Diaspora in Quebec: Please pray for the trio of Algerians who got baptized last Sunday. Pray that this would be a special marker in their life that they can go back to as they continue to face hardship for their decision to follow the Lord, and as Satan will no doubt continue to try and pull them away. Pray for their integration into our church, that they would discover more and more their vibrant roles and gifts to serve in the Lord’s kingdom.
Pray for many opportunities this coming week to share truth with people as we go walk around the community. Pray for the Spirit to lead us to seekers.
Diaspora in Scotland: Free English Classes will hopefully start on the 9th February. Later than we hoped but please pray that word would get out that we’re starting and people would come. Please especially pray for people to stay for the optional Bible study that we will run after the class.
Please pray for ancestral strongholds to be broken and the truth of Christ to reign amongst the Ndau.
Please pray for a pastor who used to live in a refugee camp in Kenya who has come back to South Sudan to share Christ with his own people. We are so grateful for him. He is wanting his wife and child to come join him. Pray that they can find a good safe way to get back and for safety. Pray that God would give them wisdom, strength and provision as they settle in here.
Pray for the many who are involved in witchcraft and sorcery. It is a very secretive part of the culture and yet an important factor in almost everyone’s life here. Pray that they would be freed from the chains of darkness and enter the Light of Christ.
Pray for Pastor Barako as he pastors his churches. Pray he would abide deeply in Jesus and His word and the Lord would fill his cup and enable to care for his flock.
Pray for the village of Bevoako. There are a few believers there and many interested in learning the Bible. Ask the Holy Spirit to confirm the truth of the gospel and draw many to Christ.
Ask the Lord to provide for and empower the evangelists and pastors reaching out to the Datooga people and for many Datooga to bow their knee to King Jesus.
Pray for the ongoing translation work. Pray for wisdom and discernment for the translators and for effective distribution of translated texts. May many read them and believe the message.
Pray for the small group of believers to be encouraged in their walk with the Lord and persevere despite hardship. Pray the Lord would build His church amongst the Ik.
Daily Bible studies continue with the men. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to open their hearts to understand the Scriptures and to be drawn to Christ.
“Pray for me also, that I may be given the right words when I begin to speak —that I may confidently make known the mystery of the gospel.” Eph 6:19
Pray for ‘Hashiri’, a lady that I have been sharing with. I feel it’s time to really challenge her. Pray for the Spirit to help and guide, and that ‘Hashiri’ would not just accept things to please me, but really wrestle with the truth and decisions she has to make.
We attended two different Christmas meetings last year. We were encouraged seeing how our Fulani brothers organized the meeting in our absence. During the meeting an old man raised a question regarding the two main religions. I was impressed by the way the followers responded to that question. Pray for a true conviction for this old man and others who took time to come. Lift up the couple laboring among them to depend on the Holy Spirit for amazing results.
Pray God will open the door for the Gospel so that people here can hear the good news. Pray for local and foreign missionaries to return to serve Usandawe, as the need is still great.
Last night we had a visit from Central police. The officers came and asked us about what we doing and interrogated the students too. We told them that we are Christians and running a church discipleship program.
They said they heard there are Somalis studying with us. One police officer was a Somali and he asked the Somalis why they were studying the Bible. They threatened to take us all to the police station. We prayed and thankfully they didn’t arrest anyone but they said they will come back again. We have 15 young people with us including 3 Somalis. We believe someone is inciting the police against us because of the MBBs that we are discipling. Please pray for God’s protection and the guidance of the Holy spirit for wisdom on how to move forward.
We are finishing a medical outreach in a village of mixed Arabs and Neem treating mentally ill and epileptics in the name of the church. While one of us sees patients (50+ preregistered!), another is spending time chatting with those who are waiting. Pray for stamina for the doctor with so many new patients and for open hearts and minds for those listening. My colleague is using film and audio as he talks with people. We pray for many seeds to be sown.
Praise Jesus for several new believers. One brother asked for prayer for his four year old son who does not speak. A few days later, he came to visit and his son said, “Cookies” and “thank you” and “here it is!” God displayed his authority and power and kindness! This brother (less than a month old) comes several times a week to pray with the other believers and brought his cousin to meet Jesus last Thursday. Rejoice and may each one listen to and obey their Lord.
It is rainy season and the Nyamwezi are busy planting their main cash crop of tobacco. Other local farmers are also engaged in planting. There is much to do to plant corn, rice, beans, cassava, peanuts, cabbage, onions, and greens. Every day the land seems to cry out to be a work day- tilling the ground, planting, and weeding. Even Christians may not intentionally pause from their gardens in order to focus on spiritual refreshment and physical rest. Pray that Christians will share God’s plan for a Sabbath rest with their Nyamwezi neighbors, disconnect from their busyness, trust God, and find renewal in fellowship and in worshiping together. May the Nyamwezi find new joy in the grace of God to enter into His rest.
Pray for a Valentine’s event that we will hold with Saharawi ladies and believers. May they be touched by the pure love of God.
Sudan is full of UPG’s. Pray for the Gospel to reach them, in spite of the turmoil of war! Pray for pastors and preachers in South Sudan and Sudan to boldly teach the reality of God’s forgiveness of sinners through Christ’s death, and the joy of forgiving others as God has forgiven us. Pray for God to graciously pour out His Holy Spirit and open people’s hearts to His call of mercy, that people may trust His promise of grace and set their hearts on obeying Him.
The Digo in Tanzania are resistant to gospel-centered outreach initiatives. Pray and ask the Lord to soften the hearts of elders, religious leaders, and local authorities toward Christian workers, removing suspicion, fear, and misunderstanding.
Pray against spiritual bondage rooted in superstition among the Digo. Pray that God would accompany His Word with signs and wonders to counter the dark spiritual influences.
Pray for defeat of terrorists and criminals and all who promote and practice violence, including foreign powers. Pray the evil men would repent, tremble before God, throw down their weapons, and cry out to Jesus Christ.
Pray for release of hostages and kidnapping victims. Pray the Lord would protect & help His people, His church, His workers.
Pray for pastors, church leaders, evangelists and workers, that they would not fear, but boldly and wisely proclaim the gospel. Pray that the Lord would guide His people, esp. church and missions, in knowing what to do when faced with increasing violence and danger.
Please for our local sister who fled to the neighboring country under threat of persecution. Ask God for peace of mind and an open door for her to return home to her family.
Rehuasi’s is the first video testimony of this year. Psalm 66:16 is an invitation that says:
“Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what He has done for my soul.”
The Bible is also a living invitation for us to know Him and to testify of His great love. This is exactly what happened with Rehuasi—a former cattle thief, once involved in the cultural practices of witchcraft among the Bara people, who encountered Christ and today serves as one of the evangelists.
Pray for Rehuasi and his ministry. Pray for those who watch his testimony. May many more Bara come to faith!
Click to see Rehuasi’s testimony:
Praise God that ‘Ma Fiona’ on the plateau is considering getting ‘dunked’, as well as ‘Ma Fae’ who has believed for a while now. Pray that they would both get a clear confirmation from God that this is His will and have courage to declare their commitment. (Dunkings here are semi-public events: of course we do not seek attention, but there is no way of guaranteeing complete privacy at the river or sea.)
Pray for the little boy that the worker will host for the 4th consecutive summer, Lord willing. May this be the summer of salvation. Ask the Spirit to bring to his mind the stories he has heard and soften his heart to believe.
Two older men believed about two months ago… one married to the other’s sister. They spoke to their wives and neighbors and they believed. Each had an older daughter who hadn’t yet believed but last week after receiving several audio passages of Scripture said, ‘We gather as a family with our neighbors to hear these and I send them to my friends. Every one who hears these says they are wonderful. The Lord God Jesus is powerful!” Pray for the Lord to continue to gather His people together and mature and strengthen new believers.
A leader in the church on Nosy Mitsio was able to attend a meeting in Nosy Be with other Malagasy missionaries in a time of worship and sharing strategy. He was greatly encouraged as he is the only faithful Antakarana believer in his whole village. Pray for John as he faithfully shares Jesus with his community.
Please pray for the Lopit Bible translations projects that are happening. Pray for wisdom and discernment in how to best communicate God’s truth.
Pray for the schools to function well so that literacy will improve. When translations come out, pray that people will accept them and understand them even if there are differences in dialect. Pray that audio versions will soon become available. Pray that the Lopit would grow in their love and knowledge of God’s Word.
One young woman couldn’t sleep because of terrible dreams in which she contemplated suicide. She was so afraid to go to sleep. After a brother and sister told her that she could find rest and peace in Jesus, she began to request them to pray over her. She was able to sleep. As she read the Scriptures she had received, she fell in love with Jesus. Today she read aloud from John 1: 3 and prayed with such joy and hope and said she felt light, like flying. Pray for this new sister and those like her who are new in the faith that they will abide in Jesus and bear much fruit. She said today she wants to tell her younger sister.
Diaspora in Oregon: Praise for some wonderful gatherings around Christmas both in homes and larger groups met together. We were incredibly blessed by the relationships and the growth in them that we’ve seen over the past year. What a joy!
Pray for more opportunities to share scripture and discuss things of Jesus with our friends. Pray for times of connection that surprise us and go far beyond anything we could ever ask, think or imagine!
Please pray for a village church outside of Tabora that has a thriving youth group who love to sing in the choir, but there isn’t anyone who is willing to continue to lead the church as elders or deacons, even though members have served in these positions in the recent past. The lay pastor/evangelist would like to hold a congregational vote, but no one is coming to vote or to step forward to serve. Please pray for a renewed call to serve the church and for encouragement for the lay pastor to not be discouraged. Pray that God will raise up those with proven character to be inclined to serve with servant leadership and compassion for the Nyamwezi who do not yet know Jesus.
Diaspora in France: On Christmas Day an international student from Lebanon came for dinner and spent the evening with us. She is a newish believer and knows very few Christians in Paris. She has been here only two months and it’s her first time away from home. Pray the Holy Spirit will strengthen and encourage this new young sister, growing her faith despite loneliness and being mocked in her workplace (an internship) because of her faith in Jesus.
Pray for Pastor J – a Karana friend reached out to him to ask about Christmas. Pray that this door remains open for the sharing of the Good News of Jesus.
Diaspora in France: Pray that *Asha, a student from Morocco with whom we have become good friends, will start studying the Bible with me. We can see God working in both her and her family.
Today several brothers listened to Matthew 10. They prayed for those who are suffering and in prison for the name of Jesus. Please pray for those who have denied Jesus in pain or fear. And for those facing suffering. May they know their hairs are counted by God and He sees every sparrow that falls… and they are worth more than many sparrows.
