray that they would be wise and courageous to be salt and light amongst their neighbours and family.

The Right Women To Join The Group

Please pray for a worker and an Alagwa believer as they seek to set up a women’s discipleship bible study group together. Pray for the Alagwa believer to grow in her faith and be able to take on leadership of the group at the right time. Please pray for the right women to join this group and remain faithfully in it. Please pray for a harvest of disciples who can continue to make disciples.

Three Young Women

Please pray for three young Alagwa women who are all Christians. They are all under pressure from their families in different ways not to come to church, and even for some to abandon their faith altogether. Please pray that each one would know comfort and strength from the Holy Spirit to continue to stand firm in their faith. Please also pray that their families might see their faith and also come to know God for themselves.

Open Sharing of the Gospel

Praise God for an opportunity to openly share the gospel with 20 Alagwa men and boys in one of the villages that the team is doing outreach in. Pray for many to believe and put their trust in Jesus.

As a Couple Seeking Jesus

Pray for a young Alagwa couple who is seeking Jesus. The husband’s desire is to follow Jesus, but he wants to move together with his wife who is not yet ready. Pray that God will give them understanding of His word and courage to follow it.

Hours in God’s Word Daily

Praise the Lord for the way He is working in the oral translation project and using it to touch Alagwa hearts. The translators are in God’s Word for hours each day and they have seen the power of prayer to enable them to do the work.

Challenging the Men for a Response

Pray for the Alagwa young man who was not able to come to a Christmas celebration but, on hearing the message later in the evening asked how the other men responded. When he learned that the men hadn’t made a response, he said he himself would ask them how they would respond to the message. “You don’t come to a celebration just to eat rice,” he said. “People need to respond to the message.” Please pray for him and the conversations with other men. Pray that God will use this man and his questions to challenge men in the neighbourhood to consider their response to Jesus.

He Saw Answers to Prayer

Praise God for the ongoing work of oral Bible translation. One of the translators, not yet a believer, prayed for a translation session as he had seen the facilitator do. At the end of the day he was encouraged to see how God had answered their prayers. Please pray that even in the process of hearing and translating God’s word, many Alagwa hearts would be touched and changed by God.

Ladies Heard of God’s Love at Christmas

Pray for the Alagwa ladies who glady heard the story of God’s love at a neighbourhood Christmas celebration. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will touch their hearts and draw them to Himself. Please pray that their eyes would be opened, and they would understand that they actually need to give their lives over to God and follow him.

She Turned to God First

Praise God for a lady who is seeking Jesus in our village. A few weeks ago, she had understood for the first time that the power of witchdoctors does not come from God. (Traditionally, there is the belief that the witchdoctors “do good” and therefore must be empowered by God.) Recently, her eldest daughter who lives far away started to suffer from stomach problems. She came to arrange for an opportunity for her to be prayed for at church, or at one of the pastors’ houses. Praise God that she turned to Him first.
Please continue to pray that all the Alagwa seeking Jesus will understand that only God has the power to heal their bodies and souls.

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

Please pray for those Alagwa who are living in fear of the consequences of following Jesus. Please pray that they would know the love of God which casts out fear. Please pray that their eyes would be opened to know that Jesus is worth the cost of being rejected by family and community. Ask Jesus to give them courage.

A Witchdoctor’s Dilemma

Pray for one family in which many members are secretly seeking Jesus. Pray especially for one who has been a practising witchdoctor. Whilst she is eager to hear God’s word and understand it, please pray that she would be open about being a witchdoctor, repent and allow Jesus to cleanse and fully heal her.

Translating the Bible…Orally!

Praise God for the Alagwa from different villages and churches, and community leaders from surrounding areas who have agreed to be part of the Oral Bible Translation project. Please pray that all of those involved would work together well. Please pray especially for those who don’t know Jesus. May God’s word touch them deeply as they translate it.

Deliverance From Sickness and Evil Spirits

Praise God for people in the community who are seeking prayer both for sickness and deliverance from evil spirits. Pray for those who have shown a desire to follow Jesus as a result of his healing touch on their lives. Pray for courage and conviction for them to follow Jesus only. Please also pray for those who do not want to follow Jesus, that the Holy Spirit would open their hearts.

An enthusiastic reading student

One of the Alagwa ladies we have been praying for is coming almost daily for Bible study. She is desperate to learn to read and write. So we study the Bible and pray together, and then I help her with her literacy. This is such an answer to prayer, as I was praying she would have a renewed passion to know God more. She always wants to study the Bible first, and I believe God is speaking to her. She is also sharing with one of her neighbors who is not a believer. Her husband is a believer, although he seems to be struggling with community and family pressures. Please pray for him to stand strong in his faith.

Women of faith and their husbands

In March, we asked you to pray for three ladies in one village who, having listened to the Alagwaisa Bible stories, wanted to follow Jesus. Two were concerned about their husband’s reactions, as culturally a wife should follow her husband’s religion.

Update-Praise God that these women are continuing to study the Bible and seek God. Praise God that one of them has been listening to God’s word with friends who aren’t seeking Jesus. She also lent her audio player twice to a man in her family who also really wants to hear God’s word. He kept it for so long, we gave her another one. Her face lit up as she received God’s word again. Please pray for an ever-deepening hunger for God and His word among these women and their families. Praise God that all three women are listening to God’s word with their families and friends. Please pray that they will continue to seek God for themselves and obey His Word. Please keep praying for the salvation of the husbands.

You prayed…God answered!

You prayed: Please pray for three ladies in one village who, having listened to the Alagwaisa Bible stories, want to follow Jesus. Two are concerned about their husband’s reactions, as culturally a wife should follow her husband’s religion. They are starting to pray for their husbands. Please pray for these ladies that they will continue to pray and give their lives to Jesus wholeheartedly and continue to grow in their understanding and in faith. Please pray for the husbands, that God, by his Spirit, will open of the hearts these three men to know His love and forgiveness.

Update 9-27-16-Praise God that these women are continuing to study the Bible and seek God. Praise God that one of them has been listening to God’s word with friends who aren’t seeking Jesus. She also lent her audio player twice to a guy in her family who also really wants to hear God’s word. He kept it for so long, the woman had to be given another audio player. Her face lit up as she received God’s word again. Please pray for an ever deepening hunger for God and his word. Praise God that all three women are listening to God’s word with their families and friends. Please pray that all 3 will continue to seek God for themselves and will obey God’s word. Please keep praying for the salvation of their husbands.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

YOU PRAYED: Please pray for the team as we try to arrange for a good recording of the Alagwa Chronological Bible Story set so that we can further distribute the stories via memory card. Please pray for all the practical arrangements to come together in the coming weeks. 3-11-16
UPDATE: Praise God that the Bible Story set was recorded April, with an Alagwa believer from our church telling the stories. The stories were transferred onto audio players which already had the Bible in Swahili on them. In one village where some audio players were given to people seeking Jesus, whole families have been gathering to listen to it in the evenings. Visiting friends and family are also often really keen to listen as well. In other villages, too, the stories are being listened to in evenings and when people are out herding. Please continue to pray that God’s word will touch many hearts.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Pray that those Alagwa who are coming to faith in Jesus will understand they can’t combine following Christ and practicing Islam. Pray that they will completely reject their old religious practices as well as their old doctrines.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for four Alagwa women seeking Jesus in one community. Please pray for them to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to have the passion and courage to meet together to listen to God’s word and pray with one another.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for the Holy Spirit to prepare many Alagwa hearts as a Christian Sports team arrives at the end this week from the States. They will be working mostly in two Alagwa communities, sharing Jesus and teaching football skills. Pray particularly for many Alagwa young men to understand God’s love through these guys.

Seekers!

Praise God that a neighbour lady and her husband are both eagerly listening to the Alagwaisa Bible stories together. They have also asked for and are reading gospels in Swahili and Rangi. They are also praying with us and are eager to understand the Gospel. Please pray for them, that God will continue to open their hearts and eyes as they work through what it means to follow Jesus. Pray that they would continue to have the desire to know more of God, and to experience relationship with Him. Please pray that this couple would follow Jesus, and lead their whole family to do the same. (Praise God that two of their sons and one of the son’s wives have been secretly seeking Jesus for some time).

Men’s Retreat Update: many reasons to be thankful!

Praise God for the 12 men who went with the men from our team to study the Bible and learn together.

Praise God for the witness of the church that hosted the retreat, that was commented on by many of the men that went.

Praise God for the many questions that the men felt free to ask, and for the truth that they were able to hear. Praise God that many have arranged to keep on meeting weekly.

Please do continue to pray that God will by His Spirit will continue to draw those among the men who have not yet decided to follow Him. Please pray for strength and confidence for all of them as they face questions from their families and communities.

Pray that the many seeds planted in hearts will bear much fruit.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Neighbour Update:
Praise God that a neighbour lady and her husband are both eagerly listening to the
Alagwaisa Bible stories together. They have also asked for and are reading
gospels in Swahili and Rangi. They are also praying with us and are eager
to understand the Gospel. Please pray for them, that God will continue to
open their hearts and eyes as they work through what it means to follow
Jesus. Pray that they would continue to have the desire to know more of
God, and to experience relationship with Him. Please pray that this couple
would follow Jesus, and lead their whole family to do the same. (Praise God
that two of their sons and one of the son’s wives have been secretly seeking
Jesus for some time).

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Men’s Retreat Update: many reasons to be thankful!
Praise God for the 12 men who went with the men from our team to study the
Bible and learn together. Praise God for the witness of the church that
hosted the retreat, that was commented on by many of the men that went.
Praise God for the many questions that the men felt free to ask, and for the
truth that they were able to hear. Praise God that many have arranged to
keep on meeting weekly. Please do continue to pray that God will by His
Spirit will continue to draw those among the men who have not yet decided
to follow Him. Please pray for strength and confidence for all of them as
they face questions from their families and communities. Pray that the many
seeds planted in hearts will bear much fruit.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for a Men’s Retreat, being organized for a few days in mid-April. It is for Alagwa men, and men from other people groups in the local community, who are following Jesus (either secretly or openly) or seeking Jesus. We are praying that these young men will be massively encouraged and find strength and boldness by being together. We are praying for God to meet these men in a powerful way over this time away together. Please also pray that God will help overcome any barriers to them actually attending, so that all of them go.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for one lady, who is a local witchdoctor. A few of her close family are secretly seeking Jesus, and she recently heard the gospel from some team members. She was very excited and wants both a Kiswahili Bible to read, and to hear the Bible stories in Alagwaisa. Please pray for her especially over the coming weeks as she reads and hears more about Jesus. As a team, we have been praying for her whole family for some time- please join us in praying that the Holy Spirit will continue to transform lives in that family, so that they can all follow Jesus together.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

The biggest barrier to the gospel for the Alagwa is fear of family and community rejection. Please pray against the fear that binds up many Alagwa, particularly the deep fear of being rejected by family and community if they follow Jesus. May God’s Spirit bring freedom to the Alagwa!

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for three ladies in one village who, having listened to the Alagwaisa Bible stories, want to follow Jesus. Two are concerned about their husband’s reactions, as culturally a wife should follow
her husband’s religion. They are starting to pray for their husbands. Please pray for these ladies that they will continue to pray and give their lives to Jesus wholeheartedly and continue to grow in their
understanding and in faith. Please pray for the husbands, that God, by his Spirit, will open of the hearts these three men to know His love and forgiveness.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

(Posted 15-5-15: Pray for a woman in our village who is recovering from a brutal beating. Pray for her continued recovery, especially that she would start to eat with her mouth, and for improvement in her speaking. She is currently being fed by an NG tube. Pray that she and her wider family would believe the good news of Jesus. Many of her family are open to hear about Jesus. As a team we are praying with her regularly. People from the local church are going to pray with her tomorrow. Pray with us for her healing, that God will be glorified. Also pray with us against spiritual attack on her life and on that of her family.)
Here’s an update on the prayer request:
At the beginning of March, we had the chance to visit this lady, now living in town. She laughed as she greeted us, talked and ate with us. She is almost back to normal, bar some remaining pain in some areas. Physically, she has made a miraculous recovery. Please do continue to pray for her. She refuses to forgive the people who so badly assaulted her, which humanly is very understandable. Without Jesus in her life, such forgiveness is impossible. Please pray that she would submit her whole life to Jesus and so find true freedom, including the freedom to forgive.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for the team as we try to arrange for a good recording
of the Alagwa Chronological Bible Story set so that we can further
distribute the stories via memory card. Please pray for all the
practical arrangements to come together in the coming weeks.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

From Feb 4 prayer request: Prayer Update: Praise God that the following Friday, a few ladies came, along with a different religious leader, who proceeded to encourage the women present to study the Bible. He also requested a time to come and study with the team members and also the team leaders. Please do continue to pray for these women to be consistent in coming, that they will not be distracted or prevented by busy farm work, sickness and daily chores.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Praise God for the story groups, using the Alagwaisa Chronological Bible Stories which are running in different communities. PLEASE URGENTLY PRAY for one ladies’ group, which has been running for two months. Two ladies on our team write:
“we have been meeting with our neighborhood ladies for about 2 months now, learning Bible stories together, laughing, singing, dancing, etc… We have been amazed to see God bringing them back to our home week after week. We know that it is only because of God’s grace and power that they have been coming and are excited to hear God’s Word. However, this past week no one showed up (except for one lady later on in the evening). We learned that the nearby mosque leader had called a meeting for the ladies the previous Friday and warned them against coming to our home…he told them that we are trying to entice, even force them to follow Christianity. We are reminded that we are in a spiritual battle and we must stand firm together.”
Please pray that God will be glorified in this situation. Please pray that the ladies will return to the group tomorrow and continue to learn about God’s great love for them.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Ramadan Day 17
Pray that the local Christians would be empowered by God’s Spirit to share their faith and hope boldly with their families and neighbours. Pray they would walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Ramadan Day 1
Pray that the many Alagwa who have heard about God’s gift of salvation would accept it rather than rely on their own good works. Pray fasting today would feel spiritually dead and empty. Pray they would believe in Him whom God has sent.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Ramadan Day 0
Ramadan starts tomorrow. Millions of Mu$lims around the world will begin a month-long fast during daylight hours. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of I$lam and Mu$lims believe the month of fasting is a required work to please God. Pray this month many Mu$lims would have courage to ponder, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” And that they would hear Jesus’ answer, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (John 6:28-29)

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Ramadan will start soon. Pray Africa will be posting daily prayer requests for our Muslim unreached people groups. Please encourage your friends to subscribe to Pray Africa at prayafrica.org to join us in praying. In other parts of the world, more Muslims are coming to Christ than ever before. We need to pray that God would move powerfully among our people groups as well. With God, nothing is impossible.

Update on The Alagwa of Tanzania

Please pray for man who we have been sharing Jesus with. He has just revealed that there was another issue holding him back from following Jesus. In conversations with some of our team, it came out that he was also “given” a kwaslarimo (witchdoctor) spirit from his ancestors. He said that this spirit that he has will not allow him to follow Jesus, and that he has to choose one or the other: Jesus or the witchdoctor spirit. It is frightening for him, as he believes this spirit will kill him if he follows Jesus. Please continue to pray for this dear man- we long for him to be free and to lead his clan to freedom in Christ.