Pray for followers of Jesus here in Wonderland to be salt and light and to learn to communicate Truth meaningfully within the culture.
Ministry of reconciliation
The conflict in the Middle East has far reaching consequences. There is heightened animosity toward all non-Mslms. Ask that believers would still engage in discussions and seek to be ambassadors for the Prince of peace. May those who know Peace carry on the ministry of reconciliation even in the face of threat and hostility.
New neighborhood
Diaspora in Georgia: Praise the Lord for ongoing friendship and visits with Ms families. Pray for the salvation of S’s family and M’s family. Pray for an open door to minister in another new neighborhood where there are several Africans from Cameroon. Pray that my friend Cindy will open her home to host a women’s gathering. Pray for salvation to come to that neighborhood.
Local evangelists
One of the missionary families that have been working for 13 years with the Gabra people is finishing their assignment, and during the last 4 years, four local evangelists have been raised up and joined the ministry team in Hurri Hills.
Pray for the local workers as they continue the ministry, that they would be full of God’s grace and wisdom. Pray that God raises people to mentor and support them in ministry. Pray also for their financial support.
Angelo update
Angelo (a Laarim believer who had been a part of the Laarim ministry for several years) is diligently studying in Kenya, planning to return to Kimatong once his nursing training is complete. Pray that he will do well in his studies, and so be able to use his training to serve his community’s physical needs. His real heart is for evangelism, so pray that he would also grow in the bold sharing of his faith, even among his teachers and fellow students, in preparation for declaring to the Laarim “that the Lord… is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments. But those who hate Him He will repay to their face by destruction” (Deuteronomy 7:9-10).
Healing and friendship
Diaspora in Georgia: Pray for A, an Afghan M woman I recently visited with an outreach group in Clarkston, GA, for healing from her cancer and most important, spiritual healing.
Pray that friendship would continue to develop and deepen with my friends F and Z.
Camp visit
Pray for an upcoming trip to the refugee camps. Pray that relationships would be built and God would be glorified!
Thanksgiving
We want to thank God for enabling N**, an MBB, to work so well in our team and boldly sharing his faith with other S** as they listen in shock. We pray that God will continue to sanctify and mature N**. We also pray that He will soften the hearts of the listeners to understand and believe the message of the Gospel. Pray for God to strengthen and comfort N**’s family that is persecuted in his home country due to his faith.
Resist
Please pray for all the believers to resist the pressures of the cultures around them to see Jesus as simply one source of power and instead to surrender to Him as the Lord of their lives. May they have joy in worshipping and seeking His face. Please pray for them to have the longing Paul expressed in Philippians 3:
“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
Question
Pray for Ma Fae and Ma Dorcas on the plateau, reading and hearing truth each week. Ask for open hearts and courage to question long-held beliefs.
More students
Diaspora in Toronto: Pray for Victor as he teaches on the book of Genesis to newer Iranian believers in order to build a good foundation. Unfortunately, very few students attend the class. Pray for their desire for the Lord not to grow cold.
Victor also plans to teach Christianity Explored to seekers coming to church in January. Pray for seekers coming to church to sign up.
Church
We are praying about the community’s desire for a church building in Ohilang. We thank God for Lopit believers who want to gather for services, and for the desire to have a building that establishes a church presence in their community. Pray that the believers will really get behind the effort to gather materials and to work at putting up a simple building. More than a church building, though, pray that these Lopit believers would come to Him “as living stones, built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).
Mosque-Church meeting
Diaspora in Florida: Pray for the mosque and church meeting scheduled for October 14th to discuss, “Who is Jesus?” Pray for truth to be clear.
Salt and Light, Door to Door!
Please pray over a historical Nyamwezi kingdom area where there will be a big emphasis in evangelism door to door from October 12-15, followed by a seminar for new believers Oct. 15 and 16. May the Lord give favor and boldness to His servants, allowing open doors into the homes of those whom live in darkness without Christ. Pray for conversations seasoned with salt at every opportunity, making the best use of their time, sharing the Gospel at all times graciously. Ask the Lord for hearts ready to hear and receive God’s plan of salvation!
Seeking truth
Diaspora in Minnesota: Pray for Mr. M. and Mr. H. Both are seeking the truth. May they find it and passionately follow Him.
Baptism
There was great joy in Kimatong as Nacici was baptized by Jacob last month! It seems that others are now interested in taking this step of obedience as well. Pray for Nabalu, Love’s friend that she has been sharing the gospel with, to make public her faith in Jesus. As the Laarim witness these baptisms and hear the gospel preached, pray they will “be pierced to the heart” and cry out, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Pray for many to “repent…and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of [their] sins…and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (2:38).
Asking questions
Diaspora in France: Praise God for the good visit with Senegalese friends. Praise God for the husband who asked many questions and eagerly took a Bible with plans to meet again for discussion. Pray that Travis can start meeting together regularly even with their busy schedule as restaurant owners.
Praise for Travis’ French friend with a Catholic background who is asking many questions about the reality of a relationship with God. Pray for wisdom for Travis as they meet, and for the Holy Spirit to guide him to salvation.
Ladies event
Praise for the opportunity to host a ladies event with Saharawi friends and believers. Please pray for continued relationship building and spiritual conversations.
Salvation and progress
Diaspora in Georgia: Praise the Lord for the salvation and progress in faith of several ESL students from last year. Pray for the Holy Spirit to bring the students this year to know Jesus through reading and discussing the gospel of John. Pray especially for one Ms lady, A from Sierra Leone. Pray that all the students will come regularly to class so they get the most benefit.
The Word
The last two weeks of September were very full with testing and reviewing portions of the Word that have been translated. Praise Him for the work that was done as well as the number of people that were able to be involved. Pray for perseverance in that work and for the Word to speak to all who read/hear it.
Pray for peace
My host country is currently going through a political crisis. Please pray for peace. Pray for wisdom to know when to return. Pray for the Kingdom to advance.
Adoption
“Praise the LORD, my soul…He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.” from Psalm 146.
Praise the LORD who can and is setting Alagwa free. There are so may spiritual prisoners- bound with fear and occult power they think is from God. Many are oppressed and possessed- may they be set free.
Praise the LORD who is giving sight to the blind. May more spiritual eyes be opened to see the rich truth of unconditional love and salvation in Jesus. May they see their bondage for what it is and have the courage to step away and follow Jesus.
There are many who are bowed down- with all sorts of burdens. May they hear Jesus’ invitation, and come to him whose yolk is easy and burden light.
Thank you Jesus that in you we have a righteousness that comes by faith- please draw many Alagwa to yourself that they might experience your true love and full adoption.
Relocating
A young local doctor recently relocated to the US. He is planning to seek asylum. We’ve had so many spiritual conversations and he is very open to Good News and reading the Word. Ask that being outside the restrictions and societal pressures of his home country would give him space to seek truth. May He believe and treasure Jesus. Ask that the Lord would guard the soil of his heart. May seeds sown grow and bear fruit.
spirit calling
There has been a large ‘spirit calling’ ceremony going on in our village for 2 days. Pray for protection for us and other believers and that we could share truth and that the ‘tromba’ would not come and that there would only be confusion and disappointment among the people participating.
People suffering
At the hospital we are seeing many sad cases and increased deaths in the last month. The harvest was terrible this year and the Tsimihety people are suffering and often delaying seeking medical care as resources are scarce. Please pray for the people during this difficult time, that they would reach out to their Heavenly Father, who knows all their needs.
Vibrant churches
Praise Jesus for the vibrant house churches who pray fervently for those persecuted for righteousness’ sake in nearby countries. Pray for the Lord’s encouragement and that He would answer their prayers.
God is at work!
Dear brothers, I want to report something really significant. Pastor Tomoeira is one of the 5 local pastors sponsored by the Coworker Project. This year he has visited 43 Bara Villages with the Jesus Film doing the work of an evangelist.
In one of these villages, Tanambao-avaratra, he went twice with the Jesus Film and a group of Bara decided to follow Jesus! The veracity of their decision is that they burned their witchcraft paraphernalia.
This reminded us of Acts 19:19, when the people burned their magic books.
God is at work! Pray for them.
Bible study
Diaspora in California: Pray for a group of 5 International female students who are meeting together on campus once a week for a Bible study. Pray for fruit and for fellow student Carol who is leading them that she would have wisdom and grace.
Seek the truth
Pray for Khal’, Had’, and Aish’ to continue to seek the truth. They are students and English club attendees, and they are willing to discuss scripture and read it for themselves. Pray God would reveal himself to them. Pray for Rawda who has stopped discussing and attending the English club. Pray for the truth she has heard to bear fruit.
Saturday brunch
Diaspora in France: Praise God for a few Christian and Non-Christian women coming occasionally to Mary’s Bible and Brunch on Saturday mornings. Praise for the two believers, one who seems to be growing significantly. One seeker, C. is so eager to learn and shares with her mom and another friend what she is learning. Pray for their salvation and for the growth of our two Christian friends.
Young couple
I visited a village where I told all the Bible stories. In that village was a young couple who already believed in Jesus. They were frowned upon. This young couple decided to start worshipping in a church in our village (7 km walk). Soon after, more and more people from that village joined. Now, there are more than 20 Christians in that village, and they decided to build their own church. Praise the Lord that He is using this young couple for building His kingdom.
Graduating
Pray for the 34 teenage girls graduating from a local Christian high school in the area this Saturday. Pray that they would know the Lord personally and follow Him with their lives.
Classes beginning
Diaspora in Wales: Pray for the Women’s English classes: Thank God for a good initial week of the English classes (25 ladies,10 children from 13 language groups!). Pray for the Spirit to draw many to Himself. And ask that God will provide additional Monday Crèche helpers.
Pray for the International Women’s Sewing Class: Classes began Oct 2nd. Continue to pray for the 5-minute class devotional and the discussion time that follows as we share a snack together.
Brought into freedom
Thanksgiving for a very successful retreat with some MBB’s and their leaders who are part of a prayer
network group. Our prayer is that they will apply and continue to study the life transforming lessons that they learned and will reach out to those of their own and teach them the same lessons as they disciple them. Our prayer is that they are now fully liberated from bondage and decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God’ (Romans 8:21). Please pray with us.
Open hearts
The team gives thanks for relationships being built with locals despite many being out in their fields most of the time. Pray for open hearts and minds to hear the good news and a great search for truth, hope, and joy that only comes from the Lord.
Classes
Diaspora in England: Pray for the new parenting course starting the first week of October. Pray for more women to join the 4 women already signed up.
Praise God for a full English class again this year at the Somali Resource Centre and for such an enthusiastic, motivated class.
Pray for my ongoing conversations with A. about spiritual matters, particularly about the Qur’an and the Bible.
Spending time
Praise for opportunities to serve and spend time with S and her daughters. Please pray for them to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Light in dark places
*Abraham and his wife *Salome both separately asked us for a Bible in the local language. We gave them one a year ago but neither one has followed through when invited to study it with us. However, last month *Abraham asked if we could get him another Bible because he had been sharing things he had read with a friend and his friend now wanted his own Bible. We have been able to get one in English and one in the local language. Pray that as we pass these on to *Abraham there might be the opportunity to study together. Pray God would use these Bibles to bring light into dark places.
Feel the weight
May God reveal himself through his Word and humble those who are self righteous and blinded. Let each one who has heard your word feel the weight of their sin before our Holy God and receive the grace and forgiveness he offers only through Jesus.
Outliers
The Lord is at work among the hearts of the Laarim. Although evil and violence have a strong grip on the culture, there are ‘outliers’ amongst the community that clearly have had their lives transformed and empowered by the good news of the gospel. The eagerness to grow in faith that these people demonstrate shows the Lord is at work in powerful ways. Please pray for the Laarim believers! It is hard living with entirely different values from the community around them. Pray that the Lord would strengthen and encourage them, and show the team how they can better support their brothers and sisters in Christ.
