Religious leaders are opposing our work. There have been sermons against us and the believers. Pray for the governor to resist pressure from the religious leaders and allow us to continue our translation work. Pray the opposition will only increase curiosity and many will read the scriptures in their own language.

Pray for all the Christmas parties and other opportunities to talk with friends about the Christmas story. Ask Father to open many hearts. May the story catch their imaginations and would they long to hear more!

Pray for the island children who attend the homework club. Pray this week they will listen well to the Christmas story. Pray their parents will come to the special holiday event and listen with tender hearts. Pray the Lord will draw many to Himself.

Pray for islanders who have the chance to hear the Christmas story this month; whether from workers or on TV. Pray for open hearts, and that what they hear would catch their imaginations and settle in their hearts. Pray that God would bless them with the desire to know more of who Jesus is. That they would receive it as good news of great joy!

This month is also the Arabic month that celebrates the birth of their prophet. Pray for religious leaders who have studied in greater detail the life of their prophet and their book. Pray that disillusionment and dissatisfaction would grow, pray that Gd would give them with a hunger for more.

Pray for local believers as they celebrate Christmas. Pray for times of joy as they come together. Pray that Gd would gift them with the creativity to see what island celebrations could look like. Pray for those who are without fellowship, pray that they would be overcome with joy that Jesus came to seek them out.

Please keep praying for those who continue in opposition to the spread of the good news here. Pray for the two religious teachers who have redubbed the Jesus film (widely available in the local language) to bring it in line with Islamic teaching. Pray that God would bring them to the point where they recognise that they have done the very thing they accuse believers of – changing the word of God.

Pray for those in positions of power who are being asked to tighten religious freedom; pray that they would be willing to stand for freedom in the face of opposition. Pray that all that is happening would not only bring greater freedom here but also stir up curiosity and hunger to know who Jesus is.

Pray that all believers on the island would abide ever deeper in the truth that if God is with us who can be against us!

In the past month or so there has been increased scrutiny of local believers and workers; this has mainly been instigated by religious teachers but some government officials have also been involved. Pray for these men who are seemingly so full of anger, judgement and fear. Praise God that for them too there is grace! Pray that they would encounter the God of love who wants to set them free from their chains. Pray that God would reveal to them His holiness and the depth of sin in their own hearts. Pray for radical ‘Road to Damascus’ experiences of Jesus!

Remembering God’s promise to use all things for the good of those who love Him, pray that any additional pressure the local believers feel would only serve to push them closer to Him and to one another. Pray that all believers on the island would speak and act out of love and never fear.

Pr for all those who have gone on the pilgrimage to Mcca. Pr that what they experience there would only serve to show them how far they are from Gd. Pr that Gd would speak to many through dreams and visions whilst on the Hajj; pr that they would meet the One who can change their hearts.
Pr for those back at home as they celebrate the festival of Eid, which commemorates the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son (although Ms believe it was Ishmael not Isaac). Pr that workers would have many opportunities to talk with islanders about the truths of this story, and that Gd would show many that he has provided a sacrifice for them just as he provided one for Isaac.

The month of Ramadan has started and it brings with it its strange dichotomy of abstention and excess – during the day (sun-up to sun-down) there is no drinking, eating, smoking, medicine, or “relations”. But sunset heralds the feast and many islanders will consume much more oil, meat, and sugar than normal and eat two or three times in the night. For the wealthy the month can be a party – rich foods and social time with family, and the excuse to do very little in the day. For the poor it can be an extra burden – working harder than normal while weakened by thirst and hunger to earn more to meet the expectations of the family for meat on the table, and new clothes for all the children at the end of the month. The spiritual dynamic of Ramadan is double-edged as well… On the one side people feel good – fortified by all the efforts they put in this month, for others it rings hollow – is this change in routine really earning them a place in paradise?

Pray that many islanders would come to the realisation that they can never work their way to God and that in the midst of that dark truth God would reveal them that He has already come to them!

Medical facilities are less than ideal on the islands; incompetence, old equipment, and lack of basics like reliable electricity are all part of everyday life here. This means at times of serious illness islanders will try every means possible to send their loved ones overseas for treatment. Pray that God would use these trials to bring people to the end of themselves so that they would cry out to him. Pray that those islanders being treated overseas would meet Christian doctors and nurses and hear his truth and experience his love. Pray that we would see people healed here on the islands when prayed for in the name of Jesus.

The month of Ramadan has started and it brings with it its strange dichotomy of abstention and excess – during the day (sun-up to sun-down) there is no drinking, eating, smoking, medicine, or “relations”. But sunset heralds the feast and many islanders will consume much more oil, meat, and sugar than normal and eat two or three times in the night. For the wealthy the month can be a party – rich foods and social time with family, and the excuse to do very little in the day. For the poor it can be an extra burden – working harder than normal while weakened by thirst and hunger to earn more to meet the expectations of the family for meat on the table, and new clothes for all the children at the end of the month. The spiritual dynamic of Ramadan is double-edged as well… On the one side people feel good – fortified by all the efforts they put in this month, for others it rings hollow – is this change in routine really earning them a place in paradise?

Pray that many islanders would come to the realisation that they can never work their way to God and that in the midst of that dark truth God would reveal them that He has already come to them!

Medical facilities are less than ideal on the islands; incompetence, old equipment, and lack of basics like reliable electricity are all part of everyday life here. This means at times of serious illness islanders will try every means possible to send their loved ones overseas for treatment. Pray that God would use these trials to bring people to the end of themselves so that they would cry out to him. Pray that those islanders being treated overseas would meet Christian doctors and nurses and hear his truth and experience his love. Pray that we would see people healed here on the islands when prayed for in the name of Jesus.

Pray for all those who heard the Easter story over the past few weeks; from a worker, a local believer or even a film on the tv. Pray that many would remember what they heard, and that their imaginations and hearts would be caught by a God who would suffer and die that they might be with him. Praise God for the satellite tv stations that broadcast programmes and films that share truth. Pray that islanders would be drawn to these programmes and it would prompt a thirst for more.

The islands are currently in the midst of presidential elections. After the first round of voting there was widespread accusations of corruption and bribery – and sadly there is nothing particularly unusual about that. Please pray for the future president; pr that God would put people in his path who will share the good news with him. Pray for all the leaders in government, pray that the Holy Spirit would convict them and soften their hearts so that they seek God’s forgiveness. Pray that God would raise up a new
generation of leaders who would seek to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with their God.
Pray also for ordinary islanders, pray that as they suffer from the effects of corruption they would neither become apathetic or look for ways to get ahead themselves at someone else’s expense. Pray that instead it would cause them to cry out to God for justice. And in so doing pray that they would find a God of great justice and great love.

Continue to pray for the local fellowship on one of the islands as they face intensified pressure including a pronouncement from the Mosque spouting lies and calling for one of them to be kicked out of the country.  Pr for wisdom and courage in the midst of this.  Praise God that the pressure has increased their commitment to prayer, pray that they would know His presence with them like never before.

Praise God for new believers on one island. Groups have been meeting, families are showing interest and listening to Bible stories together and older believers are being inspired and challenged by what they see. However there have been reports that some brothers and sisters have been bothered by authorities and are now afraid to meet regularly. This has not yet been confirmed but is likely to happen sooner or later. Pray for wisdom, courage, faith and joy in the midst of adversity and fear.

Pray for those who hear the Christmas story this month, whether for the first time or the tenth. Pray that many would be amazed by what they hear and want to know more of this man who had such a birth. Pray that those who hear it would share it with their own families and friends. Pray also for local believers as they celebrate Christmas. Pray for times of joy as they come together. Pr that Gd would gift them with the creativity to see what island celebrations should look like. Pray for those who are without fellowship; pr that they would be overcome with joy that Jesus came to seek them out.

Many islanders live lives that are overshadowed by the fear of madjini (evil spirits). Women tend to be more involved than men and often madjini are passed from generation to generation. Recently whole classes in a certain school have been overpowered by madjini. Ask God to stretch out his hand in a mighty way and rescue prisoners from the darkness. Pray also that local believers would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to cast out demons and that many here would recognise that there is power in the name of Jesus.

Pray for those who have just come back from the Hajj pilgrimage, many went in search of forgiveness of sins. Pray that as they return home they would recognise that nothing has changed in their hearts, that they still have no freedom from the power of sin. Pray that they would cry out to God for a true and lasting forgiveness. The pilgrimage ends with the festival of Eid when they will remember the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son. Pray that Gd would give many islanders the faith to believe in Jesus’ willing sacrifice for them.

Here on the island the ‘Big Wedding’ season is coming to an end. For the past month or so islanders have lived and breathed weddings. These weddings are long, lavish events that consist of conspicuous displays of wealth and are the primary way to achieve status in island society. Pray that as island life returns back to normal many would recognise an emptiness in their hearts that has not been filled by all the festivities. Pray that many would recognise and repent of the envy in their hearts towards those higher up the status ladder. Pray that God would show them the path to lasting joy and a lasting position of honour.