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!

The Lord is good

After 15 years of faithful labor among the Lopit in Iboni, the Lopit believers have cleared a spot under a shade-tree to be used for worship – the first church plot in Iboni! This is a great encouragement to Robert and Carole, who long to see Lopit believers become a faithful and fruitful church. Pray that these believers will “grow up in [their] salvation, now that [they] have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

Needing healing

Please pray for Mzee A., a local witch doctor, who has reached out to the missionaries with some health concerns. Pray that he would realize his own darkness and see the light of Christ through the missionaries. Pray God will heal him physically and spiritually!

Many opportunities

Diaspora in Brazil: Pedro and Benvinda have had many opportunities to reach out to African immigrants in Toledo through an NGO. Praise God for many contacts that seem so open and ready for relationship. Pray for wisdom and words of life in these conversations.

I will go to Heaven!

Every Saturday a group of boys is eager to come for chai, games, and Bible stories. Last week I asked the question, ‘Who is ready to go to heaven if we die today?’ One boy said, ‘I will go to heaven…because of the grace of God.’ Yes! However, another boy answered, ‘I will go to hell because I am a sinner.’ I turned now to our memory verse from Romans 5:7: ‘But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ With this focus on the gospel and our wonderful Savior, the second boy was able to joyfully declare, ‘I will go to heaven!’” Pray that these young boys will fully surrender their lives to Jesus and place their faith in Him alone.

MBBs

Pray for A** (a MBB) who is being discipled by a colleague. She is very passionate about God’s Word. Pray that God will continue to work in her heart as she learns the Word and applies it to her life. She is also eager to share with and bring along some of her contacts to the classes.

Pray for N** (MBB), a friend who is eager to reach out to his unbelieving friends. May God enable us to work together and start meeting individual contacts for one-on-one evangelism.

Next generation leaders needed

Pray for the next generation of leaders in the Rendille church. Current leaders have noticed a gap in leadership between those in leadership positions and the next generation of leaders in the church. Pray for the continued work to train and develop young leaders.

Audio Bible being shared

Pray for the audio Bibles being distributed. Praise God for the news that a family is still listening to the scriptures after leaving the hospital.
Pray also for two other families we shared the audio Bible with, pray they will listen and the Spirit will open their hearts.

20 churches planted!

Pray for the 474 villages visited with the Jesus Film since 2016. May God make the seeds planted flourish and produce a great harvest. At least 20 churches have been planted among the Bara. Pray that they grow in faith and don’t go back to the old cultural practices.
There are still many villages that haven’t been exposed to the Gospel. Pray that God will raise funds and partners to help our local partners to go.

Weddings

Praise the Lord with us as we will be having 4 Christian weddings this year! 2 of the couples are part of our youth program and the other two are leaders in the churches. Pray for God’s blessing on these marriages.

Pray for the youth who are taking stances in the culture for Christ.

See Lord’s provision

Pray for a new Saharawi friend who is a single mom with a child with special needs. May she see the Lord’s provision and love on their behalf and come to have a relationship with Him.

Receptive hearts

Diaspora in Wales: The women in the Tuesday English conversation class read and discuss chronological Bible stories. Most have never heard these stories before. They would like to meet for additional class time so I will be teaching Thursday classes beginning this week. We thank God for their openness. Pray for receptive hearts to the Truth.

Bible college students

Pray for Hamisi and Salim, Digo Christians studying at Shimba Hills Bible College (AIC). Pray they would grow strong in their faith and God would prepare them for fruitful ministry. The mission to plant a new church at Ng’ombeni is still in progress and our plan is to move Hamisi to this station as soon as he completes his studies in November.

Neighbors

Often, because the Mbororo are nomadic and are traveling with livestock through other peoples’ lands, the local sentiment towards them is “Keep moving – don’t settle here!” Ask the Holy Spirit to stir the hearts of believers in Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa Republic and South Sudan to see the Mbororo as their neighbors. Pray for “Good Samaritan moments,” where local believers can reach out with the love and good news of Jesus to those who they currently see as a foreign nuisance or even as enemies.

Retreats

Diaspora in Quebec: Praise for the fun weekend and lots of great gospel conversations during the men’s Algerian retreat. Please pray that God’s grace and truth would penetrate their hearts and that this desire to know more would result in a spring weekly Bible discussion. Those who were particularly interested are (names slightly altered): Chari, Hamil and Khalil. Pray for them.
Praise for the four Muslim women planning to come on a retreat this weekend May 10-12. Please pray that God would open up gospel discussions, and for boldness for us Christian women. Please pray for God’s peace and truth to penetrate their hearts. That their fears of the Bible and of the true Jesus would be transformed into a love and desire to know more. Please pray for their salvation.

Become followers

Pray for the Antandroy children who are coming to the children ministry in Betroka. (In 2016 many Antandroy families moved to Baraland.) May God open the hearts of these children and their families and may they become followers of Christ.

Support group

A monthly support group for families with autism has been initiated by some members of the local church here in Mandritsara. It was precious to be a part of that today, to witness God’s word being shared, to see people praying together, and receiving unconditional love and acceptance. Please pray that these families would know and experience God’s love through this time together, and share that with others in their community.

Vulnerable women

Diaspora in UK: Pray for the vulnerable international women that we have met. I cannot mention any details of these situations even by alias name due to the danger it could bring to these women and those who know who assist them. Pray in their distress they would cry out to God and He would hear them and answer them.

New groups

We want to start a Bible study group with women but it has been difficult to organize- there is always a “problem”. Pray for a breakthrough in finding a good time and for people to commit to coming.
We also want to share once a month the good news with our neighbours through a Sunday morning brunch. Pray people would come.