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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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.

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!!

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!!

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!

There is a group of ladies whom we consistently see gathering  seaweed off the coast during low tide. They dry it, and then sell it to a business in town. A few team members have been discussing ways to reach out to and connect with these woman. Starting this week, 2 of us are going out hopefully once a week to find a woman who will welcome us and be willing to talk as she works. We hope to be able to share with her how she is loved and valued by God and how Jesus came to save her, and then read a Bible story demonstrating Jesus’ love for women, and also give her an audio Bible to listen to. Please pray that God would lead us to the right women whom He would have us share with, and for them to have open and receptive hearts to the Gospel of the God who sees, knows, and loves them very much!

This past week, a group of 34 local pastors got together and discussed how they were going to strategically reach out in our local area. Reports are that the conversations were good and fruitful. Our prayer is that each would actually put into action what was discussed and result in the word of God going out into areas it has yet to reach. Also, please be praying for continued unity and partnership in the Spirit for these churches and their pastors. May the way they love each other and the lost, and their boldness for the Gospel grow daily and result in much glory given to God.

Praise the Lord our neighbor’s husband has agreed to allow one of our female Tanzanian teammates to come regularly to study in their home with his wife about what God teaches for being a good wife & mother and follower of God, though she is still not allowed to worship with the church. What an awesome Redeemer God we serve! Pray this time will be used faithfully to build our sisters in the Lord and our neighbors’ marriage and be a beautiful witness of Christ to lead this whole family to salvation!

We recently asked for prayer for some upcoming outreaches in the villages. Praise the Lord that many locals came! The truth was preached and heard by hundreds. Over 300 came the first day! May those seeds of truth take root and may God use His Gospel to draw many who heard to saving faith in Christ! The teams were also able to give out reading glasses in those village communities. As the locals receive help from these reading glasses in the physical sense to gain better sight, may the Lord also bless each one with spiritual sight to see Jesus as Savior!

It has been confirmed that kids have been beaten by the Madrasa teachers if word gets back to them that the children are coming to our house to play or hear the chronological Bible stories I have been sharing with them this year … My heart is broken for them. I am praying all the seeds for the Gospel that have been sown in their hearts will be protected and will bear fruit in God’s full time. Pray for the salvation of their hearts, minds, bodies & souls!

Praise the Lord, in a village where our church does outreach, the gathering of 11 new believers continues despite persecution. They have now begun to collect materials to start building a simple structure to meet under to protect the growing group from the sun & rain! Pray for the growth, perseverance, and protection of the new believers.

Our neighbor & Muslim Background Believer came out publicly as a Christian at the beginning of this year. Her husband’s family & neighbors have done all they can to get him to leave her. He has stuck it out, but he can’t live with the shame of the vicious rumors spread about her character. He is on the verge of divorcing her. We counselled with them for almost 3 hours last night – sharing God’s Word about marriage. He seemed to be willing to keep trying to stick it out for the love of her & their kids, but wouldn’t give a clear answer. Please pray for God to preserve & protect their marriage & family. Pray for the salvation of all their family for Jesus’ Name’s sake and their great joy!

There is a village in our district that we have been able to do some outreach in over the past several months, though not as much as we would like due to distance and time restraints. The ideal would be to place a team there in the future, and the village is waiting and even asking for us to come! God has already been at work in this village, it would seem, given their open reception to us. Please pray with us that God would provide for a team to be able to come and live in this village. May His Gospel go out and draw many people to saving faith in Jesus! Please Lord! We know You love these people, so please open to us a door for Your Word there!

Please pray for a number of Swahili young men and an old man in our village who are listening to the audio Swahili Bible and/or reading the Swahili Bible they asked for, along with study guide material which teaches Muslims what it means to follow Christ. They are seeking Jesus and counting the cost of the cross. Pray the Holy Spirit would draw them to Himself and give them the courage to give their lives to Jesus.

Praise God over 20 people are now attending the weekly Sunday services lead by local believers from our church in the outreach village where 11 people gave their lives to Jesus a few weeks ago. Praise God the new believers are persevering in their faith and gathering together despite persecution! Continue to pray for wisdom and discernment for our church as they disciple these young believers. Pray this would continue to multiply, with local believers spreading the gospel and discipling the Swahili all along the coast!

Praise God! A man, from a distant coastal Swahili village where our church has been reaching out, travelled to our church to confess Jesus as his savior before our congregation and join the body of Chirst! The following weekend a group from our church travelled to this man’s village again to share the Gospel and show the Jesus film. 11 people from this unreached coastal Swahili village have repented from their sins and confessed Jesus as their Savior! Praise God! Now please pray for the protection and growth of these fledgling believers and for our church to know how to best disciple them there! Praise God!

As of the last two weeks, our team has started 2 Bible studies, one for men and one for women. We’ve invited some local friends and neighbors to come and study God’s word together each Thursday. Pray that the Holy Spirit would speak in the word of God and reveal Jesus to us all. For the friends who come who are believers, may their faith be strengthened and love for Jesus deepened. For the friends who are not yet believers, pray that they would be brave enough to come and that when they do, their eyes would be opened to see Jesus and His salvation! God’s word does not return to Him void, but accomplishes that for which He sent it. May His word have His way in us in these Bible studies!