Pray for those who stand in opposition to God’s kingdom

by | Oct 5, 2016

In the past month or so there has been increased scrutiny of local believers and workers; this has mainly been instigated by religious teachers but some government officials have also been involved. Pray for these men who are seemingly so full of anger, judgement and fear. Praise God that for them too there is grace! Pray that they would encounter the God of love who wants to set them free from their chains. Pray that God would reveal to them His holiness and the depth of sin in their own hearts. Pray for radical ‘Road to Damascus’ experiences of Jesus!

Remembering God’s promise to use all things for the good of those who love Him, pray that any additional pressure the local believers feel would only serve to push them closer to Him and to one another. Pray that all believers on the island would speak and act out of love and never fear.

Knowing the Good Shepherd

by | Oct 5, 2016

Pray for believers to be bold in speaking forth the truth with those who believe that Christianity and Islam are simply two different “dhehebu” (denominations), worshipping the same God. Pray that the Nyamwezi would know God not as a distant supreme being, but as their Father who longs for a personal relationship with them, who sent His son to die for their sins, who leads us as a Shepherd. Pray for those ministering to the Nyamwezi that they would not “cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”  Acts 5:42

More, More About Jesus

by | Oct 5, 2016

Rejoice in the way Jesus is moving in Digoland! Two women who just started attending a local Digo church are eager to know more about who Jesus is! Pray their families will continue to allow them to attend church and they won’t be harassed by others.

May They Dare To Call Him Father

by | Oct 4, 2016

Recently one of my dearest friends asked me about repentance. She said, “If you repent, but you keep doing the same sin, will God forgive you? Or do you believe that if you repent and continue doing the same thing He won’t forgive you?” She explained to me that in Islam, there were some who believed that if you asked God for forgiveness and kept doing the same thing, you wouldn’t be forgiven again. But that there were others who believed you could keep doing the same thing over and over and God would always forgive you.

I asked her, “What do you believe?” She thought about it and said, “Okay, I’m NOT saying that God is like a parent or a father. I’m not saying that. No. I’m not saying that. But, God knows me better than I know myself. He created me. He knows my motivations and why I do things. So because of that, I believe that He will continue to forgive me even when I make the same mistake over and over.”

To our friends here, one of the most offensive things that we believe is that God is our Father. Clearly, this friend was scared to seem to communicate that. Generally we avoid that reference when we share with people, knowing that most of the time it is a barrier and not a bridge. I had not talked with this particular friend about that image, yet God has so clearly put it on her heart anyway. She is trying to resist the idea, yet there’s something in her that longs to be able to call Him Father.

Please pray that our people would have their hearts opened to God being their true Father. A perfect Father who can be everything their own fathers were not. Pray they would cry out to Him and not be afraid to seek that relationship with Him. Pray for those of us working with these people, to have opportunities to speak that Truth into their lives in a way that is a blessing and a source of hope.

Slaves No Longer

by | Oct 3, 2016

The M have been slaves to Islam and demonic spirits for generations. But these days more and more of them are hearing the Word of God and considering the claims of Jesus. Please pray for the gospel to be made clear to them, and that they will be set free indeed.

Men Who Would Turn the Dorobo World Upside Down

by | Oct 3, 2016

Please pray for a Dorobo pastors and leaders prayer conference being held in Naivasha from October 3-6. This will be a get together of the pastors and leaders who have come to Christ since 1994 and have been pastoring or acting as elders in churches among the Dorobo people. As we pray together, we will also be looking to see if there are any ‘regions beyond’ where churches still need to be planted. Pray for effective prayer together. Pray for a time of refreshment for these leaders. And pray for inspiration to carry on with the task of evangelizing the Dorobo people.

Three Young Men Confessed Christ

by | Oct 3, 2016

We are so thankful for how God has enabled our team and Tanzanian Christian staff to be a vivid witness here already and we feel many “doors” are open to us. Our Tanzanian Christian colleagues are actively involved in the young adult ministry of the church in the neighboring village, which is pastored by our Tanzanian farming partner. Recently, three local Muslim young men came forward in church to testify of coming to salvation in Christ through the outreach of this group. Praise God! Please pray for their spiritual growth & protection in Christ. Pray they will share with others what God has done for them.

An enthusiastic reading student

by | Sep 30, 2016

One of the Alagwa ladies we have been praying for is coming almost daily for Bible study. She is desperate to learn to read and write. So we study the Bible and pray together, and then I help her with her literacy. This is such an answer to prayer, as I was praying she would have a renewed passion to know God more. She always wants to study the Bible first, and I believe God is speaking to her. She is also sharing with one of her neighbors who is not a believer. Her husband is a believer, although he seems to be struggling with community and family pressures. Please pray for him to stand strong in his faith.

Trusting God in her poverty

by | Sep 30, 2016

Would you pray for Mama J to have the joy of the Lord, despite her desperate poverty. She seems to truly trust the Lord, pray she would tell others what the Lord has done for her. And pray that her small business would be profitable and that she would be able to keep it going.

Betroka, not far from your knees!

by | Sep 30, 2016

“… how can they believe if they don’t hear? …”

The Gospel of Luke in the Bara language is being broadcast everyday, through a small radio station in Betroka. Pray that God will attract Bara people to listen to the radio program when the Gospel is been broadcast at 18:00h. Ask God to use the broadcasts powerfully to take the gospel to further areas.

Also, the gospel of Luke is broadcast in the open market in Betroka. Many Bara, around 10 o’clock, just hang around the market. Pray that God touches their hearts in such a way that they become interested in listening to more of Jesus’ stories. Also pray that the guy who is playing the Gospel remembers to do it!

Women of faith and their husbands

by | Sep 28, 2016

In March, we asked you to pray for three ladies in one village who, having listened to the Alagwaisa Bible stories, wanted to follow Jesus. Two were concerned about their husband’s reactions, as culturally a wife should follow her husband’s religion.

Update-Praise God that these women are continuing to study the Bible and seek God. Praise God that one of them has been listening to God’s word with friends who aren’t seeking Jesus. She also lent her audio player twice to a man in her family who also really wants to hear God’s word. He kept it for so long, we gave her another one. Her face lit up as she received God’s word again. Please pray for an ever-deepening hunger for God and His word among these women and their families. Praise God that all three women are listening to God’s word with their families and friends. Please pray that they will continue to seek God for themselves and obey His Word. Please keep praying for the salvation of the husbands.

Encouragement and power

by | Sep 28, 2016

There is always a reason to be thankful and the most important is that we are not working in our ministries alone (no matter how difficult things may be) but the Holy Spirit is with us and Jesus Himself is building His church and His Kingdom. HE is always the victor and the One in control. Praise His Name for His work among the Sandawe! May the Name of Jesus be honored and lifted high among the Sandawe. May the believers walk in a way worthy of the Lord.

The Lord is my Shepherd

by | Sep 28, 2016

As we spend more time in the Datooga communities, we see the people caring for their livestock of goats, sheep and cows – taking them to find pasture, carrying the new born lamb or goat in their arms if the distance is too great for them to walk, looking out for predators, taking them to find water, searching the bushes for ones gone astray or lost; it is a reminder of David’s Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd, and also of Jesus saying He is the Good Shepherd. As the Datooga herd their animals may they come to know Jesus as their own Good Shepherd and know he cares for each of them.

Sent Out Two By Two

by | Sep 28, 2016

Two weeks ago the church in Tsimba began sending Digo men in pairs to do evangelism in a new area. Last week there were 14 professions of faith by Digo people in response to these Digo men’s message! There is still much follow-up to do, but this is a very encouraging beginning! This week two ladies from the church have gone to the same area for outreach. Pray that the individuals doing the outreach would be encouraged in their faith and that the seed which has been planted will have landed on good soil.

A Rangi Believer’s Energetic Witness

by | Sep 28, 2016

A Rangi believer visited the village of Busi Sept. 5th and showed the Rangi Jesus Film. Pray for the salvation of Aziza, Mohamed and Adinani who saw it. He continues to show the Rangi Jesus film in other Rangi villages. He drives his motorcycle and uses his motorcycle battery to power the film.

This man has gone to 2 workshops about farming God’s way. He was so blessed by the training that on Sept. 15. he sent this whatsapp: “I am happy; today I taught my first class on farming God’s way at Msalato Theological College. I will continue on Friday. This is a class of pastors. They will teach what they’ve learned wherever they go. The Lord is very gracious to us. I praise him.”

Recently he messaged: “Thank you for asking how I am doing. I am doing well but have no one for accountability.” Pray that God would give him another Christian to have fellowship with.

Pray for the village of Marimbehely

by | Sep 28, 2016

The small village of Marimbehely on Nosy Mitsio has been diligently meeting to hear Bible stories for several months now. Two members of the group have demonstrated a lot of passion for learning the stories, discussing them, sharing the stories with others, and even leading the Bible study group themselves. The TIMO team is currently away from Nosy Mitsio for “month out”, but the people of Marimbehely have said they want to continue meeting and discussing the Bible stories in the absence of the team. Please pray that the Holy Spirit’s power and conviction would hold them strong in their pledge to continue in the team’s absence, that the Holy Spirit would reveal to them the truths of God’s character and actions through the Bible stories, that any obstacles or spiritual warfare would be overcome mightily and visibly by God’s power, and that the people of Nosy Mitsio would see that Jesus is the ultimate answer to their hopes and the ultimate freedom from their fears of the ancestors.

You prayed…God answered!

by | Sep 27, 2016

You prayed: Please pray for three ladies in one village who, having listened to the Alagwaisa Bible stories, want to follow Jesus. Two are concerned about their husband’s reactions, as culturally a wife should follow her husband’s religion. They are starting to pray for their husbands. Please pray for these ladies that they will continue to pray and give their lives to Jesus wholeheartedly and continue to grow in their understanding and in faith. Please pray for the husbands, that God, by his Spirit, will open of the hearts these three men to know His love and forgiveness.

Update 9-27-16-Praise God that these women are continuing to study the Bible and seek God. Praise God that one of them has been listening to God’s word with friends who aren’t seeking Jesus. She also lent her audio player twice to a guy in her family who also really wants to hear God’s word. He kept it for so long, the woman had to be given another audio player. Her face lit up as she received God’s word again. Please pray for an ever deepening hunger for God and his word. Praise God that all three women are listening to God’s word with their families and friends. Please pray that all 3 will continue to seek God for themselves and will obey God’s word. Please keep praying for the salvation of their husbands.