Praise God, Sandawe pastors and leaders met in Motto, TZ on 17 March. The leaders agreed to an outreach in Mangasta village in mid-May. This is an answer to our prayer for Mangasta village. Pray for a mid-May evangelism outreach in Mangasta, TZ. Pray for a Sandawe church to be planted there.
Breakthrough Needed
We are very thankful for the visit of seven Samburu Pastors to our location. They visited in homes in the village. They engaged with the people and shared the gospel boldly. Some men and women followed them in a prayer of commitment to Jesus. At our Sunday service under a tree, 26 women and 11 men participated.
We praise the Lord for what He did that weekend. Still, this past Sunday, there were no Samburu men at our service. One man that we have been praying for (two of his wives are baptized and very faithful) walked by the place where we were meeting, looked towards us, and then kept walking. Please pray with us for a breakthrough, that Samburu men will come to church. That they will not fear losing respect in the eyes of other Samburu men, but will join the women in praising God and listening to His Word.
More Churches!
Pray for Naliel and the missionary team coming to the area. Toposa disciples want to start 42 more churches in the area by the end of the year. Pray!
Food crisis
The waters are receding after the cyclone, but there is food scarcity and the threat of cholera and malaria. Pray for our team working hard to distribute food. This afternoon they took food to the prison. They had no food! Pray the Lord will be glorified among the people as His servants show mercy and love in His name.
New Church!
One small village (Tanambao) I started to visit in February 2018 has a young lively church now! The young pastor and his wife (Doris & Alphossin) of that church came to live in the village in August 2018. They are from a different tribe and area of Madagascar and felt God’s calling to preach the gospel in our area. I introduced the people with the concept of sin in the months prior to their arrival. He told me that when they settled in Tanambao many of the people already knew they were in need of a saviour! Now, they gather on a weekly basis with about 20- 30 people (mostly women). We also see they are going out to evangelise their neighbours and others.
Father, send rain!
Friends… please pray that our Dear Lord sends abundant rain to the Hurri Hills and other places in northern Kenya.
People are struggling without water and food, animals are weak and many have died, so many fires because of the very dry grass. It’s been 9 months of drought. Cry out to the Lord with us for rain
Diaspora in Philadelphia
Please pray for the continuation of a biblical video series with the K. family. Through chaos and sometimes inconsistency, please ask that the Lord’s words would be getting through, and also for more chances to continue to influence mutual friends who have also come!
Please also pray for opportunities to start a bible study with an Algerian seeker. Praise God for his openness. Please continue to lift up our work with ESL, and ask that it would lead to fruitful chances to share the gospel message.
Diaspora in Portland
Pray for the Diaspora relationships in R & E’s apartment compound and for reconnecting with friends at the language center after a long absence. Please pray that these relationships will become deeper with spiritual conversations. That every opportunity to proclaim the Gospel would be taken advantage of and that the Lord would grant faith to these dear ones.
Sent Ones
Please continue to pray for Ima, Gabrieli and Deo, young men who have been sent to 3 different small congregations in Usandawe to give leadership. While they are not far from home, they are away from family and friends and starting in a new place. Please pray that they will adjust well to new surroundings, find friends and support and that they will stand firm in their faith as they face difficult situations. Please pray that they will be filled with the Holy Spirit as they disciple Believers and witness to those who do not yet know Christ.
Start The Wheel
We have decided to ask the Lord to give us 3 separate Discovery Bible Study groups with 4 local people studying in each by the end of the year. This is a huge, bold ask of the Father in a place like this and we know it won’t come without great prayer and fasting. It will likely be a bit like a fly wheel- that first rotation is hard and slow but each time it turns it picks up momentum. Similarly, we believe that what we need most is those first 3 people who are willing to pave the way in committing to study with us and once they are there, we will more quickly gain traction with others. Will you please ask the Father to quickly bring us 3 S people who would be willing to “start the wheel?”
Be watchful
An older believer just led a young man to Christ who is living in the Diaspora. Pray for this new brother (and the many other young believers living far from home) to find fellowship and discipleship. As evil ones ‘rise up and distort the truth’, ask that each will be ‘watchful.’ “Jesus, we entrust each one to you and to the message of your grace.” Acts 20
FaceBook page
Four in the Diaspora just started a Facebook page in the local dialect. They are receiving many comments… some questions, many curses. Ask for discernment and clarity as they respond. May each one dwell in the Word of Christ richly…answering by His Spirit and not from their own hurt.
Seeds to germinate
Ask for G who visits some Tuareg weekly in the bush. Pray that the scattered seeds will germinate and bear fruit.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send more workers!
Ousman with the Lord
Sad to say, Ousman, who we prayed for 5 weeks ago, died yesterday after 2 yrs of increasing heart failure. He leaves behind a wife, Rachel, and 5 children. The youngest is only 18mths. Pray for them and our small church. He was a founding member. Pray also for the Maba translation project which he used to help with. The lady leading it did find someone to try out working with them before she had to leave for N’djamena. Pray that when she returns in early April this man might continue and be enthusiastic about the project. Pray that through the work he might come to believe in Jesus as Saviour.
Studying the Word
An older woman who is studying the Word asked, “Is God angry when you go to church and worship Jesus?” After reading and speaking of the Deity of Christ, she said that she understood why we worship Him. She read aloud from John 3 and Colossians, and when asked who she thinks Jesus is, she replied, “He is the Son of God who died and paid for my sin.” Please pray that she will not only acknowledge who He is but also choose to follow Him. Her sister wants to study with us… and her nieces and nephews come to listen. Ask for this family to believe and follow!
Translated Word
“Lord, please allow the Facebook site for Scripture links translated for Islanders to be opened. Direct many people to listen to that Word. Please speed the release of more Scripture that has already been translated. May the Word of the Lord spread rapidly and be glorified.”
Diaspora in France
Pray for open hearts and wisdom in directing conversations to share the truth from a different perspective and that islanders and North Africans would clearly understand.
Pray for opportunities to share clearly when going “fishing”, that these interactions would be times of speaking spiritual truths and proclamation of the Gospel.
Moving to Mangasta
Please ask that the Christian family who wants to move to Mangasta to be a witness there will be able to make this move soon and they will have good support from the body of Christ as they will be the only evangelical Christians amongst an almost 100% Muslim community. May the LORD bless them and keep them and make His face to shine upon them and give them peace.
Gospel seed sown widely
The Good News continues to be shared broadly in O-land. Pray that many O will respond and a Disciple making movement will begin in 2019! Pray for boldness, wisdom, encouragement and joy for all of the outreach team in the midst of many challenges.
Samburu Men
Last Saturday morning ten Samburu men participated in a meeting under a tree in Ltepes. They agreed that they want to meet regularly on Saturday mornings to learn more about God from the Bible. It was a good beginning. Praise the Lord! Continue to pray that these Samburu men, and others, will come regularly to hear the words of God. Pray that God will open their hearts and give them a hunger to know Jesus.
We have been praying for two years, that five Samburu men would follow Jesus. We are excited that these Samburu men want to know more about God! Thanks for your prayers. He hears and answers in His time.
Tolerance vs Grace
Ask for the young college students to understand the difference between tolerance and grace. In their eagerness to rebel against the confines of Islam, they want to accept all. Pray that each will see that tolerance ridicules the cross, saying sin doesn’t matter, Jesus died in vain. Grace recognizes the horror of sin, the necessity of the cross, and believes that Jesus’ blood is stronger. As they hear bits and pieces of truth online and face to face, may they discern truth and believe the gospel of grace!
Diaspora in Florida
Pray for Orlando churches who have received training in Muslim outreach so that they will be intentional about using the training.
Pray for the women’s sewing class and opportunities to visit women’s homes. Pray that the women would be receptive to spiritual conversations.
Hopelessness
Several young women continue to experience hopelessness and depression. Four are agnostic; they have rejected Islam, and are crying out for freedom and rights for women. Even as they long for independence and worth, they find everything empty, purposeless. Please ask that each would know they are created in God’s image for His purposes. Ask that they will understand the love of Christ, the sacrifice of the cross, and eternal hope. Three of the new believers also fight depression… usually preceded by fear, hiding their faith and a sense that no one understands and nothing will change. Please pray against the spirit of depression and ask for courageous hope that recognizes the resurrection power of Christ in them. Ask for boldness and truth and increased fellowship with believers.
Needing mercy again
Ask for one Tuareg man who believed, was baptized, and we thought he would be a key witness for Jesus. But unfortunately, the devil took him captive. The man did lots of nasty things and he is in jail now. Ask for true repentance and the Lord’s mercy.
Needing a change of heart
Lift up Kad that God will change her heart and that she will hate lying and be free from the fear of spirits. Ask that she will love her father’s wife. Lift up her father who is sick and also losing his mind. May God work in his heart to help him understand what he is listening to.
Faithful men
Three local men are being very helpful and are eager to make a difference among their own people. Pray that they continue to be faithful to the Lord and that their neighbors see the changes these men have made for Christ’s love and will seek to follow their examples. Pray for more local workers.
Blessings on the evangelists!
Please pray for A, S and M as they visit the 7 discipleship groups over the next few days to encourage the new believers and assess how they are doing. Pray that the Lord would continue to raise up M disciple-makers that would catalyze a movement throughout the M hills and beyond.
Elections
Pray for the presidential elections this weekend. Pray for a free and fair election, and for peace during the voting and announcement of results later in the week. Pray God would have mercy on these islands and draw many to Himself.
Diaspora in Detroit
Tomorrow March 23rd we are hosting a tea for Moms. Pray we can clearly share love and proclaim the good news. Pray these Moms would receive our love and the love of the Savior!
Diaspora in Philadelphia
Please pray as we consider a cultural exchange “homestay” involving cousin families in our area and a church in the suburbs, planned loosely for July. Pray for TH as he meets with M, initially for cultural exchange and discussion, but hopefully also for spiritual discussions. Pray also for their family to find good ways to connect with a Moroccan family.
Two team members are starting new jobs in the next several weeks. Praise God for this, and please ask for them to both find chances to share with non-believers through their jobs.
A Christian School’s Inspection
From a Rangi evangelist: “Please pray for a school inspection that I will be having. The government leaders have promised to come and have a look at the state of the school to see if it has met the requirements. If so, they could register the school, if not they will remove it from the list. Also I have a vision to get a Compassion International center on some church land, to continue that ministry. Please also pray in general for the ministry of the school and the church.” Pray for Rangi Muslims to come to faith in Christ through these efforts.
Training project
There’s a wonderful mobilization among the ladies for community development. God has placed a beautiful sense of unity among them. A sewing project is being developed and it will start in April. Please pray for the ladies who are volunteering to come and start the project, pray for the local Gabbra lady who’s currently learning sewing to assist the volunteers with language and culture. Pray that this ministry will be an amazing opportunity to share the Gospel through words, love and actions.
Discipleship materials
In January, expat and local believers in Karamoja received book resources to disciple believers through SEAN (Study by Extension for All Nations) ministry. Please pray that many Bible studies result and that a foundation of God’s Word will be laid like an immovable rock under the faith of Kjong believers. Please pray that knowledge and understanding of God’s Word will spread exponentially through Karamoja.
Harvest by His Power.
In the Village of Marolima, southern Madagascar, in the middle of the mountains, many have turned their backs on their religious beliefs and have become followers of Jesus Christ!
One man’s wife and son became sick. His wife was possessed by demons. They did everything the witchdoctor said. They gave many cows in sacrifice to one of the evil spirits that command their village. Nothing happened. So he went to a doctor in town. Nothing happened. He thought “The last chance is the church”. But he was Bara. Bara don’t pray to the god of the white people. At last he ends up in the church in Betroka and asks for help. The pastor prayed. His wife was set free from the demons and was healed!
They became Christians and another 100 followed them! The church of Jesus Christ is being built in this village. Praise God!
Diaspora in France
Praise for new contact made on the street with K, a Moroccan lady who invited me and my colleague for a meal and further visits. During the visits some written portions of the word have been given and discussed, but the conversation tends to be more with her husband, since she doesn’t read well in Arabic or know French well. Pray for wisdom and clarity of communication in further connections.
Women
The Lopit church, which is small and in the infant stages, have almost no women believers. Pray that the Spirit would move the hearts of these mothers, wives and daughters to know Him and love Him. Pray especially for the wives of believing men to come to the Lord. Ask the Lord to show these men how to be an example of Christ’s love to their wives and children, especially in a culture where women are often not valued.
New workers in the harvest!
The first new members of the Mwani outreach team have arrived in Northern Mozambique. Please pray for them as they find housing, connect with neighbors, and begin to learn language and culture- that they will trust and rest in the One who has called them. Pray the Lord will open many Mwani hearts and grant ears to hear the gospel message.
Christian Samburu men reaching out to Samburu
This weekend seven Samburu pastors and elders, from our churches near Maralal, will be visiting Lchakwai and a neighboring community. They will visit in homes and participate in our Sunday service. It has been difficult to reach out to the men in this area. Samburu men do not attend church in Lchakwai. Pray that this weekend may bring a breakthrough as men here see and talk with Samburu Christian men who love Jesus. May they see that church and listening to God’s Word, is something Samburu men can do. May they desire to know more about Jesus.
Songs of worship
Praise! The Worship workshop has finished well and God has had His hand on it. Musicians from several churches have participated and many new worship songs have been written and recorded in the local dialect. A final concert took place where the community in Ambilobe was invited to hear the music and listen to testimony. New relationships are being built in the local churches. Pray the new worship songs will be used to sing praises to God in the local language and many will turn to Him!
Cast their cares
Praise God for the good discussions with Somali ladies in our weekly Bible studies. Pray that they would grow in the knowledge of the Lord. Pray also for perseverance in their different situations of life and that they would learn to cast their cares on Jesus who cares for them
