Ladies from the neighborhood congregated at the home of the newborn baby. Conversation swung from how to deal with disobedient growing children to the fires in Israel. Self-righteousness fought with helplessness. One declared with tones of satisfaction that the fire was God’s judgment on Israel for their treatment of Palestine. Another pled with humility for advice to simply get her daughter to obey. Each listened as believers spoke of the root issue always being sin, of God’s love for each nation, of the need for repentance and forgiveness offered at the cross. Pray especially for “Janet” and her daughter, that each will recognize their need for personal repentance and that they would receive the gift of life that they have heard of for years.
multiplying the workers
Pray for two men to be trained in Bible storying who will then go to their villages and share the stories. Pray for God to prepare good soil for the seed and that many would believe!
Turning to the Truth
At a recent seminar, one returning attendee brought a friend. The returning man has something in him that makes him really thirst for the truth, but doesn’t seem able to take the leap to actually GIVE his life to Christ and change. The new friend has studied the Quran and it seems he really “heard” well during the seminar. Please ask that both of these men would find that their hearts understand and are willing to follow Jesus, and that they would be a light where they are.
They Just Couldn’t Wait
After a second session in which they heard the story of creation, the women in a Muslim family asked for another story sooner than planned. They find it difficult to wait a whole week for the next episode. Please pray that as their appetite for God’s Word increases, their spiritual understanding will also widen and deepen, and that when they hear how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies and was our perfect sacrifice, they will take courage and put their faith in Him. Praise God for the openness the women and children exhibit. Pray for the spiritual progress of the men in the family, too.
pray for opportunities
A team of Christians meets twice a month to pray for opportunities to share the gospel in conversations with South Asians who need Christ. So far only two of the team have had those opportunities. Please pray for each person on the team to have at least one conversation about salvation in Christ with a South Asian person in the next few weeks.
Salt Makes Us Thirsty
Mama Naa brought a gift of sea salt – beautiful, white crystalized and fresh harvested from her salt flat. Before that it was chickens. Before that it was cashews & fresh coconut milk. Before that it was tomatoes. Mama Naa has struggled and sacrificed to put her daughters and sons through school by the toil of her hands and has succeeded in doing so. She is hungry to learn all that she can about farming better. She is a light in this community. E had a long visit with Mama Naa on Sunday with talk of the adoption of our children which led into E sharing about being adopted by our Father God and how she can call him Father and speak with him face to face because of her adoption as his daughter because of the Saviour-Son, Jesus. Mama Naa was stunned and intrigued. Pray for more talks. Pray we would be the salt of Christ making our neighbors thirsty for His salvation.
Opposition and Opportunities among the O of East Africa
God’s Word continues to be “sown” broadly through now 3 memory card players out in the communities, and much personal sharing and testifying to the Gospel. Many will listen openly, many oppose even listening. Pray that God’s Word will go forward with Power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
A Special Graduation
The first Christian school in a village recently graduated its first kindergarten class. Pray for the Muslims who attended, that they will ponder what they heard and saw and seek our believers to understand more.
Jesus Through a Child’s Eyes
One day I saw a tiny little girl in my neighborhood who I had never seen before. She was about a year old, just the age that it would be totally normal for her to be terrified of me and my white skin. But when I sat down near to where she was standing with her brother, she looked right into my eyes and came running at me as fast as her legs would carry her and she fell into my lap and stared up into my eyes for the longest time, smiling. Ever since that day she’s had the same reaction each time she sees me. When she hears my front door opening or hears my voice, she comes running. These days she’s getting a little faster. She continues to stare into my eyes and giggle. I feel so confident that it’s not me she’s looking at, but the One who lives inside of me.
I have been told that based on things I said when I was a baby, I was able to see Jesus and knew Him. I can’t remember those days in my life and I wish I could, but I can look at this little girl and feel confident that whatever it was I saw all those years ago, she’s now able to see in me. Through all my flaws and persistent sin and inability to speak her language fluently, she’s seeing the Spirit that even this broken temple I walk around in can’t dim for a child’s untainted eyes and pure heart.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” The children in our people group will be hindered from coming to Him in many ways, from false teaching and indoctrination, to growing up with a deep fear of even considering the thought of following Him. Pray that these chains would be broken and they would have the freedom to seek Him out. Pray He would break into their lives in creative ways and help them to recognize His Spirit in their own homes and neighborhoods. Pray that the things they are being taught would not settle into their hearts as truth, but instead that they would hear what is True from others who would be sent to them. Pray for those who are sent to be welcomed to speak stories from God’s Word.
The Prayers of a New Believer
The young South Asian girl who hopes to attend Bible school was very encouraged last week when a group of short-term Australian missionaries came to her church in Kenya. They gave her a donation and encouraged her not to give up hope. Please pray for the Lord to encourage this young believer that her prayers are being answered by a loving Father who is generous and kind. Pray that as she walks through the process of being called into ministry, she will learn how to ask people for prayer and declare her faith in Jesus boldly to those extended family members who she thinks will be shocked by her desire to study the Bible. Praise the Lord that her immediate family are all believers and strongly supported by their new church family.
Released!
The young man who was being tortured for his faith in a psychiatric prison has been released. But he is struggling mentally. Please pray the Lord heals him.
THE WORK FOR CHRIST IS NOT IN VAIN: THE HOPE WINS
“…the people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the shadow of death, the light has shone…” (Isaiah 9:2)
A witchdoctor converted to Jesus Christ a few weeks ago in one of the Bara villages! Many of the Bara people, and the Malasos (thieves whom we are praying for conversion), saw the transformation that took place in this witchdoctor’s life and also gave their lives to Jesus Christ. At least 140 Bara were baptized!
God is working. The harvest is plentiful. Lift up your eyes.
Could you please pray and praise the name of the Lord? He hasn’t stopped working, and HE WILL accomplish his mission. Blessed be the Name of The Lord.
From the Koran to the Bible
Pray for a young woman who hopes to attend Bible school. Two years ago her family came to Christ out of Islam. No longer does she study the Koran. Pray for the Lord to encourage her faith by providing what she needs and opening the doors for her to study God’s Word.
Sorrow upon sorrow
“Faith” sat with tears at our table again. She was on her way to the dentist and had her phone stolen; then she got a call from her husband’s employer that her husband was taken by the militia. He had been kidnapped in the past for a paltry ransom; this time he was suspected of being a terrorist and held for two days. No money was required. Her brother had an argument with her father and left for Italy on the boat, illegally. She apologized for her tears and said, “Praise God. In all things we praise God.” Please ask Jesus to reveal to her who it is that she is fighting to praise! He is the living water that satisfies! Years ago now, we read John 4 together. She has the Word in her home, but does not know to turn to Jesus there. We receive these sorrows in surrender, begging that they will bring her to her knees before Jesus.
Needed: A Man After God’s Own Heart
A group of MBBs (Muslim background believers) have been meeting for about a year, growing together without formal church leadership or involvement. The national church wants to send a pastor to them… please pray about this. There is concern that a person will be sent to them who is not sensitive to the MBB situation and who will actually discourage growth and force conformity to unfamiliar forms and practices. Please pray that the Lord would provide a pastor with a heart like His own, one who understands and loves MBBs and who will be a great asset to them in their spiritual growth.
Trained Pastors needed for the Ik
Although there are 4 churches planted along the Ik ridge, there are no trained pastors to lead them. On some Sundays, the small churches are filled to capacity, and other Sundays, only children show up. Despite the lack of trained leadership, those who come to the service still spend time in worship, praise, and prayer, even if only children are there. If there is a sermon, it is usually preached in Icetod, but many times the scripture, prayers, and songs are in other languages such as English, Karamajong, or Swahili, and most of the people in attendance don’t fully understand (or understand at all) what they are saying or singing. Pray that the Lord raises up leaders among the Ik who desire to be trained as pastors or leaders in the churches. And pray that God fills the churches with people who desire to know more about who Jesus is and what he has done for them, that they desire to turn from their sin and to the one true God.
Crossing Cultures for Jesus
Pray that the local churches in the Ndengereko villages are convicted and equipped to speak boldly about their faith to their Muslim neighbors who are the local Ndengereko people. The churches are filled with people from other tribes, that have been sent to work in those places. We pray that they would see the Great Commission is for them. We pray that the Ndengereko believers would also have the courage to stand boldly, publicly acknowledging faith in Christ as their Savior.
Sowing Seeds
Pray for Nyamwezi farmers as planting season begins now. The first rains have come, a reason to give praise back to the Lord of the Harvest! Nyamwezi people are largely agriculturalists, so every able bodied person takes to the fields now to plant. Some lack seed to plant as yields from last year were short and all of the harvest crop was used to feed their families. Other seeds were destroyed by weavels or worms. Now people must find ways to purchase still viable seed in the market as well as hoes. During this season, pray for spirtual seed as it is sowed in many ways throughout the Tabora Region. Pray for the ground to be fertile where spiritual seeds are sown. Pray that spiritual seeds will take root.
Can you tell me what you believe about Jesus?
“Naiomi” has just been invited to come to our home this Saturday (Dec 3). Pray that she will have the courage to come and that embers of her interest in Jesus would be blown by His Spirit into full light! When we met unexpectedly a week and a half ago as our children played at the park, she told me that she was curious by nature and that she had read some of the New Testament and prophets online and had watched the Jesus film too. She specifically asked, “Can you tell me what you believe about Jesus? Do you have an Arabic NT that I could see and read?” I told her that I did and asked if she would like to read it together and she said that she would! She is free only Fridays and Saturdays, so please pray that she would not be kept from studying the Word of Jesus!
tortured for his faith
Please pray for a young man who was arrested a second time because he is a believer. They are holding him in a psychiatric prison and torturing him to make him recant. Please pray he would know God’s presence and sufficient grace to endure and that God would rebuke his captors.
Any news would be good news
The Kachipo are on our hearts and in our prayers, but so little information is getting through to us for prayer updates. The Lord knows them and loves them. Pray He would send laborers into this harvest field.
Sin and shame
A few weeks ago, she sat with me looking through my daughter’s wedding pictures and told me, “I would never let my sons marry someone who is not a Berber or someone who is not fair-skinned.” We spoke of marriage as a covenant before God, about the importance of the heart vs. outward appearance, about loving as Christ loves his church but she just shook her head. Then this last week as we sat together, she told me that her son had married secretly – a darker-skinned Arab who cannot read or write, and who is not respectful. She had found out about the marriage a week before her first grandson was born. The new daughter-in-law and baby were being sent away the day I arrived for tea. There was such hurt in every face. Pray that in these prejudices and disrespect, each would feel the weight of their sin. Pray that they would see the beauty of grace and call on the Name of Jesus. Ask for the miracle of healing through repentance.
An Evangelist’s Wife and Daughter
A Tanzanian evangelist’s wife will return to the M after a year away. Pray for a warm welcome back from her friends in the community and that she will have many opportunities to share her faith. Pray for the Lord to provide a good education for their young daughter who does not have a very good school to attend in the village. Pray that the evangelist and his wife will have all their needs provided and will see many people come to faith in Christ through their witness. Ask the Lord to build His church among the M.
It’s abuzz!
The Laarim villages where missionaries live and minister are all abuzz as the new missionary team return from ABO and resettle. Pray the excitement would continue and that people would be curious to know the reason for the hope they have and their motivation to leave home and live among them.The joy of a few new believers is such a great encouragement to them all, words are difficult to describe the wonder of the grace of our God we hold so dear. Please pray especially for the new believers; but also for the new team members as culture shock and sickness take their toll.
Praying for hearts of gratitude
Isaiah 51:3 -The Lord will comfort Israel again and have pity on her ruins. Her desert will blossom like Eden, her barren wilderness like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found there. Songs of thanksgiving will fill the air.
Please join me in praying that as God’s Word takes root in the lives of those He calls in Karamoja, that a spirit of thankfulness will permeate this region and change it’s spiritual makeup to have thanksgiving to God and as a foundation gratitude for His mercy.
Families to come
Praise God for a recent wife of a persecuted believer also receiving Jesus’ gift! Pray that M & H will stand firm together against all the schemes of the enemy, and that the persecutions bound to come will strengthen their relationship with Jesus. May they grow in their faith and knowledge, and also teach their children the truths of God’s grace through Jesus!
Cattle raiding
As the start of the dry season is upon us, please pray that the constant raiding and killing would stop, and not increase as it usually does at this time of the year. Pray that the gospel would penetrate deeply into hearts to change the Toposa from the inside out.
A Worshipping Widow Begs for Healing
Pray for the believers who are being ignored or are facing opposition from their own people because of their faith in Jesus Christ. Recently, a widow that was an Ayanna worshipper (a spirit of darkness) confessed Jesus as her only Savior and Love of her life. She has eye problems and is constantly praying for Jesus’ healing. Some of her neighbors have said to her: “Stop praying to this God. Jesus is not able to heal you; turn back to Ayanna.” Her answer is always the same… “I believe Jesus is able!” Pray for this lady and for many other believers who are being pushed to leave their faith in Christ. May the Holy Spirit strengthen their faith and may God reveal Himself miraculously among them, so others might declare that there is no one else but Jesus. Pray for the healing of people’s bodies and souls.
End of season woes
This has not been a good rainy season for majority of the country, and this area is no exception. The dry season seems to have arrived way too soon for most. Please pray that those who are able to harvest at this time, are able to store enough to last the given time before the next rains arrive to grow more crops. But above all, may we constantly pray that the gospel would continue to reach the Nyang’atom people in spirit and truth.
A Grandmother Asks For Prayer
On the way home from a prayer walk, E was invited in to pray for an elderly sick Bibi (grandmother) we know. Bibi Chai enthusiastically responded as E prayed in the Savior’s name for His healing comfort over her. But Bibi doesn’t know the Savior yet. E offered to come share the Story of God with Bibi as she rests in bed. Pray the family would agree to have her come and share.
Lopit is ‘Abuna’
‘All is well’ in the Lopit region, as the title indicates. Bible studies are well underway among the men folk in a few villages around the Iboni area, we praise God for this news as these men eagerly await their study time each week. Relationships are being built and built up, again we just praise God for this happening – its all about HIM!!! Pray and praise our Almighty God!
Dorobo leaders prayer conference
Twenty-four Dorobo pastors and church leaders came to Naivasha for a three day prayer conference from October 3-6. Since some of them had moved to other church denominations, we hadn’t seen some of them for years. They all came together with one accord and we had two full afternoons of prayer as well as teaching each morning on the challenges of church leadership, taught by Pastor Godfrey Ng’ang’a of the AIC Naivasha. We gathered a lot of information on the growth in the different areas where we had started preaching points back in the 1990s. In some areas, more than 50% of the Dorobo are believers and attending church! Other places the growth has been slower, but even there most areas have at least 10% who are believers and attend church. All of them said the seed had been planted in the 1990s. I was amazed and humbled. At the retreat we planned a number of church visits to encourage the pastors and believers, and we will show the Jesus film at a number of these churches as part of our visits. The pastors asked prayers especially for the older men in many villages who are still bound to their old ways of heavy drinking. Pray also for the planning of another prayer conference, scheduled for mid-March 2017.
Step up
The Lokwa continue to struggle with little communication coming from the area. The church leaders seem to have stepped up and run the church with no pastor. Please pray for the people to not only remain rooted and abiding in Christ, but reaching out to others with the message of salvation.
Finding the true path to God
Pray for the four new believers to grow in their understanding of the scriptures and have courage to share what they’ve experienced with others. Pray their families would believe. Pray for those who are listening to the scriptures to believe. The chief recently shared that he had prayed and asked God to show him the true path. That night he had a dream and God showed him the way of Jesus was the true path to God. Pray that many more would have similar dreams!
Excitement in Nagishot
Ask God to open doors for fruitful ministry among the Didinga. This past weekend saw the long anticipated missionaries arriving in Nagishot, after a period of not having any on the ground for over a year. Pray the people would not only welcome them, help them settle and learn language, but be open to hearing the good news they bring. The new arrivals are working with a young pastor. Pray for unity and great team work.
Building
Praise the Lord the Tanala elders of the area have welcomed the idea of the Hoffman family coming to live in their midst to share the gospel. Pray for the Lord to prepare hearts to hear and believe the good news of God’s salvation. Pray for the Hoffmans as they begin building their new house in the Tanala area. Pray for the logistics- building materials like cement and tin are hard to get and the roads are treacherous in the rainy season.
The Church as a Light in a Muslim community
Pray for the church in Ruaruke. The Lord continues to bless them with marriages, births, a working well, and community projects starting up. Pray that they would be a light and that they would use these blessings to bless their neighbors.
Grace to believe
“Samuel” is a quiet thoughtful man. He comes with a group of young men to talk with my husband about what he believes about Jesus. He is disillusioned with Islam and would not really call himself a Muslim, but he doesn’t align himself with any other religion either. Sometimes he asks to talk one-on-one, with more serious questions that he doesn’t want the others to hear. Pray that he would surrender to Jesus, that he would not be drawn into philosophy for philosophy’s sake, but that he would receive the simple gift of child-like faith and believe.
Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
Please pray for those Alagwa who are living in fear of the consequences of following Jesus. Please pray that they would know the love of God which casts out fear. Please pray that their eyes would be opened to know that Jesus is worth the cost of being rejected by family and community. Ask Jesus to give them courage.
What Does Jesus Mean To You?
Praise God for the eleven leaders in a mosque and others who viewed the Jesus Film! Pray that they would respond to the call of Jesus, as Lord and Savior. Pray they would desire further conversations about Christ. One man stood afterwards and said, “I am 83 years old and have never heard this story. Thank you for sharing it with us.” Ask God for a hunger and thirst for the truth and for the atmosphere of openess to continue.
