Pray that some O leaders will respond to the Gospel and will stand firm against the devil’s schemes and the fear he incites. Pray that these leaders may embrace persecution and stand firm, not shrinking back. And that they will in turn grow, share the Gospel with many others and make more disciples!
Jesus Film showing
Pray for the showing of the Jesus Film Thursday night with a family/neighborhood group about 10 km away. Pray that they will understand and respond to the message by receiving Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
A Christian wife
Cal’s struggle continues as his father persists in making arrangements for him to marry a Muslim girl. Pray that he will have courage to speak up, and to stand firm against all the schemes of the enemy. Pray that God will provide, and that Cal will insist on waiting to marry a Christian wife.
Pray against resistance
This week two O neighbor ladies listened eagerly to the Gospel and responded by praying to receive Jesus as their Savior. We arranged for them to meet for discipleship training. Before the follow up could happen, they both announced that they had gone home and eagerly shared with their families. Their husbands and extended families refused them to become followers of Jesus or to come for any more teaching. They told us they were sorry, but they would have to obey their families. Pray against this resistance and that people would choose to do what God wants rather than what man wants!
Kids’ club
Just a quick note to ask for your prayers for all the details of our planned Kids’ Club – starting this afternoon, and hopefully finishing next Friday. Pray for lots of lasting fruit from all the seeds that are being planted, and pray that God will keep the clinic load down, and especially no ‘on-call’ stuff during those important afternoon hours. Pray with Jesus power and authority that God will speak powerfully through us all, and that those “rulers and authorities, and powers of this dark world” (Eph 6:12) will be prevented from keeping the kids and parents who help from hearing and understanding AND RECEIVING the Gospel truths!
Daily prayer request
Join our team in praying daily in the name and authority of Jesus the Messiah that all of the schemes of the “prince of our O area“ will be bound and prevented from keeping people from hearing and understanding and responding to the truths of God’s Word.
Stand firm and grow
Pray for Cal, a young O believer, who has struggled with lots of fear. His father is trying to arrange a wedding for him with a Muslim girl. He wants to wait for a Christian wife, but speaking up will bring lots of attention and persecution. Pray that he will stand firm against the schemes of the enemy, and be bold and even grow through any persecution or ostracism from the community – that he will realize that Jesus is worth it! Pray that God will provide a strong Christian wife in His time.
Flow river flow!
The seasonal riverbed in O-land is flowing bigger than it has since the 1997 Elnin~o. Pray that the Holy Spirit will flood O land with conviction of sin, and drawing many people to Jesus as Savior, Healer and Deliverer. May they realize God’s loving grace as He desires to rescue them from the dominion of darkness and bring them into the Kingdom of Jesus!
Receiving!
So many seeds have been planted in O land. Pray that God would draw and direct people’s hearts to RESPOND to the Gospel by receiving His Grace in all of it’s Truth!
Influential family to Kijabe
A woman, we’ll call her Z, is heading to Kijabe Hospital on the 15th for a surgery. She’s a very respected women’s leader in the community. She’s heard and knows the Gospel well, but has refused to receive it because of her family – she says that she just can’t go against their wishes. Even her late parents told her not to become a Christian, and she says that she wants to honor them. She’ll be escorted by her brother C.H. and his big wife. C.H. is a retired leader of the O – also a good friend who we’ve frequently shared the Good News with. ***Pray that they will encounter Jesus over and over in powerful fresh ways through the Body of believers there at the Kijabe (Mission) Hospital. ***Pray that they would RESPOND and RECEIVE God’s Grace in all of it’s Truth! ***Pray that they would then influence and lead many other O to receive Jesus! Also pray for Z’s complete healing and restoration.
Response
Culturally appropriate songs which share God’s Word and Good News are being composed and worked on by a few O people. Pray that God’s Word will spread with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction – bringing RESPONSE from many O to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord! Pray that 5 O ‘Men of Peace’ will receive God’s grace in all of it’s truth – and become committed disciples of Jesus who are enthusiastic and willing to give their all to spread the Gospel to their loved ones and communities!
Keep on asking, seeking & knocking
Hk sat right next to me for the showing of the Jesus film at her extended family home compound. She leaned forward to hear every word most of the night, until half way through when her father in law pronounced that he was tired and said we should finish another time. The next night he said we couldn’t come back because the community didn’t like it. Pray against Hk’s fear, and her father in law’s fear and all the fear in our people of what others think and would do to them if they receive or even show too much interest in Jesus. Pray for opportunities to disciple Hk, and for the Holy Spirit to convict and pierce the hearts of 5 ‘men of peace’ across our area to get the DMM started.
A movement to begin
A woman, Hk, responded to the Gospel this week! For her to share her newfound faith boldly will certainly mean persecution. Pray for others in her extended family group to respond, and that a Disciple Making MOVEMENT may begin. Pray for the whole mission team to be empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue to share the Good News broadly – and that as we abide, God will bless with much lasting fruit! Pray for Hk’s protection, wisdom and boldness. Pray that she grows strong as we disciple her. PTL for a new Sister in Christ!
O. Breakthrough Prayer
“Please give the O eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to respond to the gospel of Christ.”
Healing needs
A close friend is being brought to the mission hospital to try and diagnose why she is losing weight and having other dangerous looking symptoms. She knows the Gospel message well, but has so far chosen to reject it in order to keep her family and community happy. She has refused to come to Jesus for healing prayer. Pray that God will reveal Jesus to her and her family as Healer of her heart from the ‘sickness of sin’, and also her physical sickness to be Healed by Jesus power and grace!
Praying for new birth
One of the bonuses of getting to participate in labor and deliveries, is that the extended family is also involved in all the follow up visits, and opportunities to share are multiplied. Pray for response – that many will receive new birth in Jesus!
May they find Living Water
The water table seems to have shifted way lower – and it’s been a challenge finding a good water source here. Pray that God will provide good and abundant water – and that many conversations surrounding the search for water will be advancing His Kingdom.
Response of Receiving!
My new Ako, who God allowed us to participate in the miracle of saving her life and sharing the Good News after severe delivery complications has completed her 40 days of seclusion. She brought her healthy baby boy for his first round of immunizations. She came with an invitation from her husband, “come and celebrate with us…we’ll provide the goat, you bring the rice and sugar.” ***Pray that this follow up with the larger extended family may bring the response of many of them not only hearing, but God’s drawing them to RECEIVE His grace through the Messiah – and be on fire to pass it on to many more!
Men of Peace – to Lead.
Ako’s life was saved this week by the power of Jesus after prayer and medical care were given in His name! PTL for God’s gracious miracle of physical saving which was witnessed by all the women of the area. Two days later the women eagerly listened and welcomed the truth of hearing the Gospel from the perspective of Jesus the Savior, Healer and Deliverer. Pray that the men of Ako’s extended family will become ‘men of peace’ and will be willing to study God’s Word and seek to obey it, leading the women and children to do the same – that the whole extended family group may have understanding and repent, believe and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior (turn and be healed). Pray against FEAR and all the schemes of the enemy to snatch these seeds away or choke them out!
Conviction and Hunger
O-land still needs a lot more rain in order to get through the upcoming dry season and to the next rainy season in Nov/Dec. People often ask themselves, “What have we done to cause God to refuse us good rains?” Pray that the Holy Spirit would convict O people of their sin of refusing to receive God’s Gift of Salvation and forgiveness of sins through Jesus the Messiah! Pray that they would understand, and TURN and be healed/saved! Pray that God will satisfy their physical hunger and thirst in a way that will give them hunger and thirst for truth and for righteousness!
Strength to stand firm
The dad’s offer of a nice young wife for his son seems so appropriate. BUT – the son is a young believer, and the nice young wife is one of the top madarasa (Islamic training) students around and from a strongly ‘religious’ family. Pray for God’s wisdom and grace for ‘Calvin’ as he asks and seeks for how to respond. Praise God for wonderful godly counsel from ‘Jake’, who went through the same thing 10 years ago – and now has been blessed with a wonderful Christian wife and son – after standing firm and going through much persecution.
Healing the Hearts
The O believer’s child, H, whose one eye was blinded has been to the eye specialists. The eye is pronounced dead. The family responsible for the accident has been rude and had not said one word about being sorry. H’s family struggled with feelings of anger and resentment. Finally the whole family gathered with our mission team to look at all that Jesus had to say about forgiveness, loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us. H’s parents chose to obey Jesus, and forgive the guilty family. They led their children to also forgive. Two days later the family who caused the injury unexpectedly came to H’s parents to apologize and assure them they would try to pay for all the expenses! Praise God for this miracle of healed hearts and relationships. Pray that H’s whole family, and all the O believers involved will be encouraged and strengthened to speak boldly of the grace and forgiveness made possible through Jesus the Messiah. Pray for understanding of God’s grace in all His Truth for many O – the healing of many O. hearts!
Healing the Blind
An O believer’s child, H, was struck by his playmate’s mom with a stick. It blinded his eye! This week they are going to specialist eye doctors and they request we pray for a miracle of healing for H’s blind eye. We read of Jesus miraculous healing of Bartimaeus’s blindness in Mark 10:46-52. According to Heb. 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” We read of even more serious blindness in 2 Cor. 4:4 “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Pray with faith for Jesus’ miraculous healing of H’s eye, and for the blind minds of the O people – that they may understand the gospel and turn and be healed!
Response to Easter Story
Eight of our neighbor ladies had arrived at H’s 40 day ‘coming out’ blessing ceremony. I joined the friendly conversation by asking, “Do you know about Easter – it’s just 2 weeks away?” They had no idea. I explained it as a celebration of God’s love and grace. Amazingly, the woman closest to me, who is the village ‘shamaness’ was listening carefully and asked a few questions which quieted all other chit-chat. Even the children and babies were totally still as I explained about the Messiah, who is the only One who has no sin of His own to pay for, coming from God for the important purpose of rescuing people from their punishment of sin by paying His own life, His own blood! They were riveted as I told of His accomplishing all that God intended, and then raising from the dead on that first Easter Sunday… Much more truth was shared, and in the end the ‘shamaness’ said she would like to hear more another time.
I took the opportunity to add my prayer for blessing on this home and neighborhood through the Messiah’s Redeeming work. Join in praying that God will give understanding of these truths, and these homes will respond by believing and receiving as they listen to more truths in upcoming follow-up visits. (Rom 10:17).
Breakthrough prayer for O
May their eyes be open to really SEE and truly PERCEIVE. May their ears be sharp to HEAR and RECEIVE Truth. May their HEARTS be soft and responsive to UNDERSTAND – and TURN and BE HEALED.
Pray for 3 Rs: Rain, RNs, Response!
RAIN: desperately needed to end the drought and avoid serious consequences in our area.
RNs: Both medical workers in our 2 clinics depart by the end of March – Pray that God will call and equip 2 to minister Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Healing long term in outreach to the O together with our AIC Team.
RESPONSE: That the O’s eyes be PERCEIVING, their ears really HEARING and their hearts UNDERSTANDING God’s Truth so they may TURN and be HEALED!
Breakthrough prayer
After so many years of sharing with little response as Is 6: 9-10 talks about, please pray this Breakthrough Prayer for the O: May their eyes be open to really SEE and truly PERCEIVE. May their ears be sharp to HEAR and RECEIVE Truth. May their HEARTS be soft and responsive to UNDERSTAND – and TURN and BE HEALED (physically, emotionally and most important SPIRITUALLY).
First Extended Family Group
We’re rejoicing in the choice of someone to receive God’s grace! The number of individuals grows – yet they hesitate/fear to openly gather. ***PRAY for the breakthrough of a first extended family group who would come to Jesus together, and stand against the persecutions together, and reach out to other family groups together and demonstrate God’s love and grace to their community together!
Christmas Opportunities
A Christmas feast is planned in one of the O villages – pray that many will come and be open to hearing the reason God sent the Messiah! M&H will be with us and M will also participate in sharing the story on Christmas Eve Day as well as some Kid’s Club days the next week. Pray for open hearts to receive this Good News! Pray that any opposition to this Good News will be kept away!
Opposition and Opportunities among the O of East Africa
God’s Word continues to be “sown” broadly through now 3 memory card players out in the communities, and much personal sharing and testifying to the Gospel. Many will listen openly, many oppose even listening. Pray that God’s Word will go forward with Power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
Families to come
Praise God for a recent wife of a persecuted believer also receiving Jesus’ gift! Pray that M & H will stand firm together against all the schemes of the enemy, and that the persecutions bound to come will strengthen their relationship with Jesus. May they grow in their faith and knowledge, and also teach their children the truths of God’s grace through Jesus!
Rains/Reigns
Praise God that a few good rains all around the area have relieved the O peoples’ urgent concerns for their herds of cattle, goats and sheep. Now the animals can remain out where the small amount of feed is, and drink water there, rather than making the LONG every other day treks to where the traditional wells are in the dry riverbed. Pray that it will be an abundant rainy season. The O people still need the reign of Jesus as Saviour and Lord in their lives and hearts – Pray that many will realise this urgent need and receive God’s gracious provision! Pray that God will raise up (3-6) O ‘people of peace’ who will facilitate the spread of making disciples, Jesus’ style.
Love through relief food
It’s a hard and long dry season for the O since they missed the April/May rainy season. A gift of relief food is being given through the people of Jesus. Pray for the ones organising and distributing the food. Pray that the Love of God through Jesus will be accurately expressed and understood, and would draw many to Him. Pray that the Nov/Dec rainy season will be early and ample – that both physical and spiritual needs will be met by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Update on The O of East Africa
There are 2 young men who seem to be emerging as potential ‘facilitators’ for sharing more of God’s Word…they’ve got access to 100 Bible lessons in the O. language through memory cards they can play in their phones…*Pray that God will empower and protect them…
The young woman who was forced to move ended up redirected to other relatives homes – but pray for her to shine in this different setting… Pray against the ‘powers of this dark world’ that cause fear and pull people to be disobedient.
Update on The O of East Africa
A believing young mother of 2 has been forced by her father in law to build another house in a more distantly related family’s compound for her and her husband to move into. The father in law’s ‘anti-Christ’ attitudes are repulsed by her gentle and quiet spirit of faith in the Messiah. Though this persecution has been hard for her, this new family compound has 6 others who are very open and seeking the truth. Pray that God will provide a strong facilitator to get an obedience based Bible study going in this family – and that the family Patriarch, Gabe himself, would approve and lead his family in receiving God’s grace through Jesus.
Update on The O of East Africa
Continue to pray that God will prepare and lead us to ‘men of peace’ from family groups who will become instrumental in leading their families/communities to become disciples of Jesus who will reach out to other family groups to make more disciples of Jesus – that a Disciple Making Movement (DMM) may begin among the O. Pray also that these men of peace will embrace and be strengthened be the persecution that is certain to come. Pray that all of our team-mates and all current O disciples may also be trained in Obedience Based Bible Studies – That each new disciple may obey all that Jesus commanded the first disciples.
Update on The O of East Africa
We sadly report that Sid refused to continue studying God’s Word because of the pressures his sons and neighbours put on him to stop. Pray against the spirit of fear which has such a grip on people! Pray for release from the bondage that is keeping people in darkness! Pray that God will lead us and provide for new ‘men (and women) of Peace’ as we continue to share the Good News – encouraged and empowered by God’s grace and the Holy Spirit.
Update on The O of East Africa
Col 1:13-14 is so wonderful for presenting the Gospel to the O. The realization of the two kingdoms, the kingdom of darkness, and the fear of Satan and all his evil spirits is so obvious and engrained in peoples’ lives here. To be rescued from it all is truly desired – it’s GOOD NEWS! Now we pray they realize, believe and accept that it’s Jesus who is the Rescuer and Redeemer! Tonight is the planned continuation of the Bible study group at ‘Sid’s’ place (first time after Ramadan ended) – pray that God’s Word will continue to go forth and be received with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction!
Prayers for ‘Sid’ and his community
One of the new Bible study groups is continuing on – set to start meeting again after Ramadan. God has confirmed the truth of the Gospel message shared through 2 healing miracles to the group. Pray that ‘Sid’ and his community will choose to continue listening, will be convicted of sin by the Holy Spirit, will RECEIVE God’s grace of Jesus as Savior as well as Healer, and will obey God’s Word and share what they learn with others.
Pray for best strategies among the O communities
Today our multicultural mission team meets to pray specifically about the best strategies for effective outreach into our O communities. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit for wisdom from above, and God’s clear guidance for each bit of discussion, choice and decisions as we seek to discard unhelpful practices and embrace all the fruitful practices He leads us into.