Pursue truth

Pray for progress in evangelism: that those whom team members are regularly sharing with would join Bible studies and seriously pursue truth and understanding.

Lord, build your church!

Pray for God to continue to reveal himself to those who have heard and responded to the gospel. Pray for a church of MBBs to be birthed in Abdi!

Parable of the sower

Continue praying for Ruth who still enjoys hearing the word of God and says she has no fear now. (Persecution from neighbours made life difficult for her before but wasn’t violent in any way.) Today, hearing the parable of the sower, she said she wanted to be somebody who followed God well and produced fruit in her life. Pray that this might be so and for her husband that she might be able to explain to him so that he will want to follow too. She has just delivered her 6th child.

Listening with interest

Pray for ‘Beth’ who has been listening to parts of the good news with interest. Just this last week her husband divorced her. Where can she go? Who will help her? She told me that she has kept everything in her head that we talked about and saw (parts of the Jesus film) last week and is thinking about it. Pray that I can continue to talk with her after she has travelled to ask her brothers for help. Pray that God will console her in her difficult situation. Her husband had not been giving her anything to live on for two years so maybe he is no loss except that living without a husband means a low status in this community. Pray that she will believe!

Following Christ

‘Helen’ stood up in church two weeks ago and announced that she wanted to leave Islam and follow Christ (NB, the church is entirely southerners with no MBBs). She is not a local lady but came from a Muslim family in the south. Her husband having been a church goer became a muslim and married her but now has become ‘nothing’. Helen lives in the same compound with her husband’s first wife. She noticed the women of the church visiting the other wife after she had twins and was attracted to the community. Visiting Helen I found she had understood little of Islam and now understands little of the gospel. So, we have started looking at the ‘God story’, a chronological bible storying film. Two other ladies from her language group plus the first wife have joined us. There is much need for basic teaching for many church goers. Pray that these ladies will grow in their faith and become witnesses amongst their Maba neighbours. Pray that their husband will also turn to Christ. Praise God for the stirring of the Spirit in Helen’s heart.

Break the bonds

Pray for God to break the bonds of Islam in this country, to remove the veil from eyes that have been blinded, to reveal the lies of Islam, and to cause Muslims across this country to seek something greater than what they currently have.

Ruth and Faith

Pray for Ruth, who is still keen to read the Word and wants to follow the Savior, and pray for Faith, who wants to follow too but isn’t as keen but is doing language with Anna and is getting some Bible that way.

Open hearts

The team gives thanks for relationships being built with locals despite many being out in their fields most of the time. Pray for open hearts and minds to hear the good news and a great search for truth, hope, and joy that only comes from the Lord.

Pray for open hearts

The team gives thanks for relationships being built with locals despite many being out in their fields most of the time. Pray for open hearts and minds to hear the good news and a great searching for truth and hope, and joy that comes from the Lord only. Continue praying for Ruth and Faye, who have declared their desire to follow Jesus Christ so that they might draw close to God. While Ruth seems happy to hear and consider the Bible, Faye seems uninterested.

Way to have fellowship

Continue praying for Z, who has heard enough to understand but who is reluctant to go against her family.

Pray for Z’s brother “Oswald,” who is a language helper for one of the team. He declares that he’s a Muslim but not really into religion as he sees his sister Z severely handicapped. Pray that in language study and chatting afterward, he might hear and understand that following Christ is not just religion but a living way to have fellowship with God.

Fearful

Pray for Z, a handicapped lady who has understood much of the gospel but fears to turn from her family’s religion because she is so dependent on them. She understands much of the good news and well may believe it. Pray for grace to overcome her fear.

Turn to the Lord

Pray for Zaya, who has heard of good news over 2+ yrs. but hasn’t shown much interest. Her husband recently died. Pray that she might understand the consolation of the gospel and turn to the Lord.
Pray for Ajoda, a southerner who has said she wants to follow Jesus and has prayed to accept Him as Saviour. She doesn’t understand French to come to church. Pray for bible studies with her, where she listens in her own language (she can’t read), and then we discuss in Arabic. She understands very little of the Christian walk.

Truth will set them free

Pray for Ruth and Faye, who seem to be following our Lord, and Jane, who isn’t yet but still is somewhat interested. Jane says that words against associating with us/me continue, but no one seems to be bothered meeting me. I once gave an Arabic script New Testament to Ruth, thinking that she could read it. (She can’t). She says her husband is reading it. Faye told me that her husband borrowed her memory card to listen to various audio from New Testament and Maba stories based on the creation to Christ. Pray that these men will discover the truth and that the truth will set them free. Maybe it will be possible to talk with one. The other I rarely see.

Reactions to opposition

During Ramadan people were told not to meet with Christians. Thankfully many seem to be ignoring this instruction but those with whom I have had much contact have been accused of “working for/with the church”
‘Ruth’ had said she wanted to follow Jesus but admitted she was scared by what neighbours were saying. However she wanted to meet and said I could visit early in the morning so that people would not notice. Praise God that her desire to know more has persisted. Pray that she will listen to the memory card I gave her. Some is in Arabic and less easy for her to understand. There are only a few  Christian materials in Maba .
In contrast, Jane is very afraid and doesn’t want to meet. When I visited her, she said she was going out. Pray that I can have some opportunity to remind her that Jesus Christ remains the same. She too had said she wanted to follow although her level of understanding is much lower than Ruth’s.

Creation to Christ

Pray for ‘Heather’, ‘Nicola’, ‘Mary’ and ‘Hannah’ with whom I have been going through a film from creation to Christ which explains how God had planned to send a Saviour since the beginning and shows how sin brings sadness and destruction. Pray that this would help them see their need for Jesus and the lack of hope in their own religion.
(mistakenly posted under Chadian Arabs)

Futility

As we end the season of fasting, pray that people will realise the futility of trying to attain the glory of God through their own efforts and that they will search for the true way from Christians. Pray for those (few) who have said that they want to follow our Lord, that this period will make them search to know more whether through audio and video files (e.g. Lumo) or through asking questions. Pray that they will also talk of the better way to those of their friends who are fasting.

Want to follow

Pray for ‘Faye’, ‘Ruth’ and ‘Jane’ who have said they want to follow the Lord. Pray that God will transform their hearts and give them a great thirst to understand more and to know God better. All are illiterate and one has no telephone. Pray that we can meet regularly to study, especially during this difficult time of Ramadan. They are not at a level of faith to not fast.

Hunger and thirst

Pray for “Ruth, Jane, and Faye” that they will thirst to know God and his word better. Ruth already seems to want this; Jane has just returned from the fields to live at home and knows very much less. Pray that Faye will seek opportunities to listen and reflect.

New team for Maba

Give thanks for the arrival of three new workers (plus two children) to work amongst the Maba. Pray for them as they learn language and culture and settle in. Pray for much fruit from their presence here. A fifth person will be with us, we hope, in the new year. He is learning French (needed to work alongside the church here.)
Pray that we can use this Christmas season wisely to talk of the special gift of God in a way which attracts many to want to know more.

Thirst for the word

Three ladies have expressed a desire to follow Christ. One, “Faye” has certainly understood the gospel but doesn’t seem to see the need to continue learning. Living with her extended family, it is difficult to get her alone but I did recently have opportunity to read from John 15 with her. Her sister ‘Ruth’ seems to understand increasingly, enjoys watching the God Story and hearing John’s gospel in Maba even when she has visitors. She is growing in understanding. Praise God! A third, ‘Jane’ has very little knowledge and I have hardly seen her in several months because she has been busy working in her fields (even sleeping there). Pray for all of them to have a great thirst to hear from God’s word and that we can meet regularly together.
Pray that they might be fully committed to Jesus and experience the joy which surpasses all understanding.

Busy

It has been difficult to meet with the 3 ladies who have decided to follow Jesus because they are busy with the harvest and other things. Pray they will continue searching for more of Jesus. One doesn’t even have a telephone to listen to scripture.

Follow Him

Pray for three ladies I have been visiting who have talked of wanting to follow Christ with varying understanding. Ask the Lord to give them understanding and courage to follow Him.

What do they understand?

Work amongst Maba has ups and downs. Recently a lady declared that she wanted to follow Jesus. Unschooled in everything including matters relating to God, she had never heard of Jesus Christ until I came along. How much does she understand? I’ve explained but I don’t know. Another lady who also says she wants to follow Him seems fairly keen to hear about God. Today, however, when I asked directly, she said she didn’t know why Jesus came. And I thought I had explained clearly enough. Back to the drawing board.
Farming season is upon us and so finding people in their homes is hard. Pray that I can meet weekly with these ladies and a 3rd who was the first to want to follow. She seems to have understood the basics but now is less interested to understand more.
Pray that I can share our story – God’s story – in a way that is understandable and relevant to them.

Isaiah 55:2b-3a

“Listen, listen to me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen that you may live.”
Ask that the Lord would continue to call the Maba people, and that they would not fear to listen to the message the workers there are bringing.

From Isaiah 56

Lord, please gather the Maba to you. This is a difficult part of the world to live in, and workers say there is “much sadness” encountered in the health care work there. Please give Maba people joy in your house of prayer. Please help them know how to bind themselves to you, to love your name and be your servants.

Church taking initiative

May was international evangelism month. Our church elders were keen to participate with a week of 5 a.m. prayer meetings using a comprehensive prayer guide. They also took a collection for the national committee.
With encouragement to do some mission activity, they decided to go visit patients and prisoners. They collected money to buy gifts- impressive generosity for a poor church!
They prayed for whole wards, but without much explanation, so I returned after for individual evangelism. Asking women what they knew about Jesus, the answer was, “Nothing.” Pray for these people that many might come to work amongst them and that the church members might cross the language barriers to plant a few seeds.

workers needed

The trip to Z village was achieved and I certainly had several occasions to talk of the good news or at least plant a few seeds. My main impression was of it being a drop in the ocean as far as need is concerned. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to this harvest field!

Revisit village Z

On the 8th May I will go with the local pastor to revisit the village Z where we went after Christmas to talk of ‘Good News’, hoping to follow up with some of the people we had visited. We will stay until 9th pm so that I can go visiting and not just fill my time with seeing patients as rather happened last time. Pray for open hearts and minds, much time for visiting, fluency in speaking (most of the women there only speak Maba) and much fruit from this visit.

Ready to speak out

Praising God for a new believer ‘Ruth’, sister to the first in their village ‘Faye’ Although I had talked with Ruth on several occasions, it seems that Faye had been talking with her and letting her listen to the Maba Creation to Christ audio stories. Ruth in her turn seems to be speaking to her husband about it and says she gave him the Arabic New Testament that I gave to her (and then realised that she doesn’t read very well). Pray that he too will believe and that the enthusiasm of these ladies to talk of our Lord will not wane and will bear much fruit in their village.

A Warm Welcome

The church’s visit to a nearby Maba village to tell them about the reason for Christmas went well: A good proportion of the church went, some to cook, some to pray and others to do acts of service and then go to visit people on the streets and in their homes. People warmly welcomed us and showed interest in listening especially to Maba audio recordings about the Christmas story. We also showed the Jesus Film with a good attendance.
Pray for this village. Many whom I spoke to had never heard of Jesus. The great challenge is that most of the women and children only speak Maba. I am learning Maba (pray for me) but there are no others in church who do. Pray that I can return to speak truth and that others of my small church here might also go.
The harvest is ripe but the workers are exceedingly few… Pray to the Lord of the harvest.

Demonstrating God’s love

From 27th – 29th December, a group from the church (southern Chadians) will visit a small village hoping to impart the good news to the people there, doing acts of service – cleaning the market and health work – to demonstrate practically God’s love. Pray that a preparatory visit this coming week will take place and for the 3 day visit that God will protect from logistical challenges and that many might hear and understand the good news. Pray for enough Arabic speakers on the team and that we will meet enough Arabic speaking women to translate into Maba when necessary. Pray for much fruit and that the church will be diligent in following up those who show interest. There is no church at all in this village.

One believer

Praise God that after several years praying for more workers, we now have three preparing to join the one member. Pray for the one Maba lady who became a believer but has very little knowledge to persevere in her faith and to listen to the bible materials which she has on her phone. Pray that a lady from the local church will have opportunities to encourage her.

Scriptures

“The word of God is living and active” but if it is not available in a form readily understandable to people, it has little effect. Currently there is no scripture published for the Maba although Genesis has been revised and theoretically could be published. John and Matthew Chapters 1-7 were translated 15 yrs ago but never used. Now the one translator believes they should be revised before being used but she only works on Maba 40-50% of her time being involved in translation consultation otherwise. Pray for a miracle that something would change in this situation and more scriptures would become readily available. The literacy rate is about 14 % for adult females in Chad and only 31% for adult males. Obviously audio recordings are very necessary but it can be very time consuming making them.

Faye

Please pray for ‘Faye’. She confessed Christ about 6 months ago. Discipleship through bible study has been difficult because there are often visitors and she prefers not to read the bible with others present. Added to this, she is still used to people explaining texts to her rather than reflecting for herself. She has some oral bible stories on her phone in her tribal language and some Arabic New Testament but tends to lose her phone. Now is farming season and she is out from morning to night in the fields. I am away on home leave. The one person in the church who speaks enough Arabic to follow up with her has not found her at home. Pray that Pauline can meet with Faye and talk of Christ to her and that Faye will persevere in her faith despite the lack of support and that she will listen to the bible materials which she has and reflect on them. She is the only believer in her village.

Needing to hear

I recently went to a circumcision party in a nearby village which I have rarely visited. Of 15-20 children 6-12 yrs old surrounding me to look at my camera, nobody had been to school. Nobody had heard of Adam and Eve or Abraham. It wasn’t clear whether they attended religious classes but maybe they just didn’t understand. They listened with interest to the Genesis recording in Maba telling the story of God’s covenant with Abraham and the sign of circumcision. None of them spoke Arabic. Maba scriptures and recordings are so necessary. Please pray for more workers for the Maba, more scriptures to use and wisdom how to use what we have amongst such people who are perishing without Christ. Pray for a better future for these children and that God will work in their hearts to give a hunger for God even though they rarely hear of him.

Maba m’issionary update

Success comes at a price
I mentioned B, a new Maba MBB missionary, previously. Positive news is that he is helping record an audio version of portions of Genesis (already translated) and hopefully other scriptures available for testing. There has been one lady turn to Christ but her family is trying to have B evicted from his house. Pray that God will help him in all these circumstances and that the audio project might come to fruition soon and bring glory to God

Zam

A lady “Zam” with HIV was becoming sicker and sicker but refusing to go to hospital. “It is a curse”, she said. Or, “It is too cold!” or … many other excuses. Praise God, she finally agreed to be taken to hospital. I treated her severe malaria and she is now taking her antiretroviral medicines. She has a solar player with Maba Bible stories, some of which the children can recite to me! Pray that she will regain enough strength to listen again herself and that she will recognise the wonderful gift which is being offered to her.

Living in Darkness

One lady with clinical malaria refuses to go to hospital. “It is the evil eye” she says. Pray for “Zen” that she can be treated and above all freed from her fear of spirits, sorcerers and evil eye. Sad to say she manifests little interest in talking of God. This is not uncommon.

“Far” is very different. Although she too fears evil spirits and has charms on her baby, she is interested to learn of Jesus. But it is surprising how many activities interfere with us meeting – mine and hers. Pray that we will have some good times of sharing so that she can understand how to listen to her set of Maba Bible stories with an open ear to understand more of God and the way of Salvation.

Maba m’ssionary!

Pray for B, a relatively recent Maba believer, who has taken a 9 months Bible/evangelism training and just set off to be a missionary! He says he hopes to reach leaders particularly. Pray for him that he will be full of courage and discernment and compassion. As a child, he was one of those beggar boys carrying the bowls around to take back gifts to his ‘Faki’ from whom he learnt the Koran. May God use him and his knowledge of our cousins’ faith richly.
Pray for those he seeks to reach, steeped in fear of spirits and evil eye, trapped by tradition, and with little idea of God. May God open their minds and hearts and give visions and dreams to them which will turn them to Christ. May God open the doors for many more to work amongst this group.

Christianity is good, but

A friend from the local church went into the market to share the word of God. That itself is a positive sign as the church has not been active that way. Two ladies told her that they see that Christianity is good. There is love, people come and share the word of God in the market, there is not the violence and vengeance that they see amongst their own people. But… “We couldn’t change. Muslim is what we are and have been.”
Please pray for the Maba that their eyes will be opened. So many people here do not understand anything of their belief system but go through the motions of praying and fasting etc. believing that is what helps them, while also wearing many charms and living in fear of being attacked by bad spirits. Meanwhile, vengeance and violence and corruption is rife.