Praise God with us for four former Muslims who decided to follow Jesus. Tomorrow will be their baptism in Namiteka! Pray for them.

Please continue to pray for the situation in northern Mozambique. The terrorist group continues to be active. Only God can turn this situation around and bring peace.

Many Mwani who fled terrorist attacks in northern Mozambique in 2020 remain in refugee camps in towns like Nampula and Nacala. Pray as missionaries in these areas provide relief, meet basic needs and build relationships with these precious people who are under such duress. Ask the Lord, The Great I Am, to bring comfort, provision, care and true love through his family and the local church. Being a Muslim people group, fear can dominate their lives: fear of death, sickness, surviving, of the power of evil spirits. Pray that the perfect love of Jesus Christ would become known to them, accepted by them and that fear would be forever cast out of their hearts.

Praise the Lord for a large team working amongst the Mwani people, serving him by bringing the Good News to the lost! This team is an intercultural team: please lift them up to the King of Kings as they navigate working together and serving one another “…so that (they) may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…” Col. 1:10. Pray that as team members interact with Mwani friends, neighbors, shopkeepers, etc., that the Lord would use them as instruments of his peace, love and truth, and that many lost will be found and brought into the Kingdom of God.

The attacks in the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique continued throughout June and July 2022. Many young people have been corrupted by armed groups, which pay them to carry out actions that not only destabilize the country, but also the rest of the continent. Still, these attacks are subsiding due to Rwandan forces intervening. Many have endured trauma, others have lost their homes, most of their possessions, and all hope. The AIM team in Nampula continues to work with those who fled and have relocated there. Pray for these Mwani refugees, that the suffering, hardship, loss and grief would drive them into arms of the Most Compassionate, the Most Loving, the best Heart-Healer: Jesus Christ; and that he would bring them into his blessed Kingdom.

A new team of 11 missionaries is spreading the good news amongst the Mwani people. Pray for their neighbors, shop keepers, and others they meet to have open hearts to friendship and gospel conversations.  Ask Father to bring seeking friends to each one. Pray for the Lord to build His church among the Mwani.

Tropical Storm Ana is wreaking havoc in Madagascar and Mozambique. Nampula province has been hit by heavy rains and strong winds, which has affected 100,000 people in this province alone. These people are already reeling from previous natural disasters and conflict. Pray for the Lord’s mercy, for the church to minister to hurting people, and for many Mwani to turn to Christ in their suffering.

With the aftermath of Civil War still looming in Northern Mozambique, it took a coalition of troops from SADC as well as Rwanda, the US, and other countries to drive insurgents away from the larger cities. So far, they are fleeing into the jungle and skirmishes have been rather small. There are a lot of talks about rebuilding the nation but this is a highly sensitive issue. Pray with us for peace and for the government to prioritize developing and training Mozambicans.

Our friends are already worrying about food scarcity during the rainy season. Pray that they would stay focused on gratitude and would know hope that is far more dependable than the weather.
All of our neighbors have small gardens in their yards, and we have been able to share seeds with them. Please pray that God will continue to multiply the harvests here both in terms of food and in people’s hearts. We believe that He supplies every need.

Praise the Lord that despite having to leave ministry amongst the Mwani of Pemba, Rachel has made connections with several Mwani in Nampula! Pray for boldness and open doors to share the gospel with these new friends, who have had seeds sown in the past by others like Steve E. Pray for continued eagerness for these Mwani to study the gospel in their heart language with Rachel, that as they hear more about the Living God they would accept his free invitation into the Kingdom!

Pray for the Mwani of the Cabo Delgado province who’ve been devastated by cyclones, terrorists (al-Shabab/ISIL) and now famine. Thousands have fled the area and are now displaced. Pray for Mwani believers to draw near to their Lord & Savior, and that they’d be salt & light to those suffering around them.

The gospel is being shared across Mwani as audio Bibles are distributed, the Jesus Film is shown, and two Mwani believers testify to their faith in Christ. Pray for continued wisdom and guidance as they bring the Good News to more and more Mwani. Also, they’ve been given the freedom to minister in a predominantly Muslim refugee camp: pray that as they talk about Jesus that many will be drawn in by his love, grace and faithfulness.

This is the testimony of Brother S., one of the first converts among the Mwanis, on a visit we made to a refugee resettlement camp with about 15,000 people. On the way to the camp, we were praying and had a fair amount of fear of how these Mwani refugees would receive us. When we arrived, we asked for permission from the government representative to be able to enter and he told us that we should talk to the camp leader, a man we already knew. This man is a Muslim who years and years ago had prevented the name of Christ from being announced in his village… When we arrived to talk at the camp, we said “we have no bread to offer, but we want to talk about an eternal hope that is Insa Almasihi” and to our surprise (and little faith), this Islamic chief said that we can have full access to the refugee camp to share Jesus Christ. He said that those who want to learn about Insa and follow him are free to do so. It is incredible to see God using the most difficult circumstances, including a war, so that His name can be known and glorified among those who have never heard of Jesus. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever!” (Rom. 11:36) We remain involved in discipling and evangelizing these refugees. We continue to deliver humanitarian aid (food, construction of houses, etc.), provide basic health care and distribute Audio Bibles. It has been a privilege to organize Bible studies which has allowed relationships to be built and flourish. Amidst all this, and through the utter grace of God, a Mwani church has been born!

Training to empower young believers and sending them out with the Gospel is now underway as well as a new Bible study group with some Mwani women. We will also be starting sustainability training for some refugee families which will cover how to start small businesses that will help them earn an income. Pray for God’s hand upon each of these opportunities!

Refugee Mama R. is our neighbor. Her 13-year-old daughter was kidnapped by the extremists, along with 10 other girls. She cries often because she knows she will never see her daughter again. Pray for God’s mercy upon many suffering families in Northern Mozambique.

Our Mwani friend A gave his life to Jesus and since then his family despises him. In Mwani culture, your identity is defined by the community you are a part of so if your family rejects you, the whole community rejects you and with that benefits like food, work, housing etc. stop. Pray for A and many Mwani like him who struggle with identity and acceptance after deciding to follow Christ.

A few days ago, we visited R and F who were recently transformed by Christ. F and M are R’s young nieces who were beaten by their father because of their faith in Jesus. After much familial pressure, M returned to Islam, but F and R have remained steadfast, continuing to follow Jesus. Their family has persecuted, abused and continues to threaten R and F but despite the circumstances they have remained steadfast in the Lord. Pray that R and F will remain strong in following after Jesus! And that M will repent to return to Jesus.

The city of Pemba has received thousands of refugees and many residents have offered shelter even though they barely have enough room for their own families. We have started meeting with a group of believers committed to helping these families not only with food and clothing, but also with the Gospel- seeking to disciple this group which is predominantly Muslim. Please pray that God would guide this process and that those whom He has brought here would come to know the true Savior.

Due to insurgent violence, the town of Mocimboa has become a place of loss and grief running to the depths of traumatised hearts. Desperation for rescue permeates weary minds. Pray that God would send angels to guard over his people and rescue them. Pray that truth would reign through the darkness of fear. We trust in our good and all-powerful God. He knows each heart and loves them dearly.

The ongoing terrorist attacks in Northern Mozambique continue to spread fear and uproot many Mwani men and women from their homes. Pray that the Lord will encourage isolated believers and give them courage to spread the Gospel even while the land is troubled.

Pray for Mama M. She has an impressive hunger for the Word of God and is often asking questions to understand what she is listening to on the audio Bible. Pray that this hunger won’t be satisfied until she and her family come to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

Due to terrorist activity, many refugees are arriving in Pemba with just the clothes on their back. As we seek to help them with some basic food supplies, pray that the love of Christ will be displayed through our actions. Ask for divine opportunities to share of the hope that we have amidst the current darkness.

Pray for Mama A. After hearing the Good News many times, she remains incredibly skeptical that it is for her. Ask that God will break through in the places she lacks understanding in order to bring her and her family to salvation.

Pray for the Spirit to draw many. Due to the spread of Corona, our team is unable to visit our Mwani friends and neighbors. Pray that in this time of our physical absence, God will continue drawing many to Himself–through dreams, the audio Bible, etc. Pray that God will continue to work in the lives of those who attended the Mwani meeting in February and for creativity in how to continue discipling in the midst of limited social interactions.

On Saturday mornings, the team in Pemba has started a ministry in two neighbourhoods, gathering children together. Through bible stories and singing songs, our prayer is that this simple outreach would serve as a witness not just to the kids, but to their parents as well.

Lift up Brother A, a Mwani man who, together with his family, is set on serving the Lord in his church as well as helping the team of workers with outreach. Ask the Lord to keep giving him a greater love for the Word and a creativity in how to best reach his own people.

The last 24 hours have caused much fear among the Mwani people. Last night, the first case of COVID19 was diagnosed here in Mozambique and then beginning early this morning, insurgents captured a Mwani city in the north. Pray for wisdom in how to respond to these situations and for God to have mercy on the many suffering people who don’t yet know Him.

Pray for Radio Nuru, our radio station in Northern Mozambique that declares biblical truth. Pray for those working in broadcasting and production and that through this the good news will reach those who don’t have access to the Gospel in other ways.

The team in Pemba rejoices for the gathering of Mwani people that happened in Februrary. It included a time of music, a Bible story, and the testimony of a Mwani believer. Pray that our friends would ponder the truths that were shared and for wisdom as we plan more meetings like this.

“To be Mwani is to be Muslim” to the extreme that many people no longer consider a person to be Mwani if they have accepted Christ. The Pemba team is planning and praying for a meeting on February 22nd. It will be a time of singing, with Bible story and personal testimony shared by two of the Mwani believers. Pray for God to use these connections powerfully for His Kingdom.

The education process and access to information has had a huge influence on the Mwani youth and their families. Premature marriage has become illegal. Some families are encouraging their boys and girls to study and to not leave school to get married. Please pray for wise strategies and deep conversations among them. The Mwani youth need desperately to learn to dream about the future and we know that is possible through Jesus Christ and the abundant life He brings.

M and E. have started working with three Mwani believers with the purpose of planting a Mwani church together. They already have a few strategies. Please pray that the Lord would guide them in all of the process and that the Mwani would come to know Jesus as their Savior.

Globalization is changing the environment of some of the Mwani families, especially those located in a city area. The way they dress, their mindsets, the way they interact with each other, the values of marriage and dating etc, are all affected. Please pray for wisdom as the missionaries relate to them in an appropriate way and seek to introduce Godly values and lifestyle.

People in Pemba have been welcoming to the new team. The team have had opportunities in their relationships to share the Gospel. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide the team in this process and reveal Himself to the Mwani as their Saviour. Lift up new teammates as they arrive and settle.

The first new members of the Mwani outreach team have arrived in Northern Mozambique. Please pray for them as they find housing, connect with neighbors, and begin to learn language and culture- that they will trust and rest in the One who has called them. Pray the Lord will open many Mwani hearts and grant ears to hear the gospel message.

The holes and rocks in the dirt road made the trip a bit longer, but the truck full of eager followers of Jesus hardly noticed as they shared stories of their personal journeys and talked of the gathering they’d come together to experience. With new insights and encouragement from others who had chosen to follow Jesus from a sister tribe, they discussed new approaches and creative ideas of how to more effectively reach out to their family and neighbors. Pray for courage for Mwani believers who reach out with the love of Christ as they often face ridicule and rejection.

Radio Nuru has started looking for three new presenters / journalists who will be needed if the time on air is to be doubled. Please pray for God to lead three people to fill this need. Ask Him to continue to bless this strategic radio ministry. May many hear the Gospel and believe!

There were four more attacks in the north of Mozambique last month, with killings and burning of villages. Much of this doesn’t get any journalistic recognition, but the instability in the north continues. Keep praying for peace! Pray for believers to stand firm and share the reason for the hope they have.

The darkness of night brings fear and uncertainty for many Mwani communities living along the coast of Northern Mozambique. Recent insecurity and mid night attacks cause such grief, loss and fear. But as the sun rises groups of people gather and tune in to Radio Nuru (Light) broadcasting the good news of the Light of the world. Please pray for the many people writing or calling in with questions and seeking explanations to the words they are hearing. Pray that these “radio groups” will find the true light.

With so many Mwani in Northern Mozambique dying without Jesus, Momade has opened a ministry to save souls. In Kimwani, it is called “Safina” which means “ark.” Pray that God would be gracious to bring lost Mwanis through Safina’s doors, and that they would turn to Jesus as their Lord and Savior!