(TOH-kyoh) - "Praise the Lord for softening the hearts of several Japanese students who have been coming to our various student outreach events and attending Story Church. Pray that they will accept the good news as truth and decide to follow the Lord. Pray also for a man who was recently saved. Pray for team members to disciple him well and that he will grow in the Lord. Pray that he would be bold to share his testimony and faith with others."
(pah-MEER-ees) - The Northern Border People are the largest ethnic group in their region and live mainly in two river valleys that flow into the regional capital. They're nearly entirely Muslim and consider their religious belief to be integral to their cultural identity. They're very hospitable. Any trip to a village will involve an offer for "tea"--in reality, a full meal--and an invitation to spend the night. As much as these people are open and friendly on the outside, beneath the surface, there's a deep hopelessness in their culture. Suicide, alcoholism, adultery, and drug use are endemic to the entire population. Most families are broken, as the men leave the country to find work and sometimes take on other families there. These people need the transformation that comes from the gospel. Pray that they'll be open to receiving truth. Ask God to raise up evangelists among the few believers. Pray that God will plant His church among them and that a community of faith will spring up as a testimony to the hope that's found in Jesus Christ. (If your church would like to commit to praying for the Northern Border People on a consistent and frequent basis, please send an email indicating that.)
The village is only a collection of huts surrounded by thorn fences. The fences protect families and their animals from nocturnal prowlers. But this evening, there is no thought of prowlers, for the villagers are celebrating a wedding! The flute is playing to the beat of the drum and the tambourine. Men dance in rhythmic steps together, while women twirl and clap. The bride is led to the bridegroom, and then they enter the hut that he has prepared for her. The beat of the music continues into the night. Ethnic music, cultural dancing, and local instruments are a meaningful part of North African desert cultures. Pray for these communities to turn their eyes to God and praise Him with the tambourine and dance. Pray for them to praise Him for His mighty deeds and for His excellent greatness. "Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD!" (Psalm 150:6 ESV).
Families return from vacation, university students move into their dormitories, schools reopen their doors for a new year, people return to work, and everyone around the city settles back into their normal rhythms as summer comes to an end. Pray for a handful of students who, before the summer break, were looking to the Bible for answers to their questions about life and faith. Intercede on their behalf, asking that after a summer spent with their families in North Africa, they will return to France ready to continue searching the Scriptures for answers. Pray for them to taste and see that God is good and that the Bible contains the good news for which they've been searching. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6 ESV).
Pray for training and mobilization events happening in Northeast India among Urdu-speaking Muslims. These events are an effort to get the gospel to spread among Muslims in the area. In three new locations, vision casting to believers is happening in order to invite pastors and leaders to work to reach Muslims. Please pray for these three new locations, asking that many believers there will "catch the vision" of seeing Muslims reached with the good news of Christ.
This summer, several Chinese churches in one of the Melting Cities went on short-term mission trips to different regions. They visited places that are usually hard to reach. They shared the gospel and showed God's love through their actions, making the time special. Pray that the people and regions who experienced God's love and heard the gospel will not forget it but continue to seek the Lord. Please pray with the heart of the Lord, who wants every soul to return to Him. We also hope that the Chinese leaders and church members who went on these mission trips will keep praying and understand God's heart for the lost even more.
(joh-HAHN-is-burg) - "A South African partner in downtown Johannesburg is engaging the homeless with the gospel and trying to assist in meeting needs for housing and work. Geoffrey has a vision and a plan for their young church to launch a holistic mercy ministry with the few resources at their disposal. Please join our Johannesburg Evangelism Team in praying for more believers to volunteer, for partnerships and connections to form, and for God's provision for the volunteers as well as the ministry."
Thank you for praying for the women's retreat that was held recently. Forty women from many churches participated. Give thanks to God that as they learned about the fruit of the Spirit, they were able to evaluate themselves and make fresh commitments regarding abiding in Christ and keeping in step with the Spirit.
(DEE-goh) - The Digo Team asks: "Have you ever played follow-the-leader? Our prayer is for the Digo people on the coast of East Africa to follow Jesus, the Leader and King. Many volunteers came over the summer to share, and many people heard the good news of Jesus Christ. Our team members and East African co-laborers are following up with them. Pray with us that the Digo who heard will want to follow Jesus with their lives." "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me'" (Luke 9:23 ESV).
(ar-WAH-coh) - In February, you were asked to pray for a discipleship event that would be taking place multiple times this year with believers in the mountains. A group of Arhuaco young adults were able to participate last month in one of those discipleship events. The theme of the event was: "Be disciples who make disciples." Give thanks to the Lord for the time they were able to spend learning, sharing, praying, and worshiping together with other believers! As they have now returned to their homes in the mountains, pray that they will practice what they learned, truly becoming "disciples who make disciples."