Praise: The International Student dinner on March 22 went well with a simple presentation of the gospel as we told about St Patrick. Also a good time learning Celtic folk dances! Pray for seeds to continue to germinate.
April 5 – 7 We took several International Students to Yosemite. Please pray for the good spiritual conversations to be remembered. There was lots of time to openly share our faith with these young people.
MP3 Treasure Players
MP3 Treasure players have been loaded with Fulfulde Trauma Healing audio programs along with the God’s story and the NT. Pray that as they are distributed among the Mbororo, the treasures will be received with open hearts and open minds.
Diaspora in Detroit
As we get settled in Detroit, we want to start meeting other families. Pray for open doors and open hearts in meeting families among the diaspora community. Ask Jesus to use us to glorify His name. Also pray I can find a job working along side our cousins (Muslims). Pray the Lord will go before us and prepare many hearts to hear the gospel.
Now They are Open
From a Rangi evangelist: “Pray for ministry in the town of Busi- people are now open to receive the gospel. I need a team so we can expand the work of evangelism. Thank you and God bless you.” Pray for God to send workers to this harvest field.
Diaspora in Portland
This Sunday evening, RH will story the thief on the cross for the international prayer gathering in Salem. Pray for the Lord to strongly work through him and speak to all who are gathered.
Pray for wisdom how to observe Resurrection Day with our Ms friends. Ask Jesus to draw many to meet together and hear the glorious story!
Translation progress
Pray for J, a man from the Suri (Kacipo) tribe. He and his Bible translation team in Ethiopia are hoping to complete the book of Matthew this month. In February the team went for outreach and to test their draft of the book of Mark. Praise God for His Word going forth in every tongue! Pray for this translation to make good progress and to be well received by the Suri (Kacipo).
Covenant with the enemy
When girls are about 12 or 13, a ritual is often completed over them to ensure protection until marriage. Often a demonic spirit is invited. Please ask for these covenants with the enemy to be broken and for these women to be set free. Many had very little understanding of what was going on at the time. Please ask that this ritual will be abandoned, that those in authority will be convicted of sin and will trust in Jesus.
Diaspora in UK
LS is involved in a weekly home work club for children from migrant families, which meets every Thursday. Pray for openness in these families today to hear the gospel message. There is an urgent need for at least one more person in the local area to join the team to make it viable in the long term.
We would appreciate prayers for the presentations on Easter in the next 2 weeks at all 4 international groups among whom we serve here in Cardiff.
Diaspora in France
Pray for a vacation kid’s club today at the center where I’ve been involved with homework club. Pray for many children (islanders, other M country children) to come with hearts ready to hear truth.
Healing Prayers
A Mbororo father from the Namangana/Narparka (DRC) area brought his dying son Zacharia to the hospital in Doruma a few weeks back. The indigenous mission team in Doruma visited and prayed with the father and over the son and he was healed! Both father and son recognized that it was the team’s prayers that brought the healing and gave testimony to the fact that Jesus healed him. As a result Mukanirwa was able to sit with them and give a Treasure in Fulfulde to the father to take back to the bush to share with their family/clan. Pray for an open door of opportunity among the Mbororo as a result.
May the wind of Grace blow!
Please pray for an awakening and revival among the Christians that live around Bara lands. Pray that God would blow the wind of grace and the Holy Spirit would change hearts, minds and behaviors. (We have a widespread and dangerous nominalism among those who go to the church, and this is a barrier to Bara coming to Christ as well.)
Bringing glory to God
One of the Laarim believers, Logwe, has been blind since an infection attacked his eyes when he was a child. Recently a Christian doctor offered him hope that perhaps his vision could be restored to give him “navigational vision” by laser surgery. However, upon arrival the ophthalmologist’s further studies revealed that there was nothing available to restore sight. Although disappointed, Logwe still steadfastly clings to his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He has already witnessed to many in his village, composed multiple songs in the local traditional style, organized believers to meet regularly, and recently assisted in baptizing a group of new believers. Pray that his limitation of physical blindness will actually be redeemed by Jesus to enhance his spiritual vision and bring glory to God.
Seminar training in DBS
Please pray for Odilo as he leads a Bible Listening Group Seminar to train people in DBS using the audio players with Kisandawe Scriptures. He’s leading a seminar in Farkwa tomorrow and another in Takwa on Friday.
Support and Vision
Pray for support for Pastor Joseph who wants to work with both the Nyangtom and the Toposa. Pray for Nyangatom to catch the vision for DMM and be using it in their communities.
Needing spiritual healing
This last week there was a big event to honor a dead ancestor. Since then many people have become ill. Pray for Spiritual healing for this is not a battle against flesh and blood. Lord, deliver many Antakarana from the kingdom of darkness and bring them into the kingdom of Your dear Son!
God, Speak!
Please pray for the church amongst the Alagwa that is meeting regularly for the now monthly night of prayer and fasting. Pray that God would speak to them and draw others from the community in. Last month, a man who had previously beat his daughter for following Jesus visited the prayer night.
Needing grace
Following the death of Ousman, local leaders of our cousins have forbidden people to visit the home of Rachel, his widow, saying that those who do should fast 3 days. Stories are being spread of the bad behaviour (drinking alcohol, dancing etc.) that Christians are up to. Even Ousman’s brothers have not visited. In a society where community is everything, this is deeply hurtful. Pray for the small community of believers to have grace to show compassion and love to those who persecute them and not retaliate. Pray that this might impact the local community to consider the claims of the gospel.
Ousman had under his charge, for 6yrs, the son of his dead brother. He is now 8 yrs old. Because the family is so overcome with grief and the enormity of coping with his children (including another orphan) they are talking of sending the boy to stay with a great aunt. Pray that they would be mindful of how far they would be sending him from Christian influence and reconsider. Ask God to provide for this family.
A New Sister!
In one of the villages our team does outreach in, there is a local sister who has just recently come to faith. She has been receiving some persecution from her neighbors and friends in her village because of her new faith in Jesus. Additionally, because the rains have been late this year, her field in which she planted rice this year is dying. Please pray for this local sister to grow in her faith and learn to cling tightly to Jesus in the midst of the hard things she is facing. Pray that Jesus would show Himself, His love, and His provision for her and her son in tangible ways. And, pray for the team and our local church partners to be given practical way to love this sister well and support her as the body of Christ. May her village see the love of Christ through all of this.
Curiousity
Recently we have been able to have many conversations with our neighbors Baba and Mama J. Especially Baba J has been engaged and curious about the Christian religion and about Jesus. Pray that God causes him to understand the plan of salvation and that the Gospel is also for him personally. Pray against the lies of Satan and that he would see the Truth.
Closed door
The village of Ambohitsara has closed its doors to us. The king of the village is a witch-doctor and he managed to listen to all the old testament stories. At the beginning of the NT stories, he started to tell me that they did not have the time to listen anymore. My friend the Pastor was told off as well. I still travel through this village weekly and hope that the Lord will open the hearts of the people. Please pray.
May outreach in Mangasta
Praise God, Sandawe pastors and leaders met in Motto, TZ on 17 March. The leaders agreed to an outreach in Mangasta village in mid-May. This is an answer to our prayer for Mangasta village. Pray for a mid-May evangelism outreach in Mangasta, TZ. Pray for a Sandawe church to be planted there.
Breakthrough Needed
We are very thankful for the visit of seven Samburu Pastors to our location. They visited in homes in the village. They engaged with the people and shared the gospel boldly. Some men and women followed them in a prayer of commitment to Jesus. At our Sunday service under a tree, 26 women and 11 men participated.
We praise the Lord for what He did that weekend. Still, this past Sunday, there were no Samburu men at our service. One man that we have been praying for (two of his wives are baptized and very faithful) walked by the place where we were meeting, looked towards us, and then kept walking. Please pray with us for a breakthrough, that Samburu men will come to church. That they will not fear losing respect in the eyes of other Samburu men, but will join the women in praising God and listening to His Word.
More Churches!
Pray for Naliel and the missionary team coming to the area. Toposa disciples want to start 42 more churches in the area by the end of the year. Pray!
Food crisis
The waters are receding after the cyclone, but there is food scarcity and the threat of cholera and malaria. Pray for our team working hard to distribute food. This afternoon they took food to the prison. They had no food! Pray the Lord will be glorified among the people as His servants show mercy and love in His name.
New Church!
One small village (Tanambao) I started to visit in February 2018 has a young lively church now! The young pastor and his wife (Doris & Alphossin) of that church came to live in the village in August 2018. They are from a different tribe and area of Madagascar and felt God’s calling to preach the gospel in our area. I introduced the people with the concept of sin in the months prior to their arrival. He told me that when they settled in Tanambao many of the people already knew they were in need of a saviour! Now, they gather on a weekly basis with about 20- 30 people (mostly women). We also see they are going out to evangelise their neighbours and others.
Father, send rain!
Friends… please pray that our Dear Lord sends abundant rain to the Hurri Hills and other places in northern Kenya.
People are struggling without water and food, animals are weak and many have died, so many fires because of the very dry grass. It’s been 9 months of drought. Cry out to the Lord with us for rain
Diaspora in Philadelphia
Please pray for the continuation of a biblical video series with the K. family. Through chaos and sometimes inconsistency, please ask that the Lord’s words would be getting through, and also for more chances to continue to influence mutual friends who have also come!
Please also pray for opportunities to start a bible study with an Algerian seeker. Praise God for his openness. Please continue to lift up our work with ESL, and ask that it would lead to fruitful chances to share the gospel message.
Diaspora in Portland
Pray for the Diaspora relationships in R & E’s apartment compound and for reconnecting with friends at the language center after a long absence. Please pray that these relationships will become deeper with spiritual conversations. That every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel would be taken advantage of and that the Lord would grant faith to these dear ones.
Sent Ones
Please continue to pray for Ima, Gabrieli and Deo, young men who have been sent to 3 different small congregations in Usandawe to give leadership. While they are not far from home, they are away from family and friends and starting in a new place. Please pray that they will adjust well to new surroundings, find friends and support and that they will stand firm in their faith as they face difficult situations. Please pray that they will be filled with the Holy Spirit as they disciple Believers and witness to those who do not yet know Christ.
Start The Wheel
We have decided to ask the Lord to give us 3 separate Discovery Bible Study groups with 4 local people studying in each by the end of the year. This is a huge, bold ask of the Father in a place like this and we know it won’t come without great prayer and fasting. It will likely be a bit like a fly wheel- that first rotation is hard and slow but each time it turns it picks up momentum. Similarly, we believe that what we need most is those first 3 people who are willing to pave the way in committing to study with us and once they are there, we will more quickly gain traction with others. Will you please ask the Father to quickly bring us 3 S people who would be willing to “start the wheel?”
Be watchful
An older believer just led a young man to Christ who is living in the Diaspora. Pray for this new brother (and the many other young believers living far from home) to find fellowship and discipleship. As evil ones ‘rise up and distort the truth’, ask that each will be ‘watchful.’ “Jesus, we entrust each one to you and to the message of your grace.” Acts 20
FaceBook page
Four in the Diaspora just started a Facebook page in the local dialect. They are receiving many comments… some questions, many curses. Ask for discernment and clarity as they respond. May each one dwell in the Word of Christ richly…answering by His Spirit and not from their own hurt.
Seeds to germinate
Ask for G who visits some Tuareg weekly in the bush. Pray that the scattered seeds will germinate and bear fruit.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers!
Ousman with the Lord
Sad to say, Ousman, who we prayed for 5 weeks ago, died yesterday after 2 yrs of increasing heart failure. He leaves behind a wife, Rachel, and 5 children. The youngest is only 18mths. Pray for them and our small church. He was a founding member. Pray also for the Neem translation project which he used to help with. The lady leading it did find someone to try out working with them before she had to leave for N’djamena. Pray that when she returns in early April this man might continue and be enthusiastic about the project. Pray that through the work he might come to believe in Jesus as Saviour.
Studying the Word
An older woman who is studying the Word asked, “Is God angry when you go to church and worship Jesus?” After reading and speaking of the Deity of Christ, she said that she understood why we worship Him. She read aloud from John 3 and Colossians, and when asked who she thinks Jesus is, she replied, “He is the Son of God who died and paid for my sin.” Please pray that she will not only acknowledge who He is but also choose to follow Him. Her sister wants to study with us… and her nieces and nephews come to listen. Ask for this family to believe and follow!
Translated Word
“Lord, please allow the Facebook site for Scripture links translated for Islanders to be opened. Direct many people to listen to that Word. Please speed the release of more Scripture that has already been translated. May the Word of the Lord spread rapidly and be glorified.”
Diaspora in France
Pray for open hearts and wisdom in directing conversations to share the truth from a different perspective and that islanders and North Africans would clearly understand.
Pray for opportunities to share clearly when going “fishing”, that these interactions would be times of speaking spiritual truths and proclamation of the Gospel.
Moving to Mangasta
Please ask that the Christian family who wants to move to Mangasta to be a witness there will be able to make this move soon and they will have good support from the body of Christ as they will be the only evangelical Christians amongst an almost 100% Muslim community. May the LORD bless them and keep them and make His face to shine upon them and give them peace.
Gospel seed sown widely
The Good News continues to be shared broadly in O-land. Pray that many O will respond and a Disciple making movement will begin in 2019! Pray for boldness, wisdom, encouragement and joy for all of the outreach team in the midst of many challenges.
Samburu Men
Last Saturday morning ten Samburu men participated in a meeting under a tree in Ltepes. They agreed that they want to meet regularly on Saturday mornings to learn more about God from the Bible. It was a good beginning. Praise the Lord! Continue to pray that these Samburu men, and others, will come regularly to hear the words of God. Pray that God will open their hearts and give them a hunger to know Jesus.
We have been praying for two years, that five Samburu men would follow Jesus. We are excited that these Samburu men want to know more about God! Thanks for your prayers. He hears and answers in His time.
