Recently the Gabbra people had ceremonies which involved animal sacrifice as a way to please and thank God. They are being taught about Jesus as the perfect and final Sacrifice. Pray that through the Holy Spirit they understand this wonderful truth and leave their traditions that do not please God. Pray they may find their identity in Jesus Christ as children of God.

We’re living up in the hills a beautiful season, it’s raining and green, which means many nomadic shepherds including children traveling around with their flocks. These kids spend days and nights far from their parents, sleeping under the stars, facing the cold of the night, having rain without any shelter and wild animals. Please pray for our Good Shepherd’s protection upon these little lives. Pray God reveals himself to these children and may they grow in a relationship with the Lord. As we pray, let’s think about the King David – a little shepherd who grew up in the knowledge and under the everlasting love of God.

Join us in prayers for three specific Gabbra men whom have the potential to be Christian leaders amongst their own people into their own villages. Pray that they feel in their hearts God calling them to be part of the Great Commission. Pray that they find encouragement in the Lord when facing adversity. Pray for their families and for wisdom as they start to be discipled.

Praise the Lord for the people who are listening and being taught the Scriptures in small Bible studies. Thank God for the ones who have confessed Jesus as their Savior and are in the process of getting to know Him more in their Christian journey. Pray they keep strong in their conviction of Salvation and faithfulness to the Lord, being a witness to their neighbors and relatives. May they daily experience God’s grace, love and care for every detail on their lives.

There is a deep desire in our hearts to see the African churches engaged in supporting and sending their own missionaries to unreached people groups. We’ve been encouraging some African leaders to pray about taking a step of faith to fulfill the task of the Great Commission. Join us in praying that this becomes reality soon: More local laborers being supported by African churches, and the faster spread of the Gospel among unreached people groups.

Pray for a Gabbra man who is being trained to be an Evangelist among his own people. May God give him wisdom as he walks alongside with other youth sharing the Good News. Pray against spiritual opposition as he faces the sins of his own culture. Pray he may be an example of faithfulness in obeying God’s calling.
In his own words – “I thank God for the opportunity he’s given me to serve His Kingdom here in Hurri Hills. I feel God has called me to this place and I pray many other doors be opened for me to preach to my own people.”

Recently the Jesus Film was shown in a Gabbra community where people follow radically their traditions, which sometimes are ceremonies to worship evil spirits. Most of the families from that community watched the Jesus Film. Afterward the elders requested Bible Studies weekly. It’s amazing to see the community committed to participate in Bible Studies, asking questions, and seeking to know better the Word of God and what Christianity is. A few days ago they asked if we could show the Jesus film again, and we will, early next month. Rejoice with us and please pray may their eyes and ears be opened to the voice of the Holy Spirit. May they surrender their lives to our Lord Jesus in repentance.
Thank you!

Ramadan Day 19
The Somali are in some ways similar to the Gabbra. But most Somalis are fiercely Mu$lim. Pray that God would give both Somalis and Gabbra courage to ask questions during Ramadan. Pray they would develop friendships with believers and see another Way.

Ramadan Day 3
I$lam is increasing in the area. Pray the Gabbra, who are traditionally animistic, would not exchange one form of bondage for another, but would find freedom and forgiveness in Jesus. They believe in merciless justice and that wrongs are righted with payment. Pray that the Gabbra would know God’s mercy and believe that the blood of Jesus has paid for their sins.

Our church is in the midst of two major attacks on marriage and family. One elder has left his wife, attempted suicide, and refuses to come to church. His wife and children remain faithful. Another elder has decided to take a second wife and has stepped down from his position as elder at church. He and his family attend church, but he now sits in the back row. Please pray for them and for all the schemes the evil one is trying to bring down our church with, that they would remain faithful in difficult times.

Please continue to pray for Ibraia, a 7 week old baby, with a severe neural birth defect that we shared about last month. We hope he will be able to receive a palliative surgery to make caring for him easier.
Please also pray about the drought. The situation in northern Kenya is very grim right now. Kalacha and the surrounding area received a mere 3 inches of rain for the entire year last year and it has not begun raining even now. People are getting sick and their animals are dying. Please pray that the Lord would open the flood gates and pour down water of the dry and thirsty land and for continued opportunities to share with the Gabbra about the Living Water found only in Jesus!!

Ibraia was born January 25 to our good friends Abudo & Robe. Due to a deformity on his head, he was flown down to a missionary hospital. He returned to us a few days later, with the prognosis that he would quickly die. He is still alive in spite of doctors’ prediction, but they have warned that if he does live, he will not be able to do much more than basic reflexive actions. Please join us in praying for this family. Pray for the Lord’s comfort to surround this hurting family and for there to be opportunities to share with them how Jesus is with them in the midst of their suffering and pain.

Every day hundreds of camels, cattle, goats and sheep come across the plains to drink water from one of the hand dug wells. Grazing is scarce and in some places entire households have left behind everything in search of water. All but one mechanical pump has stopped working, including the government well and the well at the local school. The disruption of not having water for school children does not mean an end to the school day. Everyone continues to plod along, queuing up for water for their homes and their animals. Please pray for the Lord to open up the heavens and rain down on this very dry and thirsty land and for this to also provide many opportunities to talk about God’s living water, available to all through His precious Son Jesus.

Practical help in the community creates opportunity to present the Gospel. We see how God uses our gifts to open up doors to share the Gift of Life. Pray for the hearts of the Gabbra to be open to hear the truth of the Gospel.

It is sorio season in Kalacha. Sorio means sacrifice and the Gabbra will slaughter hundreds of animals throughout the next two months in order to marry, honor the dead, and change social status. While we do not seek to tell the Gabbra in our church which ceremonies are ok for believers, we do challenge them to think about what they are doing. We constantly ask why and what about Jesus. Please join us in praying for our Gabbra church family. Pray that they would think Biblically about the ceremonies and what it means to live in the freedom of Christ as a Gabbra.