Diaspora in Oregon: Pray for opportunities to go deeper with our Muslim friends over the upcoming weeks as we celebrate the holidays together.
Church leadership meeting
We praise God that the church is growing. Last week the church leadership from 6 villages gathered to meet together. This time the wives were invited as well as active members. Even some years ago this meeting wouldn’t have happened due to tensions between villages, so we praise God for the peace. It was incredible to have them share their joys and challenges. In one of the meetings the topic was finances and how men and women should help each other in the home. It included discussions on questions like, “How can you call people to come work in your garden without giving them alcohol?” Main biblical principles were shared with really good discussion on how to apply them practically. Pray that this type of meeting will continue.
Opportunities for fun and fellowship
Diaspora in Washington DC: Praise God for fun and abundant Thanksgiving celebrations! May He provide additional abundant opportunities for fun and fellowship in His name throughout December.
Praise God for a new sister in Christ! May God grant her steady full-time work so that she can develop financial stability and independence. May she continue to grow in her faith, and have friends who will continue to build her up in the body of believers!
Christmas outreach
As Christmas approaches our church is practicing for the outreach meeting that we usually have on the wide-open public space next to the barge. The pastor will apply to the local municipality to have permission to do this, and they will allocate a day on which this place is available, as other events are also held in this area. Pray together with us that the hearts of those getting off the barge and others walking around the area will be touched by what they see and hear.
Turn to the Father
Each of the followers on Vanilla Island has something they are going through or dealing with. Rachel’s phone got run over by a taxi last month leaving her without the ability to communicate easily and without access to the digital Islands Scripture App. Others are looking for steady work to provide for their families. All are feeling the economic impact of living in this country. Many are wondering how best to parent their children in this culture. When these burdens threaten to overwhelm them, pray they turn to the Father who is able to supply all their needs. Pray for wisdom for us too in how and when to help.
Christmas bags
Diaspora in Michigan: Pray for our Conversation Café Christmas party on Dec.19 to be effective in being hospitable as well as clearly sharing the Biblical version of Christmas.
Pray for the 78 Christmas bags that are going out to homes this month. May those delivering them be emboldened to proclaim the gospel. May the truth of the Christmas story that we leave them with make an impact in their lives.
God’s revelation
Pray for A- M (a Qur’anic teacher) and the others around him.
We had a wonderful time with Mit’, and we gave him the audio Bible. We talked to him about many challenging questions. It was a good time, and we learned many things. He was challenged by our conversation. Pray for God’s revelation to him.
We also have many contacts with people through visiting at the hospital. We shared the gospel, and gave the Bible to some people, including M- A, Eb’, A- A.
Our wives also have contacts. One woman’s name is Mari’, she is living in the village, and she is very sick and possessed by a demonic spirit. Pray for her deliverance and freedom.
Pray for Ana’ and Sak’. They are currently listening to the audio Bible, and have had a good response. Pray also for Fat’.
Please pray for God’s revelation to all of our contacts.
Christmas camp
Diaspora in France: Pray for the 5-day Christmas camp that will take place from December 21 to 26. Pray that the atmosphere will be family-friendly, that the Gospel will be preached powerfully, that God will protect us on the roads, that God will provide for all the expenses for this camp and good weather, and that during the camp friendships will develop between students of different nationalities. More than twenty non-believer students from different religious backgrounds are registered for camp.
Growing in faith
My teammate and I shared the Jesus film at one of my Bible Study locations and spent the night there. We are praising the Lord for the believers who are participating in the Bible studies and growing in their faith and love for the Lord. Pray for them.
We are praising the Lord that a young lady has accepted Christ this month and has been attending Church. Pray for her.
Christmas activities
Diaspora in California: Pray for the Christmas activities with international students. One student from N. Africa has been very involved and interested in spiritual conversations. She has attended church with one of our volunteers but she will be finishing her semester in the US mid-December. Pray the seeds that have been planted will bear fruit Whatever we do, may all the students come to know God’s grace and salvation.
Persecuted church
We pray for the persecuted church, that God would remove fear and strengthen his children. May those imprisoned wake knowing God is with them and they are free and redeemed. May they have no shame. May those outside of prison as they remember those in chains “become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.”
Philippians 1:14
Podcast
Diaspora in France: After many months of hard work, our team’s first podcast has been launched! This podcast interviews Christian, current and former international university students from around the world who share their joys, struggles, and lessons-learned while being outsiders in foreign countries. This project is a multilingual with various episodes recorded in English, French, and Spanish. The first interviewee is a Congolese international student who moved to Kenya to attend Moffat Seminary, and now has moved to the Netherlands for further studies. Pray God will use these testimonies to reach some of the 7 million worldwide international students who are surely experiencing similar hardships but enduring them without the love, guidance, and comfort of the One who made them!
Transition
Praise for a successful youth camp. 180 youth came, 80% of whom are Muslims! Pray for faithful follow through of commitments.
As we prepare for our new roles in the city, pray for a smooth transition of leadership for our trainings and camps and that the work will continue.
Pray for the Board taking over, for unity of purpose and vision.
Pray for continued growth among the Believers.
Class party
Diaspora in Georgia: Pray for our ESL Christmas Party on December 13. We want to give students a clear hearing of what Jesus has done for them.
Pray for a showing of the Gospel of John film on December 17 that students will respond with faith in Jesus.
Christmas plans
Pray for Samson as he continues the outreach to the Karana. Pray for inspiration, Gospel opportunities and boldness as planning for the Christmas evangelism among the Karana in Mahajanga takes place.
Pray for churches in Mahajanga to reach out to the Karana.
English conversation cafe
Diaspora in Scotland: Pray for H & S as I continue to meet with them weekly. Pray for spiritual conversations to open.
Pray for the English conversation cafe as we talk about the meaning of Christmas this week.
Stay the course
Please pray for N, who continues to express serious desire to follow Jesus. Pray he would stay the course, and that Jesus would encounter him in a way that would seal N’s heart for Himself.
Share hope and truth
Diaspora in Oregon: Our team plans to share the hope and truth of Christmas at each of these gatherings. Pray for conversations with those who don’t yet know Jesus.
- Afghan ladies tea gathering will be Dec 10
- Baraka English classes Christmas celebration will be Dec 18
- Baraka Workforce celebration will likely be Dec 17
- Baraka Prayer Gathering will be Dec 21
Tougourt
We’re praying for the UPGs of Algeria. Today pray for the Tougourt Amazigh to become God’s people through faith in Jesus Christ.
Ask the Lord to send laborers into the harvest among the Tougourt.
Pray that the Tougourt will encounter Jesus in dreams and visions, and the entire people will move to Christ.
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
Isaiah 49:15-16
Lament for the Tougourt and ask the Lord how long before He remembers them. Ask Him to remember them and bring them to faith in His Son Jesus.
Gifts and parties
Diaspora in Florida: Pray for us this week as we help pack 400 boxes for Internationals and deliver them in the next few weeks. We are praying for good conversations with our Moroccan, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian friends through the giving of these boxes.
Pray for 3 upcoming Christmas parties- for people to come with open hearts to the Christmas story.
Praise for 3 Chinese young men who have committed their lives to Christ in the course of a month and a half. Pray for them as they are all back home now.
Pray for the transformation of the heart of my friend.
Pray that God will transform the heart of my friend who regularly walks with me. Pray that our spiritual conversations will draw him closer to see and know the Saviour. We plan to continue meeting on other sports platforms.
Christmas message
Diaspora in Wales: Pray that the Christmas message to be shared on Dec 8th & 9th in the English and Sewing classes will stir the hearts of those who attend. Pray for good follow up discussions.
Pray for Harvest
Pray for Harvest- Physically and Spiritually! Thankful that the rains began mid-November, ushering in the one planting season of the year! Those who are living on farm land are engaged in tilling the land and planting, in need of providing their sustenance for the year. Pray for a good harvest, acknowledging the Father God Almighty’s role as the source of growth, and trusting His promises for seedtime and harvest. Pray for favorable weather, deep roots for plants, and blessings on the work of the farmer’s hands, surrendering the outcome to God.
Christmas party
Diaspora in Finland: Pray for our Christmas Party/celebration on December 7th.
Pray for all the preparations and plans come together and that many of the non-Christians we are around would come, and that the Holy Spirit would open their hearts.
We plan to share how many of the prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus.
Meet together
We filmed a new video on Saturday. Thank God, everything went well. Thanks to this filming, Christians from the island were able to meet for the first time. Let’s pray for them to want to meet regularly and that house groups may develop throughout the island. And from that fellowship the Christians of i4 may feel emboldened to share their faith.
Talking about Christmas
Diaspora in Scotland: Pray for the school English conversation club – last week the students asked me what my religion was. I’m hoping to build on that conversation in the next few weeks especially as we talk about Christmas.
Students
Pray for H, with whom we discussed the story of the woman at the well in detail. Pray for God to bring understanding and revelation.
The Character Class has wrapped up. Please continue praying for these students. Each week, they studied a new story or passage of Scripture that revealed God’s character and reminded them of their need for a Savior. Pray they would seek Him.
Clearly share
Diaspora in Calgary: There are many people, from the New Canadian Hub, from our church and from the community, that we have been connecting with recently. We are having our final small group of the year Dec 6. Please pray that God would bring those He wants to come, that the Gospel would be clearly shared as we discuss Christmas.
Protests planned Dec 9th
Pray for the upcoming Independence Day in Tanzania on December 9th. After the unrest that followed the presidential elections in October, there are more demonstrations and protests planned on December 9th. There will likely be internet blackouts, travel restrictions, and food shortages. Pray for the Rangi people and people all over Tanzania during this challenging time.
Christmas outreach
Diaspora in Germany: Pray for our Christmas Outreach Gathering Dec 6 from 3 to 6p, where we expect around 55–60 migrants from the city and church people. Pray that the atmosphere will be filled with peace, joy, and the presence of Christ. Pray for spirit-led conversations throughout the event, and that God will lead us to men and women of peace who are open to the Gospel and whom He is preparing to hear Good News.
Reaching deeper than ever before
Pray that the pastors of the more traditional churches wlll have the courage to work together with the ‘competing’ churches.
As we are reaching deeper in the area than ever before, the darkness in those areas is severe. Pray that the Lord will keep the witchdoctors and spiritual world away. Both are constantly interfering with evangelising attempts.
Pray that the logistical issues of spreading the translation, and with it the Gospel, will not be too difficult.
Open Her Eyes
Keep praying for the Saharawi woman who received a Bible from a worker. May she read it and have her eyes opened to the Truth.
Pray for efforts to mobilize the Spanish church so they can join in reaching out to Saharawi and other Muslims in their area.
MBB lady threatened
Daily interfaith debates in our city are always a men’s affair. These are organized by Somalis who are always the majority. Last week a Somali lady boldly joined and shared that she no longer belongs to the other side. She was called names and almost beaten up. We thank God she was escorted away to safety. Pray for her boldness to continue and that she will connect with other believers who will strengthen her through prayers, connections, love and fellowship.
Hunger and thirst
Praise God for more encouraging meetings with ‘Timothy’ and some of the other men – despite that the NB women continue to be hard to get together with and disciple. Pray for continued hunger and thirst for God‘s written word to be understood, and growth in their relationships with His Living Word.
Worse state
Pray for A, a believer who has returned to Islam and massive levels of demonization. She is currently non-communicative and in a worse state than she was even before coming to Jesus. Pray that this point of utter desolation and desperation would bring her decisively back to Jesus, never to leave him again.
Mrs. F
1. Pray for Mrs F’s family to receive Christ in their lives.
2. Pray for her spiritual walk and discipleship journey.
3. Pray that she will connect with another Karana believer and they will be able to encourage each
other.
New Outreach!
A Nyamwezi pastor overseeing seven churches asks prayer for an entire family of new believers at the main church he recently moved to, praise God! Also praise God for six people who are meeting for Bible study together at another church where he serves! Pray for more to be involved in regular Bible study groups. Pray for the completion of the parsonage house, and for outreach to a Nyamwezi village named “Godly”, yet has no church. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to draw those who desire to be godly to know The Way, The Truth, and The Life! Also pray for a new church plant at “Responsive” village, where believers have completed the walls, but need 25 pieces to roof it. Pray that the worshipers will not scatter as rainy season arrives. Pray for reliable and adequate fuel for transportation to the seven churches this pastor oversees.
Baptisms
As people are coming to accept Christ and desire to be baptized, our team continues to learn about how to prepare new believers well for their walk with the Lord and how to do baptisms in a Biblical and clear way. Please pray that we will have wisdom and diligence as we walk with these new brothers and sisters. Please pray for the Christians here, that they would stand firm against temptations and community strongholds that draw them away from what is true and godly.
Bible lesson
Diaspora in Finland: On Tuesdays at food giveaway program, I’ve started doing a short Bible lesson and Finnish lesson for those who come to help. Pray for the many Hindus, Buddhists, and a couple of Mslims participating with couple of Christians in the mix also.
Translation update
Praise God that boxes of the Gospel of Luke, the Book of Acts, and the story collection will be sent to Vohipeno, Ikongo and Irondro. Pray many will read these booklets and believe the message.
They are working on translation the Book of Genesis. It is a lot of work because the language used in Genesis is very different from that used in the New Testament books. He has done chapters 1 to 6, only 44 chapters to go! Please pray for strength and wisdom for him and the team.
