Praise God for 3 new believers in Ruhatwe. One started attending services after witnessing and being impacted by the funeral of a coworker who was recently buried there. Another is from one of the small local tribes. Please pray that these new believers would grow in their faith and be witnesses to their own communities.
Call-in service
Our radio station BHB Chalbi FM has been doing a good job reaching all the scattered herdsmen and mobile villages and keeping them encouraged with the word of God. Our call-in phone service had been broken, which was a real heart break for many of our listeners, but praise God I was able to fix that last week and now callers can call in with their questions once again!
The Kalacha Church is continuing to meet but struggling with to pay school fees for their children. They like the teaching they get at AIC Kalacha but are feeling pulled other places to get school fees paid. Pray the Lord provides.
Busy
It has been difficult to meet with the 3 ladies who have decided to follow Jesus because they are busy with the harvest and other things. Pray they will continue searching for more of Jesus. One doesn’t even have a telephone to listen to scripture.
Christians are doing well
The Christians are doing well. Despite trials and opposition, they continue to trust the Lord, and are committed to doing the ministry around the villages with faithfulness and confidence. Please pray for the villages/areas that Elia has planted churches in: Lodapal, Lokochot, Nangorokopuk, Naminikituruno, and Lowoyapuru. Pray for the believers in these churches to “trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:4).
New believers!
Two young men have come to know Christ as their personal Savior this week! Both come from Islamic families but are very eager to learn more about their new Lord, Jesus. Bobby will be trying to connect the two together and start a discipleship study with them. Pray for consistency, strength and fruit.
Glory in His holy name
Rosa seems to have an interest in Bible study and attending church, however I am not sure she has trusted in Jesus as Savior yet. Please pray that as I spend time with Rosa, I will “make known… what God has done…tell of all His wonderful acts,” and that Rosa will “glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice” (Psalm 105:1-3).
Pray for courage
A young Christian woman left the country but was recently brought back and put in prison and questioned about her faith and other believers. She told them names of others. Ask for courage for each one to still identify with Jesus and obey him and stand together.
Worldview
Pray that a small discipleship group would be launched in Arabic, and that it would touch people’s preexisting worldview with Biblical truth in a way that brings life and spiritual transformation. Pray for opportunities to connect with the wider network of believers from a Muslim background and for growth in their identity and solidarity.
Church
Our local church currently meets under the trees on the church property, but is seeking to build a church building. Please pray for the raising of the funds for this project. We hope to see the local believers embrace ownership over this project. May God be glorified in both the building itself and the way we get there!
Grow strong
Pray for the new groups in Rumit and Boma to grow strong and faithful in the Lord.
Pressure
Pray for a newer brother in a village that just this past weekend has started facing a lot of pressure and threats. He is asking for prayer. Pray that he would be strengthened and encouraged in the Spirit and be a light to his persecutors.
Set free from fear
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.
