My new Ako, who God allowed us to participate in the miracle of saving her life and sharing the Good News after severe delivery complications has completed her 40 days of seclusion. She brought her healthy baby boy for his first round of immunizations. She came with an invitation from her husband, “come and celebrate with us…we’ll provide the goat, you bring the rice and sugar.” ***Pray that this follow up with the larger extended family may bring the response of many of them not only hearing, but God’s drawing them to RECEIVE His grace through the Messiah – and be on fire to pass it on to many more!

Ako’s life was saved this week by the power of Jesus after prayer and medical care were given in His name! PTL for God’s gracious miracle of physical saving which was witnessed by all the women of the area. Two days later the women eagerly listened and welcomed the truth of hearing the Gospel from the perspective of Jesus the Savior, Healer and Deliverer. Pray that the men of Ako’s extended family will become ‘men of peace’ and will be willing to study God’s Word and seek to obey it, leading the women and children to do the same – that the whole extended family group may have understanding and repent, believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior (turn and be healed). Pray against FEAR and all the schemes of the enemy to snatch these seeds away or choke them out!

O-land still needs a lot more rain in order to get through the upcoming dry season and to the next rainy season in Nov/Dec. People often ask themselves, “What have we done to cause God to refuse us good rains?” Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict O people of their sin of refusing to receive God’s Gift of Salvation and forgiveness of sins through Jesus the Messiah! Pray that they would understand, and TURN and be healed/saved! Pray that God will satisfy their physical hunger and thirst in a way that will give them hunger and thirst for truth and for righteousness!

The dad’s offer of a nice young wife for his son seems so appropriate. BUT – the son is a young believer, and the nice young wife is one of the top madarasa (Islamic training) students around and from a strongly ‘religious’ family. Pray for God’s wisdom and grace for ‘Calvin’ as he asks and seeks for how to respond. Praise God for wonderful godly counsel from ‘Jake’, who went through the same thing 10 years ago – and now has been blessed with a wonderful Christian wife and son – after standing firm and going through much persecution.

The O believer’s child, H, whose one eye was blinded has been to the eye specialists. The eye is pronounced dead. The family responsible for the accident has been rude and had not said one word about being sorry. H’s family struggled with feelings of anger and resentment. Finally the whole family gathered with our mission team to look at all that Jesus had to say about forgiveness, loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. H’s parents chose to obey Jesus, and forgive the guilty family. They led their children to also forgive. Two days later the family who caused the injury unexpectedly came to H’s parents to apologize and assure them they would try to pay for all the expenses! Praise God for this miracle of healed hearts and relationships. Pray that H’s whole family, and all the O believers involved will be encouraged and strengthened to speak boldly of the grace and forgiveness made possible through Jesus the Messiah. Pray for understanding of God’s grace in all His Truth for many O – the healing of many O. hearts!

An O believer’s child, H, was struck by his playmate’s mom with a stick. It blinded his eye! This week they are going to specialist eye doctors and they request we pray for a miracle of healing for H’s blind eye. We read of Jesus miraculous healing of Bartimaeus’s blindness in Mark 10:46-52. According to Heb. 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We read of even more serious blindness in 2 Cor. 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Pray with faith for Jesus’ miraculous healing of H’s eye, and for the blind minds of the O people – that they may understand the gospel and turn and be healed!

Eight of our neighbor ladies had arrived at H’s 40 day ‘coming out’ blessing ceremony. I joined the friendly conversation by asking, “Do you know about Easter – it’s just 2 weeks away?” They had no idea. I explained it as a celebration of God’s love and grace. Amazingly, the woman closest to me, who is the village ‘shamaness’ was listening carefully and asked a few questions which quieted all other chit-chat. Even the children and babies were totally still as I explained about the Messiah, who is the only One who has no sin of His own to pay for, coming from God for the important purpose of rescuing people from their punishment of sin by paying His own life, His own blood! They were riveted as I told of His accomplishing all that God intended, and then raising from the dead on that first Easter Sunday… Much more truth was shared, and in the end the ‘shamaness’ said she would like to hear more another time.
I took the opportunity to add my prayer for blessing on this home and neighborhood through the Messiah’s Redeeming work. Join in praying that God will give understanding of these truths, and these homes will respond by believing and receiving as they listen to more truths in upcoming follow-up visits. (Rom 10:17).

May their eyes be open to really SEE and truly PERCEIVE. May their ears be sharp to HEAR and RECEIVE Truth. May their HEARTS be soft and responsive to UNDERSTAND – and TURN and BE HEALED.

RAIN: desperately needed to end the drought and avoid serious consequences in our area.
RNs: Both medical workers in our 2 clinics depart by the end of March – Pray that God will call and equip 2 to minister Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Healing long term in outreach to the O together with our AIC Team.
RESPONSE: That the O’s eyes be PERCEIVING, their ears really HEARING and their hearts UNDERSTANDING God’s Truth so they may TURN and be HEALED!

After so many years of sharing with little response as Is 6: 9-10 talks about, please pray this Breakthrough Prayer for the O: May their eyes be open to really SEE and truly PERCEIVE. May their ears be sharp to HEAR and RECEIVE Truth. May their HEARTS be soft and responsive to UNDERSTAND – and TURN and BE HEALED (physically, emotionally and most important SPIRITUALLY).

We’re rejoicing in the choice of someone to receive God’s grace! The number of individuals grows – yet they hesitate/fear to openly gather. ***PRAY for the breakthrough of a first extended family group who would come to Jesus together, and stand against the persecutions together, and reach out to other family groups together and demonstrate God’s love and grace to their community together!

A Christmas feast is planned in one of the O villages – pray that many will come and be open to hearing the reason God sent the Messiah! M&H will be with us and M will also participate in sharing the story on Christmas Eve Day as well as some Kid’s Club days the next week. Pray for open hearts to receive this Good News! Pray that any opposition to this Good News will be kept away!

God’s Word continues to be “sown” broadly through now 3 memory card players out in the communities, and much personal sharing and testifying to the Gospel. Many will listen openly, many oppose even listening. Pray that God’s Word will go forward with Power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.

Praise God for a recent wife of a persecuted believer also receiving Jesus’ gift! Pray that M & H will stand firm together against all the schemes of the enemy, and that the persecutions bound to come will strengthen their relationship with Jesus. May they grow in their faith and knowledge, and also teach their children the truths of God’s grace through Jesus!

Praise God that a few good rains all around the area have relieved the O peoples’ urgent concerns for their herds of cattle, goats and sheep. Now the animals can remain out where the small amount of feed is, and drink water there, rather than making the LONG every other day treks to where the traditional wells are in the dry riverbed. Pray that it will be an abundant rainy season. The O people still need the reign of Jesus as Saviour and Lord in their lives and hearts – Pray that many will realise this urgent need and receive God’s gracious provision! Pray that God will raise up (3-6) O ‘people of peace’ who will facilitate the spread of making disciples, Jesus’ style.

It’s a hard and long dry season for the O since they missed the April/May rainy season. A gift of relief food is being given through the people of Jesus. Pray for the ones organising and distributing the food. Pray that the Love of God through Jesus will be accurately expressed and understood, and would draw many to Him. Pray that the Nov/Dec rainy season will be early and ample – that both physical and spiritual needs will be met by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are 2 young men who seem to be emerging as potential ‘facilitators’ for sharing more of God’s Word…they’ve got access to 100 Bible lessons in the O. language through memory cards they can play in their phones…*Pray that God will empower and protect them…
The young woman who was forced to move ended up redirected to other relatives homes – but pray for her to shine in this different setting… Pray against the ‘powers of this dark world’ that cause fear and pull people to be disobedient.

A believing young mother of 2 has been forced by her father in law to build another house in a more distantly related family’s compound for her and her husband to move into. The father in law’s ‘anti-Christ’ attitudes are repulsed by her gentle and quiet spirit of faith in the Messiah. Though this persecution has been hard for her, this new family compound has 6 others who are very open and seeking the truth. Pray that God will provide a strong facilitator to get an obedience based Bible study going in this family – and that the family Patriarch, Gabe himself, would approve and lead his family in receiving God’s grace through Jesus.

Continue to pray that God will prepare and lead us to ‘men of peace’ from family groups who will become instrumental in leading their families/communities to become disciples of Jesus who will reach out to other family groups to make more disciples of Jesus – that a Disciple Making Movement (DMM) may begin among the O. Pray also that these men of peace will embrace and be strengthened be the persecution that is certain to come. Pray that all of our team-mates and all current O disciples may also be trained in Obedience Based Bible Studies – That each new disciple may obey all that Jesus commanded the first disciples.

We sadly report that Sid refused to continue studying God’s Word because of the pressures his sons and neighbours put on him to stop. Pray against the spirit of fear which has such a grip on people! Pray for release from the bondage that is keeping people in darkness! Pray that God will lead us and provide for new ‘men (and women) of Peace’ as we continue to share the Good News – encouraged and empowered by God’s grace and the Holy Spirit.

Col 1:13-14 is so wonderful for presenting the Gospel to the O. The realization of the two kingdoms, the kingdom of darkness, and the fear of Satan and all his evil spirits is so obvious and engrained in peoples’ lives here. To be rescued from it all is truly desired – it’s GOOD NEWS! Now we pray they realize, believe and accept that it’s Jesus who is the Rescuer and Redeemer! Tonight is the planned continuation of the Bible study group at ‘Sid’s’ place (first time after Ramadan ended) – pray that God’s Word will continue to go forth and be received with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction!

One of the new Bible study groups is continuing on – set to start meeting again after Ramadan. God has confirmed the truth of the Gospel message shared through 2 healing miracles to the group. Pray that ‘Sid’ and his community will choose to continue listening, will be convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, will RECEIVE God’s grace of Jesus as Savior as well as Healer, and will obey God’s Word and share what they learn with others.

Today our multicultural mission team meets to pray specifically about the best strategies for effective outreach into our O communities. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for wisdom from above, and God’s clear guidance for each bit of discussion, choice and decisions as we seek to discard unhelpful practices and embrace all the fruitful practices He leads us into.

One of the new Bible study groups is continuing on – set to start meeting again after Ramadan. God has confirmed the truth of the Gospel message shared through 2 healing miracles to the group. Pray that ‘Sid’ and his community will choose to continue listening, will be convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, will RECEIVE God’s grace of Jesus as Savior as well as Healer, and will obey God’s Word and share what they learn with others.

Today our multicultural mission team meets to pray specifically about the best strategies for effective outreach into our O communities. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for wisdom from above, and God’s clear guidance for each bit of discussion, choice and decisions as we seek to discard unhelpful practices and embrace all the fruitful practices He leads us into.

As Ramadan continues, pray that God will reveal Himself to many through dreams and visions, and use these as tools to draw people into His Kingdom. We’ve heard of 2 people in the last 2 days who have had dreams of Jesus coming to them and calling them to “come and follow me”. Pray that they will respond yes, instead of just continuing to wonder what it all means.

Two new Bible study groups of men are hearing God’s Word. So many seeds have been planted over so many years! Pray in Jesus name against the spirits of fear and deception – pray that God’s Grace in all of it’s Truth will overwhelm people by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that the first big extended family group will RESPOND and become Jesus disciples – who will share with MANY others who will become disciples of Jesus….
PTL that the 1.18kg premie is now well over 2kgs and doing well! Pray that the mom will also GROW in knowledge and spiritual understanding!

The O. New Testament! will be dedicated on the 10th of April. ***Pray that these Scriptures in O. will be fully accepted & honoured, and that they will be a blessing of much needed light and truth as they pierce the hearts! May many O be drawn into God’s eternal Kingdom through reading and hearing them.

A young O woman received the Gift of Salvation through Jesus this week! PTL! Getting people to participate in regular study/discipleship is such a challenge! ***May the baby Church in O-land faithfully evangelize her own people and even reach out to reproduce in other areas – BEARING MUCH FRUIT THAT WILL LAST FOR ALL ETERNITY!
PS: The 1.18kg premie baby with pneumonia was up to 1.32kg 2 weeks later, with pneumonia cleared! (She didn’t come for recheck this week.) Pray that both physical and spiritual followup will be possible this week.

Pray for little 1.18kg baby R (who was born 8 weeks early, a preemie who is now 3 weeks old and has pneumonia). The mom, A, has done such an amazingly great job with her first baby these past 3 weeks – considering the normal situation of dirt floors and no running water or even outhouses. We shared and prayed with them during our worship time yesterday – and improvement was seen today! Pray for Jesus Healing Grace for this baby and family, physically and spiritually!

A young Christian couple had a traditional ceremony to dedicate their first baby, a boy to the Lord. Pray that the seeds planted would sink in deep and bear much fruit! Pray that this couple will be used powerfully in boldly sharing and building in God’s Kingdom in O. land!

A young lady having psychological problems recently made an initial decision to receive Jesus as Savior, Healer and Deliverer! Pray for Shah, and all of the O people to hunger and thirst for Truth and Righteousness through Jesus. Pray that Jesus disciples among the O will be faithful to share the Good News Boldly, and that the Holy Spirit will validate the message with the demonstration of His Power. Pray that MANY O will receive God’s greatest gift, like Shah did!

P-y for a neighbor man (we’ll call him Mohammed), who was struggling with pain and weaknesses for 2 years. In May he proclaimed, “If Jesus heals me, I will follow Him!” He’s been miraculously healed by Jesus! He’s been struggling with what to do ever since, because his brothers and community don’t want him to follow Jesus. P-y he and his whole family will be willing to study God’s Word and will come together to follow Jesus! Last week we had been going to go on an evening visit to his home – but one of his wives got sick so it got postponed (seems it frequently gets postponed!) ***P-y against all the schemes of the rulers and authorities and powers of this dark world – that this whole extended family will be willing to listen, and that the H.Sp will convict their hearts and draw them!

Ramadan Day 26 “The Night of Power”
Mu$lims will seek God’s power and revelation tonight. They believe they can have all their sins forgiven tonight. Pray that God will give many dreams and revelations of the One He sent to save us from our sins.

Ramadan Day 10
Many seeds are being planted – pray against all the schemes of the Devil to snatch away or choke them. May God prepare rich fertile soil for seeds to sink in deeply – that a wonderful harvest of grace and salvation will be reaped! Pray that God will call ‘Men of Peace’ who are willing to find a group of trusted friends to search His Word together. Pray that God will reveal His grace in all its truth as they study. Pray for an extended family group to come into the kingdom, be on fire for the Lord and reach out to other family groups so that God’s Kingdom is advanced further and further and start a church planting movement!

Ramadan Day 29: Pray for all the African missionaries that are serving in Africa. Pray their churches would support them well and that the Lord would encourage them. Pray many more would be sent out, especially to the Muslim unreached people groups.

Ramadan Day 18: Pray God would show His power and start church planting movements among our Muslim unreached people groups- for His glory and for the salvation of many. He is doing it in other places! “All things are possible with God.”

Ramadan Day 7: There are 5 pillars or obligations in Islam. The first is the shahadah or creed, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” Ask God to teach Muslims a new creed: “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all.” (1Tim 2:5-6)

Last night, on the evening of June 28th the the cry went up in our village, “The moon has been sighted!” and so begins another month of fasting for the I$lamic O people, and Ms all over the world.

Day 1 of Ramadan: P-y that as the O are seeking to find favor with God this month, God would move in remarkable ways, and the power of the Holy Spirit would overshadow them – that as they fast, they will hunger and thirst for Truth and Righteousness! P-y that J. the Messiah would be revealed to many O FAMILY GROUPS, and that they would understand about God’s GRACE through J. and accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior!

***P-y for MANY FAMILY GROUPS of O. to accept the TRUTHS of so many seeds being planted – and ***for the H. Sp. to transform hearts and lives – that many would receive Salvation through G’s Grace and be eager to pass the wonder of it on to the next group of homes….. For a Church Planting MOVEMENT among the O.