New believer!

Please pray for a young boy who is a new local believer. Now just a month ago he became a follower of Jesus Christ, may our Mighty Lord empower him to stand firm in Jesus Christ. Also pray for our brother Eric, the local believer whose wife left him. He is trusting Jesus Christ.

Hold on to Jesus

Please pray for Swahili believers, especially one who was divorced by his wife after he received Jesus Christ as person savior. Eric has been saved since beginnig of this year and he was baptized April 2021. After this event his wife complained and went to the government leader but she didn’t get any solution from then, so she made decision to leave Eric.
We continue to encourage Eric to hold on to Jesus Christ. Pray for him.

Following Jesus

Pray for Swahili in Likwage. There is a lady who offered herself to follow Jesus in her heart and mind. She made the decision after receiving healing from Jesus, she encouraged her family to follow Jesus. Pray for more Swahili people of Tanzania to know Jesus.

Children’s program

Please continue to pray for our weekly children program, that the seed of the gospel will be sowed widely and find good soil to grow in.
Thank God for acceptance and trust in the community. Pray that through this outreach, we can be more intentional in disciple making.

meeting weekly

Thank God for the motivation of neighbor women to meet weekly for Bible study.
Pray that they will not fear sharing their faith with their friends.
Pray for provision of jobs for them since many are jobless.

Youth program

Pray for our youth program focusing on unreached M people groups. We are exposing many families, children, and their parents to the living word of God. There are between 40 -50 persons every Sunday that are ministered to. We have planted and watered seeds of the gospel faithfully, we trust God for increase. Pray people would arrive on time so they don’t miss important sessions. Pray for stamina and wisdom for those serving and teaching. Pray for many to bow their knee to King Jesus!

Reading the Word

The Muslim watchman at a friend’s house asked very directly for a Bible, as he has time to read. The first Bible we took he could not read, because of the small print. We took a big print Bible to him tonight and he was very grateful. We pray that God’s Word will not return void, but bring enlightenment and real revelation of JESUS HIS Savior.

Joyfully praising God

On a recent outreach the following happened…

“Next to the last night of the Jesus film showing, this elderly islamic man was touched by all that he was hearing and seeing. When the time came for praying to receive Jesus, he boldly walked forward, got on his knees and prayed for forgiveness of his sins and confessed Jesus as Lord! Pray for the local church leadership there, especially Mzee Deos, the elder that will be mentoring this new believer. Not very often do you see such openness and boldness. (This was in front of about 150 people.) The next morning for worship service, he was there, joyfully praising God!

New believers

Pray for new believers in Ruhatwe, Likawage and surrounding villages. That they would grow in their faith and be discipled well.

Please pray for Isa, a new young believer who is being discipled by some of the young men in the local church. Please pray that he would stand strong & grow in his faith. His friend, Iddi, is also a seeker. Pray he would come to faith as well.

Maria

Please pray for Maria, a lady who was raised in a church, but married a Muslim. She is new to this area, so just started attending services here. Please pray that her husband would continue to allow her to attend services & that he, too, would come to faith.

Spiritual and Physical work

Pray for the ongoing work of discipleship by pastor Musa in Likawage. And pray for the efforts to build the team leaders’ house and set up the other member houses. Rains have started and transport is much more difficult.

Encouragingly, last Saturday, 13 new believers were baptized! Pray for their establishment in the faith.

Ruhatwe

Approximately 50 people attended the Easter Sunday service in Ruhatwe. Some came from other villages where they had heard about the church in Ruhatwe and came to check it out. They clearly heard about how the resurrection is the foundation of our faith. About 15 people came up afterwards to be prayed for. Please pray that each person who attended would be drawn to the Savior and would carry that testimony to family and neighbors. And pray that the church in Ruhatwe would continue to be a light in the community there.

Kilwa Masoko

Please pray for Amina who came to church about 2 weeks ago for prayer. She has been coming regularly ever since. She says she is bothered by spirits in her house. Please pray that she would find freedom in Jesus, and be able to fill her hunger with His word.

Ruhatwe

3 new people attended a service on Good Friday: Mohammed had met some believers in another town who prayed for him and then directed him to look up a church when he got home, so he came to the only one in town.
Salma needed prayer for some physical issues but also prayed a prayer of repentance.
Shigela is a neighbor to the church building and was initially against its presence. But today was prayed for that he would grow in his faith as he has chosen the path of Jesus!

All 3 were assigned another believer to walk with them in these next weeks. Please pray that all 3 would stand strong and would feel God’s presence in their lives. Also pray that the community would see how God is working in their lives.

Easter baptism

Pray for the Likawage church- this Saturday we will baptize eight people! One of them is from the Gindo tribe, his name is Chuti Mkoma. Pray for all eight to mature in the faith and be faithful witnesses to His grace. Praise God He is building His church from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation!

Interns

This week we will receive six student interns for a month. Pray for their needs and their health and for fruitful ministry. They are from Bible College and they will be in Likawage to learn about outreach and discipleship. Also pray that they would be an encouragement to the believers.

Issues

Please pray for unity in the church that we would be able to provide the support needed for the village outreaches. Currently there are some issues that need to be dealt with for there to be a healthy church body here.

Needing help

Please pray for ladies who are possessed by demons: their names are Husina, Elizabeth, and Mama Sarah.

Also pray for girls who have been struggling with school needs: Mwanahawa, Rahama and Tunu. The church has stepped in to help them. The big need is that the school day has been extended so they do not have time to go home for lunch, so the church is providing that & some of their supplies so that they can continue in school. Pray that their eyes would be opened to spiritual help and not just the physical.

Light in the darkness

In the village of Chapita, a church has acquired a piece of land and an evangelist and his family have moved to this village. We are praying with them for open doors to share the good news. This is the first church presence in this village and surrounding area.

Outreach event

In Somanga leading up to new year’s eve, the EAGT held an outreach event. The average attendance at each service was around 200. Many people asked for and received prayer. And in spite of the dark, forbidding clouds each evening, the rains never started until half an hour after everything was finished. Please pray for continued boldness of the church in this dark area.

Pande Plot

Ezekieli, one of the young national missionaries in Pande Plot, is getting married. Please pray that his wife would have a heart for ministry in this remote, unreached/unchurched village. Also pray for their marriage, that God would protect this symbol of His relationship with His church in a culture that does not honor marriage.

Also pray for the gathering of believers in Pande Plot. Ezekieli and his ministry partner, Ali, have gathered together the 8 people who identify as Christians into a church and started meeting regularly. Please pray that these believers would be bold in proclaiming their faith to those around them and reach out into the community.

Incarnational living

Likawage is an outreach post where a Timo team is to begin late 2021. There is much to pray for: relationship building, house preparations, and incarnational living by the national team leader. Several people have already responded to the Gospel! Pray for boldness as they witness in this completely Islamic village in southern Tanzania.

Follow Jesus

Please pray for our neighbor, a young man. This week he told us that if we moved away he would follow us. Basically he said he would change religions if he was away from his “family”. Please pray that he would see how precious knowing Jesus is – even above the relationships of his extended family and community and that he would make the bold choice to follow Him even now.

Another praise!

On Sunday a young man, Ezekieli attended the service in Kilwa Masoko. He is being sent by his own church to join with another single young man, Ali, to Pande Plot, which is a community on an entire peninsula without any known church. This peninsula seems to be the “home area” to many of the people in Kilwa Masoko. Please pray that these two young men would be faithful in sharing the Good news and be good support for each other in this difficult area.

New work

Pray for Musa and Marysiana Luzali, an AICT pastor & his wife who have recently moved to Likawage to lead a new outreach team. Please pray that they would settle in well and make solid friendships as they live and share in this village with no church presence.

Lord grant faith

Pray for Mama Sugar, my next door neighbor. She has been coming over almost every night asking for prayer for healing in her foot. She knows I pray in Jesus’ name and I have been sharing the gospel while praying and she still keeps coming over for prayer. Please pray that constant hearing of the gospel will reach her heart. And pray the Lord would heal her foot.

Prayer for Unity in Outreach

Lord, thank You for the unity You have given the local churches in Kilwa and the vision they have for reaching the unreached villages in the Kilwa district with the Gospel. Please, preserve their unity and keep them united by Your Spirit and protect them from any attacks of the enemy who would seek to cause disunity and conflict. Give them strength to continue in the work You have called them to and help each of Your children in Kilwa to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus. Grant them Your wisdom and may they shine like bright lights in the midst of the darkness, being witnesses for Jesus with their lives and love. In Jesus name and for His glory, amen.

Love of Jesus for Them

Please pray for 7 ladies who recently watched the Mary Magdalena version of the Jesus film at my house. Several of them have seemed somewhat closed off to spiritual discussions in the past but were all willing to watch the film with me. One lady in particular seemed moved by it. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would keep reminding them of the Gospel message they heard and the love that Jesus has for each of them individually, especially as women. Pray that God would draw them to Jesus so that they would receive Him as their Savior!

A Team, And Open Doors

A team of Christians have been invited to come live in a village near the coast that is 99% Muslim. Team leaders have been found to lead the team. Team members are being recruited from other countries. But immigration for them might be difficult. Please pray that God will “open for them doors that no one can shut,” and that the village who are begging for people to come teach them about Jesus will have their hunger and thirst for righteousness satisfied.

A Young Man Needs Jesus

Please pray for Richard, a 19 year old boy, who needs spiritual deliverance from evil spirits, faith in Jesus and revelation of salvation as well as emotional and physical healing. Pray God would stretch out His hand to heal and deliver.

Become Family in Jesus

Please pray for Bibi M. She has expressed interest before in coming to see the Jesus film at our teammates’ house but did not come. Then Ramadan started and Bibi M wanted to wait until after. Please pray that now that Ramadan is done, Bibi M and her husband would come and watch the Jesus film and hear the Gospel. Pray that the Father would soften their hearts and draw both to Jesus. We would love to see Bibi M and her husband become family in Jesus!

New Team Leaders for an Unreached Village

Pray for the preparations that are being made for a new team out in one of the unreached villages in our district. Ever since we showed the Jesus film there last year, they have continued to ask us to come back. We are excited and thankful that God provided team leaders who were recently able to go out and visit this village to get a feel for it and find a house to rent! Pray for all of the preparations to go as smoothly as the Lord would allow, that God would continue to prepare the hearts of those who He will place on the team to be ready to serve Him and this village, pray for wisdom for the team leaders, and pray for the Lord to draw many many many of these people to Himself as His good news is proclaimed there!

Fear and Fasting

As Ramadan has begun, many of our friends and neighbors are fasting and seeking God. Between that and the fear of coronavirus spreading, it seems to be a prime time for spiritual conversations. People are afraid of corona, while also trying to get to God by fasting. Pray for believers in the area to be bold in sharing the hope of Jesus with their unbelieving friends and neighbors. May many turn to Jesus and see that He is the only way to God, not any works we try to do to make ourselves righteous.

Good news

Praise God Bibi H has recovered from all the complications from her bladder stone removal surgery! To welcome Bibi H home, the young adults from church rebuilt the walls of her home that washed out from all the record rains. Pray Bibi would continue to see the love of the local body of Christ and give praise to her savior Jesus for her healing!
Praise God 4 new believers from the new church plant in the village down our road were baptized on Easter morning! Pray for them to grow strong in the Lord.

Floods and Viruses Alike

Yesterday, our team leader went to deliver supplies to help a village a few hours away that has been severely affected by the flooding in our area, as many other villages have been. We are also seeing some of our local friends and neighbors becoming worried about COVID-19. Our prayer is that through all of these things, floods and viruses alike, the Lord would use them to reveal to these precious peoples that the only solid foundation in this crazy world is Christ and His Word. May the uncertainty and fear drive people to seek for truth that brings real and unshakable hope, to find the God who is truly sovereign over everything and will never leave or forsake us, and Whose perfect love casts out fear. May God use all these things to draw the lost to Himself.

Going Out To Meet Them

Please pray for a teammate and I as we go out into a neighborhood in our community this week with the goal of making new connections, building relationships, and getting to know some of the ladies.  We’re praying for opportunities to share the Gospel with them. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us to the right ladies whose hearts He is already at work softening and that He would open doors for us to share about Jesus. Pray that the Lord would give us boldness in sharing and deep love for these neighbors, and that the Father would draw many to His Son!! We long for them to know the Savior we know!!

Floods and Needs

Recently we asked for prayer for villages in our area that were greatly affected by recent floods. Praise the Lord for how He has provided help in the initial recovery, and especially thank Him for how He raised up the new local church in one village  to reach out to their community with Christ’s love and take advantage of the many opportunities the Lord presented for the Gospel to be shared. Please keep praying for all the people of these farming villages, as many lost their seed supplies for this next season of planting. Pray for the Lord’s continued provision for these people. Pray for those who heard the Gospel and experienced Christ’s love through His church to come to faith in Christ. And pray for the local believers to keep persevering in these circumstances, especially pray for the health of the evangelist’s family.

Mighty Mercy Poured Out

Recent unseasonal rains have caused floods and a lot of damage in local villages. A new church plant is located in one of these villages, the evangelist family who live there currently have 5 other families living with them! They say many have lost homes, or are at least displaced until the waters recede, but even then there will be lots of damage as many homes are simple mud buildings. The Lord is using even this though, as there have been many opportunities to share the Gospel and minister to those in need. Be praying for the Lord to strengthen and encourage the evangelist family and the new church plant out in the village – May the love of Christ shine through them as they help their community. Be praying for our team and church partners, that we would be able to know the best ways to serve and support them, both through supplies and prayers. Be praying for many to come to faith, for opened eyes to see Christ and His great love for the lost and for each unsaved person individually. May He pour out His mercy as mightily as He has poured out the rains!!

Reading with Neighborhood Kids

Recently, the neighborhood kids have been coming around more and more frequently. We read a few stories together (always starting with a Bible story). They seem genuinely interested in reading together! Pray that the Lord would bless His word and truth as these children listen. That it would be like seed on good soil which takes root and bears fruit. That the children will grow up clinging to truths like “Jesus loves me because He died for me”, and “God is always listening to our prayer when we cry out for His help”, or “God is always with His people so we don’t need to be afraid”. May God use this younger generation to become passionate followers of Jesus in this place as they grow older!!

New Sister in Christ

A huge praise! A couple of days ago a teammate and I were joined by our pastor’s wife on a trip to town to get Bibi a medical check in preparation for surgery. Bibi has responded to the gospel over the last 10 months of sharing it with her. Our pastor’s wife spoke with her and confirmed her understanding, and then she led her in praying a prayer of confession of her salvation in Jesus Christ. A sweet taste of heaven filled the car! Please pray that Bibi can now keep her blood pressure stable for surgery. A young lady who was healed from cancer and came to Christ at our church is now staying with Bibi at the hospital to care for her needs. Praise God for the body of Christ! Please pray for a successful surgery and recovery for Bibi! And for her to grow in her relationship with Jesus!