We thank God for the open doors to the good news of Jesus every day at the Hospital.
We thank God for Saha’ and his wife Ash’ who received Jesus at the Hospital. Saha’ is the man we were helping and sharing the good news with for the past two months. The one we prayed for unity with him.
Pray for the people for whom the truth has been planted in their hearts and minds, that God the Holy Spirit’s work of faith and transformation in their lives would bring them to salvation.
Courage
The Ik live between the Turkana and Dodoth, and are often caught in the middle of their historical cattle raiding and violence. Lately it has not been bad. Please pray this would continue.
Pray for more laborers, including medical practitioners, especially for Ugandan workers to have courage to come to this part of their country to reach the Ik.
Camp de Noel
Diaspora in France: Praise for 4 students who are attending the ‘Camp de Noël’ in Switzerland, Dec 22-27.
Twenty students signed up, a good part of them being Muslims. Pray for the organization, teaching, life together, Christmas celebration, etc.
Know when to speak
Pray for our island sister, ‘Rachel’. She has been bold. She has been fearless in the face of all the opposition that has come against her. She has remained faithful and
steadfast, even though the enemy has tried to silence her over and over. Each time,
her faith grows and more people take notice. Pray for discernment for her now
following recent events. May she know when to speak and when to be silent.
Pray for the local body as they react to what has happened to her because of her boldness and how the Lord has delivered her. May fear be cast from their hearts in the name of Jesus and may they grow in courage and faith.
Needing rain
Please pray for the many families who are relying on farming for both food for themselves as well as extra income. Planting season has started and is completely dependent on the rain. Pray for God’s favor and provision for these people.
Heal his heart
Pray for brother Kash, our local brother, who recently had conflicts with one of God’s team. Pray that he comes back to his senses and allows the Lord to heal his heart.
Christmas feast!
The cow has been purchased for our Christmas feast! And we’re looking at what days to best have a mini kids club. Pray for God‘s guidance, strength, and fruit through all the details and work of these events! Pray that He will draw many more O into his wonderful kingdom of light, and for continuing growth for those already in!
Mediation
I plan to mediate between two couples whose marriages are in trouble. I’m grateful that each party on both sides have shown an interest in mediation and finding the solution to the challenges affecting their marriages. Pray that each party will allow the spirit of God to convict them even before the discussion so it goes well and their marriages are healed.
Christmas Celebration
We celebrated Christmas early on 14th December with the children in the village. Please pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to them as they learned about Him by asking, “Why Christmas?”
There are men in communities in the newly planted churches who have come to faith but struggle with the cultural perspective of manhood. Pray for a breakthrough and freedom from the past life. Pray for real changes in their lives which can be seen by the communities.
Cyclone!
Cyclone Chido hit the islands Saturday. V1 was the worst affected, with 20 known deaths and 250 injured and many more expected, and massive damage. The other islands also had flooding and wind damage. Please ask for comfort for those who have lost loved ones or homes, and provision for those in need. Pray for aid to arrive quickly for people who have lost everything and need shelter, food, and clothing. Pray for believers to be a blessing to those in need. May the Lord use this devastation to open hearts to Him.
Pray for mercy for the people of Mozambique as Chido now heads towards them!
Basic theology course finished!
We want to praise the Lord- this last weekend we celebrated the end of our very first Basic Theology course with our Pastors and their leaders. Please pray that they will continue to study the material and have a hunger and thirst to know Christ more!
Coming season
Pray for peace over the coming season – Christmas and the dry season in the months after always brings more insecurity as people have more time on their hands and alcohol is more available.
Pray also for unity amongst the believers. Our prayer is that the believers here would learn what it means to be the Body of Christ, loving and serving one another.
Advent
Pray for this advent season that all the Light-bearers both foreign and local will share many good stories and songs with those who haven’t heard. This season is often filled with opportunities for hospitably. Pray for the seekers to encounter the love and welcome of Jesus through the lives already changed by His coming!
Booklets
The translated booklets (Luke, Acts and the stories) have arrived on Madagascar. I still need to collect them and have an inspector look at them. Pray that goes well.
We’re planning a trip to our village this month, together with Neto and Jonoro. Pray for a good visit and that the booklets will be out of customs so we can distribute them.
Cyclone!
Cyclone Chido was projected to hit Northern Madagascar yesterday and the islands today and then Mozambique tomorrow. If it doesn’t change course it will be devastating. We have not ever seen a cyclone come directly over Northern Madagascar. Pray for God’s mercy and help during and after the storm.
Christmas events
Diaspora in Florida: Pray as we have many up coming events for this Christmas season…3 upcoming parties and packing over 350 Christmas Packages for care gifts.
Make the most of Christmas opportunities
Much of our team will be away for December- we appreciate your continuing prayers for:
–Positive discipleship, and growth for and through all NBs.
-Continuing good security.
-Health and strength for the hot season.
-God‘s leading and Holy Spirit filling and blessing of every interaction for us, our team and all NBs.
–Wisdom and strength for how to make the most of Christmas sharing opportunities!
Books being translated
Rejoice with us about the many new books of the Word being translated, checked, and tested.
Ask for wisdom and protection for our translators. Praise that a new mother-tongue-
translator is getting involved with the team checking and that this is going well.
God had a plan!
Diaspora in Quebec: I was discouraged after four of the five women canceled to meet together for dinner and a Bible discussion. However, God had a plan. Ma’ felt more open to talk since she was the only Muslim there. After reading the Beatitudes together, she confided to the Christian women that she sees a lot of hypocrisy in Islam and sees beauty in Christianity. We were able to share more about Jesus with her. Pray for her journey to Christ.
Include neighbors
Pray for creative ways to include our Muslim neighbors in our Christmas celebrations. Pray for opportunities and boldness to speak of good news of great joy for all people.
Christmas party
Diaspora in Michigan: Pray for our Christmas outreach: We’ll have a party for about 15 Afghan families December 14th and will be bringing Christmas bags to about 45 Arab families. Each bag has a book explaining Christmas. May our friends feel loved and know Jesus more!
Leaving alcohol
One of the men whom we have been discipling has been struggling with alcohol. A few weeks ago on Sunday, he stood up during the service and said he had decided to leave alcohol. Pray for Oswaha that he will be fully delivered from the addiction of alcohol and grow in faith.
Gospel of John movie
Diaspora in Georgia: Praise the Lord for the growing interest my ESL students are showing in the person of Jesus. Pray for a showing of the first half of the gospel of John movie on December 13. Pray that they will place their faith in Jesus as their Savior.
Praise the Lord that Aya’ wants to meet for individual Bible study starting in January.
Spanish lessons
Praise for a successful session of Spanish classes! When given their participation certificates, one lady said it was the first certificate she had ever received. Pray it is a testimony of a God who values and sees her.
Share the Hope
Diaspora in Oregon: We are thankful that one of the ladies from our DBS was baptized a week ago. What an amazing testimony of God’s grace using many people in her life.
We are thankful to hear of another lady who came to Christ through the witness of our volunteers.
Pray for many opportunities to share the Hope we have in Christ this holiday season.
DBS
Pray for the DBS (Discovery Bible Study) group of ladies that was started a week ago. It’s tricky to do the study in French and island language at the same time. Pray for wisdom, open hearts, and the right people to come.
Need rain!
The rain has not kept up here and the farmers are having to decide soon to plant their grain or not. Our friend Hank planted grain last weekend. We told him we are asking the father to send rain and give his family favor. May the rain come and bless this dry and weary land but only if that’s what will soften their hearts to the Son!
Dreams and visions
As Christians around the world enter the Christmas season, pray for dreams and visions among the Rangi that would lead them toward the King of all Kings.
Why we celebrate
Diaspora in Wales: Pray for the Women’s English and Sewing class teams as they have the opportunity to explain the reason why we celebrate Christmas (Dec 9 & 10). Pray for ears to hear and hearts open to believe.
Making cookies
I’ll be having Iris and her kids over sometime soon to visit and bake cookies. May our time be full of things that open their eyes to the Son and his goodness and truth!
Christmas party
Diaspora in Germany: Pray for our Christmas party tomorrow evening. Over 70 people have signed up to come! Pray for all the last minute preparations and for everyone to come with open hearts prepared to hear news of great joy!
Lead him to the Truth
Diaspora in France: Ishmael*, a young man from Central Africa, asked if he could borrow our children’s French storybook Bible to read the stories of the Bible. His studies in France are finished now and he will soon return to his home country where he would be in trouble if it was known he was reading a Bible! As our time with him is short, pray with us the Lord will lead him to the Truth very soon!
Celebrate the coming of Emmanuel
As we head into the festive month, pray that we would have opportunities to share the
good news of Emmanuel, God with us. Ask for wisdom as we consider how to celebrate with local believers across the islands.
Last stage cancer
Pray for a young lady, W, who is coming home from the government hospital on palliative care with a last stage, painful cancer. Pray that W will receive Jesus as her Savior, and for God‘s comfort, grace and peace to help her, her family and us through this hard time.
Present Christmas story
Diaspora in England: Pray for wisdom as we present the Christmas story to our English classes.
Pray for the distribution of up to 50 Scripture calendars to our Muslim contacts in the city. Pray the word would speak to seeking hearts.
Trouble
The translator who has been causing a lot of trouble for us has started a new volley of attacks this month. She continues to do everything in her power to get Pastor Petro and me out of the Alagwa area. Please pray against these concerted efforts to stop the translation work.
Pray for rain
Please pray for rain! The Ndau are sustenance farmers and last year their crops were burnt from the lack of rain. Everyone has planted already, and it’s only rained once. We are praying but everyone is very scared about how we are going to survive.
Bible stories
Pray for the pastors being trained in Bible storying. There are now 16 listening group leaders and 22 Bible stories in the Didinga language. The 16 trained pastors want to train 2 more pastors. Pray these Bible stories will reach into the hearts of the Didinga and they will believe them.
Grant them new life
Pray for Ali, Ab’ Bakar, Khal’, Adam and Att’, men from the gym who attend regularly and hear the gospel. Pray the Holy Spirit would grant them new life in Christ!
Four Evangelism Training Centers
Pray for the launching of four centers for equipping church members in effective ways for reaching the unreached in Tabora region and to minister freedom from the bonds of Islam. These will be at Kigoma, Katavi, Nzega, and Tabora. There are four series of trainings planned for 2025 with three trainers. Pray for Nyamwezi to be free from the yoke of Islam, for those who have lived as non-Muslims but under Islamic dominance, and for those who have come to Christ out of a Muslim background.
