Please keep praying for the new believers among the Laarim. There continues to be new professions of faith, baptisms, and ongoing bible study and discipleship. Pray that their “love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so they may be able to discern what is best, and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Praise God for the group of boys/young men and group of girls/young women who meet regularly to hear a Bible story, learn a symbol to represent the story, and memorize a verse. This week they learned about the sprit world and memorized John 10;10- The thief comes to steal the sheep and kill them. Praise God for the salvation of Bakita this week! Pray each one would grow in understanding and those who are saved would walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord.

Praise God for Napir’s baptism last Sunday! Pray that in her early steps of faith she would be protected from the enemy’s attack and we would continue to be able to teach and encourage her. Pray that this would be a great witness of personal faith and acceptance of Jesus to those around her.

On Friday morning, our DBS started with the usual small group from Paulo and Mary’s compound. However minutes later another mother came with 4 of her children and then a group of 4 women joined us. It turns out Mary has been taking our challenge and sharing the Bible Stories with them. These ladies from two nearby compounds wanted to come and see for themselves if what Mary is saying is true. Pray that these families would welcome a DBS in their compounds.

Rejoice that the children and youth and women are all singing the Laarim Bible songs, which have been created for and by them. This has been a powerful tool in these communities. Even those who have never attended a story session or gathering, have learned the songs and sing along with the children. A local believer is working on more songs, one for each of the 25 key stories in our story set for this people group.

Pray for all the listeners who heard the message to repent this weekend. They were told, ‘If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.’ You have a choice today to choose the blessing of obedience to God or the curse of obedience to Satan.” Pray they will be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

This week we will show the Jesus film at the cattle camp. Most of the population is there now. Pray for the Lord to open blind eyes to the truth of the gospel.

K keenly wanted the Jesus film brought to his home, which was done last week. Early this week K came to tell us he wants to follow Jesus. As we talked and prayed together, he reported a changed heart, away from quarreling and drinking alcohol (a common past-time) towards wanting to have a clear mind to hear and follow God’s word. He has asked that we bring God’s word to his compound for him and his family (one wife and multiple children). Praise God for a new life and light among the Laarim!

This week the portion of the Word shared in the discovery Bible studies, (DBS), was the story of Job, and what was happening behind the scenes.

Here are a few responses from the participants:
“Sometimes we speak out in anger and say things we shouldn’t say…then we should apologize like Job did.”
“When we are disciplining our children, they may get angry with us and even hit back at us, but we are disciplining them for their own good to train them.”
“When bad things happen, we should not accuse God for them. Rather we should do good and trust God.”

Please be praying that the DBS continue to be fruitful and those present would have clear understanding and changed hearts where needed.

Mary, now a six month-old new believer, meets for prayers with some ladies whom she has led to the Lord. The DBS story this week was Jesus raising Jarius’s daughter. When the group was asked what they learned from the story, they spoke of the life-bringing power of Jesus in a hopeless situation. Laguwe shared that her 3 year old had gotten very sick, and “since you were not here, I decided not to go to the witchdoctor, but to do what I had seen and heard you do. I prayed like you do to Jesus to heal…and HE DID IT, even for me!” Praise God for maturing faith in new believers!

When we helped to open the Cholera Treatment Ward at Kimatong Health Center last Sunday, I anticipated it being flooded with up to 50 or 60 cholera victims. However, our maximum number of cholera patients in the ward this week was six. One severely afflicted patient arrived during the night in our absence and it was so gratifying to hear the nurse exclaim with joy the next morning, “We followed the protocol and we saved him!” Indeed he and several other lives were saved by the implementation of the treatment ward. AIM is getting more credit in the community than we deserve for the ebbing of the cholera epidemic. We try to turn the credit back to God and indeed the prayers of many have had an unseen impact. Pray God’s mercy would be recognized by the Laarim.

Several people are sick with Cholera in a Laarim village. Pray for the medical personnel and team members treating the sick and educating the village about prevention. Pray the Lord would heal the sick and open hearts to spiritual healing as well.

Several weeks ago a group of young men gathered on our compound to watch the “Following Jesus” video which is a follow-up of the Jesus Film. Carlo was hanging out with his friends and stayed to watch. As the African actors were explaining to each other the way to breathe out your sins and breathe in the Holy Spirit, Carlo described a ‘shaking of my body” and an urge to know the Holy Spirit. As soon as the video ended, he shared this desire with the group. With a bit of instruction and guidance he prayed to accept Jesus into his heart and thus began his new life in Christ! Pray for God to renew Carlo’s mind and help him walk in newness of life.

The cattle raiding which had decreased a bit following prayer focus and the chiefs’ of our people group meeting with government leaders and the chiefs’ of the neighboring people group. However the young men are not at all involved in the peace efforts and they are off raiding with a vengeance…and dying! We had two deaths this last week in our village. This afternoon there has been a steady stream of young men with guns, knives,bows and arrows going past our compound to the river to prepare for a raid (they will gather and “seek the counsel” and “sacrifice” we’re told). Pray that the Lord will make Himself known to this group!

More Laarim are being added nearly daily to the Lamb’s Book of Life. Loboyi and Angelo (young believers discipled by Jacob previously) have been key players in this. Among these have been a couple of other young men, another woman (influence of new believer Mary Marko), one of the compound guards (drunkard and problematic in the past, now supportive and eager to grow and no drunkenness since his commitment over a week ago), an old chief dying in his village hut, and others! The lady who prayed to receive Jesus on her deathbed just before we evacuated, went to her Heavenly home just a few days later. Unfortunately the lady who was dying on a neighboring compound here when we returned did not have that opportunity; I failed to share the good news with her on my daily visits thinking I had more time.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to infill the small group of new believers in Laarim and that He will teach, guide, and empower these young believers with faith, courage and boldness!

“It used to be only the school children who learned about God, but now that the missionaries have come, even me who does not know a,b,c,d can learn to follow Jesus,” said Mary Marko a few days after her joyous new birth. The Jesus Film had deeply moved her and the Creation to Christ story by Noblesse translated by Angelo was the clencher for her coming to faith in Jesus. Praise God for this new believer. Pray for peace in Laarim land. Conflict has forced the missionaries to leave for at least several weeks until peace returns.

It is a joy to hear, during the day and even into the night hours, the sound of children singing enthusiastically, joyfully about JESUS. Singing is a part of the life of the Laarim people, and now there are songs created by Andrew, Angelo, and other Laarim speakers to express the gospel message. Pray with us for the completion of appropriate songs for the Easter week story, and that the message of Easter, relatively unknown here, will impact the lives of individuals and bring transformation to the communities.

Pray for the scripture recordings being made for audio Bible distribution. Pray for eager listeners and many to embrace the Truth.
Pray for the ‘old man chai and discovery Bible study time’ that the Lord would bring salvation to the households these men represent.

Initially last night there were encouraging signs of forgiveness and acquittal, but a few hours later, the accused was hanged to the shock and grief of his family and the team. Pray for the Light to penetrate this darkness, for the grieving to be comforted, and for the Lord to give wisdom and grace to the team to know how to minister in this setting. 2Cor 2:14-16.

A man is being tried for sorcery in the wake of the death of a chief’s son who was killed last week while raiding a neighboring tribe’s cattle. The chief has lost 4 sons in cattle raids.
If found guilty, the man will be hung today at 6pm.
Please pray for the team as they visit the accused and his family, as well as the chief. May the Lord shine His light into this very dark situation.

The Laarim villages where missionaries live and minister are all abuzz as the new missionary team return from ABO and resettle. Pray the excitement would continue and that people would be curious to know the reason for the hope they have and their motivation to leave home and live among them.The joy of a few new believers is such a great encouragement to them all, words are difficult to describe the wonder of the grace of our God we hold so dear. Please pray especially for the new believers; but also for the new team members as culture shock and sickness take their toll.

We praise the Lord for two boys and one girl who have expressed that they have made a commitment to follow Jesus and trust him as their Lord and Savior.  Two of these youth have gone to other locations for a season: one off to school and the other to the cattle camp.  Pray that we would make the most of each opportunity we have to disciple and mentor the youth and children and pray for these new believers wherever they go to continue growing in their trust, love, and obedience to Jesus.

Just as the new Laarim team houses are completed, so major conflict disrupts the teams arrival in the Boya Hills. These people ae eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new people who are coming to live among them. May the Laarim people be open to the good news that they bring, may they welcome the team into their lives as much as the team long to be welcomed. May many come to know salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for team and their leaders as they prepare to come in soon.

Rejoice as the housing for the team due to arrive in July is nearing completion, a month ahead of target. Thanks be to God! Such a lot of hard work from the men from South Africa, America and Australia who arrived and have selflessly given of themselves in order for this to happen. But the big picture of the word of God going out to the Laarim, of functioning churches being planted, of men, women and children coming to know the Lord Jesus, is what is longed for. May God bless all involved and grow His kingdom among the Laarim.

Rejoice as the housing for the team due to arrive in July is nearing completion, a month ahead of target. Thanks be to God! Such a lot of hard work from the men from South Africa, America and Australia who arrived and have selflessly given of themselves in order for this to happen. But the big picture of the word of God going out to the Laarim, of functioning churches being planted, of men, women and children coming to know the Lord Jesus, is what is longed for. May God bless all involved and grow His kingdom among the Laarim.

Rejoice as the housing for the team due to arrive in July is nearing completion, a month ahead of target. Thanks be to God! Such a lot of hard work from the men from South Africa, America and Australia who arrived and have selflessly given of themselves in order for this to happen. But the big picture of the word of God going out to the Laarim, of functioning churches being planted, of men, women and children coming to know the Lord Jesus, is what is longed for. May God bless all involved and grow His kingdom among the Laarim.

As the Laarim living around the hustle and bustle of building houses etc. see and hear what is planned, may the Lord reach into their hearts to open them to the message that is and will be brought. That message that they hear bits of in the storying already being shared about the Salvation that can only come through Christ.

As the Laarim living around the hustle and bustle of building houses etc. see and hear what is planned, may the Lord reach into their hearts to open them to the message that is and will be brought. That message that they hear bits of in the storying already being shared about the Salvation that can only come through Christ.

Please pray for those that were evangelised during the recent outreaches in the communities around Kimatong, in the Boya Hills. Pray that seeing other young believers prepared to come from nearby towns, joining together with the missionaries, to try their best to reach the Laarim with the gospel, may be challenged and encouraged to take the message they heard seriously. Pray that as the new missionary team leaders arrive that they would be a tremendous witness and be bold in sharing the treasure they hold out to the Laarim, that of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please pray for this next few weeks as a group of young men from Torit, gather in Kimatong, along with the missionaries, for evangelism and outreach among the Laarim people. This comes at a great time as there has been an unsettling time of insecurity in the area over the last month. Please pray for peace and hearts that are open to the messages of Salvation being brought to them.

During the recent South Sudan school holidays an enthusiastic group of youth went on an evangelistic outreach that included a visit to the Laarim. Many villagers were visited and heard the gospel. Please pray that there was good ‘seed’ planted and that the ‘soil’ was well prepared to receive it. Pray that it would grow and be watered by Gods Almighty hand.

Pray for the children in the Laarim community. Many are curious and will join any activities that take place within their communities. Most are open to the gospel as well. Pray that as the word of God is shared with the Laarim children they would understand it, learn to obey it, and share it with others. Pray also for those who are sharing the gospel with Laarim children to present it in a way that is understandable to them.

Praise the Lord for the chief here in the Kimatong area of the Laarim. He has been most helpful, friendly and welcoming. The missionaries who have stepped in to build the first of the team houses have been very encouraged by his response.The Laarmim are unused to any formal type of work resulting in it being very difficult to try and explain work hours, etc. Please pray that as the work begins to build those first couple of houses, the men being trained to build would be faithful in their commitment to work, but above all they would want to know this Jesus that is being lived among them too, by the missionaries.

As the construction begins among the Laarim, the chief along with his sub-chiefs, paid a visit to the building crew and the missionary leaders recently. His words to them were of great encouragement as he said that it was good for them to be coming to bring the Word of God to the Laarim and to tell them more about God as they knew very little! Thank the Lord for this acceptance and openness, pray that this would infiltrate the majority of the communities and that their hearts would, even now, be being prepared for the wonderful message of the Gospel.

Construction of housing for missionaries in the Boya Hills area has begun. The first location chosen for the work to start is in the village of Yei. Pray that meaningful relationships would be built between the missionaries and the Laarim of Yei as they work together to establish a place for the missionaries to live.

This month the chiefs in the Boya Hills will be approached about land options for housing for the future team of missionaries. Please pray for clear communication, mutual understanding, and for wisdom in choosing locations that will be suitable for the missionaries and strategic for reaching the Laarim communities with the gospel.

-Pray for the cycle of violence to be broken. Pray the younger generation of Laarim would see and follow the example of Christ rather than follow the example of those who raid cattle and fight against their neighbors.
-Pray for perseverance and spiritual growth for the Laarim believers so that they may be effective gospel witnesses in their communities.
-Ps 145:18 Pray that the Laarim would call upon the Lord in truth and experience his nearness both personally and corporately.

We praise the Lord for raising up the beginnings of a great team to work and bring the precious gospel to the Laarim. Pray that the Lord would bring together the team of His choosing. That in this next year housing would be built and the team gathered together. Soon our young American man will no longer be soldiering on, on his own there. Thank you for praying for this. Please continue to pray for the Laarim, that their hearts would be being prepared and opened.

There is a strong possibility of more workers prepared to form a team to reach the Laarim with the wonderful news of salvation in Christ. Please pray for this to become a reality. How we long for more workers to reach this unreached people.