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 Neem 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.

Diaspora in France

* Praise God for the young Afghan refugee “Omar” that T. has gotten to know via our French class. We had him over for dinner last week. Please pray that as T. is leaving, Omar would connect with other Christian men.
* T. and I have had several Gospel conversations with friends, and were able to connect some of our Muslim friends with Christian friends this past week. Please pray that these relationships would flourish and that these friends would “taste and see” that Jesus is good – and that He is God.

Literacy classes

Sharing stories of Jesus with the ladies at the literacy school has been a major breakthrough from seven years ago when people simply spat on the ground and walked away! We asked Ali to come and share on Fridays as his language and culture is so much stronger. The first few meetings were well attended but slowly they have diminished to just one Christian mama and her two children. There are many reasons for this but essentially it will take time to develop trust. Pray that the day will come when some of the students will take a step of faith and get baptized even though this may be costly!

Diaspora in Canada

* We begin (Lord willing) our English classes this week (October 4th). Please pray that God would be at work in the students who have registered- opening their hearts to search for the Truth as they hear the gospel this year and read his Word.
* We have our first children’s drop-in of the school year on October 2nd. Please pray for many North African families to attend, and for all the logistics with Covid Passports etc. to not be a hindrance. Please pray for these families to come to Christ.
* Pray that the Holy Spirit would really guide K. and I. May we serve with humility and do everything for the glory of God.

Diaspora in Missouri

Pray for eight Muslim Sudanese who are enrolled in a Programmable Logic Controller program at a community college. They are having significant interaction with Christian teachers in the intense program.

Lent her copy

Went to read with Joy and discovered she’d lent her copy of the Word to a friend! A childhood friend who is asking lots of questions. Awesome! Got her set up with the Word on her phone which she is thrilled about because now she can easily send verses to others by WhatsApp. Ask for continued boldness, thirst for the Word, her friend to truly read it and the HS to soften this friend’s heart to the Truth.

Doubting

There are new believers who are doubting, shrinking back, writing publicly that they no longer follow Jesus because of fear/family pressure/or because of disappointed expectations of what God “should have done.” Pray that as believers share with others, they would disciple them faithfully and that each one would be rooted and built up in Christ, strengthened in the faith.

Sick and Lost

The mother of a believing couple on one of the islands is very sick. The family is poor and can’t afford to send her to get treatment. Pray for wisdom and provision regarding where to send her for treatment. Pray also for family members as they care for her.
A sister here was recently questioned by her brother about her beliefs. She didn’t deny Jesus and happily welcomed him to her house to discuss more. He didn’t end up going, but they have talked on the phone since then and all seems to be okay. Pray for D’s brother to be saved.

May seeds grow

Lift up Dan and Joel’s relationships with the people whose garden is near their house (Louren, Lopiir, Nadukuo, Rebekah, Nangide, Teresa). Pray the Lord will open their ears and hearts to the gospel as Dan and Joel greet them when they come to the gardens. Pray for boldness (and language skills) for Dan and Joel to share truths from God’s Word with them.

Deep love

“Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Col. 3:14. Pray for deep love and honesty to be the hallmark of all the believers who gather as church here.

Inquisitive

This week after class when the students left, I stayed behind to wrap-up. Within a few minutes, Is***, an old student, walked in as he saw the windows open and knew there was someone indoors. He said he was just passing by to say hello.
Then he surprised me when he asked about the number of chapters in the Bible, and then went on to discuss about some of the people found in our Book and their book. He then said that there is very little difference between our faiths (which is not true!) and that it is important to find the truth (which is true!).
I suggested that we should both get time to have a study of the Books. He agreed but mentioned that he is currently busy with college work. Pray we could study together.

Please pray that God will open doors for time and opportunity to study His Word with my friend and that his eyes and heart will respond to the truth of the gospel.