There are still a handful of new believers (less than a year old) who experienced death of a near family member and continue to doubt the goodness and love of God. Please ask that they run to Jesus instead of from Him in their grief, that they keep abiding, reading the words from God, repenting, believing.
Conversations
Mzee J and Gideon had a great conversation discussing the second coming of Jesus. Gideon saw willingness to listen to what he was saying about Jesus and the Bible. Mzee J along with a few other men sat listening to Gideon and some even said, ‘What you’re saying makes sense’. Mzee J asked for more conversations in the future to discuss Jesus. Pray for these future interactions with Gideon to be impactful and life-giving for Mzee.
needing water
All families in Gabbra land are struggling with the lack of water. It’s been a very long drought, all water reserves are empty and most of the families no longer have resources to purchase water from tankers. It’s been extremely hard to see people getting sick because of dehydration and lack of sanitation, and their livestock are getting weak.
Please pray for God’s mercy on sending us rain. Pray that people get thirstier for the Word of God and that Jesus be exalted in the midst of all despair.
Bible study
At our weekly Bible study with class 8 students, eight Som** girls chose to remain in class and learn with the other students.
We were studying ‘Jesus is Lord and Saviour’. We had two passages to read and when I requested a volunteer, one of the Som.** girls volunteered and this brought a lot of cheer and clapping from the other students. There was more cheer and clapping at the end of her reading 20 verses and we could see she was encouraged and happy.
Please pray with us that God would open the hearts of these Som.** students to recognize Him as Lord and Saviour and the only true living God.
Also pray that God will bring them back to the next Bible study.
Surrender
Pray for a seeker who is from Vanilla Island and came to Madagascar a year ago. He has been exposed much to the Gospel and has a good relationship with those discipling him, often listening to their advice. May the seeds that they continue to sow in his life fall on good soil that he may come to surrender his heart to Jesus.
Needing freedom
Pray for Nahara students and teachers to push through with literacy. May these new readers read the newly translated Bible!
Many of the believers are still bound up by fear of evil spirits and intrinsically believe evil is of God. Knowing that Jesus has power over evil and can set people free is a journey. Please pray that the forces of evil so present among the Nahara would flee as people find freedom in Christ.
Heart broken
We’ve been worried about Joy as unusually she hasn’t responded to messages ever since her brother came into town 10 days ago. Finally heard from her last night and she is heart broken. Not sure on all the details but all her family have broken relationship with her and are refusing to give her any inheritance. She can’t understand how the Father would allow this to happen when she has prayed so much. She’s struggling to trust His goodness. Please pray for her.
Healing and growth
A 15 year old girl was sent to the mission hospital after a severe reaction to a treatment. Pray for physical healing, and that she’ll hear more Good News as she’s there and solidify her young belief and grow to maturity.
Boldness
Praise Jesus for new believers who are boldly sharing their faith, for another new sister, for a group of 12 interested in learning more, receiving the Scriptures, praying. Ask for continued boldness, courage and faithful abiding and discipleship.
Security improving
Hello dear brothers and sisters, the security in Ik right now has cooled down compared to the previous days and months, so everything is fine and tourists are returning to visit the Ik community in one of the sub counties called Timu. Thanks so much for praying! God bless you.
Joseph Lokol
I will feed my sheep
“I myself will feed my sheep and I myself will make them lie down, declares the sovereign LORD. I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick ” Ez 34:15-16.
Pray for the Alagwa, that they would recognise the Good Shepherd. May broken hearts and lives be strengthened and healed.
Who is Jesus?
Mama S went to a Bible study with Shara. The leader spoke from James about having joy and perseverance. Shara and Mama S had a fruitful conversation about prayer and the study topics. Shara left her with the question: ‘Who is Jesus to you?’ Pray she will seek the Truth, find it and hold onto it forever.
New team
God has answered our prayers and has called people to go to the Kanembu! The team leaders are travelling soon to the location to secure housing for team members. Pray for God’s guidance to houses whose neighbors have open hearts. May God prepare many people to hear and respond to the Gospel.
Communal garden
Some believers have started a communal garden. First attempt was flooded. Their second attempt yielded mixed results: Things went well until harvest time, then two members came and did a quick “pre-harvest”! Several others were so upset they stopped going to the discipleship meetings. Others have continued with discipleship but are no longer growing vegetables. Please pray that all hurts and gripes will be put on the table in order to start afresh. There is nothing romantic about farming or discipleship; the reality is a messy business!
New contacts
Last month Joel got out to a village called Thuguru for an exploratory trip in hopes of finding some new places to take Bible stories. After finding his old neighbour’s new home, he and his friend set off to meet the village chief. By the end of the day, Joel had been invited by the three compounds he visited to return with either the Jesus Film or to teach God’s Word! Thank God for Lolepo, Abraham and Lolar, the men of peace God led Joel to that day – pray for them and many others from these homes to follow Jesus.
Diaspora in Hong Kong
G always shares the gospel with her African Muslim friends but the message is rejected by them. She will start to share with them starting from the Old Testament and hopes that this will help more friends to understand the message. Please pray.
N is a naughty Muslim child and doesn’t want to study at all. Her family plans to bring her back to their own country next year. Pray in God’s mercy she comes to know Jesus who can transform her life. We hope that she can stay with her family.
C is an African Muslim who joined the Chinese class for two years and built up a good relationship with the tutor. Recently he sent the tutor testimonies of people converting to Islam and how God transforms them. May God still touch his heart and accept Jesus.
Prayer for Strong Marriages
Please pray for church leaders with marriage struggles throughout this region where the church is under attack not only from without, but also from within the households of Gospel servants. Ask God to heal and restore broken relationships, for good counsel and support to resolve issues. Pray that couples serving in ministry among the Nyamwezi would come to see and appreciate why God put them together, and that they would both know that God wants to use them and their marriage to be a light in their community.
Diaspora in Missouri
* The RAISE Welcoming Week event at the community garden went very well. The weather was good, the turnout was excellent and we had a good mix of different people groups talking and sharing a meal together. Pray for relationships to grow and for the Lord to remove the veil that covers people’s eyes to the truth of the Gospel.
* We are doing another trauma healing training this weekend October 15-17. Pray groups who were not represented in the previous trainings would come and find healing and hope.
Response
A woman came asking for prayer to help her “illness” of evil spirits. Five followers of Jesus circled her with Good News and prayer. G prayed to accept Jesus as her Savior, Healer and Deliverer. We then used Jesus authority to pray for her to be set free and healed. Pray for G to grow in her faith and walk in full freedom in Christ. We’re supposed to meet her again today (Thursday).
Seek Jesus
Mama B and I have recently been discussing her struggles, as she opens up more. I have shared with her that there will be no change without Jesus. She has started to attend Christian gatherings with me. Pray that through all of this exposure to Scripture and viewing how Christians pray, she will desire to seek Jesus in her own life.
Diaspora in UK
The arrival in Croydon of some recently evacuated Afghan refugees has prompted local churches to work together to welcome them. As part of this I have started an English class for Afghan men on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Please give thanks for the opportunities this brings and pray for me as I start to get to know the students. Ask God to open their hearts to healing and wholeness only He can give.
Security
The security operatives are recommending us not to go up to the Ik-ridge. They say that there are warriors hiding in those areas. Pray that the disarmament will take effect soon. The government has started the process. Please pray for true and lasting peace and that God would make a way for the Ik to hear and believe the Gospel.
Diaspora in Michigan
Pray for two young men named M. and Q. who I had the opportunity to ‘seek’ while running errands. M. does not know God but thinks there must be a higher being. Q. says that his closeness to God comes and goes. He does not have a relationship with Jesus. We are praying for opportunities to follow up with both of these young men and asking God for them to be ‘found’ soon!
I will be meeting with a Muslim friend this week to do some cooking. Please pray that Holy Spirit will speak through me and give me just the right words to share to make Jesus known. Our desire is to continue to scatter seeds.
We will be meeting with a man weekly to read the Bible and pray together. Pray for more opportunities like this.
Diaspora in Canada
Fifty North African Muslims have signed up for an ESL course in Montreal. Pray for relationships to develop between them and their francophone church teachers. Pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to them through their ESL learning.
One believer
Praise God that after several years praying for more workers, we now have three preparing to join the one member. Pray for the one Maba lady who became a believer but has very little knowledge to persevere in her faith and to listen to the bible materials which she has on her phone. Pray that a lady from the local church will have opportunities to encourage her.
Diaspora in Canada
20 kids made decisions to follow Jesus at our summer camps. Pray for the campers who dedicated their lives to Christ, that they would continue to pursue that relationship.
It has been encouraging to see the sponsorship program grow and see how God is using Naomi House to reach the lost and also to support persecuted Christians. We expect our first 2 sponsorships to arrive this fall. Pray God will bless the residents and draw them to Himself.
Medical students
Troy and Crystal have been encouraged by the Bible study group that meets once a week at the medical school. Pray that Troy and Crystal would be able to connect with the Didinga believers who are studying at the school, and that they would join the Bible study that focuses on God’s heart to reach the nations. Pray that God would raise up Didinga believers, trained in medical work, who have a heart to go to their own people to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the lost.
A prayer for Arab Swahili people
Father, for a people seeking to serve and please God, yet are ‘ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ we ask you by your Spirit and our witness to open their hearts and be transformed by the renewal of their minds into a people who worship you in spirt and in truth.
Diaspora in Calif, USA
Praise for a great beach day with International students. Pray for continuing opportunities to meet up with students and for gospel filled conversations. Pray that the International students will have receptive and soften hearts to the Gospel News and that they might meet and fall in love with Jesus while they study in the US.
Diaspora in France
A new school year means a lot of international students have arrived from the 4 corners of the world. Over the last three weeks we have met so many different students and we are slowly starting to build relationships. Ask the Lord to have mercy on these new students. Pray for the Lord to open doors for us to proclaim the mystery of Christ. Pray for many believers to obey the call to go and make disciples in their different contexts.
Diego church partnership
This past week Manoa and I met with church leaders in Diego with whom Esther Park has been working to train Malagasy church planters. We were so encouraged to see the openness of these leaders and their desire to partner with us in this work of reaching the Antakarana. Please pray for future communication and planning and opportunity to partner more in this ministry. Ask the Lord for fruitful ministry together that many Antakarana might be saved.
Diaspora in South Carolina
* Pray for our making connections with our friends in South Carolina, we are hoping to renew friendships with an Indian family living two doors down. Ask the Lord to open their hearts to the gospel.
* Pray for the leadership of the small Akira church plant near Suswa, as they need God’s wisdom leading the small group of believers.
Ali
Ali is doing well as a radio announcer and sharing the gospel but is still growing in his faith. We are praying for Muslims who have come to faith in Christ to join the team and help evangelize the Nahara. Ask that such people would come to the fore in the ministry here.
Diaspora in South Africa
* Praise for a fruitful mission into Phoenix Durban with our church from Stellenbosch. The community of Phoenix is predominantly Indian and practices Islam and Hinduism. Pray for each one who heard the gospel to ponder its message, and ask the Holy Spirit to grant repentance.
Ilouru
In the last few weeks Marlene has been able to follow up with her friend, Ilouru, who expressed a desire to follow the Lord. They are now meeting on Tuesday mornings for Bible study! Pray for Ilouru and her husband, Itak, to “turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21), to invite neighbours to learn from the Word, and for the light of the gospel to continue to grow in the village of Ohilang.
Diaspora in Canada
Pray for Ivan and Asher, both Somali, to be free from their addictions. Pray for many Somali youth and young men in Toronto who are caught up in gang violence. Pray that their conversations and interaction with Christ- centered Christians will lead them to freedom in Christ.
Living Hopeless
I sat for hours in a grass thatched hut with a family grieving without hope and no assurance of God’s presence. Such a stark contrast to knowing Jesus is with us through and in every trial. There was no singing of hymns nor acknowledgement of God. The God of angel armies was not welcomed in this home. The sister-in-law of the mother who grieved the death of her 3 year old son was pleading the spirits to let her take on the debt of the curse that was on her brother. Pray that this household will accept God’s message of hope and that they would desire to live in right relationship with the Living God. The message of Christ is so simple and clear that the debt has already been paid, yet most in this village have chosen not to accept this truth. The mother was overcome with hopelessness and fear. Pray she would turn to God and know He wants to give her peace and bless her with purpose. Pray for whole families and villages to turn to Christ.
Children
Life can be hard for children in Ik. Pray they know that Jesus invited the little children to come to Him and be blessed. May they know the Kingdom of God is given to them too (Luke 18:16)
Diaspora in Florida
* Pray more Muslim women will come to our exercise and sewing classes. Pray that these women will be receptive to the Good News and would have seeking hearts to ask good questions.
* Pray we have wisdom as we share our ministry with churches at mission conferences this month. Pray that the congregations will be challenged and moved to share with their Muslim neighbors.
Kids’ camp report
We praise God for a successful week-long children’s camp in Nosybe with 60 children. It seems all had a great time and wanted to continue for another week! We praise the Lord for good fellowship. Also, two of the campers made public professions of faith! Please pray for their continued growth and interest in the things of God. Many were from non-Christian homes, and some of them have told their parents that they want to keep attending children’s club. Pray that more of these children will come to personal faith in Christ.
