Pray for a young lady, W, who is coming home from the government hospital on palliative care with a last stage, painful cancer. Pray that W will receive Jesus as her Savior, and for God‘s comfort, grace and peace to help her, her family and us through this hard time.
Present Christmas story
Diaspora in England: Pray for wisdom as we present the Christmas story to our English classes.
Pray for the distribution of up to 50 Scripture calendars to our Muslim contacts in the city. Pray the word would speak to seeking hearts.
Trouble
The translator who has been causing a lot of trouble for us has started a new volley of attacks this month. She continues to do everything in her power to get Pastor Petro and me out of the Alagwa area. Please pray against these concerted efforts to stop the translation work.
Pray for rain
Please pray for rain! The Ndau are sustenance farmers and last year their crops were burnt from the lack of rain. Everyone has planted already, and it’s only rained once. We are praying but everyone is very scared about how we are going to survive.
Bible stories
Pray for the pastors being trained in Bible storying. There are now 16 listening group leaders and 22 Bible stories in the Didinga language. The 16 trained pastors want to train 2 more pastors. Pray these Bible stories will reach into the hearts of the Didinga and they will believe them.
Grant them new life
Pray for Ali, Ab’ Bakar, Khal’, Adam and Att’, men from the gym who attend regularly and hear the gospel. Pray the Holy Spirit would grant them new life in Christ!
Four Evangelism Training Centers
Pray for the launching of four centers for equipping church members in effective ways for reaching the unreached in Tabora region and to minister freedom from the bonds of Islam. These will be at Kigoma, Katavi, Nzega, and Tabora. There are four series of trainings planned for 2025 with three trainers. Pray for Nyamwezi to be free from the yoke of Islam, for those who have lived as non-Muslims but under Islamic dominance, and for those who have come to Christ out of a Muslim background.
Sudan’s woes
On 28th October, the UN Secretary General listed Sudan’s woes: 25 million people needing aid, 750,000 starving, thousands of civilians killed (some, including 27th Oct en masse), unspeakable atrocities, widespread rape and sexual assaults, disease, a collapsed health system, 11 million people displaced. The SAF and the RSF forces are escalating military action, and outside powers are fueling the fire. He prioritised: ceasefires to allow peace negotiations, stronger measures to protect civilians (but “conditions do not exist” for deployment of a UN force); and uninterrupted humanitarian access (but only 56% of needed funds is in hand). Pray for God’s mercy on this suffering nation, for needed aid to get through, and an end of the war.
Small study groups
Pastor Daude had amazing opportunities to see how the Lord is using a local missionary to create a space and to be involved with Makhuwa Nahara. Small study groups have been created to share the gospel. The local people do not feel comfortable to be involved with traditional local church but they have been faithful to attend these groups and learn about Jesus. Please pray for them.
Christmas parties
Pray for God’s work in students’ hearts who just graduated or have just completed Superior 1 and are planning to take Superior 2 in January.
Pray for the Christmas parties the first week of December for the women’s English Clubs (upper and lower levels).
Pray for more women to take classes, come to interviews, and participate in higher level classes.
Clinics and classes
Pray specifically for the upcoming week which will begin an eye glasses clinic and a level 1 English class at the cultural center. Both platforms are opportunities to serve the community with a practical need while building relationships.
Youth Camp
The Youth Camp starts on Sunday 1st to 8th December 2024. Here are few prayer requests:
1. Pray for the success of our Annual youth camp next week as far as logistics are concerned.
2. Pray for those preparing to attend for safety as they travel.
3. Pray that many Youth will have an encounter with Christ and that transformation will continue.
Pray for Abe and Abdullah
There are fewer members of the team around owing to my home assignment and the harvest season, which means that it is not easy to follow up and disciple people. Pray for Abe, a blind older man who was listening to the word with me. He has a solar powered audio player which he seems to be enjoying. “Abdullah” borrowed it from him for a few days and said it was truth! I supplied another for him but left before I could find out whether he took it. Pray for them both that the truth will touch their hearts. Nobody was prepared to follow up with Abe because he lives too far away.
Christmas party
Diaspora in Finland: I just invited my friend to our new international fellowship’s “What is Christmas really about?” party. Please pray she will be brave and come. I have also invited some other classmates. It is this Sunday. Please pray for God to send those that need to hear the message.
More songs of praise
We want to see more songs of praise written in local island languages! Ask for local
believers to have the inspiration and confidence to write songs, and for wisdom in finding people to produce and record them for others to enjoy and be inspired by.
Feel His presence
Thank the Lord for the 4 Saharawi ladies who are coming consistently to Spanish classes. May they feel the presence of Jesus and come to know Him as Savior.
Recanted
Diaspora in Quebec: Pray for the small group with North African women that started meeting again on Saturday October 19th. Sandrine and her colleagues need the help of the Holy Spirit to have wisdom, peace and love. Pray for Dana, a student, who made a profession of faith but ultimately recanted, caught in religious pluralism. May the Lord show her that He is the only way, the truth and the life. Pray for the homework help project that is being set up for children in a church neighborhood.
Rain
It’s the rainy season now and we’ve had a few good days of rain. May the Father send even more rain to help fill the reservoirs and his Holy Spirit to rain on the hard soil of their souls. ‘Lead us to the ones who are ready to hear and follow oh Lord!’
Point people to Jesus
Pray for a new English class which should start up this month taught by two team members. Pray for the right students to come and that God would use teaching English to point people to Jesus.
Pray for protection
Praise the Father again for the release of the local brother who was in jail. Pray as he integrates back into society. Ask for God’s protection for him and all the believers.
Ask the Lord of the harvest for more laborers to fill in the different opportunities in the country, especially teaching English.
Literacy
Literacy – with the Bible translation more readily available, we are seeing more of a desire in people to learn how to read. Pray this would actually take root! And as people read the Word, they would believe it.
Arrested!
Rachel has been arrested! The order came from authorities on the big island. She was arrested because of a video she publicized on Facebook of her sharing about sin according to the New Testament. The police have said that this action is illegal. They say that Rachel is free to follow Jesus, but she isn’t allowed to publically proclaim this. She has to stay overnight at the gendarmerie. Tomorrow morning, she will go before the justice, and they will decide what her punishment will be. Please pray.
Needing repentance
Diaspora in Ontario: A Christian man with alcohol problems whose Muslim wife has kicked him out, is not returning my calls. Pray for reconnection and repentance.
One Christian family is sadly divided. Pray for reconciliation efforts to be made and accepted.
Jesus Film
A group of Fulani brothers recently came to our village to broadcast the Jesus Film. Thank the Lord for all the people who were able to see the film and listen to Brother M share the good news. Pray for the impact in their lives, that God makes what has been sown grow. Also grateful that there was no technical incident.
Studying
Pray for friends of team member T. ‘Muki’ has been studying with T for a while, and now his son ‘Mtsa’ is regularly coming with him. T gave him a set of Bible storybooks in the local language – ask that the stories would impact him and point him to J. An old friend of T’s, ‘Bako’, overheard the group praying together – ask for God to soften his heart.
Watch the film
Update on Karl and Iris: She took a card with the code to download and watch the Mary Magdalene video of the Jesus film. She seemed very interested in watching it and still asks questions. May she find the opportunity and data to download and watch the film. May the Father give me a time to follow up with her about it.
Social media
A lot of the youth are actively involved in social media. Ask the Father for creative ways of using this platform and for seeds sown through existing platforms to flourish.
Hunger for God’s word
Praise God for the high attendance at the recent training, and pray for sustained spiritual growth and impact for the 98 participants.
Pray for continued provision of Bibles, especially in local languages, to meet the growing demand as new believers hunger for God’s Word.
Openness
Diaspora in England: Praise for great spiritual openness in our English conversation class and an interest in hearing Bible stories. Pray for students’ to believe the good news.
Praise that the current parenting class is going well (5 Sudanese mums and 2 Somali mums). Pray for openness to the Father’s love.
Make her curious
Rose’s mom had her heart surgery and has recovered now. Hallelujah! Please praise for that and lift up her sister who is in a hard marriage. May our family’s interactions and my words bring glory to the Son and make her curious about our Father.
Salmos
A local pastor named Daude, who has worked along side us, recently went to Pemba, Memba and Nacala. He had a great opportunity to visit these places and see what is going on there.
He was able to meet some Mwanis, spending time with them and shared some books and kimwani audio Bible in Pemba region. Pray people would believe the Word!
He was also able to meet “Salmos”, a faithful young Christian Mwani and heard what is going on through Salmos’ ministry in Pemba. Salmos became a Christian many years ago. We praise God that Salmos keeps faithful to Jesus and he is working to spread the gospel among his people. Pray for him and those he ministers to.
Kidnapped family members released!
Praise the Lord. We received the good news that the six family members of the Fulani chief who were kidnapped and detained were released after some successful negotiation and agreement by the kidnappers. Glory to God that the chief has united with his family again. Thank for all your prayers.
Come to know Jesus
Diaspora in Georgia: Praise the Lord that my ESL class has now read up to chapter 7 in the gospel of John. Pray that each of my students will have a clear testimony of faith in Christ by the end of the school year.
Pray that the Lord will bring Africans and Muslims into our ESL classes, and that they will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ. One man from Senegal came in September and has since been absent, pray he returns.
New trial
The 7 believers are going to trial tomorrow. Please pray for courage and peace to reign in their hearts. And pray the Lord would prevail over the judges and they would “Let His people go!”
Receptivity to the Word
Diaspora in Michigan: Praise God for students’ receptivity to the Word in 3 English classes. This is an answer to much prayer. May God use His Word to change hearts!
Students
Pray for God to open hearts and challenge students and grant faith as they discuss spiritual truths. Pray for students who are currently reading or recently have read Scripture on their own. Pray God will speak to them in His Word.
Lord have mercy
This year the rains were abnormally abundant in the Sahel, especially in August and September, which has extended the malaria season. With the cold setting in, and the dust increasing, colds and other respiratory ailments affect many people. Due to this year’s famine, many people are malnourished and anemic. When malaria arrives, the consequences are serious. Many people cannot afford medication. Animist beliefs and traditions, as well as the fact that health spending is not a priority, are major obstacles, often with disastrous consequences. During the month of October, the community health worker and I made many trips to the clinics and the hospital in town, to help sick people receive care. All had to be transfused with blood. We also lost a child just as we entered the hospital courtyard. At home too, people come one after the other to look for medicine. Lord, have mercy.
Bible story books
Team member A has been having good responses to reading children’s Bible story
books with her friends. After reading the book about God’s promise to Abraham and
Isaac’s birth, Ma Nora wanted more stories about them. She allowed A to open the
Word with her and study about Abraham offering Isaac. Believer Ma Rhoda turned up
at just the right time to help! They have a plan to keep studying – please ask that this
would happen, and that more of Ma Nora’s family would get involved.
Church continues to grow
The Jiye church continues to grow, with leaders like Loumwa who is faithfully serving in Lopiat. Despite rains making areas like Kassengor difficult to access, the ministry continues with God’s strength. Please keep the Jiye ministry and translation team in your prayers, asking God to guide and empower them.
Taste Jesus’ sweetness
Many of our Alagwa disciples continue to mix traditional faith practices when in crisis or under pressure. Pray for them that they would really believe that “They have been given FULLNESS in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority” (Colossians 2:10). Pray for them to grow in actual loyalty, love, and trust in Jesus, even when he’s not working in the tangible, immediate ways they are used to in traditional religion. Pray they would taste of Jesus’ sweetness and never want to turn away from him again.
