A Nyamwezi pastor overseeing seven churches asks prayer for an entire family of new believers at the main church he recently moved to, praise God! Also praise God for six people who are meeting for Bible study together at another church where he serves! Pray for more to be involved in regular Bible study groups. Pray for the completion of the parsonage house, and for outreach to a Nyamwezi village named “Godly”, yet has no church. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to draw those who desire to be godly to know The Way, The Truth, and The Life! Also pray for a new church plant at “Responsive” village, where believers have completed the walls, but need 25 pieces to roof it. Pray that the worshipers will not scatter as rainy season arrives. Pray for reliable and adequate fuel for transportation to the seven churches this pastor oversees.

Pray for peace and safety in Tanzania following the Oct 29 elections which were marked with protests, internet blockages, and underlying uncertainty. There seems to be mostly calm contentment within in the region of the Nyamwezi. Pray for Christian believers across the country, especially among youth, to seek God’s leading in all they do and say, and to trust that God’s hand is in control. Pray for those in the church who lead within the community and sit among the leaders of the land. Pray for boldness to preach truth and for God’s guidance in all conduct.

Pray for those hungry during the final weeks of dry season before the rains begin again in October. The Nyamwezi are adept at surviving through this period, harvesting honey, termites, and relying on reserves of dried mushrooms and smoked cow pea leaves they’ll rehydrate for sauces with stiff corn porridge. But some families run out of their precious reserves. The men will leave in search of day labor so they may purchase what is needed. Church attendance wanes as physical needs rise. Pray for God to bring abundant harvests and protection from pests as they turn their hearts to God, placing their faith daily in Him alone to provide abundantly. May churches even at this time of scarcity be filled with those who worship the One who will provide and carry them through.

Pray for Malumba Clinic sitting right on the crossroads of new highways and byways connecting several villages without local healthcare. Pray for a Tanzanian women’s ministry team which has taken on developing the clinic as an outreach ministry. Pray for momentum, participation, planning, and for financing. Pray for the clinicians as they serve and share Christ through word and deed and for the patients to receive healing in body and soul.

Please pray for a good harvest during local outreaches at Isikizya, Inlala, Itulu, and Ipulu villages. Praise God for the Jesus Film team gaining permissions from village leaders to show the Jesus Film at these locations, and for ministry teams which have visited villagers house to house, followed by Bible teaching for three days. Pray for new believers to be enfolded into the family of God in each of these locations and for fellowship to be sweet. May God’s love be evident through their caring for one another.

PRAISE for HARVEST!! There continue to be stories of more and more people coming to Jesus and people getting baptized. One M lady we have been praying for, Asha, just became a believer on June 3rd! She had been attending pre-martial wedding counseling sessions as the maid of honor with her Christian friend who’s getting married this weekend. As the pastor was teaching about marriage to the engaged couple, this led to questions she had about Jesus, and an opportunity for her to hear the Good News about the church being the bride of Christ. Now she is not only walking alongside her friend as maid of honor at the wedding, but she is also her sister in Christ, blessed to be invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb! (Rev. 19:9) Amen and Alleluia!

One village church is just a few feet away from a couple of thatched homes. The grandmother of one home has placed shrines to the spirits of their family ancestors very close to the entrance of the church. Quite the visual of the seen and unseen spiritual battle in this oppressed area! As church began, six of the neighbors sat on logs visiting and would not accept invitations to come in and hear about the Good News, but they would allow me to sit with them on the log and read the Bible with them outside the church. Two children sat with the adults and one of them made the decision to receive Jesus. PTL! The women refused, and the man said maybe next week… Pray for this young girl, who was so happy to receive Jesus, that she may be allowed to go to church and that she will be a light showing Life for her family.

Rejoicing about a recent Nyamwezi BMB who was baptized earlier this month. For years, he has sat outside the church under a tree, listening to the church services, not willing to enter the church, and not accepting the message of salvation through Jesus. Then a visiting evangelist shared the Gospel with him and the seeds planted over the years grew into belief. He was baptized with 13 other people from three different local churches. After the baptisms, many of those baptized asked for their photo to be taken by the baptismal. It really touched my heart to see that when his church group gathered, mostly from one family clan, they looked over and called the Nyamwezi man to join them in the church group photo, saying, “We are all one family now!” Praise God for this visual demonstration of this village church welcoming in a BMB, forever joining the family of God!

A recent team of visitors felt like they had stepped right into Acts 14:24-28 as somewhat like, “Then they passed through TABORA and came to IPULU. And when they had spoken the word in UNYAMA they went down to URAMBO, KICHANGANI & KAPIULA and from there they sailed  HOME where they were commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled… And when they arrived and gathered the church together they declared all that God had done with them, and how He had opened a door of FAITH to the Nyamwezi.” We are praising God that open door included answered prayers for a Nyamwezi man under a mango tree who accepted Jesus as His Savior! Bless the Lord He continues to build His church!

A band of believers began to meet last August in a new outreach village where there was no church. They began simply by gathering together youth to play soccer, shared their testimony as Christians, and showed the Jesus Film at night. From the outreach, new believers have begun to join in fellowship gathering under a simple tarp held up by poles. Pray for these believers as they grow in faith, the leaders who walk across a flooded river to get there, and for the believers to work in unity as they desire to gather stones and make bricks for a permanent church structure. Pray that they will share with their neighbors about belonging to a new family in Christ.

Pray for a retired village chairman who is asking for further understanding of all that it means to be a follower of Christ. When asked “What is holding you back from becoming a Christian?” he answered, “Education.” May the Lord continue to raise up those who will go forth and spread the teachings of Christ. Father God, lead this retiree and others in his village to personally accept and believe in Jesus the Messiah. Even without knowing all of Christ’s teachings, would You show him enough to just say YES to Jesus and follow Him.

Thankful for the Pioneer Bible Translation team who have recently published the book of Exodus in the Nyamwezi language. Pray for those who read it to understand how God’s acts of salvation in Exodus begin to reveal His divine purpose to redeem and guide. May the Nyamwezi know that God longs to free them from bondage and lead them into the Promised Land.

Pray for the launching of four centers for equipping church members in effective ways for reaching the unreached in Tabora region and to minister freedom from the bonds of Islam. These will be at Kigoma, Katavi, Nzega, and Tabora. There are four series of trainings planned for 2025 with three trainers. Pray for Nyamwezi to be free from the yoke of Islam, for those who have lived as non-Muslims but under Islamic dominance, and for those who have come to Christ out of a Muslim background.

A new sports ministry program with the AICT is being launched. 34 people are being trained this week in how to mobilize and start a sports ministry program. Pray for the mobilisation of Christian coaches through Tabora Bible College to bear much fruit amongst the youth.

Praise God for the training of 74 lay-pastors and church leaders in Tabora! We could not ask for a more motivated, engaged, and enthusiastic group of men and women. Praise God for the generosity of a US partner church that provided a Swahili African Study Bible to those who have been faithfully attending and participating. There was a lot of rejoicing as they received these Bibles! Pray for these disciples as they apply what they learn, teach others, and persevere to complete their Bible certificate program.

Pioneer Bible Translators have just published Genesis in the Nyamwezi language, the book of Mbu’ki’ (Genesis)! Pray that in reading through the book of Genesis, the Nyamwezi will know that God is a personal God, not distant, and that God has a plan to redeem the brokenness of all mankind.

Pray for believers who live among the Nyamwezi that their lives would be a living letter and testimony to their neighbors. Pray for opportunities to share with their Muslim neighbors physical and spiritual blessings. Pray for receptive minds and ears to the message of Christ and that the Nyamwezi would long for truth that only Jesus can satisfy.

Praise God for two new churches under construction receiving roofs! These two churches are in Tabora and Uyui District. Praise God for local believers committed to seeing these churches finished and for donors who have helped with the roofs! Pray that the structures would provide permanent points of outreach among the Nyamwezi. Pray for believers to welcome Nyamwezi and all peoples in their area into fellowship in Christ.

Father, set the Nyamwezi free from Satan’s strongholds and help them embrace the family of God.

Please pray over a historical Nyamwezi kingdom area where there will be a big emphasis in evangelism door to door from October 12-15, followed by a seminar for new believers Oct. 15 and 16. May the Lord give favor and boldness to His servants, allowing open doors into the homes of those whom live in darkness without Christ. Pray for conversations seasoned with salt at every opportunity, making the best use of their time, sharing the Gospel at all times graciously. Ask the Lord for hearts ready to hear and receive God’s plan of salvation!

Pray for outreach to a strategic railway town center outside of Tabora, that God would draw the people there to knowledge and faith in Jesus, and that the small band of believers would be strengthened in the Lord and be the light of the world (Matt 5:14) to their neighbors, glorifying God in all they do and say. Pray for the believers who are beginning to build a church and a house for an evangelist as they would like a place to assemble together frequently and respond to God’s call.

Please pray for men and women of peace among the Nyamwezi to come forward when evangelism takes place both in new places and places where evangelism has already gone through an area so that the church may grow in those areas. Pray that the unreached will be reconciled with God. Luke 10:6 “And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him.”

Pray for fruit following the preaching of the Gospel and showing the Jesus Film at Utuliadeka. Well over one hundred people came each night the film was shown in the church, but no one openly declared their trust in Christ. Pray that God will erase doubts and replace fears with bold decisions to turn from former ways to faith in Jesus alone. Pray that this new church will be a beacon of light to those lost in darkness. “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit among the Nyamwezi. Pray for open hearts and minds among Muslims, and for bold, wise, and winsome proclamation! Many who are devout to Islam warn adherents to not speak to Christians. Pray that they may hear the Word anyway. Ask God for divine appointments for any who want to know Jesus to meet with Christians to explain the Scriptures, just as Philip was told to go and then met the Ethiopian, sitting with him and sharing the Good News about Jesus. (Acts8:26-40)

Praise God for nine area church teams who went to the Nyamwezi villages of Igalula, Msiliembe, Utulaideka, and Kipalapala. For three days in each location, the teams faithfully proclaimed the Gospel house to house, sang and praised God in the village centers, and taught the Word. There was objection to the Message and though tolerant of the activities, leaders discouraged attendance, but God led some to come and turn their lives around. Prayers were answered, twenty-six new believers have put their trust in Jesus! New land was purchased at Igalula as believers seek a place to worship together. In Msiliembe believers who had been apart came together again to rebuild their church. Pray for one more outreach this weekend, to Goweko, for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in that town!

Praise God for Gospel seeds sown long ago and the work of the Holy Spirit still reaping a harvest today! A Nyamwezi man said he adhered to the Islamic religion of his wife, but would like to become a follower of Christ. He said he had an old book from his Christian father, and he has continued to read it. It was a copy of a Swedish Free Mission hymn book written in the Nyamwezi language. He reads it frequently even though he doesn’t know the tunes because the words hold great meaning to him. Pray that he will keep seeking the Truth and hear more Gospel teachings, and that the Holy Spirit will change his heart to make a decision to receive Christ as his Savior. Pray he will read the Bible, too, and treasure it even more than his father’s hymn book!

Praise God for nine Tabora area churches joining together to hold 3-day long evangelism outreaches this month in nine unreached villages outside of Tabora, Mpanda, and Nzega. Pray for the youth, women, and church leaders volunteering and using their own means to travel outside of the towns. Pray that villagers will listen well and embrace the Good News about Jesus and the salvation He offers to all people. In the mornings there will be teams sharing the Gospel from house to house, in the afternoons there will be open air meetings in the village centers. Pray that God will draw people, convict, change hearts, transform lives, and wash clean those accepting His grace. Pray that God’s truth will be integrated into the hearts and lives of new believers and their faith will be wholehearted. Pray for new churches to begin to meet together following Gospel outreaches in these nine new outreach areas.

Pray for a pastor’s family who have resided in a Nyamwezi village for the last five years. They faithfully share the Gospel and there are new thriving churches they are responsible for in surrounding villages, but their village and neighbors remain hardened to the Gospel. Pray for their children in the local schools as they shine for Jesus. Pray for villagers to have a hunger and thirst for the truth, that eyes will be open to see the lies and false hopes in Islam. Pray that this family will not grow weary in doing good and will be refreshed and encouraged by fellow believers who see their efforts and will join with them in praying for people to come to faith. May the Lord gather and protect His flock from among the hard rocks and thorns.

As new churches are formed, some are already reaching out to neighboring villages. Pray that when believers start new churches, they ask the Lord to raise up a faithful leader to lead the new flock. Pray for wisdom in identifying, training, and equipping emerging leaders. Pray for leaders willing to go and serve anywhere. Pray for servant leaders who will be generously supported by larger churches, or have means to sustain their families financially while engaged in church planting. Ask the Lord of the harvest for new believers among the Nyamwezi, and for leaders, including Nyamwezi believers, to lead His flock.

On the day after Easter, a Muslim neighbor asked, “How was Christmas?”, clearly not knowing Christians had just celebrated Christ’s resurrection, or its meaning. It was an open door to share with her the hope we have in Christ that those who believe in Christ are forgiven of all sin, promised a place in Heaven with Jesus, enjoying eternal life with Him. Pray for boldness in local believers to share of their Lord Jesus Christ with those whom they live among.

Praise God for eight villages with believers starting new church plants. These outreach points are where new believers may join others in fellowship with the family of God. Pray for whole families to come! “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5

Pray for whole families to come to Christ. Often it is one of the spouses, but not the other, or the children coming to church and not the parents. Pray for whole households to choose to follow Christ.

“It made me glad to hear them say, ‘Let’s go to the house of the LORD!'” Psalm 122:1

Pray for Nyamwezi neighbors who witnessed the drowning and burial of two grandsons of the AICT evangelist working in a new church plant area. Pray that those who heard the Gospel message at the funeral and responded will grow in their faith.

Pray for bold proclamation of the Gospel through Christ-centered, reproducing, culturally appropriate churches. Praise God for village believers who have begun two new churches planted around the Tabora area. These outreach points are places where new believers may come to join others in fellowship with the family of God. Pray for the vision for the visible church to be not only in Tabora, but physically present and active in every village surrounding Tabora, too. Pray for increasing ways for the Good News to be broadcast into communities through radio, preaching, discipleship, visitations, love and care, teaching, etc. Pray that those who are seeking to know Jesus will see clearly where God is at work in and through his visible church.

Pray that the Nyamwezi would see the real reason for this season. Pray that they may see Jesus as more than a prophet, more than a man, but God who has come to save them, born of the Virgin Mary and living in our world to be that perfect sacrifice on our behalf. Ask the Lord of the Harvest that they would accept Him as Savior and Lord, and have the courage to join a local body of believers.

Pray that the Nyamwezi would break free from the heavy yoke of oppression under the spirit world and Islam, often mixed together in animistic religious practices, including surrounding their fields with amulets to ward off evil from harming their crops. As the rainy season begins, pray that Nyamwezi Christians would acknowledge God and God alone and God’s all sufficiency through every aspect of planting and farming, and be a testimony to their neighbors. Pray they will sow with joy, and honor the Lord in giving back to Him from their harvest. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to draw more Nyamwezi to Christ, to seek Him, and entrust their lives and fields to Him alone.

Pray that the veil of Islam be torn and that people are able to see the light. Pray for unsaved village leaders that they would have dreams and visions of Jesus that they cannot refute. Pray for the church to be salt and light in the community and to demonstrate God’s love for their Muslim friends and neighbors.

Pray that as more have access to Bibles there would be increased Scripture engagement through daily reading of the Word, memorizing passages, orally retelling the Scriptures to others, acting in skits that teach the Bible, singing the Scriptures, preaching, teaching and discussing the Word in small groups, in-depth Bible studies, seminars, or Bible courses. Pray believers would frequently share testimonies about how God’s Word is a lamp and a light to them. Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Pray that God will raise up a whole new wave of harvest laborers both locally and assigned to this region from other areas. Pray all serving in the church will have a heart and mind to be fishers of men among those yet needing to hear God’s Word. Pray they would not be discouraged to go into the harder to reach areas, including literally leaving the taste of fresh fish behind. Pray for God’s provision for those sent. Ask God to remove any fears and stereotypes which would cause stumbling blocks in sharing the Message of Truth.

Praise God for the publishing of 2,000 copies of a discipleship course written specifically for new believers in Jesus from a Muslim background, now translated into Swahili. Ask the Lord to raise up discipleship relationships and spiritual growth between believers and new believers as they study through these twenty lessons though the book 1 Peter together.