One sister talked this week about feeling sometimes she has to hide (especially in the increased pressure to conform this month of fasting). But she senses that, before too long, the body won’t have to hide at all, will be able to meet openly and tell everyone who they are! Pray that it would be so! In the meantime, pray that God would give the body wisdom and discernment about when to be cautious and when to be bold. Pray for them as the island celebrates the end of fasting this week and some scrutiny lifts.

Please pray for our local sister, Rachel, who is in West Africa for training. She thought she would be away for 1 month but it turns out the training is 2 months long so she will not be back until the end of April. Please pray for her children who are still here being watched by other folks. Pray the training is worth it!

Pray that the seeds planted during Easter conversations would grow and lead to many islanders knowing the Risen Savior. Pray for the i3 body as they decide the best day and way to meet as a larger group and whether to wait for the fasting month to end before doing so. May the Spirit guide!

Each evening islanders will spend up to several hours completing extra sets of ritual prayers. Pray that these prayers would leave them feeling empty and dissatisfied. Pray that they would long for a relationship with God. Pray that they would begin to pour out their hearts to him in their own language and own words.

The Island national anthem declares that they are one people, one religion, one blood – to be an islander is to be a Muslim and islanders are very proud of their Islamic heritage and identity. However, recently a controversy stirred when an Island historian showed that the original wording did not include ‘one religion’ but was rather one tongue or language. Words shape us and the national anthem is sung regularly (particularly by children). Pray with us that this month the winds of change would really blow through these islands and long held ideas and beliefs would be uprooted. Pray that a new chapter in Island history would begin and ask God to reveal himself through the power of the Holy Sprit.

One team member is getting to share with a group of men in his village regularly. He has been able to use recently translated and recorded scripture as he meets with them. Praise Him for this opportunity, and also for the newly created resources that are being used. May their hearts respond.

‘He will quiet you with his love’. This is a particularly testing month for local believers as they come under extra scrutiny and pressure to conform. Many are isolated from one another and walk a lonely path. Pray that the additional pressure would only serve to press them ever closer to Jesus, and that He would quiet them with his love.

Pray for the social media accounts that have been created to share verses and songs in the local language. Let’s pray that God uses this channel to reach many people. Pray for all the resources in local languages to be widely shared and thoughtfully read.

There are 3 new believers on our island! 1 couple and 1 single! All led to Jesus by our sister “R” (same one from last week who is traveling for training). Pray for them as “R” is away and for their hearts to grow in love and devotion to Jesus!

Please pray for the situation on the island: the island is paralyzed by blockades of demonstrators against different things (insecurity, illegal immigration, educational level, etc.). As a result, the hatred grows more and more. Young people can no longer go to school, and many young people are fighting in the street. Pray that in this chaos people will truly and sincerely seek God, and that they will discover the Christ who liberates.

Let’s pray for the demonstrators: That they may become aware of their even greater problem: the wrath of God and his coming judgment.
– Let’s pray that God reveals himself to people through dreams, through visions, and reveals to them the real Jesus. Let’s pray that all the barriers and lies that Islam has produced here will be destroyed, and that the truth will be revealed.

Please pray for our local sister “R” as she is traveling to Central Africa for a 40 day training by an African Christian group. Pray for her children that she is leaving behind with family and pray for the Lord to bless this training and prepare her for fruitful ministry.

A long time ago two of our colleagues prayed for a secretary in an office close to ours. They prayed that she would be able to get pregnant. She came to us recently and told us that she is now 6 months pregnant! Our Island colleague was able to share the story of Elizabeth and her miraculous pregnancy with this lady. Pray for her heart to be open to more of Him because of this answered prayer and the similarities in hers and Elizabeth’s stories.

Pray for our believing friends here on Vanilla Island. Pray for great encouragement amongst them and a big effort for meeting together more regularly. Many desire to meet but location and distance pose a big problem.

In this new year, we are focusing prayers for i3 on the unity of the body (for patterns of healthy communication, repentance and forgiveness) and for there to be believing i3 families growing together in their faith, adults, youth and children! Please pray with us.

Praise that there were lots of chances to share about the birth of Jesus and all that was said about Him at His birth. Pray that those who heard would have a growing desire to learn more about Jesus and would seek Him!

Pray for opportunities to love on neighbors and friends this week as many people are very against the idea of “Christmas” thinking it has to do with drunkenness and debauchery. Pray for sweet times of sharing cookies and time and the Truth of Jesus with all we meet.

Tomorrow we are organizing a Christmas meal with the neighborhood, Pray that God reveals himself in a very special way. Sunday will be our Christmas service with the small church community, pray that everyone will be encouraged and strengthened. Also continue to intercede for Peace on this island- the violence continues.

Pray for the large holiday gathering today bringing together believers and expats from around the island. Pray that it would be a unifying event that encourages everyone to share the joy and hope of the season with their friends and families. Pray for the kids that will attend and especially for the group that has prepared some songs and a drama. May we see families grow in their faiths together.

An older island man just finished studying through a set of stories on Jesus, and he has asked to study them all a second time! Pray that this study would open his heart to accepting Jesus as Lord.

Pray for the women’s gathering this week. They are hoping to study part of the Christmas story, as well as make plans for the big gathering on the 17th, including practicing the new Christmas praise song in local language. Pray that it would be a unifying time that would encourage the women to get excited about the holiday season and help them feel ready to share with others the story and significance of Jesus’s birth.

Violence is currently exploding on the island. This week there has been a fight every day in lots of different villages. This morning I heard gunshots, and it wasn’t just tear gas. Pray for the protection of our brothers and sisters here. Pray that God guides the authorities in their decision-making. Pray that He reveals Himself in the midst of this darkness. May God direct our brothers to people who are thirsty for God and ready to receive His word.

Pray for islanders to engage more with the translated Word. There are apps, printed books, and audio players. Pray that they would be used by both believers and seekers. One island man recently asked more than one teammate for the Word, so just this weekend he received a portion. Pray that he and others that now have the Word would read it and be transformed by it.

Our team has had more chances than ever to invite people to read and study the Word with us. Please pray that those who hear will be open to what they hear and that the Lord will speak to them.

Pray for a meeting this week to plan another large group gathering. Pray that the different representatives would be available and that there would be great unity between everyone and that these big gatherings would be a blessing to the body on i3. May the body grow in depth, breadth and unity for the glory of Jesus.

Pray for Mama Fae up on the plateau. Last week her application from our study was ‘to believe and follow Jesus to get eternal life’! Whilst we don’t know what she now thinks about her old book and old prophet, she has made big steps towards Jesus. Please ask for her heart to be fully His, and for her family to follow too.

One of the team members studies with a family each Sunday. They are growing in their ability to make connections between different stories in the Word. However, recently their landlord told them they need to get out because of their faith or pay more for their rent – more money than they can easily pay. Please pray for a change of heart on the landlord’s part.

Pray for an older man and seeker in the capital. He happened upon a weekly study with an islander brother and worker and ended up studying with them! He said he’d join them again. Pray that this connection might continue and that it might inspire both the brother and the seeker to grow closer to Jesus!

One member of the team started studying the Word with a friend. On the second meeting, his brother was there and then this last week another guy joined. May this group grow in size as they grow in knowledge of the One who saves.

Pray for Ma Fae and Ma Dorcas on the plateau, reading and hearing truth each week. Ask for open hearts and courage to question long-held beliefs.

The last two weeks of September were very full with testing and reviewing portions of the Word that have been translated. Praise Him for the work that was done as well as the number of people that were able to be involved. Pray for perseverance in that work and for the Word to speak to all who read/hear it.

One of our house helpers has had some strange and unexplained things happen to her. She fears it’s because of evil spirits. She chose not to go to local religious leaders but asked our team to pray with and for her. She also may start regularly praying with the family she works for. Pray for consistency on this and for God to work in her life.

Urgent prayer request for our sister R in the islands on I2. She has become quite bold in sharing her faith. Her father has just threatened to kick her out of her house if she doesn’t deny her faith in Jesus.  He says that if she refuses to deny Jesus, then he will send for the police tomorrow to come and arrest her.  R says that she isn’t afraid for her life and she won’t deny Jesus, but she is distressed about what would happen to her 3 children if she is arrested.  She is also concerned that the police will destroy the copies of the Word that she has at her house.  Please pray for our sister for courage and peace in her heart. Pray for her father’s heart to be changed. May what the enemy intends for evil, be used for good in the name of Jesus.

Pray for many good relationships and Gospel conversations in a new village our teammate has moved into. Pray that one day there would be a group of believers meeting together there.

Pray for local believer B who was seriously injured in a workplace accident. The local body is trying to support him to seek care abroad – pray for healing and provision.

Rachel has returned from the islands so the family is reunited and we continue to visit each week as we have done for the past 9 years. They have heard many stories in that time and we have seen increasing understanding. Continue to remember them that they would recognise their need of a change of heart. Pray too for us that we would know what to share with them each week.

Pray for a friend of mine who is terminally ill. It has been difficult to visit her as she is so sedated she’s always asleep. Pray for God’s help for these visits and for more opportunities to share Truth with this woman and her family.

Pray for i3 believers, especially sister E and her family. A friend of E’s husband was at a meeting at the big gov office on i3. There was a discussion about a new faith that was spreading rapidly, and they identified E as the leader. The friend defended E as a good person, but warned her husband that they need to be careful. Pray for peace for them, and wisdom in what to do about an upcoming retreat being hosted on i3. They don’t want to cancel it, but do want to do it in a less open way than they often would.

Please pray for Jay and Zina. As the university school year ends, they are seeing more and more islanders leave to go back to the islands. Please pray for opportunities to clearly present the Message, and for the islanders to meet people who will point them to Christ while they are in the islands.

Pray for a family of believers who have been meeting together for a year with a worker who is leaving soon. Another team member will take over meeting with them (although it will be less often). Pray for this transition and that they will meet on their own and continue to grow.

Thanks for praying – the book release celebration went well. Let’s be praying that those printed words would be well used, loved, and believed. Let’s also pray for the continuing i3 translation project as they do remote checking on 1 Sam with islanders on i3, a worker on i1 and consultants abroad. Pray for good internet connection, good communication and a great result.