As always at this time of year, when the rains come, we pray for a good harvest of crops for the Sandawe people. And we continue to pray for more workers for the harvest, especially in terms of pastors and evangelists. We are excited that new churches are being planted but they need mature Believers to give leadership. Let’s give thanks that several evangelists are being trained and sent out!
Doesn’t want to be alone
One of our team members asked a village lady, “Where are you at with Jesus? Do you want to follow Him?” She answered that she wants to follow Jesus, but she doesn’t want to be alone. Pray that her entire family would come to Christ. She also said that other people will come, it will just take time and she will be sharing the good words about Jesus with her family and friends. Pray that many would hear and respond to truth.
Move Mightily
A church has been planted among the Ndengereko, and there is a great need for more. Please pray that the Lord will move mightily by the Holy Spirit to bring the Ndengereko people to faith in Christ and that each village will have a church for Ndengereko believers to attend.
A Passion for Evangelism
There are a number of Borana pastors and evangelists who have a passion to evangelize those villages where people do not yet have a local church. Please pray for the Spirit to use them mightily to bring people to Christ and foster Christ-centered churches.
Diaspora in Wisconsin
Pray for the Somali community in Barron, WI. Ask the Lord to open the hearts of many and bring seekers of truth to our WELL ministry center. May many find Christ!
Identified with Christ
Please pray for a couple who are really showing evidence of their faith in Christ in their private lives. In their public lives, they are still behaving and self identifying as Muslims. May God’s Holy Spirit give them the understanding to see that their identity is now in Christ, and the strength to let their lights shine.
Softened by a Crisis
One of our most precious S friends has been a part of all our lives for years. She has been willing to read the Word, had dreams of spiritual truth, has been prayed for by us and has prayed with us. Lately it has been a bit harder to know what she is thinking about spiritual things and we have been asking the Spirit to not give up on pursuing her heart. Her sister just died quite unexpectedly and she is broken-hearted. Please pray with us that this sudden crisis would make a way for her heart to be softened to the truth that through Jesus, death has lost its sting and hope can be found.
Hard Times
Lately, there have been many sad things happening in the Rendille town of Korr. Many deaths, illnesses, hard marriage situations and more. Tonight a momma said,” Are we being punished? Why has 2019 been so hard? When will blessing come?” Please pray for the Rendille. Pray that they cling to Jesus- our Hope. Pray that even through these hard challenges that seem to keep coming, people see Jesus. That people would turn to the church for guidance and help and that the Church would welcome them.
Salvation comes!
Praise God for the healing Z received after believers prayed for him. After being healed, he accepted the Lord! Pray for him and his father as they listen to the Word. The father has asked to be visited. Pray for his salvation as well.
Veil Removed
Please pray the veil will be taken from the Somalis’ eyes, that they will see the truth that is only in Jesus, and will be enabled to break out of the cycle of fear of losing their community.
Reading and Writing
Mama S has started coming every afternoon to learn to read & write Swahili! Not only is she learning in this way, but we have time together to pray & for me to share a Bible story with her. Praise God for providing this way for my sister to grow in her young faith and pray this would lead to her whole family’s salvation. Pray the Lord would protect, enable and equip her in all that she needs in Christ Jesus.
Pray for Peace to come
The Y of East Africa experience a lot of oppression and racism and often feel more unsafe here than in their war-torn home country, causing a lot of distress and distrust. Please ask for the Prince of Peace to come and guard and care for their hearts. May they know security in His presence.
Diaspora in USA
It has been such a joy to spend time with precious West African ladies each week in Memphis. Please pray that the Lord will continue to work in the hearts of these ladies and their families, drawing them to Himself.
Diaspora in Portland
We praise God for amazing Christmas get- togethers with friends from Libya, Iraq, Saudi, and Iran. Please pray for God to work in their hearts as we continue to engage these dear people with the Good News. May they be recalling the conversations and asking deeper questions that will draw them to our Lord.
Heavy to bear
One young woman wants to be baptized but is fearful to tell her family because they have threatened to kill her. She is new in her faith. Pray for courage, for discipleship, for deep roots of unshakable truth. She also speaks of leaving… the threats feel so heavy to bear. She is young. Ask for her to respond to Jesus call: come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.
Diaspora in Detroit
We hosted 2 Christmas events, one for Arabic refugees and another for Swahili refugees. Pray for these efforts to foster a sense of family and community between the refugees and our church volunteers to bear much fruit. Pray for interest in other events.
Asking great questions!
A woman said yesterday: ‘We believe that to get to heaven we must wear the hijab, give to the poor and speak kindly… what do you believe allows you to enter heaven? “ Later she asked, “How do you know which prophets and books are from God?” And then later, “Do we (Mus) sacrifice the sheep in the Eid to get forgiveness of sin? Why do you not sacrifice?” She then listened to Adam and Abraham’s stories… and read from 1John 4, Heb 10. Please pray that Jesus would keep stirring eternal questions in the hearts of Arabs and ask that they receive His Word, believe and follow!
Young disciple
Pray for Lookalong, a young disciple in Nagishot, that his “love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that he may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:10-11).
Needing Fellowship
An elderly S. Asian widow just became a believer in Christ out of Hinduism when she visited her family in Kenya. Now she is looking for fellowship with believers in Australia. Please pray for the Lord to connect her with Christians who speak Gujerati and that she can grow in Christ.
children’s book
For the next couple months, the island translators are working on a project to create some Bible storybooks that they can use with their children. They are working with a worker they’ve never worked with before, so pray for good communication and that the project would be a success and a good tool for helping islanders share their hope with their children.
Fierce Opposition
Recently the enemy has brought many trials and hardships to the Christians among the Digo. It is obvious there is a spiritual battle raging, and the intent of the devil is to discourage and defeat those who are trying to share the gospel and foster the church. Please pray that Jesus will win decisive victories that demonstrate His Lordship, and that as the Digo have been known for their zeal for Islam, one day they will be known even more for their zeal for Jesus.
One couple choosing Life!
The visit made by the church of southern Chadians led to leaflets with the word of God being distributed to 400 households with team members being welcomed by most. One couple decided to follow the one Saviour. Pray that they will grow in their fledgling faith. They have a new testament in local Arabic. Pray that they will understand it. The husband can read but it is not clear how well.
Diaspora in Florida
• Praise for the December Christmas party organized by an Muslim friend. We were able to clearly share the Good News. Pray that the seeds planted would bear fruit.
• Pray for a proposed get together with 10 East African Muslims and others from our community. Pray for unity and clarity for this get together.
Seeking Calm
A friend writes, “We are receiving Mbororo communities from over 700 km west of Obo who travel to Obo by foot seeking the calm and stability that the town of Obo offers. On the way some of them have lost all their cattle, and they are desperate for help of every kind.” This should provide an opening to share the Gospel. Pray that Zande believers will forget their fears of the Mbororo and reach out to them in their need with help and the gospel.
Diaspora in Portland
• Praise God for great times of talking about our faith with a Saudi neighbor and his daughter. Our granddaughter got to share the Gospel and her testimony with the 28 year old daughter. Pray for the Saudi family as they moved after Christmas. Pray they will keep searching and reading the Scriptures.
No Water
Pray for the village of Miono and surrounding areas. The water has been cut for the better part of 5 or 6 weeks. People are starting to be admitted to the hospital for lack of clean drinking water. Pray that the issue with the water pump will be resolved soon! Ask the Lord to intervene and glorify His name among the people!
Glorious departure
We spent Thursday evening visiting with Bibi H again, caring for some of her needs, making her more comfortable, and praying for and encouraging her in the hope of Heaven in Jesus. We knew her time was near. Bibi H passed away the next morning and became the very first Christian ever allowed to be buried in our village! I shared with her neighbor ladies as we washed and shrouded her body for burial and then I prayed over her again thanking God for her life & the hope of heaven and assurance of salvation we have in Christ Jesus. Her funeral was attended by the few Christians in our area and a surprisingly large number of Muslim neighbors. It was a peaceful witness of Jesus Christ as the church came together to honor her life and share the Gospel she had put her hope in. We can’t count how many heard the gospel that day and witnessed the Body of Christ lived out amongst them. I do know Bibi H had no idea how beautifully & broadly the Gospel would be shared through her death. She was probably the most insignificant weak powerless woman in our village and yet God chose her to make glorious history & share the gospel with more than ever before here! Praise Be To God!
Believers leaving
Four believers (who came to Jesus in mid-2017) have left the country. Another family (husband and wife both believers) with five kids plans to leave soon. Most are leaving because of economic chaos here. This is a large percentage of the believers in the city and leaves such holes of loneliness. Ask that none would fear, that each would love Jesus above all, that each would hear and obey the voice of the Shepherd and that He would increase their love for each other.
The Outreach Visit Went Very Well
We met with a group of Okiek elders just outside Cengalo Forest. There are several Christians there. The Okiek elders presented many needs and asked for help in educating their children and advocating for their right to move back into the forest, their ancestral homeland. We prayed with them and agreed to sponsor a young Okiek man with a call to pastoral ministry. On Mt Elgon we visited two villages. Each village has a church and a school and we met one young Okiek pastor. We prayed with him and are praying for wisdom on how best to encourage these Okiek people.
Trusting their Heavenly Father
In the past year two sons of a powerful village elder have become baptized believers. Their father is trying to use scare tactics about their inheritance to control them. He has summoned them to court tomorrow. Please pray that they will trust their Heavenly Father, and his Holy Spirit will continue to remind them of his love that doesn’t control us through fear.
Diaspora in Detroit
We have many opportunities to interact with people as they come to our homes. We desire to study the Bible with our friends in our homes, at the church, or in their homes. Ask God to work in the hearts of our friends to join us in Bible study.
Listening, Considering
Recently a group of nomads have watched the Jesus Film and have been listening to the audio Bible. They have also gotten some health care from the missionaries. Pray that they will be moved by the Holy Spirit and understand that Jesus is the Son of God and turn their lives to Him.
Sufficient courage
Continue to pray that each new believer “will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in [their] bod[ies], whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:20
Ask that love would overcome fear and because of the same “spirit of faith” each would “believe and therefore speak.”
2 Cor 4:13
A way forward
It has continued to be very tough for Cal in the village – he says he has no fear, but he does everything to keep his faith hidden. He did not speak up to his father to tell him he didn’t agree to marrying this Muslim girl who they’ve formally tied the knot with. In fact when the knot was tied – he did what they demanded, and bowed before the two fathers in the ritual prayers to prove himself a Muslim. Cal said he felt a great darkness come over him– but he has confessed and repented from that. It looked like the wedding was going to be in January. We just kept praying. Suddenly the girl’s father said she was too young and wasn’t yet ready for the wedding – so it’s postponed. Then a contact showed up from outside our tribe who has a formal technical school, and an interest in discipling young believers. A miraculous scholarship showed up for Cal covering about half his fees, and now both the family and all of us are thrilled that Cal is heading off for a one-two year certificate or degree in tailoring at this technical school and under the intentional discipleship of this pastor. Pray that Cal will grow strong and deep in his faith and relationship with Jesus, and that God will orchestrate Cal’s future to be a strong testimony of his grace and salvation
Remarkable
We have witnessed a remarkable amount of growth from those who attended a discipleship training. They have built lasting relationships with other seminar participants and continue to stay in contact and encourage each other. Just this week they met again in a different area to learn more about preparing and sharing God’s Word. They continue to visit and do outreach in the local village where they ministered during the training seminar. We continue to praise Jesus for the mighty way he is working and continues to work to share His glory among the lost.
Pressure
Recently the church leaders told a story of the village elders visiting and threatening to close the church because the church leaders refuse to take part in cultural ceremonies which contradict their faith. We are thankful that the issue seems to have died down for now, but please pray for the church and the leaders. Pray for discernment and strength to say no and how to do this in a way which points people to Christ. Give thanks for their boldness and courage as they face these pressures on a daily basis.
Desperately Needed
Pray for rain! Many villages in Gabbra land are starting to struggle with the lack of water. Pray that through hardship people will seek for the Lord and trust that He will never forsake His children. Pray for unity and open hearts to help one another.
Getting Ready for Heaven
In visiting Sunday with elderly Bibi H, we sensed she will soon pass. I shared the gospel of hope with her again and we all sang to her a Swahili hymn. She assured us she believes and is ready to see God. Please pray that what she has confessed to us with her mouth about her faith in Jesus, she has truly believed in her heart. We want to worship with her in heaven one day! Pray the Lord would mercifully bring her home in His perfect time.
Diaspora in Canada
We had Abshir* and Fawzia* over for dinner. Abshir started pouring out his story, (*names have been changed). Even before he arrived in Canada from Djibouti Abshir had been plagued by nightmares. Terrifying dreams where he was chased by dark, faceless creatures that wielded frightening weapons.
Then one night a year ago the same dream began to unfold. But this time Jesus appeared to him with a host of soldiers. Jesus said to him, “Your enemies will not hurt you, because they cannot touch Me.” As long as Abshir stayed close to Jesus his foes were kept at bay. And from that day to this he has not had one more nightmare.
Praise God for his mercy towards Abshir. Pray he and his wife will decide to ‘stay close to Jesus’ and receive salvation!
Two Paths
H. had an interest in following Christ some months ago and then faded from asking questions or pursuing a Christian path. Recently he came to meet with one of our team members and to talk about Christ. He then came to church with our team this week and shared his testimony about how God has helped him in his business. Pray that Jesus will speak directly to H. in a way he will understand. Pray for more and more conversations about God’s plan, the Cross and the truth of the Gospel. Pray that H. and his entire family would choose to follow Christ.
