Diaspora in Canada: Pray for V as he teaches the book of Genesis to newer Iranian believers. Unfortunately, they are having trouble committing to attend because of hectic work schedules and/or inconveniences. Pray that these seeds that are sprouting will not grow on rocky soil or among thorns, but on good fertile ground to produce fruit.
Pray as V also plans to teach Christianity Explored to seekers coming to church. Pray for students and for wisdom.
Pray that the Lord would convict non-believer’s hearts through street evangelism, and that people would be open to have logical conversations about faith.
Leadership training
Pray for the IDLF (intensive discipleship and leadership formation) training that is going on for one month in Sept. Fourth generation leaders from TNJ (Toposa, Nyang’atom, and Jiye) will come for intensive teaching and training. Ask the Lord to work in the lives of participants, to encourage and bless all involved.
Pray for churches to stand firm and leaders in TNJ, who have experienced some persecution. Many are discouraged. Pray for them.
Darkness
Diaspora in Brazil: Pray especially for spiritual discussions with an Egyptian single mom, M. Pray for the ability to communicate well despite language barriers, and for the darkness of Islam to be rolled back in the lives of M and her 3 children, as well as her Egyptian parents who have come to live with her.
Earthquake
There was a terrible earthquake in Morocco last night. So far, 1000 dead and 2075 injured. Please pray for mercy for those fearful of another earthquake, for healing for the injured, for God and his people to minister and comfort.
Renew and comfort
We celebrate that one of our sisters was released from prison. She is back with her family. Pray that she would find healing from all these months in prison (since July 2022) and that she would be renewed in heart and mind. We don’t know the results of this testing of her faith. But we trust that the Shepherd knows his sheep and He is able to speak renewal and comfort to her soul.
Grace to believe
Diaspora in France: Pray for the ‘Saturday Bible and Brunch’ Mary is hosting with some Christian and non-Christian ladies going through the main parts of John. Pray for grace to believe.
Medical outreach
Pray for our medical outreach in October. We have prepared everything and are just waiting for permission from the Minister of Health to distribute medicine.
Pray for many to be blessed medically and spiritually!
Ladies’ Bible study
Diaspora in California: Pray for Carol, an Indian Christian student who is organizing a ladies’ Bible study on campus for interested international students Friday mornings. Pray for nothing to hinder participation and that there would be fruit.
Who is Jesus
Diaspora in Florida: Pray for a meeting between a church and a mosque happening in September to discuss, “Who is Jesus”. Pray for a clear presentation of the truth. Pray for open hearts.
Visit
Pray for our dear friend Jan, who was recently widowed. She is visiting us along with her daughters. One of her daughters, Sally, has suffered from frequent demonic attacks. Pray for our time today, that God would have mercy and deliver her and bless this family.
Good gospel conversations
Diaspora in Washington: Pray for the English classes that begin this month. Pray for good gospel conversations after the daily Bible lessons and for great relationships to be built that lead to gospel proclamations across the nations in the name of Jesus.
Pray for our friend, S, to choose to make time for discipleship and regular fellowship with a body of believers.
Faithfulness and deep understanding
In the past year we have seen 4 churches birthed amongst the Bara and 10 more through the ministry of our partners! We rejoice that the Bara are being reached with the gospel. Pray for faithfulness and deep understanding of the Gospel for the new believers.
Jesus be real to her
Diaspora in Canada: Pray for one friend who is facing deportation and is very concerned for her safety. Pray for us to be a comfort to her and for Jesus to become real to her.
Jesus her all in all!
After an intense evening of laboring in prayer and battling against all the lies of the enemy last week, Sharon has testified to a fresh freedom from the attacks against her being able to read and pray. We are so thankful for her hard work to battle the chains of her past affiliation. She is so committed to having Jesus be her all in all!
Kairos
We are planning to run the Kairos mission course later this year for pastors and church members to continue sharing the vision of what God’s mission is and how He wants each of us to be involved. When we shared at our last monthly meeting with the pastors there was an enthusiastic response. Please pray for the logistics to be worked out so it can go ahead. Pray that it will really impact those who attend.
International Friends gathering
Diaspora in Georgia: Pray for our International Friends Gathering on Monday. Pray that many will come looking for friendship and open to learn about Jesus.
Matayo
Join us in giving thanks for Matayo. He is a baptised believer, and we see evidence of the Holy Spirit working in his life. He has over the years suffered rejection from his family and being threatened and beaten by some his brothers. He also continues to struggle with epilepsy but his testimony is that he knows God loves him, with or without healing. He loves sharing his faith, often playing scripture on his porch- in Alagwaisa and Swahili. He particularly feels called to reach out to the Alagwa. Please do pray for his physical healing and for him to know Jesus more (Philippians 3 v 10). May God continue to envision Matayo to serve and disciple those in his community.
Student
Please pray for Lotao, a Laarim student whom Jacob had worked with in the village and is currently supporting through secondary school in Kenya. He is in his final year of school (equivalent to grade 12) and is on track to graduate. Lotao stays with a Christian Kenyan family, and Livingston has become like a father to this young man. Thank God for the believers God has put in Lotao’s life – Jacob planted the seeds, Livingston has watered them, but God has made them grow (1 Corinthians 3:7)! Pray that the seeds planted and watered would bear much fruit, and that Lotao would be faithful and obedient to God’s calling on his life.
Pray for 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 searching for truth and hope, and joy that comes from the Lord only. Continue praying for Ruth and Faye, who have declared their desire to follow Jesus Christ so that they might draw close to God. While Ruth seems happy to hear and consider the Bible, Faye seems uninterested.
Response!
God’s word is shared through daily Bible readings with several Muslim community health workers. May they respond to the truth by believing in Jesus, as their Lord and Savior! May God‘s word go forward with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction!
Happy and safe
Praise God that the 9 year old boy that I hosted this summer has returned to the camps happy and safe! The family is very grateful for everything. Please pray for gospel opportunities and openness among this family.
Hit on head
A colleague has been getting to know a local butcher. Turns out he’s an agnostic but open to discussions. However, we just heard that the butcher had a bad accident. He was trying to catch a train and something hit him in the head really hard. He survived but with a lasting head injury. It’s a reminder how short time is to share Truth! Please pray for his recovery and that our colleague would be able to resume their conversations about the Truth!
Leadership training
Pray for the IDLF (intensive discipleship and leadership formation) training that will go for one month in Sept. Fourth generation leaders from TNJ (Toposa, Nyang’atom, and Jiye) will come for deep teaching.
Pray for churches to stand firm and leaders in TNJ, who have experienced minimal persecution but many are discouraged. Pray for them.
Medical outreach report
Thanks for praying for our medical outreach. It was a huge victory for Jesus. Many prayed to receive Jesus. Many asked for prayer to be released from spiritual darkness, and others from attacks and demons. I could go on for days, but want to highlight just one testimony. On the final night in the village of Kiswele, we showed the Jesus film. The film ends with a prayer of repentance; few will come forward publicly. But we recognize that the Word is powerful and speaks and penetrates where others can’t. That last night, one lady listened intently, silently prayed the prayer and went home. That night she had the best restful sleep ever. She woke up, and knew something had changed in her. In the early morning hours, she hurried over to share her knew found joy. There she made it public with our group of pastors that she was a follower of Jesus and wanted to get connected. The joy on her face was worth the past two weeks of challenges. Many, many seeds were planted and the Word has gone out to those previously who had never heard. I gratefully say a huge THANKS. PRAISE and GLORY TO JESUS.
Pray for his salvation
Pray for an elderly man in the village, Mzee I., who is a political leader in the community. Pray the Lord would convict him of his sin and that he would repent and be saved.
Pray for peace
I would like to ask prayers for peace in WA2 and that the local population will be able to meet their needs. Pray also that the WA2 Body will be strengthened and unified, that they will not be scared but will share the Good News. Pray for the Fulani men that the Lord will deliver them from fears and many will turn to Jesus Christ.
Elders
Please pray for the elders in the different communities. They have an important role to play, as they are the ones who take decisions, which affects the different families under their care. Pray that the light of God may shine in their lives, so that His wisdom may guide their decisions and therefore bring life to the people around them.
Needing healing
Pray for local believer B who was seriously injured in a workplace accident. The local body is trying to support him to seek care abroad – pray for healing and provision.
Ebenezer
Thank you for praying for our ‘tormented’ friend Sharon on Monday. We had a lengthy session of prayer and worship with her. She wanted to specifically pray through some material for MBBs on renouncing past religious ties and affirming truths based in the Word. It was an incredible battle. She came under sever attack a couple times, but she persevered and made it through 5 pages of prayers! We know this will be an Ebenezer marker for her. She may still wrestle at times to combat the old held beliefs and strongholds of her years before Jesus. But she continues to hold fast to His power to save. She knows He holds her and is with her
New students
Pray for many potential students to come to interviews tomorrow 8/28. Pray that God would bring those who are ready to hear truth. Pray specifically for female students to come. Pray for K, H, A, and R 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.
Disciples
Please pray for Mama and Baba Jaki. They were already following Jesus when we arrived in 2010. Thank God for their perseverance, despite many challenges. They live in a village close to Madebe and desire to see a church planted in that village too. Please pray for them to abide in Jesus and know Him more and to have courage and wisdom as they witness in their community. Pray for Mama Jaki to have a hunger to draw closer to Jesus and for Baba Jaki as he prepares to preach tomorrow morning at the church gathering.
Picnic
Diaspora in Michigan: Praise God for the many gospel oriented conversations that are happening, pray the Word of God grows into faith in Christ in many hearts.
Pray for our picnic on Sunday 8/27. We are expecting 40-60 families to come join us. May God use this time together to deepen relationships and open opportunities for gospel conversations that would continue.
Discipleship
A missionary couple recently left to pursue further studies. Whilst here they were involved in reaching out to four rural communities together with one of the churches in town. Last week the church met with key members from those four villages to see how they can continue to engage and support the communities. It was agreed these key members from the four villages would come once a week to town to learn from God’s Word, and carry back what they have learnt to their communities. Please pray for the 9 people who will be coming from these communities and for the church as they disciple them.
Church construction
A new church building is currently in construction. We have been gathering in a small building and it has become too small for the number of people that have been participating. Please pray for safety as we move forward with the construction, for wisdom for the workers and smooth logistics.
Pray that the believers of this church continue shining God’s presence among themselves and their community and many more will come to Jesus in this location.
Outreach
We had a community-wide outreach back in June, and it was a great opportunity to do evangelism with the local church, show the Jesus Film and encourage one another. Since then, we’ve been able to do several children outreaches and showings of the Jesus Film in out lying villages, and we’re planning another one for August 26. Please pray for us as we continue to follow-up on recent outreaches and prepare for the next one. Pray the seeds of the gospel would fall on good soil and bear much fruit for His glory.
Serve the living God
As I walk through nearby villages, I see trees set apart and sometimes even surrounded by strong walls, with cow skulls hanging from the branches. Sometimes food offerings are left there. This is all related to the ancestral worship. Let us pray that the Tsimihety people will see the light of Jesus Christ, and serve the living God rather than the dead.
Way to have fellowship
Continue praying for Z, who has heard enough to understand but who is reluctant to go against her family.
Pray for Z’s brother “Oswald,” who is a language helper for one of the team. He declares that he’s a Muslim but not really into religion as he sees his sister Z severely handicapped. Pray that in language study and chatting afterward, he might hear and understand that following Christ is not just religion but a living way to have fellowship with God.
IDLF
Pray for the IDLF (intensive discipleship and leadership formation) training that will go for one month in Sept. Fourth generation leaders from TNJ (Toposa, Nyang’atom, and Jiye) will come for deep teaching.
Pray for churches to stand firm and leaders in TNJ, who have experienced minimal persecution but many are discouraged. Pray for them.
Sharing testimony
Tomorrow (Wednesday) Lucia and her son, both Laarim believers who have been in Torit for the last few years, will be going out to Kimatong for 10 days to visit family and members of the community she is from. They are both very excited for the opportunity to share their faith and testimony with the Laarim. Pray that the story of what God has done in their lives would deeply impact all who hear them, and that God would open hearts to receive his gift of grace.
That they may stand
Continue to pray for our local brothers & sisters in prison for their faith. Historically, they have 2 choices…to recant OR stay in prison, which may lead to the death sentence. Pray for them to stand strong in the face of extreme pressure and persecution.