Please pray for the Alagwa believers to stand strong. May they surrender to Jesus in every area of lives and obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit. May their lights shine in their communities so that people may see their good deeds and praise their Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16).
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Luke in the Antanala dialect continues to receive a lot of attention. Not only in our village but in the whole region people are eager to get a copy. Several Malagasy missionaries are looking into the possibility of using the booklets in their areas. Praise the Lord! Pray that many will believe the gospel message and be saved.
Reading the Word
Pray for all those who are reading or have read God’s word in the past. In the last month many people downloaded a text and audio app of the book of Exodus, and just today a worker on another team told me about a student who (in the midst of the teacher’s explanation about baptism to an English class), quoted John the Baptist’s words about how the one who would come after him would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire! He must be reading from the app. Pray that as seekers and believers read God’s word they would meet the Living Word and be transformed!
Women outreach
Pray for the women of Ubembeni. We have started meeting weekly to teach practical skills, like carpet making etc., to our Muslim and Christian neighbors. Pray for the Christians to desire to sit with their Muslim neighbors and build friendships. Pray for the Muslims to be open to a love they’ve never experienced before and ultimately see it comes from Jesus.
Drought and famine
We read in the Scriptures about tough times of drought and famine and sometimes these stories seems to be so far away from our reality and we even wonder how people survived. Well, it’s been a reality among the Gabbra people throughout their history and once again so many families nowadays are struggling with illness and loss, lack of water and food. Please pray that we’d see God’s mercy and favor and miracles during this season and that people open their hearts to seek for Him. Pray that God would send us rain that quench the thirsty in physical and spiritual ways.
Needing jobs
It’s is really difficult for our local brothers to find and/or keep jobs. One bother was recently offered a position but it was taken away at the last minute. Ask that they could find meaningful work so they can offer a meaningful contribution to the community.
Love would abound
Please pray for Lokwar, Locom, and Nyao, three young men Jacob is meeting with in Kimatong. They have been showing an eagerness to learn more of God’s Word and have a desire to walk closer with him. Pray for these young men, that as they meet with Jacob for regular fellowship and prayer, the Lord will draw them closer to Himself, and that their love would abound more and more for Him and for one another.
Self-righteousness
Oh Lord, humble those who still believe self-righteousness saves. Please rescue these rebellious ones. Let them see they are helpless. Only God is righteous; only Jesus redeems and cleanses us. Silence the lies of the evil one and let the lost hear the truth through your children and through your Spirit.
Christian funeral
We are grieving the sudden loss of our teammate from an apparent heart attack. The funeral is today. Pray for all the Muslims who attend the service to be touched by the testimony of this woman’s life who loved the Lord and her neighbors. The gospel will be shared. Pray for hearts to hear the good news clearly.
Spiritual attack
Jake & Sadie are O MBBs who have a powerful witness as part of our team. They’re under spiritual warfare attack with physical unexplained illness and symptoms. Pray that God’s full armor, and the weapons with divine power will demolish strongholds will protect them and break any of the enemies schemes through Jesus’ blood shed at the cross. Pray protection for their 2 kids! Pray that Jesus’ power and authority will be recognized in Jake and Sadie’s words & deeds and encouragement and for much lasting fruit.
Update: As of Wednesday Sadie was seriously ill and brought to Kijabe hospital where she is admitted- pray for a clear diagnosis and God’s blessings of grace for full healing and restoration!
Suffering
The people of our district still suffer greatly from the two cyclones that hit in February this year. There is still no clean drinking water in many places, and food prices have gone up. Pray for God’s mercy.
We have started with the project to train a local young man to do the healthcare job we did when we still lived in the village. Sambivele has arrived in the capital, where he is being trained in a hospital. Pray for him to adjust to city life and to do well in his training.
Spiritual attack
Please lift up the team ministering to the Alagwa, who have experienced particular spiritual attacks recently. Please pray for encouragement in difficult times and protection. May they sense Jesus walking especially close to them in these days. And may God’s glory be seen amongst the Alagwa.
Women’s meeting
Pray for the monthly women’s gathering set to happen this week. Pray for open hearts to learn and increasing growth in understanding of the Word.
Truth declared
Pray for opportunities to share the Truth declared at the Queen’s funeral with locals this week. Everyone knows about the funeral here so its an easy conversation starter.
Today I visited Abigail and we discussed how the Queen was a person of service… and how JC came to be a Servant in order to mend our relationship to the Father. Please ask that Abigail would think deeply about this important characteristic of JC.
Imprisoned
We still have a brother and a sister in jail serving 3 and 5 year sentences. So far the advocacy groups have not had any success. Pray for the Lord’s mercy and sustaining grace.
Needing healing
Mzee Mjeja attended church with Jared last Sunday. The man was in need of seeing a doctor so Jared’s choir took up an offering amongst themselves to pay for him to see a doctor. Pray this act of kindness will show that those who follow Christ are internally much different than those who don’t. Pray for healing for Mzee Mjeja both physically and spiritually.
Leaders’ training
Pray for some lay leaders from Usandawe who are attending the Indigenous Leaders’ Training this week in Magambua, led by Pastor Emma Shilikale.
Diaspora in UK
Ask God to open hearts and provide opportunities to demonstrate and speak of His love to the international ladies, children and young adults we work with, many of whom have experienced trauma as they seek asylum in the U.K.
Work as a team
Our church is hosting a dinner towards the end of this month for about 30 MBB’s. Please pray that God will help us start working together as a team in His vineyard; that we will celebrate God’s goodness and faithfulness for bringing us this far. Pray that God will show us how to work as a team to bring in more Somalis to His Kingdom.
Ask for healing
Pray for our friend Adam who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Ask for healing in the name of Jesus. We have shared the good news many times with this family and they are open to prayer. They love the person of Jesus, but do not believe in His death and resurrection.
See who Jesus is
Please pray for S and her daughter N who were open to prayer. Pray for continued spiritual conversations and for them to be willing to read the Gospels and to see who Jesus is.
Saturday Bible study
Saturday morning Bible study in the village of Kerengea: We usually start off with prayer and then go into a time of worship. One of the young boys will often use an empty jerry can as a drum as we sing one of the 33 worship songs in the Laarim language. This is followed by prayer – first a prayer thanking God for the many blessings He’s given us and then we move on to prayer requests. After this, Lolimo, a young teenage boy, reads a Bible story and verse. We then proceed to talk about the story and the lessons we can learn from it. Then we close in prayer and sing the song that marks the end of a church meeting.” Pray for this Bible study to continue, for leaders to rise up from within, and for a church to be firmly established in this village.
Diaspora in Minnesota
Pray for the group of Somali grandmothers as they learn English and we teach them how to drive. Praise for all the opportunities to share the Gospel news to those that I am teaching to drive. Pray for my Afghan friend, that he will continue to seek the truth found in Jesus.
Diaspora in Canada
We ran Camp Rhino Manitoba from August 21-26. We had 18 kids from 6 different nations. Praise God that it ran smoothly, no major hiccups, or incidents. 5 of these kids made decisions to follow Jesus and make him Lord. We had several others respond to
putting Jesus first in their lives. Please pray for us as we plan follow up with our campers. Pray that they would remember their commitment and that the Holy Spirit would go with them and protect them as they go back to school in a week.
Jesus said, “Follow me!”
Praise God for the publishing of 2,000 copies of a discipleship course written specifically for new believers in Jesus from a Muslim background, now translated into Swahili. Ask the Lord to raise up discipleship relationships and spiritual growth between believers and new believers as they study through these twenty lessons though the book 1 Peter together.
Have mercy
Joy’s father had taken a turn for the worse and he’s in hospital… maybe he won’t leave. Joy is desperate for him to meet Jesus before he passes. Would you pray with us for the Father’s mercy on Joy’s father? And comfort and peace for Joy.
Persecution
Pray for Toposa believers in Kauto, South Sudan, there is severe persecution going on so that some have run for their lives 100 km. The persecution occurred after the baptism of 100 people and sharing the Lord’s table with 400 believers.
Diaspora in Canada
Last month, we asked for prayer for a new Iranian couple (M & M), friends of a student attending the Christianity Explored class that we teach and they accepted the Lord and are planning to get baptized! Praise God for His work in their hearts!
This month, another Iranian couple (A & M), family members of another student joined the class. Please pray for the discipleship & commitment of the new believers, as well as the salvation of the new couple attending.
You are her help, O Lord
Please continue to lift up Umjuma, the widow, in your prayers. Last month she experienced yet another loss – the death of her mother-in-law. Umjuma had been living in the same compound as her mother-in-law and had found her to be a great support and help. The losses she has faced this year have been so heavy, and yet I am encouraged by her faith and tenacious clinging to the Lord in times of trouble. As she raises her three children, as well as her three nieces/nephews, pray for her: “Hasten, O God, to save [her]; O Lord, come quickly to help [her]… [She is] poor and needy; come quickly to [her], O God. You are [her] help and [her] deliverer; O Lord, do not delay” (Psalm 70:1, 5).
Boldly speak
Help the new believers to be discipled faithfully and truthfully. May they have courage to seek out other believers face to face. Let them boldly speak of Christ and him crucified and risen. May they be filled with the Spirit of God and speak and live with holy power.
Diaspora in UK
We are thankful for the 60+ families from 15+ language groups who have participated in Sewing class, English class or Homework Club this past academic year.
In June, English and Sewing classes ended with parties that provided an excellent opportunity to speak of God’s love with these international ladies. Pray that the gospel seeds that were sown would bear much fruit.
Diaspora in Hong Kong
Recently we had a new classmate who didn’t know English since his father arranged for them to study in the madrasa (Koranic school). Now he hopes to learn English and Chinese more. May he find the truth through God’s words.
Please pray for our Chinese Class members who are mainly from W. Africa and we hope they will get to know Jesus more through our class and relationships with our teachers and God’s words.
Children’s ministry
The children’s ministry has started again in full force. The first day (today) more than 340 children came. Hallelujah! Pray for these children to learn and grow in faith.
Also we had 2 days of training with 5 pastors from the Reformed Church of Madagascar, and our partners visited 4 new villages with the Jesus Film.
Diaspora in Canada
Praise that my friend H is faithfully attending church with him and is continuing to grow in his faith. Please pray that his siblings will be led to Jesus as well.
ESL classes on line and in person are beginning soon, as well as in home tutoring with our friends here. Please pray for many opportunities for gospel engagement here.
Please pray that as the weather cools, people will be drawn to faith around the fire – backyard meetings at our house. Please pray particularly that our high-rise neighbors will come.
Open doors
Please pray for open doors to share with our friends and neighbours in NA2 capital. Pray for the local body as they develop leaders and shepherd new followers.
Diaspora in Atlanta
Praise the Lord for a successful first African Friends Party, and that one woman put her faith in Christ that evening.
Praise the Lord for new introductions to African women at the local hair braiding salons.
Pray that many Africans come to the ESL classes and meet Jesus there.
Pray that our local churches will be prepared to welcome and incorporate Africans into our fellowship.
Put their trust in the Lord
For a few months now, Jacob has been going with Lolimo to do an oral discovery Bible study in the village of Karamarok. Lolimo attends the primary school with some of the boys from that village who are believers, and he wanted to invite his friends to meet together for Bible study. After their first visit with Jacob, they agreed to start meeting weekly at their home in Karamarok to continue doing DBS as Angelo had done in the past. Jacob is pleased with the participation from these boys and is praying that from among them leaders will emerge and be equipped to lead the Bible study themselves. Please join him in that prayer, and that many more people in Karamarok “will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).
Diaspora in Spain
Please pray for wisdom, discernment and open doors as I look for bridges to love, serve, and build friendships with Saharawi people in Jerez.
Praise God for my visit with a Saharawi friend, S. She told me that she is interested in learning English and will talk to her friends to see if there are others who would like to learn.
Pray for a disciple making movement among the Saharawi that spreads farther and faster than anyone could ask or imagine (Eph 3:20).
Deliverance
Please pray for a lady I met in a village today while sharing a Bible story. She is severely mentally and/or spiritually ill. Please pray for deliverance for her.
This is a great opportunity for God to gain glory and fame in this village.
Diaspora in Portland
A Syrian young man and I have been meeting and texting back and forth for a while. This week, he told me his refugee mom in Lebanon had just asked about me. He’s told me that his deceased Orthodox father had a love for Bible study with Syrian evangelicals. Pray this Portland son would carry on his dad’s love for God’s Word!
