Lucino called this morning and told me that Christians in Lomutar, Toposaland, have been beaten severely. This is the same place where persecutions started in 2020. Please pray the believers would stand firm in their faith and the Lord would rebuke the men who oppose Him.
Needing salvation
Jared and Mzee M have been going to a neighborhood Bible study together and Mzee enjoys it very much. He sings hymns and engages in conversation. Pray for the desire to follow Jesus in his own life.
Shara and Mama Sam started lesson 1 of a 6-lesson Bible series. Pray they will be able to continue this study and that God would use it to soften Mama S’s heart to accept her Savior.
Through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil
Funerals are opportunities for Christians to share their hope with others who do not yet understand the eternal blessings that can be theirs. We mourn the loss of a beloved Christian who was taking Bible courses to become a full time church worker. During his life he shared the Gospel with his family, village, and in neighboring areas. The student’s faith in Christ was evident not only in his life but also became his final testimony at his funeral. How different a Christian funeral is as hymns of hope are sung about resurrection rather than the typical wailing and piercing cries of unquenchable lament! Pray that those who stand in need of peace with God accept the gift of God – to be saved by grace through faith.
Bible study with Mo
Just before the start of Ramadhan we agreed with Mo that we would start a Bible study together after the 30 days of fasting. Please pray with me that God will guide him so that he makes time for this. That God will speak clearly to both of us in a new way and that this will transform our hearts and lives.
Confidence in Christ
Many of this generation are being taught that their feelings define truth and that if they follow their heart, they are being most true. Jesus, we pray that you would expose this lie, that instead of trusting their own deceitful hearts, (Jer 17:9,10), they would allow you to search their hearts and transform them. May they put their confidence and trust in you and be like trees that put out roots by the stream and bear fruit without fear. (Jer 17:7,8)
Diaspora in UK
* Pray for our restarted ladies craft and chatter event. It’s a great way for our church to reach out to the unreached people groups in our community.
* One of the church leaders and I attended an iftar (breaking fast during Ramadan) at one of the local mosques. Please pray for growing relationships and opportunities to share the gospel.
Translation begins
Pray for us as we begin the journey of Bible translation and Jesus film in Jiye. Pray for good translators who will be committed for the long haul.
Diaspora in Hong Kong
1. Thank God we were able to share His words during the Chinese Zoom class during Ramadan. Pray God’s words dwell in their hearts and they ponder it.
2. We will go visit our friends during Eid. May God guide us to have good sharing times.
3. God has started to stir up the church to be concerned and take part in the Diaspora ministry in Hong Kong. Pray to God to provide more volunteers for us.
Diaspora in Portland
This year, Easter came in the middle of Ramadan, so we planned a lavish banquet for our cousins after 8 PM when their fast was over. But first we invited them all to gather at 7 PM to listen, as I “storied” the entire chapter of Luke 24! These dear friends listened more carefully this time than ever before. Many voiced appreciation for God’s Word. Pray that the story of Jesus’ resurrection may play over and over in our friends’ minds, opening the way for true forgiveness from God!
Revisit village Z
On the 8th May I will go with the local pastor to revisit the village Z where we went after Christmas to talk of ‘Good News’, hoping to follow up with some of the people we had visited. We will stay until 9th pm so that I can go visiting and not just fill my time with seeing patients as rather happened last time. Pray for open hearts and minds, much time for visiting, fluency in speaking (most of the women there only speak Neem) and much fruit from this visit.
Believe the message
Pray that more Bara will open their villages to watch the film Jesus. This is a very effective tool to introduce people to Jesus. Pray the Holy Spirit will speak through the film and many would believe the message.
Open hearts
Praise God for an invitation to read the bible with a lady called Nakiru and her neighbours. Please pray for Nasur, a Karimojong believer who is facilitating/leading these times. Pray that God’s word would bear fruit the lives of each who come.
Ready to speak out
Praising God for a new believer ‘Ruth’, sister to the first in their village ‘Faye’ Although I had talked with Ruth on several occasions, it seems that Faye had been talking with her and letting her listen to the Neem Creation to Christ audio stories. Ruth in her turn seems to be speaking to her husband about it and says she gave him the Arabic New Testament that I gave to her (and then realised that she doesn’t read very well). Pray that he too will believe and that the enthusiasm of these ladies to talk of our Lord will not wane and will bear much fruit in their village.
Brought to fullness
Please pray for the new believers who have received very little face to face discipleship that, just as they received Christ Jesus as Lord, they would continue to live their lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as they were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Pray that they live believing that in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and that in Christ they have been brought to fullness. (Col 2)
Follow Me
Mama Hay has had a dream of Jesus calling her to follow him. Her 2 year old son has been suffering from demonic attacks. She has studied a six lesson series from creation to Christ and she wants to follow him but admits she is scared of her family. Pray for courage and strength that she will follow what Jesus has called her to do.
Ramadan ending
The end of Ramadan is in a few days. Ask that as we meet up friends and neighbours that the Father would open a door to speak of Him.
Night of Power
Tonight Muslims around the world will commemorate the night on which Allah first revealed the Qur’an to Mohammad. Many will spend the night in prayer expecting blessings and mercy. Pray that the Lord will bless them with a revelation of His Son.
Celebrating Easter and Pentecost
The Believers on Nosy Mitsio had a good Easter celebration and are looking to plan a service for Pentecost. A new family joined them for Easter. Please pray for Petera, Francine, Shilo and his family and Edmond and his family.
Baptism!
On Good Friday, we had the privilege of baptizing three new believers (Praise the Lord!), one of whom is a young man who grew up in this community – the first truly “local” believer. May God be glorified in their lives, and please pray they stand firm in Jesus in the face of discouragements and hardships that will surely come.
Persecution is real. Pray for the church.
Jiye leader Simon Amoni told me, “Me and Loumwa had gone to show Jesus film at night at Chumameri church. Many people were gathered including youths, women, children and men. In the middle of viewing Jesus film, a youth came in and started causing some chaos and asking who brought this thing here. He disappeared and after a short time came back with a gun and shot at the screen thinking that would end the film. Thank God none of us were standing. We were all seated and that is how we survived. No one ran away, instead youths caught the youth and took the gun, and we were asked to continue with the film! And at the end approximately 150 people lifted their hands for prayers.” Persecution is real. Pray for the church.
True Peacemaker
Muslim men from Saudi Arabia came to Kondoa to pass out meat at the mosques. One man told Gideon that instead of bringing peace among the people, they are making everyone fight. Pray this will turn people to the True Peacemaker.
Change hearts
Pray that believers would have a right perspective of suffering. Ask that they not fear, that they keep on speaking and are not silent, that they would believe that the Holy Spirit is powerful to change hearts. Acts 18
Diaspora in US
* I have been doing in-home ESL tutoring with an Afghan man. Pray for our weekly meetings, that our relationship would grow and we would talk about matters of eternal significance.
* Pray for our continued relationship with our Somali truck driving friend, MH. He passed his citizenship interview. Pray for a receptive and soft heart when he hears Gospel truths.
Jesus loves us. He will return someday.
While Jacob was away for nearly a month, he had Paulo stay on his compound. Paulo is the elder of the gathering of believers in Yei village. When Jacob sat down to talk with him, he begin singing a simple song he had composed while Jacob was away. The song in Laarim simply says, “Jesus loves us. He will return some day.” Paulo’s grandson told Jacob that his grandfather had come up with this song to encourage himself while he was staying at the compound alone. Pray for Paulo, that the Lord will continue to put a song in his heart and be the friend that is always near.
Breakthrough prayer
Pray for a breakthrough of God’s Spirit convicting, drawing and opening many O eyes to see and really perceive, their ears to hear, and their hearts to understand and turn and be healed! May God draw many O to become strong disciples of Jesus who will make more disciples – starting a Disciple Making Movement in O-land!
Bible stories with the Tepeth
Please pray for Ugandan missionaries Lawrence and Simple as they start a bible study series for Tepeth communities next month. Please pray that these stories will have an impact on the communities they share in and that many will believe. Please also pray for an interpreter who is able to go with them.
They are also wanting to use audio bibles for community discipleship. Pray that the audio bibles will help communities grow in their relationship with Christ, as they hear the Word of God in their language.
Heralds of the gospel
Jesus, we ask for generations of believers where parents and grandparents share their faith with their children without a spirit of fear, but with power, love and self-discipline. May they be willing to join in the suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. May they remember that you have saved them and called them to a holy life—not because of anything they have done but because of your own purpose and grace. Jesus, may they be heralds and teachers of this gospel. (2 Tim 1)
New leaders
Our local church has just gone through the process of appointing the first local elders and deacons. Please pray for these individuals as they serve in new positions and learn what it looks like to lead and encourage others within the body of Christ.
Kairos
Over the next two weekends, there is a missions seminar called Kairos that will be held in Kondoa. Pray this will spur on the Christians here to reach their Rangi Muslims and to give them a better perspective of world missions and the Great Commission, that they would cross the street and cross borders for Jesus’ sake.
Healing
A teenage Som* boy who has been living with our neighbour was admitted at Kijabe hospital and the family expected that his cancerous leg would be amputated. Happily, the doctors decided otherwise. The boy is currently back home and will return next week for chemo. The family has been very open to prayers. They are excited by the improvement of this young man’s health as he can now walk! He is getting better. Praise the Lord!
We are trusting the Lord for total healing. Pray with us.
Become a core group
Praise God for three women who have been discipled for some time in one neighbourhood and are now more and more looking to study God’s word and pray together. Please pray that they would become the core from which a group of believers and seekers could develop one day soon! Pray for the courage and conviction for each of them to be baptised this year.
Opposition
Pray for the believers in Beangezoka. After the pastor died suddenly in December 2019, the young man he was discipling was unexpectedly thrust into the pastorate. Pray for him, John, and the pastor’s wife, Theresa, and the other believers to stand firm against opposition in the village from ancestor worshippers. Ask the Lord to help John as he pastors the church.
Proclaiming Faith through Baptism
Praise God for baptisms that took place in the Tabora region during Passion Week. Some of these baptisms are the first believers in their families. Pray for U’s family who are Nyamwezi, do not yet know Jesus, and would not come to his baptism. Pray for other sincere seekers to be encouraged by U’s public testimony to follow Christ, and even now during Ramadan, to make the same commitment to become followers of Jesus. Pray for U and the eight other believers baptized with him that they would persevere through tribulations and powerfully proclaim the Gospel to the people around them.
Diaspora in Atlanta
* Ask the Lord to introduce each one of us on the Atlanta team to an unsaved UPG African.
* Pray that the Lord would save these Muslim friends: E., H., M., and A.
Diaspora in Detroit
* We have been working with about 30 Afghan families at a local hotel for 6 weeks. Pray for fruitful ministry and many to really listen to the gospel.
* Pray for Mr I who was asking me to “show him the proof in hand” that Jesus was real. May Jesus reveal Himself to him in a powerful way! Pray for Mr. F who recently accepted the Bible and showed interest in the story of Exodus. May he be freed from bondage of Islam!
Taking with God
Last month Marlene made several trips back and forth to Ohilang from Torit to close up ministry and help move Umjuma and her children back to Torit. On one occasion she met with a dear old lady that she has known for years. Over the years, Marlene has shared with this woman parts of the gospel, but on this occasion while talking about the passing of Luka, Marlene was able to share with “T” her sure hope that she will see Luka again in eternity. Marlene then shared the whole gospel, creation to Christ, with “T”. As they were talking it became evident that “T” had stopped speaking to Marlene and had started talking with God! This felt like a great gift to Marlene in the midst of much loss and sorrow over the last weeks. Pray for “T” to grow in her trust in the Lord, and that He will teach her through His Spirit.
Diaspora in Portland
* A couple weeks ago, “S” and “E” (“S” is an MBB) sent me an invitation to their farewell Open House. They are preparing to move to another city, closer to his job. We will really miss him! But I wish you could have been at their farewell last Sunday! We joined other families who filled their home with lively conversations, all of us discovering how God had used His Family assisting these refugees (S & E) in following Jesus in a new land and with a new language. Keep your eyes and hearts open! Is God tapping you to be part of His encouragement team?
Struggles
Ancestral worship is a strong force across Madagascar; some Sakalava church members continue to follow these practices. Pray for missionaries to have the wisdom in approaching them about this. Pray the Holy Spirit will convict them of their sin. Many couples in the village are struggling in their marriages and young girls get pregnant very early. Pray for God’s blessing on a training being offered about what the Bible teaches about marriage and relationships between boys and girls. Pray for open hearts.
Bible study
I was recently asked by a friend to read the Bible together with her each week. This was a big encouragement because I had been asking God how I could share more intentionally with her. Each week she invites neighbours to come, and we read John’s gospel. There have been some challenges, but it now seems that there is a core group of women who come regularly. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will lead during these times, and that each of us will grow closer to Christ.
Partial healing
Lucia and her son, Marino, spent most of March in Juba getting treatment for a condition that has left Marino unable to speak for over a year. He needed surgery to remove growths from his larynx. We thank God that the surgery went well, however not all could be removed at once and Marino is still not speaking much above a whisper. We also thank God that the biopsy of the masses did not reveal any cancerous cells. The surgeon has told Lucia to return to Juba in May/June for further surgery. This has been a difficult journey for Lucia and her son, but she has not wavered in her belief that God has been her help and strength through it all – “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens!” (Psalm 68:19). Please pray that God would heal Marino completely, that his voice would be restored, and he would use his mouth to speak the praises of God.
