After going through a leadership class with some students, one of them came to the class when I was alone and asked whether we could learn to play the guitar together from YouTube. I gladly accepted. My prayer request is that God will speak to us as we learn the various chords and tunes together. May God speak through me as opportunities arise that would enable me to share His love for all who call on the Name of Jesus. This student is generally open and ready to discuss any challenging life question.
Faithfully attending
Pray for the head teacher in Imuluha, that he (and others) will faithfully attend the teacher training and Bible sharing that I have planned for the teachers of that school. Pray that the Lord would use these teachers to be a light for Him in the schools, and that the light would penetrate every home through the children who are receiving the Gospel message at school.
Lord grant faith
Pray for Mama Sugar, my next door neighbor. She has been coming over almost every night asking for prayer for healing in her foot. She knows I pray in Jesus’ name and I have been sharing the gospel while praying and she still keeps coming over for prayer. Please pray that constant hearing of the gospel will reach her heart. And pray the Lord would heal her foot.
Working together
Please pray for growth in relationships between the Didinga team, the Evangelical Free Church, and the AIC church leaders in Nagishot. Pray that God would open doors for them to work closely together in the Didinga hills to reach more people with the gospel of Christ. Pray the believers will “stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose [them]” (Philippians 1:27-28). Pray also for more translators to help in the outreach.
Encouraged
We are continuing to use the Jesus Film to expose the Laarim in our village to the Gospel story. We are encouraged by how the people stay engaged with the two-hour long film, despite competition from the loud hum of the bugs! Pray for Chief Angelo and those on his compound who are meeting regularly for Bible study since showing the Jesus Film at his house several weeks ago. Pray especially for Lokwanang who is coming consistently and engaging well with the stories. Pray that he and others attending the Bible study will be drawn to come to Jesus and choose to follow Him.
No fellowship
A brother invited several other brothers (who are the only believers in their family and alone) to meet together to read the Word and pray. Then right before they met, he cancelled. Pray for these ones who have no fellowship with other local believers. May the spirit of fear be silenced and may these children of God walk in the fearless victory of faith.
Backsliders.
Pray for O backsliders who at one time proclaimed that they believed and received Jesus as Savior, but then due to community persecutions and pressures they turned back to I$lam. Pray that they wholeheartedly come back to follow Jesus, embrace persecution and become mighty tools in making more disciples of Jesus.
Baptism
Please pray for the two believers getting baptised this Saturday. Please pray for another believer who might get baptised too- he is standing firm in Jesus and it would be wonderful to see him take the step of baptism.
New Opportunities
Training to empower young believers and sending them out with the Gospel is now underway as well as a new Bible study group with some Mwani women. We will also be starting sustainability training for some refugee families which will cover how to start small businesses that will help them earn an income. Pray for God’s hand upon each of these opportunities!
Being mentored
Please pray for 3 young Karimojong men who are spending 2 weeks in a different district of Karamoja with Ugandan missionaries, being discipled and learning about missions. Pray for much fruit in the lives of all involved!
Holy Spirit Move
Praise God for giving me an opportunity to share the good news and discuss our beliefs with my language helper during the lesson. Mo is a strong believer in Islam. Many co-workers have shared the good news with him a long time ago however his heart is still very hard.
Today, I discussed The Holy Bible and Quran with him, who Jesus is, and who the true God is. Thank God that Mo has promised to open his mind and heart to pray to the true God. May Jesus speak to him directly through his dreams and show him the visions. May the Holy Spirit move his heart.
Outreach to Mangasta
I just got word that Pastor Msekangale and his Pastorate are planning an outreach to the village of Mangasta from October 30th to November 8th. As part of the outreach, they are hoping to partner with Odilo to show the Luke Film in Kisandawe. Let’s lift up their whole Tanzanian team as they take the gospel to this village in the heartland of Usandawe. Mangasta is 100% Sandawe, with a lot of M@slim influence over recent years.
Translation work
Pray that the translation of Luke & Acts may progress. We wanted to finish the Gospel of Luke this year but Covid interrupted the work. Our friend has started on Acts.
Akhwesu
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” Ez 35, 26-7.
Please keep praying for spiritual breakthrough amongst the Alagwa. Pray for eyes to be open to see that they need to know and rely on the love God has for them; that they need God to give them a heart of flesh. May the Holy Spirit help them to go beyond their world view expectations of religion and find deep ‘akhwesu’ -fellowship- with God.
new leaders trained
A couple weeks ago Steve reported a successful Bible teaching seminar in Magambua among the Sandawe. 47 people attended, and these would be pastors and evangelists from all over, even beyond Usandawe, but many leaders should have come from the recent church plants. Pray these men and women will be equipped to lead and nourish these new flocks of believers in Usandawe.
Meeting together
Marlene asks for prayer for Grace, her long-time Lopit friend in Iboni. Upon Marlene’s return to Iboni last month, Grace immediately asked her to meet on a specified day and time each week for Bible study. Pray for wisdom for Marlene, and for Grace to have a growing understanding of the Word and a closer relationship with the Lord.
Missionaries sent
Pray for Pastor Emma Shilikale as he works to help establish three new church plants in Datooga areas. Two people are going to Morogoro and one church in Igunga is going to plant a Datooga church. He just got home from Morogoro, where he was helping to setup and settle the two girls who are starting their Datooga ministry.
Disciples making disciples
Pray for the young men Jacob has discipled, specifically Lokolong, and the others on the team and in the community whom he encourages in their ministries—former police chief Marino and the blind evangelist Logwe.
And please intercede for the renewal of faith and revival in the lives of Mary Marko and Mary Paulo, both of whom had been following the ways of God.
Zealous
Mark Keter, a Kenyan missionary working among the Toposa, reported last month that churches are under attack in Naliel (Toposaland). He said the Nabois church was burned down by some youth, and other churches threatened with the same. Please pray for the Toposa believers to remain firm in their faith, resisting the attacks of the evil one. Pray against this evil spirit among the youth, that their hearts of violence would be transformed by the gospel, and they would become zealous for the works of God.
Sunday story-telling
Please pray for the Sunday story-telling times in the compounds of several families in Nagishot. The team goes out two by two and shares stories from the Old and New Testaments that are related to the gospel narrative. Pray for those who sit and listen in Charles’, Julietta’s, Margareta’s and Lino’s compounds – pray for good listening, understanding and interaction to deepen their understanding. And pray that more families will want the team to share in their compounds.
Sharing Stories
Please pray for the discipleship group as they learn how to teach others using the oral picture dictionary. Oral story creation is creeping along but thankfully moving forward. Pray for wisdom and divine inspiration as we create and translate these stories. May the Good News of Jesus come in a clear, understandable and reproducible way.
Tea
7-9 sisters plan to gather for tea and prayer on Saturday. It will be a mix of Arabs and Berbers, 40 year olds, high schoolers, moms, singles… may they find unity and joy and encouragement from the love of Jesus. Ask that believers grow in courage and love for one another.
May brothers also believe
Praise Jesus: the father of the family of believing sisters (the one who has diabetes and kidney failure that you prayed for) confessed that Jesus is Lord God and believes He died and rose to save us! And another sister from the same family living abroad has begun to read the Bible and go to church to pray. Pray for the remaining three brothers to believe and may this be one of many families to follow Jesus together.
Spreading seeds
Noblesse, serving in the northern location of Chauwa, sent us a video of the believers’ gathering this past Sunday morning. Kleava, the farmer who sought out the Word of God and is applying it, along with a few men and numerous youth were present. Two teenagers (Logemet and Lokorai), whom he has been mentoring, are taking more leadership. Praise God for how He is building His Church!
Ask God for people of peace in the communities of Ngarahac (up in the mountain) and Lotopocho (the “wild west”), where Noblesse is seeking to spread seeds of the gospel.
MBB
Praise God for our student A’ (MBB) who has strong faith in God, and is persevering even though he has suffered an ankle injury few weeks ago and financial difficulty. He still trusts in Jesus and has lifted up these things to God. Please pray for him. May God bless him and make him an ambassador for sharing the good news with his family.
Comparing the Books
Please pray for South Asians who are beginning to understand that the Bible and the Qur’an are teaching very different things. Pray that they will research to find out which book is reliable and trustworthy. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give them a desire to know and follow the truth.
Diaspora in Canada
* Praise we have had regular time of fellowship with a few muslim Somali young men at our home. Pray for open hearts, and that we would boldly proclaim Jesus to these guys.
* Pray that we would have clarity with moving forward in ministry during covid as many meetings have been cancelled or are very cautious.
*B & CL have been asked to speak, pray that the body would see our vision for the diaspora ministry in Winnipeg. Thank you for praying!
Great Harvest
As more and more of the Book becomes available through apps, continue to pray that God’s word would bring a great harvest here. This month both Exodus and John will be released! Pray many would hear God’s Word and believe it!
Diaspora in Portland
Pray for our weekly Ethiopian Youth Bible Clubs on Zoom. Lately the youth are beginning to feel freer to ask us questions—serious questions! And our Ethiopian colleague told us the other night that, around the corners—not visible on our computer screens, some parents are also listening in on these Bible lessons! We certainly need God’s wisdom.
Comfort in Loss
Refugee Mama R. is our neighbor. Her 13-year-old daughter was kidnapped by the extremists, along with 10 other girls. She cries often because she knows she will never see her daughter again. Pray for God’s mercy upon many suffering families in Northern Mozambique.
Baptism today!
Please pray for protection and blessings for 8 new baptisms today among the Fulani in Niger. Heavy spiritual challenges around this testimony!
Lip Service vs. Transformation in Lives
Jesus spoke to religious leaders in Matthew 21:28-32 about a son who said to his father he would work in the vineyard but did not. Another son said he would not work, but later repented and went. There are many similarities in this context among Nyamwezi who say they believe but there is no evidence of this belief. Others wait and repent a long time after an invitation is given. Please pray none would be fearful and would quickly embrace the cost to follow Jesus. Pray that God would lavish Himself upon those who turn their lives in immediate obedience to the Living Word. The Lord God is a good Father who is patient even with deferred obedience, but pray for an outpouring of the Spirit and many would trust Christ without delay. Even if their “yes to Jesus” makes no sense to their neighbors, pray new believers would show inexplicable joy, transformation, and new life in Christ.
Diaspora in Canada
* Praise for about 300 bikes given away over the summer, and significant relationships built in the process.
* Thanks also for solution to our storage problem for the winter – a school that has a large Yazidi population has a settlement worker, who requested our help with getting bikes into the hands of the kids there. I am working on finding a time when I can interact with this community to repair and distribute bikes.
* Pray that conversations around our back yard fire pit, bike rides, and continued Jesus conversations will happen with our many new found friends.
* Pray for safety and wisdom as we continue to engage with our many friends who have requested tutoring and help with educating their newcomer children.
Wider Perspective
Pray that hearts of Christians living among the Rangi would burn within them as Jesus opens wider their perspective of His mission to the nations. Just like Jesus’ interaction with two disciples on a road leading to Emmaus. Telling them, “repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations” (Lk 24:47) Pray that they would find ways to reach out to the Rangi living in their neighborhoods.
Diaspora in Florida
Pray God’s Spirit would open the hearts of two Imams, A and S, with whom Da and Ke are working.
Please also give thanks with us for a very successful outreach picnic: The imam left the picnic smiling. I texted him after I got home: “A, thank you for bringing your people tonight. I really enjoyed it.” The imam replied: “You’re welcome Ke. We felt the same way. You guys are awesome.” So, seeds planted, relationships begun or strengthened. We are grateful to God for what He has done.
Longing for More Than Rules
Pray for S. Asians who are trying to keep all the rules of Islam to find that their efforts are in vain. Pray that they will realize the Law makes nothing perfect. Pray they will long for more than rules and regulations, and that they will be led to Jesus who can give them the Spirit to write His laws on their hearts and enable them to do it.
Diaspora in Detroit
* Beyond our group there is momentum for a new Arabic- speaking Muslim Background Believers’ church in Dearborn. Let’s pray this into reality!
* A lot of classes are starting for us this month including 3 citizenship classes. We want these to be a gateway into relationships that the gospel might be shared.
* Please pray for wisdom to know what to prioritize especially in these days of online schooling.
* Wisdom on if and what to do for Thanksgiving and Christmas events.
Diaspora in France
* Continue praying for an open door for the kid’s club (Sept 26) that had to be postponed for the third time because of reinforced covid restrictions. Pray for heart preparation of the children and parents for the eventual opportunity.
* Pray for a good restart of a smaller kid’s club on Oct 14 in another center.
* Praise for good weather and new students as our international cafe club was held in the park for 3 Friday’s while the usual center was unavailable. Pray for the Word to take root in those who stay after for the study.
* Pray for the covid cases to lessen and no further restrictions. This city is one of two with the highest cases in France and more clamping down on activities have been put in place. Continue praying for opportunities to proclaim truth and hearing well with the mask challenges.
Good Friends
Pray for Sarah, a young sister, as we try to connect her with another sister her age. Pray for a good friendship to develop between them and their families. May they be able to support one another and grow in their faith together.
Freedom for the captives
Pray in Jesus name against the schemes, flaming arrows, darkness and deception our enemy uses to keep people in fear and bondage in his kingdom of darkness. May the Good News which is widely shared be received and believed – setting the captives free! Bringing joy instead of despair! and beauty rather than ashes (and all of Isaiah 61:1-3 fulfilled)!
