Diaspora in Florida: At my request, my imam friend recently presented me with his eight strongest evidences for Islam. Pray for wisdom to respond well.
We often meet for coffee and gospel conversations and now our wives are saying they ought to be allowed to come along. Pray this would happen.
New praise songs
On Saturday we are recording some new praise songs with new singers. Pray that it is a blessing to many people and that the message is understood and causes many to seek to know the God we sing about!
Avoiding
Please pray for Bo (a believer) who is currently in Madagascar but has not
connected with Jay and Zina who used to mentor him. He seems to be avoiding them. Pray he would seek fellowship and grow in his faith.
Children’s ministry
Pray for the children’s ministry. Our desire is that these children and the other 1.000 that are regular in the Be Fitia Evangelism Program, will know Christ, through the love shared with them.
We want to love them, interact with and teach them well, and wait for the fruits.
Some will see little children, we see future disciples of Christ, pastors, evangelists, professionals that will glorify Christ among their own people.
Getting help
Praise the Lord for moving on behalf of the single mom with a child with special needs. She will soon begin receiving much needed government support. May this be a testimony to her, and another step towards knowing the One True God.
Genesis!
Pioneer Bible Translators have just published Genesis in the Nyamwezi language, the book of Mbu’ki’ (Genesis)! Pray that in reading through the book of Genesis, the Nyamwezi will know that God is a personal God, not distant, and that God has a plan to redeem the brokenness of all mankind.
Theological training
We’ve started a basic theology curriculum to help our brothers and sisters in Christ who are pastoring and ministering without any formal training. One weekend every month for ten months, a professor from IBS in Beira or one of our colleagues come and teach. We have 18 students. All our pastors and one leader from each church he oversees attend these classes! We are so pleased by their interest, response, and growth! Pray for them.
10 believed and were baptized!
Over 10 people received Christ today in Tulushi and got baptized. Praises be to God! Pray for these new believers to learn to walk with the Lord and share their faith with others.
We also had the first Christian marriage last week among the Tulushi in Western Jebel! Pray for God’s blessing on this couple.
Reading the Word
Pray for Belle and Amy as they regularly meet to read the Word with sisters. Many seeds are being sown. Pray that they will bear fruit. Pray against the schemes of the enemy to snatch away the seed.
Sacrifice
A couple of weeks ago we found ourselves walking into a situation where members of the community were offering an animal sacrifice to seek healing for someone who was sick. The pastor of the church in that community was able to share that Jesus is the one who heals, and that we don’t need to offer sacrifices any more because Jesus was the final sacrifice. Please pray that the community will find peace and freedom from fear in Christ alone, and for the man who is sick to find healing and life in Jesus.
Local high school
Please pray for a high school in the area that has just changed leadership and is now under a Catholic group. Pray that the students from the Rangi tribe and other tribes would hear the Good News of Jesus.
Going to trial
Please pray and fast with us on June 11. One of our imprisoned brothers is going to trial that day. We pray that he will have a settled heart knowing God is sovereign, God is powerful, and God loves each one. We are asking for families to be reunited and fear to be removed from the church.
If you would like to sign up for a slot to join the 24 hour prayer and fasting group, please click on the link:
https://imprisonedlibya.pray4movement.org/
Disturbed by spirits
Mama A’s daughter has been having trouble sleeping. It seems like she may be being disturbed by evil spirits. She believes in Jesus, but some in her family do not. Please pray for protection for her and salvation for her family.
Partners
Pray for the 10 Pastor Partners who are working among the Bara: Pr. Erik, Pr. Tomoeira, Pr. Fabrice, Pr. Haza, Pr. Taboly Joro, Pr. Mamdinby, Pr. Moisesy, Pr. Rakoto, Pr. Menza, Pr. Bartholomeo, Ev. Rema, Ev. Tahina ( FJKM), Pr. Mampitohy Abigael, Pr. Martin , Ev. Jean Belazaina, Ev, Joromana. All them are hard workers and need prayer for health, wisdom, provision and boldness to share Christ and live Christ.
Grace to stand
The spiritual battle continues in O-land! PTL for continuing RESPONSE! The chief local Shepherd continues being discipled and sharing with more and teaching others what he learns. Pray for protection, & that the new BMBs will not fear, will grow in knowledge, faith and understanding! Pray they will boldly declare God’s Grace to be saved and forgiven through Jesus’ work on the cross to their loved ones and neighbors. Pray that they become strong disciples, faithful in prayer and hiding God’s Word in their hearts, deep in relationship with the Lord, and in Jesus mighty power so they can stand against all the schemes and flaming arrows of our enemy the devil!
National missionaries
The National Missionary Training Center (NMTC) had a great first round. The training team came together marvelously well. Recruited from our partnership with the New Sudan Council of Churches, the first 17 national missionaries completed training in late February, and 15 were deployed by the end of March.
The first 5 out of 52 UUPGs have been engaged: Talodi Nuba, Borono, Shawabna, Talasa, and Kenen tribes.
These tribes have some contact with other people groups in this area, and the teams were able to have ‘spillover engagement’ with an additional six tribes!
Pray for blessing on these national missionaries and for many to respond to the Gospel.
Seeking
Pray that as our students study God’s word, they will see the difference between the words they study and what they know. Pray that they see God longing to have a right relationship with them and that there is nothing they can do but believe in Jesus to receive this grace.
Pray for courage and faith for Mo, who has been seeking for a while. Pray for Abdi, who has asked for a Bible, expressed frustration with his religion, and wants to know how to know God. Pray for God to open the spiritual eyes of Z and K, who are both reading scripture. Pray for Al to believe as he continues to ask deep-heart questions about who Jesus is and seeks to know more.
Scripture engagement
Diaspora in Georgia: Please pray for the salvation of some of my Muslim friends, specifically through regular Scripture engagement with me: Naya, Humor, Nama, Amy, Ali, Sue, Sara, Mia, and Anna (pseudonyms).
Youth Bible study
I have started a Bible study for about 15 youth in Pahi, some of them are believers but others are not but are interested in learning about the Bible. A number of them come from a Muslim background. Please pray for them as we discuss the Scriptures, that the Lord would draw the unbelievers to Himself and that they would put their faith in Christ and for the believers to grow and mature in Christ.
Battling addictions
Diaspora in Quebec: Praise God Adam is following Jesus! He is reading the word. Please pray for him and his wife that the Holy Spirit would guide them as they study his word. We have concerns for their current church that it is preaching some false doctrine. Pray for them as well.
Praise for Ismail, an Algerian believer, reading the Bible and attending church regularly for the first time in his life, as well as participating in a small group Bible study. Please pray for him as he battles addictions with alcohol and smoking and trying to trust God in a marriage with a non-believing wife.
Wind of the Spirit!
Pray for all the Bara Christians to be salt and light to their people. Pray for their faith and that they will live for the Glory of Jesus.
Pray for good relationships among the partners, pastors and local churches.
Pray for new believers to grow and for a revival among the Bara. May a wind of the Spirit break down all the walls of ancestor worship and syncretism, and spread salvation among the Bara!
Translator
Pray for the Tanala translator who has been sick for a while. Pray for healing, and strength to continue the translation work.
More people studying
Diaspora in Michigan: Please pray for more extended Biblical conversations and a thirst for the Word with people we meet. Pray Mr. I would follow through and have a Bible study with me. Pray for 7 people actively studying the Bible by the end of 2024.
Translation work
We’d really appreciate prayer for the Bible translation work, which is currently under spiritual attack. Some issues have arisen among the translators, who are largely non-believers, which could result in them no longer being willing to do the work. We would appreciate prayer for these translators to get a restored desire for the work, and for the work to be able to move forward.
Accusations and threats
An update on AICMD Pastor G and E, persevering through false accusations by a group of troublemakers trying force them to leave. They’ve been in Nairobi nearly 2 months. A big meeting is set up for early June. Pray that God will direct every detail – and this which was meant for evil will be turned into much good, advancing God‘s kingdom powerfully. It is because of fruit that our enemy the devil is attacking us and our team in so many ways! Pray for protection for all!
Big problems
Pray for the cholera epidemic ravaging our island (daily numbers are still around 150 new cases each day on i3). Pray for the workers on i3— the past couple weeks have included several difficult circumstances. Pray that the kingdom work would continue unabated.
The i3 believers hosted a prayer meeting on Sunday for the big problems on the islands
(cholera, economy, government, the good news to spread). Pray that their prayers would be answered!
Literacy training
Please pray for Loriang, a young Laarim believer who is very clever at memorizing Bible stories, as well as making crafts and repairing broken objects. Recently Noblesse and Kalifa, one of the mature Laarim believers, were inspired by the value of literacy for him and have begun literacy training. Natiyote is a young Laarim woman who is a believer, zealous to proclaim the gospel. She is able to read very slowly and is eager to improve her skills. Pray for these bright young believers to enhance their leadership with the powerful skill of literacy!
Youth camp
Thank the Lord for allowing the youth camp to take place! The camp was very positive! Pray for these young people, that what they have heard will impact and transform them.
Hunger for the Word
Ask that the Amazigh (Berbers) continue to hunger for the Word of God, hear the truth in a way they can understand, and receive it with faith. Pray especially that those in the mountains who do not speak Arabic, that they would hear the gospel in their language.
Break down divisions
Pray for marriages between believers. Pray against the old mindset dividing according to status and tribe. Pray the Love of JC will break down divisions and bring unity and a willingness to show honor to others.
Gospel conversations
Diaspora in Florida: I am tutoring Muslim kids. Please pray this turns into gospel conversations with the kids and their parents.
New believer
Pray for Athu’, a Digo man who gave his life to Christ in March. He is very active in attending church services. Pray he will mature in his faith and share it with others.
Witnessing the power
Diaspora in Canada: Through our resettlement ministry, our Mus* friends are witnessing the power of prayer in Jesus’ name and seeking God’s amazing guidance together. We pray that more churches in Canada will take part in this ministry, and pray for our friends to bow their knee to Jesus.
Hardened hearts
Pray for DS and H, two women our team has befriended. They are both well-educated (especially in the Quran) and have hardened hearts against Jesus. However, we have had many conversations about Jesus and the Bible with them. Pray that God would soften their hearts and give them dreams and visions about Himself.
Engaged!
Praise the Lord, we just finished an engagement through ADAPT Farming. The Longan and Logol Unengaged Unreached Muslim people groups are now engaged through Biblical farming foundation! Pray many would listen to our message and believe.
Fear of spirits
Pray that their fear of the spirits will bring the Mahafaly and Antandroy to cry out to God for salvation. Pray for the local believers (from other tribes) who work and live in the area, to be bold to share the Gospel in love and compassion.
Unstable
Diaspora in Hong Kong: Please pray for L as her emotions have not been stable. Pray for God’s mercy to be upon her and for Him to nurture the seeds He has sown in her heart.
Training Program
Some of our leaders are going to the Toposa Church Planting Literacy Program in Kapoeta. In the morning they are learning to read and write in Turkana (a tribe in Kenya that has a written Bible and very similar to Toposa). In the afternoons they train in Church Planting. In the evening they go practice church planting. 25 persons attend each session. A session consists of 3- two week classes and then they go home for a month. At home they’re required to teach 5 people what they learned.
Prayer Requests:
1. Leaders who are to be there by God’s plan will attend.
2. Safety for the team. Many Toposa leaders coming from remote locations.
3. God knits their hearts together and provides a safe place for everyone to participate.
4. ‘Iron sharpening Iron’ will be encouraging and fruitful.
5. Women will be included.
6. God’s protection for health and safety as they meet together.
7. God’s guidance for leaders needing to establish small businesses.
8. The team will hear from God and receive His love and blessings and forgiveness.
9. Next steps will be clear and there will be unity on the team.
Persecution
Pray for the brothers and sisters of the Sahel who are undergoing trials, persecution, and suffering for their faith. Pray for faith, trust, holiness and purity to be manifested in them through the testing of fire.
Pentecost
Pentecost is an important event here in Madagascar. The small group of believers on Nosy Mitsio will be hosting a goat roast with members of the local community invited. It will be an opportunity to share fellowship as well as the Gospel with many from different villages. Pray for many to hear the good news and be added to the number of believers just as in Acts Ch 2!
