* During this wave of the pandemic many refugee families need assistance, especially for kids. We were thankful that a church offered to provide them with packages of food and other necessities, and they even helped deliver them. It opened a door for the gospel.
* Thank God our Chinese classes have just finished, though we encountered many technical problems since our African students used phones only and their wifi was not so stable. However, they keep on learning Chinese.
* Our Chinese class will change the schedule during Ramadan. When I talked with my students whether they will take off Ramadan for spiritual retreat as their annual leave. They were so excited to talk about it. Pray for us to seize every opportunity to share our faith with them.
* A few members of a church want to help the Chinese class- pray for vision to see UPG’s know Jesus.

* We work with North Africans (Arabs and Berbers from Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria). Please pray for the Holy Spirit to convict unbelievers of their need of a Saviour, and to thirst for Jesus. Please pray for the believers to become more involved in church and ministry.

* We launched a new ESL Course based on the TV series The Chosen. We have approximately 10 students who have joined us over the last 3 weeks- 8 across North Africa, with an Iranian woman and a woman from Russia. Please pray for the Lord to use this course, this TV series to draw them to Jesus and that in our discussions and scripture reading, that they would come to know Jesus. Please pray for many to join a subsequent Bible study.

* We find that the ESL students (including our Sudanese friends) have meaningful things to say or ask during and after holiday events. Pray for the impact on their minds and hearts this Easter.
* Please pray for the English ministry that students will continue to grow in knowledge of our God during the Bible portion of each lesson.
* Pray for the K family and their daughter who was in crisis. She has come home from the hospital, and we are thankful that she is able to function and hold a conversation. Nevertheless, it is still a long road of healing and trying to find help for her to be able to move forward. Please pray for wisdom as we navigate all the mental and spiritual dynamics and please pray that, amidst all of the difficulties, Christ would be made known to their family.

* For peace and reconciliation, and a longing for our Christian brothers and sisters here to seek unity.
* For healing for the wounds of addiction and mental illness among our friends.
* For me to engage and bless the young men in our area who are failing in school and have been involved with gangs. Our friend M in particular is having a tough time finding work with his police record.
* For wounded kids of believing families who are drifting/running from Jesus, to come back.
* For increased openness among our Muslim friends in our neighboring apartments, and for the time spent there in tutoring, befriending, and teaching ESL, to bear Gospel fruit.

The driving school that I started has refugee teens clamoring to get in. Young men, mostly from Africa, would never open up with me about their needs. But get them behind a steering wheel and they talk straight from their hearts. Who knew that sitting in traffic would be the perfect place to share the love of Christ!

* Pray for the current situation in Europe and how it affects some of the international students.
* Pray for guidance and a special attentiveness to the Spirit during these times.
* The ministry in France is continuing, with a group of Afghan refugees meeting at the café for French conversation and fellowship with a few people from our church. Please pray for deep relationships to develop here.

* Pray for the refugees in Croydon, a mixture of UPG’s including people from Sudan, the Horn, Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq.
* Two of the Muslim language students with whom I am doing Chronological storying have reached the New Testament and we are looking at the life of Jesus together. Please pray that they will be able to see Jesus as more than just a good person and an important prophet.
*I have the capacity to start storying with one or two more students. However, finding potential students with a suitable level of English is proving difficult. Please pray that the Lord will lead me to people who would enjoy this type of study.

* One Somali man has heard the gospel from a variety of people over the last month and God seems to be working on numerous levels with him. Pray that God will open his eyes to the truth.
* Many Afghan men and women have asked for ESL support. We have a team of people gathering to start a class for them. Pray this will be a fruitful endeavor.

* Please pray that I will continue to grow in friendship with two ladies from the local mosque and that through them I will meet others, including African immigrants.
* Praise the Lord for stirring the hearts of His people. Praise the Lord for local believers and churches that are beginning to pray together with me for God to open doors for ministry to UPG Africans in the area. Pray that at the right time I can host a gathering of various people who are interested and want to participate in outreach, so they can meet and encourage one another.

* Pray for MH our truck driver friend from Somalia. He has a citizenship interview on March 24. We’ve been encouraging him and helping him to prepare. He drives 45 minutes to visit us and we are praying that he will have a deeper hunger for the Truth. Pray that his heart would be softened to be receptive, that his ears will listen, and his eyes see.

* Please pray for the International Students who have heard the gospel recently. May they believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing they would have life in His name (John 20:31). Pray that these conversations would not be forgotten and that seeds of the Gospel truth would germinate in their hearts.

* Pray for the islander families affected in the commuter plane crash on Feb 26 near the smallest island, 14 people were lost. This affects all of the islands, including the diaspora. Pray for the few believers to be godly comforters in this tragedy, for our teammates as they walk with these grieving families and wisdom for the airline company and the country.
* Continue praying for ‘salty’ texts/conversations with island friends on WhatsApp.

* Pray for Mr. A from Algeria. Praise the Lord he returned safely from Algeria. Pray for his spiritual growth. Pray that God will provide him a job, and a Christian wife.
* Pray that we can be a blessing and encouragement to our churches. Pray that we can challenge these churches to engage the unreached diaspora in their own backyards.
* Pray that God will open up the eyes and hearts of those who are coming to our DBS on Sunday evenings.

The UPG’s we are working with are:
* Senegalese (Wolofs & Fulanis) – Pray that God will open more and more doors of relationship as they have a very strong Muslim community and very closed to relationships outside the community.
* Guinean – We are planning to work with Guinean Muslims in a city in northern Brazil where there is a university that has more than 600 Africans. Pray that the new DR members could move to that region soon.
* Muslims of different ethnicities – Brazil has become a place of migration for different Africans (Nigerians, Congolese, Sudanese, Egyptians, etc.), they are not part of large clusters, but in large centers today it is possible to find them. Pray for open doors for fruitful ministry amongst them.

* We were saddened at Christmas that our Somali friends M & A, who over 2 summers sent their kids to our MAC camp, have separated. When M refused to renounce his faith in Christ, A demanded that he vacate their condo. She is now trying to turn their 3 kids against their dad. The good news is that M’s faith has become even stronger, and he is anxious to share the Gospel with other Somalis in the Capital Region and beyond.
* Shortly after a ski day in January, my Nigerian Muslim university grad friend J got word that he was hired for his first job in Toronto. I helped him move 5 hours down the highway to Toronto. All that time together strengthened the trust level so that now we have a weekly Sunday afternoon Bible study.
* Our Chinese Christian neighbor has asked J. and me to help her lead a Christianity Explored series for neighbors in our 2 town house buildings. Pray for the right timing to start the dinner-and-video series and that our invitations will be accepted by neighbor’s around us—nominal Christian, Buddhist, and Muslim.

In Winnipeg, we work with newcomers to Canada from a variety of backgrounds such as South Sudanese, Eritrean, Somali and Iranian. We need prayer for how to minister to each person individually and find ways of connecting so they don’t feel so isolated and alone. We are expecting more refugees in the coming months.

* Pray for Somalis and Sudanese – spiritual eyes to be opened to see their need for Jesus; there is no church in the Somali area of the city. Ask the Lord to build his church!
* Thanking God for the opportunities to serve in various ministries.

* Last year I joined the board of a local organization, Equipping Leaders for a Lifetime of Service (ELLS), committed to helping African church leaders get accessible Bible training. The ELLS board is eager to also make this available to Diaspora church leaders in the US. Pray for wisdom.

* I have been adapting and simplifying Berding’s Bible Fluency course for possible use with a couple of our close Diaspora families. Music, symbols, instruction, interaction, and other kinds of worship are used to help people feast and meditate on God’s Word. Pray the course would be a blessing to many.

Pray for the Iranians, Afghans and South Americans who we are spending a lot of time with this year. Pray also for the many Africans who we are discipling either to equip them to evangelize or they are discovering Jesus for the very first time. Pray specifically for the period of transition where most of these students realize the cost of the decision they have to make. Pray that they will be bold enough to make it and pray that we as a church will be there as a strong support system.

* Pray for peace and reconciliation among our Somali Christian brothers and sisters here, and for healing of the wounds of addiction and mental illness among them.
* For increased openness among our Muslim friends in our neighboring apartments, and for the time spent there in tutoring and teaching ESL to bear Gospel fruit.
* For some people committed to long term ministry to Somalis to come alongside us as we anticipate retirement.

* Pray for salvation of 2 Buddhist families, a Sikh family and several Hindu students who have all heard the gospel in the last 6 months in various ways.
* Pray for the International Student club at CSULB to be able to start meeting again in person. California has reinstated many restrictions this month, hindering all clubs from meeting.

* Praise God for the Welcome House getting going to welcome new refugee families. Pray for Brother D. as he runs this. Pray for boldness for the volunteer team as they visit. May the good news flow from them! Pray for the additional 7 volunteers we need to settle 2 Afghan families this month.
* Pray for local Arab Muslims as they come in contact with our partner church Hope Arabic Church. May racial lines fall, and the gospel be lifted up!
* As many Afghans come, the majority are still in hotels. Please pray for housing, and for a Christ-like love that will go beyond tribal lines
* Yemeni Arabs live in an isolated area guarded spiritually by the local mosques. May God make a way for the gospel to break through regularly.

* Afghan: Build your church God, among our Afghan brothers and sisters. Help us to listen and help connect our new friends well with your word in their language. Praise you God for the hands and hearts that have labored to translate it!
* Sudanese: We pray for growth in the number of Sudanese students we serve and an open dialogue about your truth God.
* Moroccan: We pray for the persecuted church and for those separated from loved ones because of that persecution.
* Uyghur: We pray for your protection for those who believe, and we pray for those here that they may be able to hear your word God in their heart language.

* Our UPG are Somalis. They need to have their eyes opened to the truth of the gospel. They need to be released from the fear they hold themselves in. Ask God to stretch out HIs hand and deliver them.
* We need to find innovative ways to encourage the local church to reach out among the Somalis.

* Praise for a recent reconnection with an island friend in Marseille. Pray for ‘salty’ conversations with B and others on the phone. Pray that their eyes would be open, and their hearts softened to the Gospel Truth. Pray that there will not be language barriers to understand the freedom of the Gospel versus Islam.

* Refugees in the Croydon area are a mixture of UPG’s including people from Sudan, the Horn, Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq. Meeting the needs of large numbers of recent arrivals needing food and clothing has led to less opportunities for relationship building. Please pray that the Christians involved in this work will find the right balance as they seek to meet peoples’ physical and Spiritual needs.

* M.W. is spending time with a woman from Egypt who also recently became a mom, pray that relationship would grow, and she would continue to be curious about our faith.
* S.W. is having a lot of great conversations with a Persian man who now has a Bible in his language. Pray these conversations continue and that he will see that Jesus is the only way.

* All students of the Chinese Teaching Course passed the exam. They have the passion to serve among the Diaspora ministries although they come from different churches and companies.
* Due to social distancing measures starting from Jan 5, all the tutorial classes and Chinese classes are canceled. There will be three Chinese classes starting from Feb 7 and run by zoom. Pray that the participants can understand through zoom learning.
* I started devotional sharing with African Muslims and hope that they are willing to listen to God’s words. Please pray for “F” who refused to receive the message. Pray God to open her heart for Jesus.
* Pray for me to have wisdom to prepare the gospel and Muslim Background Believers materials for African Muslims.

* Praise the Lord with us for a successful Winter Retreat with International students in Nantes. We had many wonderful conversations, worship, and time in the Word with the students.
* Praise the Lord for committed students who are coming to weekly international student meetings in La Rochelle. R. & N. are encouraged by the faithful commitment many students display in regular attendance, especially one student from Algeria, who is always the first to arrive.

* Pray for the ongoing great collaboration in the Paris Ensemble that K.K. coordinates. Pray for wisdom as the leadership team organizes an impactful year of collaborative activities such as prayer mobilization, training and disciple-making until all of Paris has a viable and fruit- bearing witness.

• Many of our Somali connections have been fairly silent lately. Pray that we might reestablish those
connections or discern the cause.
• Praise God for a good connection with an Iraqi family. Pray that this might develop and become a good friendship.

* Please pray for clarity about which African UPGs we should reach out to in the Atlanta area. Pray also for local churches to participate, and also even US office staff. Pray for introductions to Africans in the area. Pray for many to come to faith in Christ and be discipled.
* Pray for enduring connections and friendships as a group of us visit a nearby mosque Feb 3 or 4.
Please pray for the Holy Spirit to guide our prayers and answer them, as we ask for the tools, seed and workers to be provided for this corner of our Father’s field. (John 15)

We praise Jesus! for a healthy in-person semester of over 100 English students this past fall. We pray that God would continue to bless us with continued health for the anticipated 150+ English students in-person in 3 locations this spring. Pray that our students will receive life from God’s Word. Psalm 119:25
• We praise Jesus! for wonderful Christmas celebrations, one of which led to a student asking for and
receiving a Bible. It appears this student has a sister who is a follower of Jesus. Please pray with us for the several scattered believers and seekers from these near-culture people groups and how God may use them as living stones. 1 Peter 2:5
• Please keep praying for “Anthony.” During December we explored “who is God?” in the book of Luke.
Praise Jesus! He even asked for another Bible in his language to share with someone. 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Thankful for high attendance and receptivity in our sewing group as we discussed the meaning of Christmas just prior to stricter Covid restrictions being reinstated.
Thankful that God has provided opportunity in midst of a pandemic to deepen relationships with the
ladies in our classes. Through these difficulties, there has been a new spiritual openness.

• Please pray for my Somali friend; his mental health, protection for him against the devil’s wiles, and against clan and family pressure to revert. Please pray that he will speak and live out the truth of his hope in Christ with boldness, gentleness, and respect.
• Praise for good time of fellowship, encouragement and the Word with Christian friends and J, our “bicycle building buddy from this summer”, who is still running from Jesus.
• Pray for my friend I who calls me frequently, alternating between plans to evangelize his homeland
and to imprison me for sending out CIA contracts on his life. His relatives plan to take him back to the
homeland soon. Please pray that Jesus will heal his psychoses and that he will remember the
commitment he once made to Jesus and live accordingly.

Tanya in Melbourne recently contacted the AIM Australia office:
“I’m getting to know my neighbour, who is from South Sudan. She’s a new Christian and she speaks Lopit (and some English). Do you know how I can receive a Bible in the Lopit language? Tanya had tried unsuccessfully to find the Lopit scriptures.
We inquired of Marlene from NZ working among the Lopit, and overnight received and passed on a written draft and audio copy of Genesis and Exodus from Marlene and her SIL colleagues.
A day later we heard from Tanya again: “Last night, I gave my neighbour, “J”, the Lopit book of Genesis and we listened to the first few stories that we’ve done in DBS. J was ecstatic to hear the Bible in Lopit!”
• Please pray for Tanya and “J” as they study the scriptures together.
• Pray the Lopit people in Australia and South Sudan to have a hunger for God’s word.
• Pray for the SIL team and Lopit committee currently working on the New Testament. Marlene said she hopes to have trial versions to pass on within the year.

January will be the beginning of another semester. Pray for the Lord to send us new students that He is seeking.
• COVID cases are rising. We do not know how strict the measures will get. Pray for the Lord to give us creativity and adapt to the context around us.
• Pray also for a few students with whom we have started building really good friendships. Pray that they will be open to hearing the Lord’s voice

Pray for churches to develop hearts and programs to reach out to Afghani refugees. As these traumatized people come, pray they will be welcomed by Christians and the Lord would soften their hearts towards to the truth and power of the gospel to save.

An old friend from the Horn of Africa surprised us by showing up at our door after a seven-year absence. After some catching up, the conversation turned to the parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matt 18:21-35). Our friend heard the Gospel. Pray for her response.

Pray for our friend, MH, who is from Somalia and is a truck driver. He travels long distances across the USA for his job. Pray he will hear the Gospel and meet vibrant Christians in his travels. Pray that our conversations will include Jesus and the Gospel.

Diaspora people are immigrants and refugees who live in our communities. Some diaspora people come from countries and people groups who haven’t had access to the Gospel, such as Muslims. Many have experienced loss of their home culture and family and are disoriented in their new environment. Diaspora people are looking for community and support to survive in a new culture. Pray that they will meet communities of Christians and local churches who welcome them.