Pray for a friend of mine who is terminally ill. It has been difficult to visit her as she is so sedated she’s always asleep. Pray for God’s help for these visits and for more opportunities to share Truth with this woman and her family.
Translation check
We are now in Addis Ababa for advisor check and consultation for the book of Mark to be complete and recording to start. Also Luke advisor check to be completed so that the Jesus film can be dubbed.
We are also working on Matthew, John, Titus, Jude, 1,2, and 3 John, James, and Philemon.
Please keep praying for us for God’s wisdom in translating well.
Find salvation
Pray for Ibrahim to continue to ask questions about Jesus and for God to open his eyes to the Truth. I have shared with him a lot, and he has audio recordings of the scripture. He loves to watch the Jesus film. Pray for Ibrahim and his son to find salvation in Jesus Christ.
New group of believers
Recently we visited a Gabbra community near the Ethiopia border, and they had heard the gospel from a shepherd and are now 40 believers! We spent the day celebrating Jesus Christ with these dear brothers and sisters. It was 3 hours of non-stop worship with songs and dance. After Eddy had shared the Good News, the elder of the village said: “We want to know more about this culture of Jesus, and please don’t stop coming to teach us how to be Christians.”
Next visit, we will be sharing the Jesus film and it is our prayer that the story of Jesus’ life brings them more understanding of God’s great provision of salvation for all humans!
Pray that they continue rejoicing in the presence of God and His almighty Love.
Neighborhood trauma
Diaspora in Toronto: Pray for our neighbourhood traumatized from gunshots in the apartment complex where most of our friends live while our bike clinic was operating, then machine gun fire a block from our home; murder suspect wounded by police. Pray that our home will indeed continue to be the House of Peace and Reconciliation (“Guriga Nabaddda iyo dib u Heshiisiinta”). Pray for more openness to our message of peace in Jesus.
Need to be careful
Pray for i3 believers, especially sister E and her family. A friend of E’s husband was at a meeting at the big gov office on i3. There was a discussion about a new faith that was spreading rapidly, and they identified E as the leader. The friend defended E as a good person, but warned her husband that they need to be careful. Pray for peace for them, and wisdom in what to do about an upcoming retreat being hosted on i3. They don’t want to cancel it, but do want to do it in a less open way than they often would.
Let the little children come
Pray for the children of believers here. Training them in truth can be risky for the parents in the community. Especially for those who remain secret followers. There is strong local pressure to participate in all local education including religious education. Pray for wisdom as parents seek to follow Jesus and exalt His name in their house. Ask that they would not unknowingly “forbid” their children from coming! “Let the little children come!!”
Double in size
Summer is a time locals travel a lot, and towns on the coast double in size. Pray for divine appointments as teams go out into the crowds seeking to share the Truth.
Growing
Diaspora in Washington DC: We praise God for the faithful way he continues to deepen relationships with friends like at our recent July 4 Picnic! Thank you for praying with us!
Praise God for summer Grow English at the park. Pray with us for our volunteers and students who have faithfully participated and continue to learn about the love of Jesus while they grow their English. Pray for many gospel conversations.
Rely on God
Recently, Marino’s wife (Mama Labong) has asked Love to come and share Bible stories with her. She and Marino lost a son earlier this year in a cattle raid, and it seems God is using that to help Mama Labong see her need for Jesus in her life and family. Love is now going weekly to Marino’s compound to share from God’s Word with four women, several teens and children, and Marino (already a believer). Pray for Mama Labong and the others – “Let [them] who walk in the dark, who have no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on God” (Isaiah 50:10).
Father draw many!
Pray our Father draw many O to Jesus! May the Spirit of the living God fall in power, wisdom and freshness for all of the outreach AIC team and every MBB in O land, and use them to advance His Kingdom, to convict many O hearts and harvest much lasting fruit.
Spiritual discussions
Diaspora in Wales: Praise that the final day activities for this past term went well focusing on the theme of God’s love (English class) and the reason Abram was asked to sacrifice his son (Sewing class). Earlier this year, one lady who attends English and Sewing classes as an asylum-seeker from a Muslim country was baptised at a local church.
Pray for for good spiritual discussions as team members visit with ladies at a joint English class and Sewing group picnic on Aug 7th.
9 year old
Diaspora in Spain: Continue to pray for the 9 year old Saharawi boy that I am hosting for the summer from the refugee camps. Pray the Lord would work in his heart and the hearts of his family members so they might one day know Him!
Pray for Gospel Seeds to Take Root
Pray for fruit following the preaching of the Gospel and showing the Jesus Film at Utuliadeka. Well over one hundred people came each night the film was shown in the church, but no one openly declared their trust in Christ. Pray that God will erase doubts and replace fears with bold decisions to turn from former ways to faith in Jesus alone. Pray that this new church will be a beacon of light to those lost in darkness. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)
Listen
Diaspora in Minnesota: Pray for Mr. H, that he will understand the difference between Christianity and Islam, and see the beauty and holiness of Jesus.
Pray for our Listen event on Aug. 5, a public event which I am hosting. We hope to have about 150 people attending. Pray people will listen well and be intrigued.
Outreach this weekend
Diaspora in England: Continue to pray for the East Midlands outreach which runs until August 6th.
Give thanks that the first day of community events was well attended and God gave opportunities for team members to share the Good News.
Pray for good weather for Saturday the 5th when we have an outdoor event planned in a local park. Pray for many to come with open hearts for friendship and good news.
Open the door
May the Arabs hear Jesus knocking and open the door and eat with him and fellowship with him.
Nachichi wants to be baptized!
Nachichi is the young woman who Love did her homestay with over a year ago. Love had not felt that Nachichi was interested in pursuing a friendship, so she was surprised when Nachichi came to her several weeks ago wanting to hear from the Word of God! Now they are planning to meet together each week for Bible study, as Nachichi has expressed a desire to trust in Jesus as her Savior and be baptized. Pray for Logwe (Nachichi’s husband and Jacob’s disciple) and Love as they disciple Nachichi. And pray the Lord will continue to draw more Laarim men and women to Himself!
Burdened with the call
Pray for the believers who live in the Rangi villages (a great majority of whom do not actually belong to the Rangi tribe) and the churches they belong to. Pray that they would be burdened with the call of the Great Commission and reach out to their neighbors and communities. Pray for many Rangi to believe!
Good Shepherd
Troy, a vet, is spending two days with some of the local Lopit farmers looking at their animals and doing some training with them. Pray that Troy and Robert’s care and concern for the Lopit and their animals would open doors for sharing about the Good Shepherd who “lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
Serving
Diaspora in Spain: Pray for an opportunity to serve a Saharawi family this summer by tutoring their 11 year old daughter. Please pray for open doors for gospel conversations with this family.
How they will come to Christ if they don’t know Christ?
Pray for the Bara children. What they know is only what the Witchdoctors and Kings of the tribe teach them through the Ancestor’s stories.
The Bara children are suffering. No hope! No future! Just a dread of what is to come. Or they will become malasos (cattle thieves) or will live in the shadow of fatalism.
However, this can be changed by the Gospel. Pray for our children’s ministry, for many to believe the gospel and be saved.
Students returning home
Please pray for Jay and Zina. As the university school year ends, they are seeing more and more islanders leave to go back to the islands. Please pray for opportunities to clearly present the Message, and for the islanders to meet people who will point them to Christ while they are in the islands.
Medical Outreach Aug 6
Our prayer request is for our medical Outreach, August 6 thru 21. We are targeting 4 new villages that are unreached and have no church presence. We want to see that change. 5 TZ doctors from the capital are joining us and our team here of 10. The group of 16, traveling around 4 unreached villages trying to evangelize with medical Outreach and Jesus film is a huge undertaking. We need your prayers for many things: logistics, protection from demonic attacks, finances, clear communication, and common goals. Would you please stand with us in prayer that Jesus would be lifted up in every way and that many unreached peoples would hear of Jesus.
Fearful
Pray for Z, a handicapped lady who has understood much of the gospel but fears to turn from her family’s religion because she is so dependent on them. She understands much of the good news and well may believe it. Pray for grace to overcome her fear.
Needing courage
May God give courage to those who are studying the truth but afraid to follow Jesus because of the cost. May God shine the light into their hearts so they see the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2Cor4:6).
Retreat
Pray for plans that are in progress to go for a retreat for 4-5 days in August with MBB’s. They will be about 30. The secluded location is nearly 3 hours out of the city. They will be going through a training manual on ‘Liberty to the Captives’. Pray that the prayers and declarations in the manual will help set them free, break generational strongholds and release them to be bold and effective witnesses to the saving power of Christ. Pray that they will receive unique resources to provide healing, freedom and keys for applying the power of the cross to claiming the ‘glorious liberty of the children of God’ (Romans 8:21).
Rwandan missionaries
We are thrilled that Noblesse is making plans to return to the Laarim in August for three months. He is coming with two other Rwandan men, Bienvenu and Perez, as part of their exposure to missions. Pray for these three men as they raise needed support from their churches in Rwanda. Pray the church will take their role to send seriously and give with joy. Pray the Lord will use Noblesse, Bienvenu and Perez to build up and strengthen His kingdom among the Laarim.
Believe in the Son
May Arabs believe in the Son and receive eternal life. May they obey the Son and see life and may the wrath of God be removed from them. John 3:36
Camp Soar
Preparations are progressing for Camp Soar, August 13-18. Jay & Laura are very thankful for the team of volunteers coming from Central Baptist Church to staff the camp. A Nigerian seminary student, Zubby, is lined up to speak at campfire and share the Gospel. Sponsors are needed for at least 60 African newcomer children/youth, to enable them to attend camp and hear the Gospel. Pray that many of these campers will come to know Jesus.
Family meeting
Pray for a family of believers who have been meeting together for a year with a worker who is leaving soon. Another team member will take over meeting with them (although it will be less often). Pray for this transition and that they will meet on their own and continue to grow.
Outreach week
Pray for the AIM Borderless Team’s Midlands Outreach Week beginning this coming Saturday. A Midlands city centre church is seeking to reach out to the diverse community on their doorstep.The church building is situated in the middle of a community of people from a North African background. They have asked AIM to provide a team to help them run a special events week. Pray that God will prepare the logistics to run smoothly, prepare the Church leadership as they plan and prepare, and the hearts of the team to be filled with the Holy Spirit’s compassion to reach the unreached with the gospel in this community. And pray for many to hear and believe the gospel!
Ready to receive
Summer often feels like a season of lost momentum. Schedules change and people travel. Ask that the Holy Spirit would water the truths that have been sown. Pray for Him to stir more questions and curiosity so that when reunions happen heart-soils will be ready to receive seed that will produce 100 fold.
Find Hope and Peace
In our urban centers, many of the smaller shop owners, fruit/vegetables stands, and blue collar workers are Berber. They work hard to make a living and are often mistreated. Please ask that these gracious and patient people will find true hope and peace in the only ONE who can offer true hope and peace.
Hosting boy
Praise God for the opportunity to host a 9 year old boy from the Saharawi migrant camps this summer. Please pray for a Kingdom impact for him and his family!
Reprimanded
Please pray for the village kids who spend time with the missionaries. Several of them have been reprimanded and/or physically punished by the Muslim religious leaders of the village for doing so. Pray that the light and love of God would bring life into their hearts.
See the need
Nanguoko, Natiyote, and Lokolong are all Laarim believers. Pray that they will see the need to grow in their relationship with the Lord by joining with other believers for times of Bible study and prayer. Pray also for Khalifa as he disciples Loduko, to help this young man understand God’s love and salvation through faith. Pray for all the believers in Chawa to discern and understand that, “the ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them” (Hosea 14:9).
United with Christ
Please pray for the Bible translation work, as the teams are drafting Ephesians and Philippians. Please pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the translation and also for the translators, especially those who are not believers. May they understand deeply what it means to be united with Christ!
Book release
Thanks for praying – the book release celebration went well. Let’s be praying that those printed words would be well used, loved, and believed. Let’s also pray for the continuing i3 translation project as they do remote checking on 1 Sam with islanders on i3, a worker on i1 and consultants abroad. Pray for good internet connection, good communication and a great result.
Soccer ministry
During the school break a sports ministry through soccer has been going on, headed by Malagasy missionaries. Pray for good opportunities to witness and for openness for students to participate.
