(WUH-dye) - Mariam lives a several-hour donkey ride from the nearest town with a medical facility. She lost two of her children at childbirth and two others before they reached the age of 2. Her heart has wanted to mourn these losses, but everyone tells her that to grieve is an indication that she doesn't trust God because these events are merely His will for her life. Apathy sets in. Why should she even care about her family's health when she's seen so much sickness and death? Mariam's story is very common in the small, remote villages that dot the region. The pervasive mindset is that sickness and death are all part of God's will for their lives. This mindset, alongside misinformation and harmful traditional practices, has led to poor health statistics in the region. Pray for women to have the opportunity to learn good health practices. Pray that their hearts and minds will hear and understand stories from God's Word and that women like Mariam will realize that God cares for them and sees their needs. God grieves for the brokenness and sickness that surrounds them, and He wants to offer them life!

Along the northern coast of Mozambique, there lies a fishing village inhabited by lost souls who seek self gain in whatever means possible. Greed, corruption, and inhumane behaviors have consumed the majority of the population. However, amid this pool of selfish gain, there are a handful of brothers who are fighting to defend the vulnerable. They are striving to bring hope to a very broken people. The war is intense. The temptations thrown out before these brothers are real, and in their flesh, they cannot fight and find victory. Please pray that they will cling to the Spirit. Ask that they will find treasure in Christ alone and stay focused on the task at hand. Pray that more Mozambicans will see their lives as a testimony to God's grace and goodness and, in return, find Christ.

There have been many ups and downs in the three years that Faisal and his family have lived in their new country. His three teenagers have worked hard to learn the local language quickly and try to make friends at school. Ahlam, his wife, was diagnosed with cancer, and after surgery, continues biweekly treatments. Having become believers in the first country they arrived in after leaving their homeland, they have searched for a community of faith to become part of since having been relocated. A couple of months ago, they finally found a church that, despite the language barrier, welcomed them with open arms instead of lukewarm distance. Easter was a time of celebration together, remembering both what Christ had done for them long ago and continues doing each day. Praise the Lord for guiding Faisal's family to a church committed to loving and welcoming others of all backgrounds! Pray that the support of these new believing friends will bring great encouragement and comfort to Faisal and Ahlam as they continue to adjust to life far from home and grow in their faith.

(KAH-zahks) - Pray for continued peace in Kazakhstan. Nearby wars often affect life and relationships. Ask for those in positions of authority to make wise decisions about relations with other countries and what stances to take. Pray for unity among the citizens of Kazakhstan, and pray for a peaceful end to nearby wars.

Bullying in Japanese schools is so serious that the number of cases that police had to get involved has reached the highest level in 10 years. Japanese schools have long been infamous for bullying. Why is that the case? The Japanese prize conformity -- all fitting in and everyone knowing their place. Therefore, a student who is different from the rest is often targeted for bullying. Children seldom talk about these sorts of things with their parents because they often don't want to burden their parents. It's also difficult for students to go to a teacher for fear of bringing even more unwanted attention. So those who are bullied often suffer alone. Please pray for Japanese students who are bullied to find hope in Christ and a safe way of escape from trauma inducing situations. Also pray for the millions of Japanese who do not yet know Jesus and are suffering under sin and the work of Satan, the ultimate bully, who will do all he can to discourage and defeat people, relentlessly attacking them where they are most vulnerable. Pray that Japanese might come to know God, a true friend who says, "you are precious in my sight" (Isaiah 43:4 NASB).