As this season of rest comes to the Lopit communities, ask our Father to bless them and protect them from associated distractions such as drinking. Pray that the Spirit would move people to desire Him above all else and to use the extra time to meet together to hear His word. May they enter into true rest in Jesus Christ.

Recently the church leaders told a story of the village elders visiting and threatening to close the church because the church leaders refuse to take part in cultural ceremonies which contradict their faith. We are thankful that the issue seems to have died down for now, but please pray for the church and the leaders. Pray for discernment and strength to say no and how to do this in a way which points people to Christ. Give thanks for their boldness and courage as they face these pressures on a daily basis.

We had the opportunity yesterday to attend the wedding of a young lady in our village. She just completed primary school and is probably around 17 or 18. Pray for this girl, whom we have known for some years. Pray that as we continue to sow into her life she may come to know Christ as her saviour and have a godly home. Many girls here still marry very young and see little other options for their future. Pray that the Lopit communitites may come to see girls as God our Father sees them.

Just like the rest of the world, Christmas here in the Lopit Mountains is a pretty big deal. People go from house to house receiving yummy food treats, children get new clothes, and there is a general feeling of celebration. Pray that at this time people may come to celebrate the gift of salvation through Christ and not get hung up on worldly celebrations. Ask the Lord to speak through His word during church services and community meetings.

As the dry season approaches the rain has slowed to an almost complete halt. There is still Sorghum crops in the fields which need rain to make it through to harvest. Stalk borer destroyed much of the first crop so please pray that the Lord would provide the rains needed at the end of this season to bring in a good harvest for the Lopit community. Pray that as He does this, the eyes of their hearts will be opened to know Him as the bread of life and the living water.

Pray that the Lord would provide godly leaders for His church. Ask our Father to provide all His workers in Lopit communities with wisdom about how best to disciple leaders, and pray for strength for these leaders as they face spiritual attacks of cultural pressures and discouragement on a daily basis.

This time of year sees many funerals in the Lopit mountains as rain spreads water born diseases and this combines with the end of the hunger season and a lot of hard work in the gardens. Pray that the words shared at funerals may cause people to think about their eternal destination and the great gift of eternal life in Christ.

Praise God for the harvest of sorghum and peanuts being brought in this month. Pray and ask that the Lord would bring in a harvest of souls among the Lopit people. That the Word being shared might take root and transform hearts and lives.

As unrest continues between and within villages, pray that the Lord of peace would reign in the hearts of men. Pray for pride and greed to be brought to its end and young men of the Lopit mountains to bow their knees to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Praise the Lord for the safe arrival of Ihisa, daughter to young believers Ediofo and Apuke. Give thanks for God’s answer to prayer in providing a daughter, after 4 sons! Pray for the Lord’s protection over this child and her parents’ young faith. Pray that as they grown in faith they may lead their children in the ways of the Lord.

Praise the Lord for the three men who are working through the TEE program. Pray that Thomas, Clement and Aaron may be faithful in attending the program sessions and that the Lord will increase their knowledge and understanding of Him and His ways through this program. Pray that what they learn might be worked out in their lives each day and have a great Kingdom impact in their communities.

Recently the sorghum gardens, which were looking great, were attacked by stalk borer. As the Lopit people continue to walk as captives of this world and the deceptions of the evil one, they sought the ‘land lord’ to perform a ceremony in order to remove this plague. Pray for the hearts of the people to turn to the Creator of the world, rather than His creation as they seek solutions to the daily challenges of life in this harsh land. Pray for release from fear and that they may receive freedom in a knowledge of our loving heavenly Father and His care and provision for us.

South Sudan’s Independence Day is 9 July. Pray that all those who celebrate the anniversary of their country’s independence will personally come to know the freedom they can have in Christ. Pray also for the safety of all who celebrate the three day holiday.

Give thanks for improvements in the health resources available to the people and opportunities to share the gospel with them as we transport them to the larger clinic. Praise the Lord for healing and pray those who have received His grace in this way may give thanks in heart and soul.

Alcohol, fighting and idleness is a large issue among youth in these communities. Pray for transformed hearts of forgiveness, compassion and love among the young Lopit men. Pray for godly men to minister to their hearts and needs. Pray that they may be the future leaders that the Lopit church needs.

Every year around May, June and July we hear the same call. Hinga, hinga! Hunger, hunger! Pray for sustainable solutions to the problem of insufficient crops and funds among the Lopit. Pray that they may fully recognize and utilize the resources the Lord has provided for them and acknowledge Him as the giver of all things.

Pray for Clement, a young Lopit believer from Imuluha village. He is full of energy and loves the Lord. Pray that he will remain strong in the Lord, grow in faith and share with many of his friends and family.

Give thanks for an animal husbandry workshop held in March and the lessons learnt about animals and what a gift they are from God as well as our responsibility to care for them. Praise the Lord for the fruit from this workshop as men from four villages heard the Word and truly thought about God’s great gifts to us. Pray that the men from this workshop may have changed hearts and lives as a result.

Praise God for the arrival of rain and the time for cultivation. Pray that the Lopit might turn from their rainmaker worship and other spiritual practices surrounding this time and recognize God as the One who provides for them.

Please pray for the communities of Ibahure and Lohutok. These communities are caught in a cycle of revenge killings and cattle raiding and the people are living in much fear. Pray for the Lord to soften hearts to receive Him and the freedom of forgiveness in Him that these issues may be resolved.

Pray for the villages here! For the last few weeks we had one village attacking their neighboring village as they were taking cows to drink water. Four people were killed and several cattle were taken. The history of the Lopit seems to be that revenge is the solution to their problems. Pray that the government will intervene justly and that people will not take revenge again by attacking. O pray they will find their significance in knowing their Savior and not in owning cattle or taking revenge.

Pray for children ministry workers. We need the Lord to bring more servants to this field to help. Pray also that God will prepare the children’s hearts to receive Christ.

Pray for Ihari. This young lady of 14 has been slowly drawing closer to the Lord over the past 4 years. Pray that she might fully trust Him and seek His will in her life. Pray that she may be a witness to her mother, sister and nephews.

Pray for Ohima. This boy of five is on fire for the Lord. His name means fire and he is living up to it. He absorbs everything taught during his family Bible study and shares it with others. At lunch time in school he tells the older children they should thank God for their food and when they ask him to pray he asks God to help them so they can pray too. Pray that Ohima may grow in knowledge and understanding of the Lord and continue in boldness for His kingdom.

On Dec 13th fire destroyed 48 homes in the Ohilang community. Give thanks to our Father that no lives were lost and there were no major injuries. Pray that this sad event might be used by the Lord to draw people to himself. Pray that the Word shared during food distributions following the event might take root and bear fruit and that the word and deeds of love shared with this community in their time of need might point them to their loving heavenly Father.

As we enter a new year pray that the Lord will grow the Church among the Lopit. Pray for open hearts to receive His word and faithful witness of church leaders. Also pray for new ministry opportunities among the Lopit so that more people will be exposed to the Gospel.

Pray for the Lopit communities during this Christmas season that the Word of the the Lord and the truth of His gift to us might be boldly proclaimed and accepted. Pray that the usual distractions of food, new clothes and alcohol will not interfere with the Truth taught at the church services.

Please pray for young Lopit believers. We have noticed an increase in spiritual attack and community persecution through antagonism and physical abuse particularly through Catholic influence on the community. Please pray for strength, boldness, and perseverance as the new believers in the Iboni and Ohilang communities face these challenges. Pray for a strengthening of their faith as they rely on the Lord during these trials.

Give thanks for the number of children who attend church in Ohilang village each Sunday. Pray that the stories they hear in Sunday School may impact their hearts and lives for the glory of God. Pray for someone local to step in to help and learn about leading Sunday school. Pray for strength for these young hearts against opposition from Catholic leaders in Iboni village discouraging children from coming to Sunday School.

Pray for growth of the Lopit church leaders as they meet together every other month. May they be encouraged and emboldened as they share the work that is happening in different villages and may they bless one another by holding each another accountable in their individual walks with the Lord.

The church leaders, after completing a storying workshop a few months ago, have been working their way through the Bible stories and connecting these to the good news of salvation in Christ as they teach in church on Sundays. Pray that they may learn more of God’s sovereign rule as they prepare and that they may be faithful in this teaching task.

Elizabeth is a community member that our missionaries have been working with for a while. She is facing major health issues as her liver is failing, and it is causing her to have a hard time providing for her family, including her young children. Pray that Elizabeth comes to know Christ, and that she knows Him as her Healer.

Give thanks for the 5 Discovery Bible Study groups who meet across three Lopit villages. Pray that the Lord would use these study times to teach the hearts of those who attend and draw them more and more into fellowship with Him. Pray that the Lord may use these Bible studies to grow His church amongst the Lopit and that they may result in more disciples who desire to reach out to their communities and beyond.

Praise the Lord for slow but steady growth of the church in Ohilang. Pray that the Lord will raise up bold and faithful Lopit leaders for this church.

Pray for the plans to do a Teacher Training from 25-27 July for those who will use the new Lopit learning-to-read books and materials. The hope is that 1000 copies of the last two primer books will be finished and printed soon. Pray for many to learn to read.

Please pray for Ediofo and his wife Apuke and their 4 boys as we begin a Bible study at their home. Pray for open hearts and the Spirit’s leading in their lives. Give thanks for their step to come to church together as a family for the first time and pray thay as we study the Word together they may step into eternal life through Christ.

Praise the Lord for His provision of food through the UN last month as well as abundant rain and crops nearing harvest. For now food continues to be tight for many families, but there is hope.
Please pray for Aaron, a church leader at the Ohilang church. Give thanks for his growth in the Lord over the past year and pray that the Lord may continue to grow and strengthen him. Pray for perseverence, boldness and trust in the Lord as he often needs to stand up under cultural pressure.

Ask God to provide a good rainy season and plentiful harvest. People are hungry and struggling after several poor rainy seasons. And pray God will open the hearts of the Lopit to see Him as their provider in this life and the life to come. Pray they will turn away from rainmaker worship, and worship the one true God.

Pray for good rains to arrive this month as the community looks to planting. Pray they would acknowledge the Lord has the provider of all good gifts and bow their knees to Him.

Pray for mercy for the people of South Sudan. They continue to suffer as rival armies clash and political factions vie for power. Many are fleeing to refugee camps. Pray for trauma healing and provision for these poor suffering people.