Audio Bible distribution

Distribution of a partial audio Bible in the local dialect has started. SD memory cards are loaded with that and some Malagasy worship music and the Jesus film. Pray that those who received it will listen regularly and that true word of God will take hold in their hearts.

Harvest is plentiful

Recent surveys and feedback has shown that there are many areas around the city of Ambilobe that are open to hearing the Gospel. However there are not enough missionaries to go to these areas. The Harvest is plentiful. Pray for workers to go and bring the good news.

Young disciple

Pray for R. a young Antakarana man who has a heart to reach his own people. Pray for him and his discipleship, and for an upcoming training and mission trip he will be a part of in early January.

New believers

In Ambilobe there has been fruitful evangelism in rural villages by Malagasy Christians trying to reach the Antakarana. Pray for the Disciple Makers and the new believers that they will grow in faith.

Ancestral worship event

Keep praying for the big ancestral worship event happening here this week. Practically it will be a burden to the local villages since so many will come and the wells barely have enough water to support the local community. Spiritually it will be an oppressive time. Pray for believers to be filled with the Spirit and protected from evil spirits.

spirit calling

There has been a large ‘spirit calling’ ceremony going on in our village for 2 days. Pray for protection for us and other believers and that we could share truth and that the ‘tromba’ would not come and that there would only be confusion and disappointment among the people participating.

Hold to their faith

Every 5 years there is a huge gathering to honor the spirits on Nosey Mitsio. Pray that new believers would hold to their faith and not partake in the many sacrifices.

Soccer ministry

During the school break a sports ministry through soccer has been going on, headed by Malagasy missionaries. Pray for good opportunities to witness and for openness for students to participate.

Sunday gathering

Praise more people are coming to the gathering on Sunday. Pray for the community to continue to be OK with this and for those that want to come to be brave and grow in faith.

Pentecost celebration

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday and there will be a gathering of believers and seekers from both the South and the North of Nosy Mitsio. It is being organized by the Malagasy Missionaries and local believers. Pray for all the preparation going into it and for the Lord’s blessing and presence the day of.

Gospels of Luke

We have received 100 gospels of Luke in the Antakarana dialect to distribute. Pray that these would bring 100 people to the knowledge of God and growth in Christ!

Answer to prayer!

Praise: this last Sunday we had 3 new people worshipping with us. One was a woman who has wanted to come but was nervous her husband would be angry. So this is an answer to prayer and keep praying!

Afraid to come

Recently several community members have shared that they want to learn more about the Bible and come to our Sunday gatherings but they are afraid of the spirits inside of them and that they will be angry and even kill them. Others are afraid of spouses not being OK with it. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in a mighty way and that these barriers will be broken down. Pray many would come this Sunday!

Navigating Ramadan

Pray for Antakarana believers known and unknown as they navigate Ramadan in their communities. May they be winsome and wise in their interactions.

Ruth

Praise the Lord the book of Ruth is almost complete in the very close dialect on Nosy Be. Pray it will be widely read and the message of a kinsman redeemer would intrigue many!
Pray for the team as they plan what book to do next and as they also work on Psalms.

Studying the Bible

Pray for an Antakarana man “J” who is coming to study the Bible. He also invited a friend recently. Pray for this core of people to grow and their boldness studying the Bible to inspire other seekers to come as well.

Oral Bible

Pray for Bible translation efforts that have started in the Northern dialect. It will be a multi year project done in Nosy Be. The goal is to have the entire Bible in audio format in the dialect. Pray for the team of 6 Malagasy translators and their facilitator Laura B.

Outreach

Pray for upcoming outreach training for Malagasy missionaries coming to reach the villages on Nosy Mitsio. Pray for lodging preparation, for the hearts of the learners, and those in the villages who will see and hear the good news proclaimed. Pray for a fruitful outreach.

Break spiritual bondage

We have been praying for a long time that the spiritual bondage on the Island of Nosy Mitsio would be broken. Last month every week a different person came asking about the Bible and God’s word. There is interest! but it comes with fear that the elders in the area will be against worshiping Jesus. Pray for courage and pray that the stronghold would be broken down and pushed back like the rising sun brings light to a new day.

Soften their hearts

Pray that the Lord would soften the hearts’ of the village leaders to let the children come and learn. The kids have a desire to learn about the Bible.

Pentecost

Praise the Lord that the few believers on Nosy Mitsio were able to have fellowship on Easter Sunday, and plan to gather again on Pentecost (June 5). Pray that this will be a time of great encouragement, exhortation and a witness to the lost in their community. Pray also for missionaries whose boat was stolen: ask for recovery of their property, for grace and justice to prevail, and for the Lord to use this situation to show his power and love.

Celebrating Easter and Pentecost

The Believers on Nosy Mitsio had a good Easter celebration and are looking to plan a service for Pentecost. A new family joined them for Easter. Please pray for Petera, Francine, Shilo and his family and Edmond and his family.

Seeking God

Petera, a Malagasy teammate, and his team praise the Lord that the many cyclones this season have not effected the rice harvest. Pray for them as they engage with the community during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Pray for the Holy Spirit to change hearts as people seek God in a special way during the month.

Seeking God

I have heard from Petera, (Malagasy team mates), and he said they praise the Lord that the many cyclones this season have not effected the rice harvest. He asked for prayer as they engage with the community during ramadan. Pray for the Holy Spirit to change hearts as people seek God during the upcoming month.

Christian teacher

Pray for the local Antakarana believer on Nosy Mitsio and his family. He is a teacher at the school. He is bold in his faith and some are very critical of this. Pray for spiritual protection and strength for him and his family. Pray many will listen to the message he shares and believe.

Diego church partnership

This past week Manoa and I met with church leaders in Diego with whom Esther Park has been working to train Malagasy church planters. We were so encouraged to see the openness of these leaders and their desire to partner with us in this work of reaching the Antakarana. Please pray for future communication and planning and opportunity to partner more in this ministry. Ask the Lord for fruitful ministry together that many Antakarana might be saved.

Washing

The yearly spiritual washing took place this month. Many go to ask blessing for health and the harvest. Pray that this year many Antakarana will put their trust in the True God and not their ancestral traditions.

School ministry

Praise that the Harvest team went well, the two men were fully a part of ministry and had a good impact on the young men in the community.
Pray for the school ministry. The Malagasy missionaries teaching Bible stories in the school were told they were no longer allowed to go. Pray for wisdom as the team tries to find out what the issues are from the community elders.

Opposition

An Antakarana believer walked 4 hours to attend a fellowship group in a far-off village. Pray for wisdom as plans are being made to visit this man’s village to see about gathering the few believers there for fellowship. Ask for God’s wisdom to bring unity through their common ties to Christ. Pray against the attacks of the enemy, which are in full swing in this Muslim community: the village headman is now forbidding the teaching of Bible stories (previously permitted). Pray that this situation would give further opportunity to share the gospel, and that the Lord would keep the door for witness and discipleship open on this Little Island. Please also lift up P & F, Malagasy missionaries working amongst the Antakarana: they receive little support which isn’t enough to meet their personal needs, so pray for abundant provision from Jehovah Jireh.

Teacher

There are three teachers at the local school and one is a believer. They teach about 100 kids from the surrounding villages. Pray for this Christian teacher’s spiritual protection, provision for his family and success as he teaches the students and shares his faith. He is also Antakarana and a former muslim. This is very rare for this community.

Seeds planted

Praise God that the 2 months of focused outreach/ministry on Nosy Mitsio was a blessing to the Antakarana. Pray that seeds planted would grow, bloom and multiply. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work on hearts that have heard the truth.

Ramadan

Pray for the Harvest Team- We have two young men, and our Malagasy Co-worker Petera is participating too. They are eager to learn and doing great. God is good because the Antakarana hold a lot of prejudice towards the Merina people and they are Merina. However it’s amazing how serving and showing love breaks it down. We are studying 4 fields CPM and helping the community during the rice harvest time. We have been sharing bible stories weekly as a group meeting and inviting the community. Our hope is to do it several times a week when people are gathering to break fast in the evenings during Ramadan.
Pray that these young men will be a testimony in word and deed. Pray for the Antakarana as they seek God during the time of fasting.

Light in the darkness

Pray for Malagasy missionaries amongst the Antakarana- that they would be light to those in the darkness, that barriers to the gospel would be torn down, and many would see Christ as their Lighthouse, their Safe Harbor, their God and King.

Disciples

Pray for the upcoming Harvest team- we have two Malagasy men who will be trained and discipled for two months here on Nosy Mitsio. Also, pray for the new local school teacher. He is Antakarana and a believer! Pray we can find time in his busy schedule to disciple him.

Passing the Test

Malagasy missionary Petera has been with a group of students this week to take them to their major exams. These had been delayed because of COVID-19. Most children form Nosy Mitsio can’t pass the assessment but Petera has been tutoring them and sharing Bible stories as well. Pray for favour as they take their tests and that success will lead to more trust and opening of doors to share the gospel.

Victory in Battle

As the Antakarana children on Nosy Mitsio continue to come and hear Bible stories, the adults have started to be more insistent on teaching dahira (Muslim prayers in song) to the young boys which has kept them from coming as often. Pray for victory in the Spiritual battle that is being waged for the hearts of the young ones. Pray that their parents would turn to the Lord Jesus.

Bible Stories

Pray for school age kids being discipled on Nosy Mitsio. Pray that hearing the stories from the Bible will change their hearts and that they will be the generation that turns to Christ.

Caring for People

Pray that the Lord will have mercy on North Madagascar and will continue to keep the virus from spreading. Many people are coming to churches in the cities because they are afraid, so pray that the churches there can welcome them, share the gospel, and care for them.

Closed Borders

As Madagascar continues with closed borders due to Covid-19, pray for provision for the people who are affected by the shut down of the tourism industry and regional travel.

Building the church

An elder from a community in Nosybe has requested that a church be built so that villagers would have more than just Islam. Praise God for His amazing intervention!