It’s been a long month of Ramadan with increased isolation for believers bc of Covid and war… and two new believers wrote with doubts, denying Jesus, praising Mohamed. Both are being swept along by the raging stream of Islam as all around them dance around the altar of Mohamed. Pray that they will repent from fear and stand firmly on the rock of Christ. Pray that they will wait for fire from heaven and declare: The Lord Jesus: he is God! Please pray against fear, weariness and doubt.
Believers being discipled
Pray for Angelo and Noblesse as they begin using the newly developed discipleship material with some groups of believers. Pray for wisdom as they disciple oral learners to know and follow God’s Word. Pray for these Laarim Christians to “live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way…growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might” (Colossians 1:10-11).
Ten Women
Ten unsaved women, mostly South Asians, have been listening to short Bible stories by WhatsApp every night for a month. Tonight, they will hear the last story, which includes an invitation to put their faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and to respond by messaging that they have done so. Please pray for the Holy Spirit to work mightily in their hearts and bring them salvation.
Diaspora in Detroit
Pray that our students will continue online ESL classes during Ramadan. This has
provided a great way to stay connected with them. Pray God will soften their hearts and they will seek after Truth.
Pray that as a team we can continue to find creative ways to share hope during this time
of COVID-19 “sheltering in place”. Praise for the technology that is allowing us to stay connected with our friends during this time.
Strangely Dissatisfying
Please pray that the Digo people will find that Ramadan this year has been strangely dissatisfying. Pray that they will realize Islam has not brought them peace nor the hope of eternal life. Pray that they will long to know the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Pray that they will find Him and follow Him zealously.
Night of Power
Ramadan is coming to an end for our Mu$lim community here. Tonight is the 27th day of Ramadan, known as the night of power. Tonight, while Mu$lim’s are diligently trying to please God and hear from Him, let’s pray for the people in the world of Islam, and specifically for many O here to have revelations, dreams and visions that will lead them to Jesus, and cause them to seek for Jesus and receive Him as Lord and Savior!
Stuck at Home
A family of staunch Muslims are spending months together in a small apartment, fearful of Covid-19, fasting all day, feasting half the night, suffering occasional power and water shortages, seeking to gain merit with God and draw close to Him through their prayers and fastings. Pray that the Spirit will reveal the futility of trying to make themselves good. Pray that they will read the Bible they have in their house. Pray that their eyes will be opened to see the light of the glory of God in the face of Christ. Pray for them to talk together as a family about the hypocrisies and disappointments and contradictions and unanswered problems in their religion. Pray that they will admit it does not satisfy the deep longings of their heart, nor make them feel close to God. Pray for the God of salvation to break through to bring them His salvation through faith in His Son.
Diaspora in France
Pray for good conversations by phone with islanders during this month of Ramadan. Pray for a dissatisfaction with Islam and a longing to know God personally.
Plead for those islanders who are sick, for their hearts to turn to Jesus, and for some, even with
their last breaths to remember any truth they have heard and respond in trust.
Intense Spiritual Struggle
Please pray for an Alagwa believer who is going through a time of intense spiritual struggle. Please pray for her to fix her eyes on Jesus and see afresh the hope she has in Him. Please pray for a significant breakthrough in the coming days and weeks.
Diaspora in Portland
Please pray for S & E, our Iranian Christian friends living near Portland. They long to be in
ministry. As he recently prayed and fasted about God’s will, he suddenly lost his IT job. Pray for
wisdom to encourage them as they seek the Lord’s direction.
Please pray for our Ethiopian evangelist friend who told us a few days ago, he is finding unusual
opportunities to talk about the Lord with Muslim friends and relatives struggling with fears and
uncertainties.
Children’s ministry
Pray for the children’s ministry among the Lopit. Children are coming! Please pray that the Lord will continue to grow these kids in His Word, and that He will call more workers.
Conviction and transformation for the O.
Many of our close O neighbors and those from far away who come to our clinics continue to hear the Good News. As they seek forgiveness through their Ramadan fasting, may God convict their hearts of their need for His grace through Jesus to forgive their sins, and transform them to hunger and thirst for His truth and relationship with Him! Pray this specifically for 2 extended families we’ve been sharing with, F&H and SG.
Diaspora in UK
Give thanks that despite the current restrictions we have been able to find churches in Bristol,
Southampton and Portsmouth to welcome refugee families who moved from Croydon
into their areas over the last six weeks. In each case within a day of their arrival, Christians were
there to welcome them and help with the practicalities of moving into a new home. Pray for these refugee families to be open to friendship and hearing the Gospel.
An Open Door to Visit Soon
Several months ago, we prayed for a Hindu woman who has struggled with mental illness and depression. I gave her a Bible, but at the time she wasn’t reading it much. She’d even planned to return it. But recently, during this time of the pandemic, I began texting Bible verses to her. She found strength in verses like Isaiah 41:10 and Psalms 40:1,2. A couple of days ago, we texted and she claimed that she has put her trust in Jesus Christ! I would love to talk to her face-to-face but she is staying inside because of the pandemic. She says that her brother is defaming her everywhere, and she needs strength. Pray that the Word would speak to her boldly and that she would be encouraged by what she reads, and that I would get an opportunity to see her soon.
Suspicious and fearful
The Didinga people are suspicious by nature, and fears (and misunderstandings) surrounding Covid19 have led to a wariness of our team up on the mountain. Because of this, the team has opted NOT to have any planes land up there to bring them supplies. In a place with no market this is a very short-term solution. Please pray for the emotional impact this decision has on the team, as it makes them feel even more isolated and cut-off from the world. Pray that remaining in Nagishot will give them many opportunities to share hope in Jesus with a people who are “darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts” (Ephesians 4:18).
Diaspora in Canada
Please pray for the youth of our community. Two more were sentenced to life
imprisonment last week for murder. The youth here hold life cheaply. Please pray that
we will have the opportunity to share with the youth how much Jesus values them, and
how much he values all others as well.
Destroy the charm!
Please pray for F who was prayed for and demons were cast out. Yesterday, she was prayed for again and there was still demonic activity, although less. A long time ago the lady’s husband had placed a Koranic charm at the door frame and is unwilling to get rid of it. It was expensive. Tomorrow, our teammate and some other believers are going back to talk to the husband about destroying the charm. Please pray for his eyes to be opened, that he will destroy the charm. Pray both he and his wife will commit their lives to Jesus.
The Body Of Christ Ministering
A praise for Rendille ministry is that the Rendille believers are ministering to the missionaries, who are all learning a lot about Rendille culture and how they care for the sick and injured. One family had a motorcycle accident while their fellow missionaries were sick, so the Rendille believers took care of them. Please pray that the ministry of the body of Christ will make an impact on unsaved Rendille and bring them to faith in Jesus.
Local leader being trained
Noblesse is doing well. He is using literacy training to spread the gospel. He has a DBS bible study group on Saturday and Sunday now. When Kaliva (Laarim believer) is in Chauwa, he is leading the DBS group on Sunday, with Noblesse coaching him. Praise God for raising up leaders from within the Laarim! Pray for their growth and spiritual protection.
Diaspora in USA
Pray for an MBB in North Africa that we know. She is a mother of three teenage children. Her
husband was abusive and left them several years ago. She has been diagnosed with breast
cancer. During the pandemic she’s unable to see a doctor. She’s dependent on gifts to get her
through paying rent and buying food. Pray for her three children and their future.
Pray for Mo from Noel, MO. He’s from Somalia working at a chicken processing plant. Pray that
we can continue friendship and overcome social distancing restrictions during the pandemic.
Asking to study the Bible!
Kenyan missionaries, Robert and Carol, have been really happy to see the Lord actively at work. What has been so encouraging is having people ask them to study the Bible, which has never happened before. They now have five DBS’s in their village and the sixth one is on the way. Their prayer is to have the locals lead without them. In addition to this, is the discipleship program they have been leading. They are hoping the team will continue the program while they are gone on leave. Please pray for Robert and Carol as they stand for the Lord in the midst of many challenges.
Diaspora in Europe
Praise for several new confessions of faith in Jerez as a result of compassionate care during
Covid 19. Pray for their growth and boldness in sharing their salvation stories with others.
Pray for our contacts to respond well to virtual strategies to continue our relationships and
discipleship. Pray for many Gospel seeds to be planted despite the challenges.
On mission
The 17 disciples being trained the past three months (including some Nyang’atom) have returned to their villages with total commitments to engage 74 new villages in their areas. Pray for these 17 disciples, especially the Nyang’atom ones, as they begin their ministries in these 74 new locations and fulfill their faith commitments. Ask God to build His church among the Nyang’atom!
Diaspora in Philadelphia
Pray that J&CF’s Muslim friends would respond well to visits each week via phone, email, text, and
video especially during this month of Ramadan.
Pray for ESL classes to finish well in May and for students to respond to the Scriptural truth
they hear each class. Pray for soften hearts to be receptive.
Message of Hope
Pray for God to reveal Himself to many M people during this season of fasting, drawing more out of darkness and into the light and life of Jesus. Pray that in the midst of the fear and unknowns that the Covid19 pandemic is bringing, that God would be using the local believers to share the message of hope to desperate people.
Diaspora in Wisconsin
We are so thankful that one of the Somali men our team has been doing Bible Discovery
with, has made a profession of faith and was baptized! Pray he will grow strong in his faith and that we can disciple him well.
Fear and Fasting
As Ramadan has begun, many of our friends and neighbors are fasting and seeking God. Between that and the fear of coronavirus spreading, it seems to be a prime time for spiritual conversations. People are afraid of corona, while also trying to get to God by fasting. Pray for believers in the area to be bold in sharing the hope of Jesus with their unbelieving friends and neighbors. May many turn to Jesus and see that He is the only way to God, not any works we try to do to make ourselves righteous.
Sent out
Just talked to Mark on Sat phone. The 17 disciples being trained the past three months (2 of which were Jiye the rest were Toposa and Nyangatom) have returned to their villages with commitments to engage 74 new villages in their areas. In one Jiye location last month we partnered with IAS and Across and drilled one bore hole. Through that we gained much favor. In that village 2 women of peace were discovered. In the last month these ladies began 6 discovery groups which have become 3 new churches meeting under trees. Also over the past two months there have been 40 new baptisms. 2 of which were Jiye. Pray for these 17 disciples as they begin their ministries in these 74 new locations and fulfill their faith commitments. Pray for the new Jiye believers among these 6 new groups to continue to multiply. Exciting times.
Fasting and Seeking
As we go through the month of Ramadan, let’s pray for those who are fasting in the name of their religion and ask God to reveal himself for those who are in darkness and perhaps are seeking for answers. Let’s pray that many Muslims, both Gabbra and Borana, will be soon claiming Jesus as their Only Saviour and Final Sacrifice.
Building on His Training in Preaching
Please pray for one of the church elders who is looking to grow in the area of preaching. Please pray for him as he looks to build on the training he has received.
Diaspora in USA
KP is trying to initiate a dialogue with the imam of the local mosque. “I have not received a reply from the Islamic Center of Golden. I will call today, but I need wisdom to know what to say!! Would you pray for that? ‘AIS’, the imam, replied to my emails and we had a good, long phone conversation. He is (mis)-using the Gospels to make incorrect points about Jesus for his doctoral dissertation. Would you please pray that: 1) I will be able to direct him into proper understanding of the Gospel stories he is using. Also, 2) that God will use His word to show “AIS” who Jesus really is. I plan to email “AIS” again today.”
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Diaspora in Missouri
Praise the Lord for His gracious hand on the community garden in Noel. We officially
opened Sunday with 21 people representing 5 people groups working together.
Please pray that relationships will be formed and nurtured at the community garden and that
through those relationships the Lord will provide many opportunities to share His truth
and hope.
Datooga Evangelism
A couple of weeks ago I shared the Gospel with an old Datooga lady, a mother of my friend who is a pastor. She has several concerns: first if she becomes a Christian it will be difficult to cope with other people because she does not know how to read. Second, there is no one of her age who is Christian. Third, there are only two of her children who are Christian, she will need all her children to become Christian first. Fourth, she is worried when she dies if she is a Christian they will not cover her with a cow skin at her burial. We explained the gospel and prayed for her. Please pray for Utede that she will believe in Jesus. I have also started to share the gospel with one of her sons who is not a believer, his name is Gisukwari. Pray for their salvation.
Diaspora in Canada
Praise that Ra. (Algerian man) has now done 2 Christianity Explored studies and is asking
some good questions through our study of Mark. Pray for Ra., that the Spirit would open his eyes to his guilt and need of repentance and of a Savior.
Pray for R&F (Algerian Berber couple) who are applying for Refugee status and have a
court date for May 19th. Please pray that F. would come to faith like her husband, and that
they would be granted residency.
May His Word Bear Fruit
Many Samburu in the area surrounding the village of Lchakwai have received a “Treasure” (a solar-powered MP3 player). Each Treasure has three Bible story sets, Christian songs, and some books of the Bible recorded in Samburu. Pray with us, that as Samburu hear the Word of God through these treasures, the Word will bear fruit in their hearts.”As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10,11
The God of the Impossible
When we left Tabora there were fears of looming disaster from locusts, too much rain (and now the corona virus). Praise the Lord our little community of believers wanted to share a meal for Easter but didn’t think they had the finances to pull it off. Well, they stepped out in faith and the God of the impossible met them and they were able to enjoy celebrating Easter with a shared meal. We ask that this boldness in stepping out will be the beginning of bigger and bigger steps of faith and trust in the Lord that our believing community will take, and that the Muslim neighbours will be witnesses to God at work in and through them, and as a result will be drawn to the one true God.
Moved by the Holy Spirit
All those involved with church ministry are deeply missing gathering for fellowship, visiting, and encouraging each other. However, we know that the Holy Spirit is not restricted by this crisis and He continues working in people’s lives. Our prayer is that during this time of social distancing, each believer would feel moved by the Holy Spirit to seek to get to know Him more and more intimately. Let’s also pray that this be a time when each believer can take the initiative to be a voice of Jesus among their own families and neighbors.
Lost lamb
Pray for a young man who seems open to the Truth. He is disillusioned with his religion. He has come several times to discuss Bible stories. Pray the Good Shepherd will bring him into the Fold.
Resolve
Please pray for a young man who declared his intention to get baptised. Please pray for God to strengthen this man’s resolve to follow Him with all that he is.
The Ring of Truth
As South Asians come in contact with believers and hear about the differences in what the Bible says versus what the Qur’an says, may they hear the ring of truth in Scripture and may faith come by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. May the Lord save many S. Asians during Ramadan in 2020.
