Laws are becoming increasing Islamic. One who had talked about leaving Islam to follow Jesus said yesterday, “it is impossible now”. Another who was reading Scripture said, “If one believes in Jesus, she just can’t tell anyone.” Pray that this thinking would be exposed as lies and as the spirit of fear so prevalent in Islam. May Jesus set Arabs free from fear.
Baptism report
Last weekend we had the honor and pleasure to baptize 67 believers in three different villages. It was a lovely thing to hear people’s testimonies. Those baptized believers will form the beginning of a church and leadership in Hurri Hills! Pray for them to walk in newness of life.
“God comes first”
There is a young Muslim man who went with me to the farming training in early September. After the training I asked him what he had learned and he said, “God comes first in everything”. I have since heard he has been accused of getting a girl pregnant and is hiding in a different area of town. He is living with a Christian man and has now become open to the gospel! Pray he continues to seek Jesus! And pray he does what is right for the girl.
Persevere
We just visited one of our disciples studying in Bible school. We had dedicated a lot of our time as a team in mentioning this couple.The wife was the first one to believe and prayed a lot for the salvation of her husband. After the husband believed they started to serve God but the extended family of the wife were not happy and eventually persuaded her to abandon her faith. She left her husband in Bible training with their four children. Pray for the husband as he continues his training and cares for his children. Pray that God will provide for him and give him wisdom. That even through these difficult circumstances he will be obedient to the Lord.
Good things God has done
Thank God for the growth in the area. Pray for the disciples in new villages to mature and share the good things God has done for them with others.
Thank God for the provision of disciples’ needs.
Eyes to see
Praise God that the English classes with Saharawi ladies have gotten off to a good start and that I’ve been able to share stories from Scripture with one particular lady, S. Please continue to pray for them to have eyes to see and ears to hear the Truth.
Compelled
Please pray for the believers to grow in their knowledge of God’s love for them. May they be compelled by Christ’s love to reach out to those who also need to know that love.
Ephesians 3 v 17-19; 2 Corinthians 5 v 14-15
Build Your church.
Pray for brother Johnson as he ministers among the Suri people and for David among the Murle. Ask the Lord to build His church!
Pray for disciples Mark and Samuel to be faithful. Pray for Julius to be an encouragement as he visits them for two weeks.
Pray for peace in Jonglei state.
New team members
A new young couple (expecting their first baby in December) have joined our outreach team. As they learn language & culture, pray that God would lead them to the relationships that will become lasting fruit. Pray neighbors would welcome them and be open to hearing the message they’ve come to bring.
Sundays
We have begun having a Sunday meeting in the local language with some of the local believers. Our hope is to inspire the local believers to meet regularly for fellowship, singing, prayer, and study. But the believers struggle to come consistently. Pray for the Lord to encourage, inspire, and create excitement over regularly meeting together. Pray too for us to be willing to make changes to better adapt to our island setting.
New study
Yusuf and I will be starting a new discipleship study this week. Pray he will grow through it and that I will be able to finish it with him before I leave the country next spring.
choose to gather
Praise Jesus for increased boldness and proclamation. Pray that as people believe they will be willing to risk betrayal and choose to gather in obedience to Jesus.
Growing number
Pray for the growing number of seekers among Chadian Arabs. Pray for conviction and courage to pursue faith in Jesus, and for opportunities to connect with others exploring. Pray also for those who have expressed faith and then returned to old ways, that the HS would work anew in their hearts.
Jesus Film
Please pray for Baba and Mama Ali. They are a young Ngindo couple. Yesterday we had them over for supper and to watch the Jesus film along with a local pastor friend and his family. Because of multiple system failures (the projectors kept turning off), we only got about ¾ of the way through the film before it got too late. Please pray that what they did see would cause them to desire more. And please pray that we would be able to find another time to finish watching the film with them.
Church planting
Pray for the disciples who completed the Intensive Discipleship and Leadership Formation that they will be obedient and apply what they’ve learned.
Pray for the beginning of dry season which is the best time for church planting.
First Baptism!
Pray for the baptism happening in Hurri Hills on October 28, 29 and 30th. There are 68 people on the baptism list from 3 different locations!
Pray for safety and wisdom as we are working on the logistics of each church and travels.
Pray for each person’s life. May they be encouraged and protected from any temptation and evil attack.
Pray that these Churches grow stronger in faith and obedience in the Lord making the name of Jesus known among their own people.
Keep Praying!
Pray that the veil of Islam be torn and that people are able to see the light. Pray for unsaved village leaders that they would have dreams and visions of Jesus that they cannot refute. Pray for the church to be salt and light in the community and to demonstrate God’s love for their Muslim friends and neighbors.
Desperate for fellowship
Pray for ‘Uhaju’, a new brother who is desperate for fellowship with other islanders. Attempts to connect him with other island brothers have not led to him being able to study regularly with anyone yet, which is what he really wants and needs.
New neighbors
Many people are moving into our community from various places, and there are a lot of new faces around. Pray for us as a local church that we may know how to reach the newcomers and serve the changing dynamics of our community well.
Partnering with local churches
Pray for our plan to have some conversations with local church leaders on missions awareness and partnering with us in ministry.
Reaching out
A colleague and local sister met with another young lady interested in truth. Together, they looked at the word, with the local sister very involved. Praise God with us for our local family who are stepping up and reaching out! Pray for much fruit!
Follow Him
Pray for three ladies I have been visiting who have talked of wanting to follow Christ with varying understanding. Ask the Lord to give them understanding and courage to follow Him.
Unity
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. Psalms 133:1-2
May there be increased unity in the church amongst the Alagwa! We pray that they would live as a community who deeply love one another and so demonstrate Christ to those around them.
English classes
We hope to start English classes again in two weeks. Please pray that the right people would enroll and that the Lord would give them an openness to the gospel.
Diaspora in Canada
* Please pray for the faith of a Christian family from among our friends here to be restored, and for my efforts at contacting them to bear fruit. One of the family members is highly engaged with Christ and the Church and us- the rest are angry with God and are struggling.
* Please pray for the winter season of coffee shop, restaurant, and barber shop visits, as well as campfires, to be fruitful.
Grieving together
I have not been back to Ohilang since my father passed away last spring. Today Marlene and I are going back to the village to mourn with the people that my dad spent his final years of ministry with. While this will be hard, I also know it will be good to grieve together with the community that my parents and I have been part of for the last three years. Please pray that this is a time of healing, of growing deeper relationships within this Lopit community, and of sharing the gospel as we remember my dad’s witness and love for Jesus.
Diaspora in Atlanta
* Pray for the next African Friends Party, scheduled for October 30. Pray that many Africans will attend and that there will be strong friendships forged with members of the Africa prayer outreach fellowship.
* Pray for these Africans and Muslims to come to know Christ: Al., Am., Mi. and Hu. Pray also for E.’s salvation, he’s a leader and on the board of the local mosque.
* Pray that Na. will grow in her faith and that the Lord will open doors for meeting with her on a regular basis for discipleship.
Fire
Unfortunately, another fire has claimed the home and belongings of a local believer, leaving her with just the clothes on her back. The community has come together and built a small home for her. Pray that the local church would play an active role in loving and supporting her well through this difficult time, and that it may become an encouragement for her in her walk with Jesus.
Diaspora in Minnesota
Praise God we have found a great inroad into the Somali community with our driving lesson outreach, but we need wisdom as we move forward. Pray those wanting driving lessons will have soften hearts and will be receptive to the Gospel News.
Qat
One of our local doctor friends says a major contributor to the famine is Qat (an imported green leafy stimulant). Many of the men who used to be the nomadic herders and knew how to keep a herd/flock healthy through the dry season are addicted to chewing. The woman and in most cases children tend to be the ones in charge of the animals now. The understanding and foresight of those gone before has been lost and not handed down. Pray against the stranglehold this drug has in the horn.
Like Nicodemus
Please pray for my friend Iddy, he has been my good friend and I have been sharing with him for a long time. Yesterday at around 8pm he came to our house to visit me, he didn’t want to come during day time so that he wouldn’t be seen. His heart is now wanting JESUS but the big problem is how he will be viewed by his wife, children, and his community. I know our LORD is bigger than what he sees, we need to pray for his soul.
Diaspora in Canada
During our last chapel many kids prayed to accept God’s offer of forgiveness through Jesus Christ and committed to following him.
Praise for last summer’s camps in Manitoba, Ottowa, Nova Scotia and Ontario. Pray for all the kids who heard the Gospel and those who made decisions for Christ. Pray for the Word to bear fruit in their hearts for a life of discipleship in Christ.
Divorced
One of our continuing prayer requests has been for a husband in our community with four believing wives, who had been threatening divorce due to their faith. He has gone forward with the divorce of two of his wives, who have moved away and are now living in a temporary shelter under a tree. They have held strong to their faith, but face a mountain of hardship and struggles ahead, including separation from their children. The other two women have stayed, and it is not completely clear where they stand in their faith. Please continue to lift up this entire family, and pray that their husband may come to know Jesus as his Lord and Saviour. Pray for perseverance and strength as our two sisters seek to stand firm in Jesus despite all they have lost and may still lose. Pray for us as a local church, that we may support and lift them up as we should.
English classes
Please pray for weekly English classes that will begin this coming week. There will be 3 Saharawi ladies and 3 Spanish believers in the class. Pray for good relationships, laughter, learning, and for Jesus to be glorified!
Famine
The famine among the people in the countryside is dire. Though rains have started, it’s not in time to rescue those in the more desert areas. Children and animals are dying. Even in the cities food prices are soaring and everyone is feeling it. Pray for God’s mercy.
Diaspora in Detroit
As we gather for fall get-togethers, pray we and our volunteers will be bold in proclamation! Please pray for contacts with receptive hearts to hear the Gospel Truths.
Diaspora in Hong Kong
* Pray for our connection with West African Muslims in our Chinese classes. May they know Yahweh more and put their trust in Him only.
* Pray for my two Muslim converts to have the desire to follow His words and be transformed.
Gathering others
A young woman who does not yet follow Jesus has been gathering other women who are interested in Jesus and they come to study Scripture together! Pray for their salvation.
Diaspora in Washington
* We praise God for English classes running successfully for the first month at all three sites! Please pray for consistent attendance and deepening relationships between students and teachers. Pray students will ask good questions about truth and faith.
* Please pray with us for the first Trauma Healing Group among our staff and volunteers that will begin this month. May God grow and stretch us closer to Him and provide healing for our heart wounds through Jesus and be equipped to help others.
TEE
TEE (Theological Education by Extension) is a practical training for village church leaders. When they finish after 3 years, they start a cell group in a new area. As a fruit of this, 7 cell groups have started in the Loharano community area. Pray for these leaders and cell members to grow strong and bear much fruit.
François and his wife, and Bertrand have just been sent to a seminary where they will study for 3 years, to be a pastor. Pray for them to mature and grow and be well prepared for ministry.
