Prayer diary autumn 2015

Prayer DiarySeptember and October 2015

Prayer Diary Sep-Oct 2015.indd 1 05/08/2015 11:54

2 Autumn 2015

Mourn with those who mourn Welcome to Feba’s Prayer Diary for September andOctober.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” Romans 12:15

Paul’s letter to the Roman’s includes this verse. It recognises the human condition - at any time there will be some who are rejoicing and others mourning. In prayer we have the privilege of standing with those who are in tough places - and praying for them.

In Nepal, there has been a lot of mourning lately. Many people have had their lives turned upside-down. The earthquakes have taken away possessions, family members and something more intangible, too. In a particularly haunting interview, one survivor of the earthquakes commented: ‘Not only did I lose my home, my property, my jewellery, but I lost my identity and I don’t know how I can get it back.’

But this isn’t the end. Slowly but surely, damaged areas of Nepal are being rebuilt and shattered lives are being restored. It will be years before those affected in this part of Nepal have fully recovered, but there is a growing sense of hope; grieving people are being comforted. And our partner, Afno FM, is playing a significant part in that.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for us and for our partners. Making a physical difference is vital to bring this comfort in Nepal, but we must never underestimate the importance of prayer. Let us continue to pray asking God to transform situations of pain, trauma and hopelessness – for it is God’s power which brings true comfort.

Bob ChambersChief Executive, Feba UK

ContentsReflection 3

Worldwide 4

Burundi 5

Nepal 6

India 8

Yemen 9

Reflection 10

Northeast Africa 11

Iraq 12

Tibet 14

Mozambique 15

*Names changed throughout for security reasons

This edition of Prayer Diary only features Prayer topics for September and October. We will be making a couple of changes to the next issue of Voice and Prayer Diary, meaning we will also move when we send them, and which months they cover. The next Prayer Diary will be sent in late October and include prayer topics for November, December and January. Thank you for your continued prayer support, you are making a real difference by partnering with Feba in this way.


3Feba UK

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousnessThirst is a powerful sensation. When you’re really thirsty, it’s difficult to think about anything other than getting a drink. What an image of longing after an understanding of God and a relationship with him. People the world over are searching for truth and meaning – thirsting for an encounter with God. And God is meeting them. Just ask Adil*, a worker with the Yemen Project, who had the privilege of introducing a listener to Jesus. This man was searching frantically for answers about who God is, and God met him in his search. (See p4 of voice for the full story.)

We have Jesus’ promise that anyone who is truly searching will find – that anyone who is thirsty will be satisfied. It’s fantastic to see how Jesus uses radio to fulfil that promise. Our partners find that radio allows conversation, builds relationships and enables people to explore faith in a safe environment – without fear of reprisal. Through radio, people can hear the gospel who might otherwise never get the chance, as they do in northeast Africa. Female listeners in the Arabian Peninsula can ask questions about the Christian faith to people who know Jesus. And spiritual seekers in Yemen, threatened with persecution if they convert, can find friendship and encouragement through our partner’s programmes.

Jesus is true to his word: he satisfies those who thirst for him. How great it is that we can be lifted by a wonderful story of how he has done that through our partners’ work.

Tim Hollingdale is Support Development Director at Feba UK

Reflection

‘“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”’ Matthew 5:6 (NIV)

Thank you for praying for Afno FM and their involvement in the rebuilding of lives and communities in Nepal, following April’s earthquakes. The country still needs a great deal of help and support, but Afno FM’s work is making a tangible difference. Please continue to pray.


4 Autumn 2015

Worldwide September 1 - 5

We begin these two months of prayer with a range of prayer points from our partners all over the world.

Tuesday:Central Asia: Praise God for the follow-up worker, who is responding to the needs of medium wave listeners in this region. Give thanks for the very encouraging conversations that they are having and pray that God will give wisdom to the worker, so that they can easily identify ‘people of peace’.

Wednesday:DR Congo: Pray for a feasibility study being conducted in the east of the country, with a view to setting up a community-centred radio station. Ask that wisdom will come from the study as to whether the project should go ahead and, if so, what form it should take.

Thursday:Arab women: Please pray for the security of the team, their families and their audience. Pray that a USA-based volunteer would come forward to be the

project’s finance manager and raise funds to support the project sustainably. With a view to future growth, *Mara, and her team also hope to recruit a younger person to train then gradually take on project leadership.

Friday:Pakistan: Pray for the FM Expansion team at Feba Pakistan as they finalise their project plans for the next financial year. Pray that God would give insight to the project leader as he seeks to discern in which communities God is at work and the next steps for the project.

Saturday:Zimbabwe: Give thanks for the completion of the studio at Karanda Mission Hospital. The studio is now fully equipped and ready for broadcasts to patients at the hospital. Pray for the chaplaincy team who have received training in radio production ahead of the station going live.

Please pray


5Feba UK

Christian Initiative for PeaceA group of Christian organisations in Burundi are working together to promote peace and reconciliation, in response to the current political instability. This is vital in a nation which has seen extreme ethnic violence in its recent history. A key strand of this work is Radio Amahoro, which is broadcasting messages of peace on several radio stations.

Sunday:The situation in Burundi remains incredibly tense as the president tries to hold onto power for a third term in office, and those wanting him to step down move from more peaceful demonstrations to an increasingly violent response. Please pray that peace and dialogue will prevail.

Monday:Across the country, business, education and health services are in disarray and the food supply has virtually broken down. People are starving because of the lack of food and many are fleeing over the borders to Tanzania, Rwanda and DR Congo. Pray for food supplies, essential services and a sense of order to be restored.

Tuesday:Pray for Radio Amahoro’s messages of peace and reconciliation, being broadcast to listeners all over Burundi. Give thanks for the response from church leaders in particular, which suggests the programmes are helping them and acting as a powerful positive influence.

Wednesday:Pray that food distribution by Christian Initiative for Peace reaches the people who most need it and adds credence to Radio Amahoro’s message.

Thursday:CIP’s other activities include youth conferences, meetings for pastors, mediation between political activists, and TV broadcasts. Pray that these areas of work will be effective in diffusing tensions between different ethnic and political groups.

Friday:Give thanks for the courage of CIP’s workers and pray for God to use their ministry to bring a lasting peace in Burundi.

Saturday:Pray for the international community to take greater and more strategic action in helping Burundi through the current crisis.

Please pray

Burundi September 6 - 12


6 Autumn 2015

Rebuilding and restorationFollowing April’s earthquakes, Nepal is still in an extremely difficult situation. Afno FM, our partner that in the country, was also affected by the quakes, with one of its two studios badly damaged. In spite of this, the station’s staff are determined to help local communities recover, as well as rebuilding their own studio.

Sunday: Please continue to pray for the citizens of Nepal as they attempt to rebuild their lives following April’s devastating earthquakes. Monday:Pray for the people worst affected in heart, body and spirit; that they would be healed by the power of God and find his blessing as they try to recover and move on. Tuesday:Please continue to pray for the Afno FM station in Okhaldhunga, in the east of Nepal, as they try to bring hope and show God’s love to their troubled community.

Wednesday:Pray for the Okhaldhunga studio rebuild, that the weather conditions will be favorable, and for straightforward legal processes. Give thanks for the land

previously donated by a supporter of Afno FM, and for the commitment of the local community to ensure that Afno FM stays on air.

Thursday:Some vital pieces of Afno FM’s radio equipment were damaged in the earthquakes. Please pray for the funds and expertise to be available to fix or replace this equipment.

Friday:Pray for Vijay, Afno FM’s project coordinator. Ask God to inspire and energise Vijay as he seeks to lead his team and bring change to Nepal in incredibly difficult circumstances.

Saturday:Pray that Nepal will find hope in the gospel after a traumatic few months. The country faces a long process of recovery, but we believe ‘all things are possible with God’ (Mark 10:27).

Please pray

Nepal September 13 - 19


7Feba UK

‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield;the Lord bestows favour and honour;no good thing does he withholdfrom those whose way of life is blameless.’

Psalm 84:11


8 Autumn 2015

A broad and diverse ministryOur partner, Feba India delivers a wide range of projects, based all over the country. This week, we will pray for several of these areas of work.

Sunday: Praise God that Feba India was able to organise a successful media-training course in Karnal, in Haryana state. There were 28 participants eager to learn, most of whom show promise in programme production. Pray that these talents can be used well.

Monday:Pray for the teams involved in programming; for the ability to produce relevant and effective programmes for their target audiences. Ask God to give the team leaders and member’s wisdom, strength and joy as they move forward with their work, and pray for many lives to be changed.

Tuesday:Give thanks for Hamari Beriyan’s work in empowering women and addressing issues which matter to them. Pray that more vulnerable women will be reached through this work.

Wednesday:Feba India are broadcasting in West Bengal to take on the issue of young women being trafficked into the sex trade. The broadcasts aim to bring hope to women already in the industry, and

ultimately to play a part in women exiting the sex trade altogether. Pray for God’s favour on this project.

Thursday:Udaan is aimed at young men, with programming on the issues most relevant to them. Pray that through this project, attitudes will change towards Christianity and listeners will become receptive to the gospel.

Friday:One of Feba India’s dreams is to support the establishment of local community radio stations. The regulatory environment in India makes it a long, drawn out process to get permission to broadcast. They have two partners, who been held waiting at the final stage for some time. Pray that they will soon overcome the final hurdle and so they can be a blessing in their respective communities.

Saturday:Please pray for Pastor Benjamin, Feba India’s National Director. Pray for vision, discernment and strong relationships with his staff as he oversees Feba India’s broad and diverse ministry.

Please pray

India September 20 - 26


9Feba UK

Yemen September 27 - October 3

Hope amidst fearThe Yemen Project broadcasts into Yemen from outside, bringing godly hope to people living in fear. The current conflict is making day-to-day life precarious for a great many people, but our partner is persevering in sharing a Christian message and encouraging persecuted believers.

Sunday:Pray that the recently-reported outbreaks of Dengue fever will be controlled and that medication will reach those who most need it.

Monday:Continue to pray for peace for Yemen. Pray for the shelling and bombing to stop and for Yemen’s leaders to reach a peace agreement with the Arab coalition.

Tuesday:Give thanks for the weekly live programme with user phone-in, giving listeners opportunities to share their reactions to the developing situation. Thank God for the encouraging response to these shows from listeners living in-country.

Wednesday:Pray for the communities of believers in Yemen, that God will protect them from both persecution and bombings. Pray

also that through their courage and faithful witness, many people will come to know Jesus.

Thursday:Continue to pray for our contacts on social media. Thank God for these opportunities for our partner to develop relationships with listeners, and pray he will speak through these conversations.

Friday:Praise God for *Hassan’s testimony (see voice p4), and for others who are encountering God through the Yemen Project.

Saturday:Give thanks that, despite the conflict, the team is continuing to produce drama programmes that tackle everyday issues that are relevant to all Yemeni people. This is especially important at a time when they are looking for hope and a way forward to recovery as a nation.

Please pray


10 Autumn 2015

Blessed are the peacemakers

‘“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”’ Matthew 5:9 (NIV)

Making peace is a tricky business, as anyone who’s ever tried to break up a fight in a playground will tell you. I often find myself having to act as peacemaker between my two young sons, especially at the end of the day, when they’re tired and short-tempered. After trying to calm down two squabbling children, I occasionally suggest to my wife that I should become an international diplomat.

Joking aside, I can’t begin to imagine what it must take to broker peace between two nations or ethnic groups who are sworn enemies. When enemies take steps towards understanding and reconciliation, even when it’s just a matter of baby steps, it’s a beautiful thing.

It’s a crucial thing, too. In Burundi, controversy over the presidential election has escalated and lead to unrest and violence on the streets. In this context, the Christian Initiative for Peace has been doing highly sensitive and enormously important work. The team understand both the culture around them and the Christian imperative to live at peace and foster peace in the world around them. It would be no exaggeration to say lives have been saved as a result of their peace-building radio broadcasts.

When I see work like this being done, I can only applaud those who are responsible and hope they receive the reward Jesus promises to peacemakers.

Simeon Whiting is a freelance writer and is editing this edition of the prayer diary.

Reflection


11Feba UK

Secret believersNorth east Africa is a very challenging environment in which to share the good news. Those known to be Christians are often persecuted very harshly, so many of our partner’s must keep their identities a secret. But even in this setting, our partner is very effective in broadcasting Christian content, alongside input on practical and social issues.

Sunday:Thank God for *Dawit, the coordinator of Feba’s work in the Horn of Africa. Pray that as Dawit works to send out the word of God on radio and via the website, it will bring salvation and change in the lives of the listeners.

Monday:Pray that God will provide for the team’s needs, as they make broadcasts in various languages. Many resources are needed to make these broadcasts possible.

Tuesday:Pray for unreached people in the Horn of Africa: 85% of people live in remote rural areas and more than 70% are oral communicators. Pray that God will use radio to open their hearts and minds to the gospel.

Wednesday:Give thanks for the new media centre in the Horn of Africa. Pray that our partner

and their partner’s in turn, will be able to use it to share the good news with unreached people.

Thursday:In many countries in this region, Christians face severe persecution if their faith is discovered. Pray for the security of our partner’s workers.

Friday:Pray for our partner’s health programming. Pray that their broadcasts will continue to reach remote communities and have an impact on these communities’ health and wellbeing.

Saturday:Pray for *Dawit, who will be exploring the possibility of a new youth project. This would be an FM radio project that would reach urban youth. Please pray for wisdom and discernment and that the right way forward will become clear.

Please pray

North east Africa October 4 - 10


12 Autumn 2015

Reason for optimismThe group calling itself Islamic State still holds sway over significant areas of Iraq, making the situation very worrying for our partner’s staff and many other citizens. There is reason for optimism, though. Iraq FM ‘s listeners continue to engage with the team and say how much they value their work. We also have a new Iraqi partner who will strengthen our impact in Iraq.

Sunday: We recently met some of the Iraq FM staff at a retreat in Lebanon. Give thanks for good conversations and pray that the team will be encouraged and refreshed by their time away from home.

Monday:Thank God for opportunities now coming to fruition to partner with other local radio stations. Give thanks in particular for the radio station in the north of the country, which has just completed a partnership agreement. Tuesday:Give thanks, too, for Iraq FM’s successful move to a new location, and for the provision of a generator to meet their power requirements and those of the other station with whom they share a building. Wednesday:Pray for solutions to any technical issues. The antenna system needs to be optimised, in cooperation with the tower

owners, to increase Iraq FM’s reach. This could be technically difficult, and needs the help of Feba UK staff, using Skype, as a visit to the country is not possible.

Thursday:Pray for peace and justice in Anbar province, which has recently seen fierce fighting between IS militants and government forces. The situation in this region has a direct bearing on the security of our partner’s staff.

Friday:Pray for the safety of Iraq FM’s staff in an environment which can still be precarious and very unsettled. Ask God to make the team’s work fruitful as they put serving him before their own security.

Saturday:Give thanks for the positive reception Iraq FM gains from Muslim listeners, and for the affirming relationships being developed between Christians and Muslims as a result.

Please pray

Iraq October 11 - 17


13Feba UK

‘“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”’

Exodus 34:6-7 Mountains in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq


14 Autumn 2015

GaweylonGaweylon (‘Good news’) is Feba’s Tibetan partner, broadcasting to Tibetan-speakers in India, Nepal and Bhutan. Their station reaches listeners a long distance away, but also has an impact on the local community in which it is based.

Sunday:Give thanks for Johnny Fraser’s positive visit to Gaweylon in June and meeting with Anil, (the Director) and his team. Pray that this will contribute towards greater understanding between Feba and Gaweylon.

Monday:The station team need more Tibetan believers to help with programme production. Please pray for God to call specific people to this task and for those God has chosen to step forward.

TuesdayPray for the programmes in health and education, aimed at supporting Tibetan refugees in India and surrounding countries. Give thanks that local health professionals are asking for more Tibetan language material from Gaweylon and are encouraging people to listen to the radio programmes.

Wednesday:Gaweylon is celebrating its Silver

Jubilee in November 2015, having been operating for 25 years. Join with the team in giving thanks to God for this, and pray for their future plans as they seek God’s kingdom in Tibetan communities across south Asia.

Thursday:Give thanks for the station’s work experience volunteers. Pray that the volunteers’ work with Gaweylon will make an impact on them and the wider community.

Friday:Pray for more listeners in India, Nepal and Bhutan to hear the good news through Gaweylon and respond to what they hear.

Saturday:Give thanks for Gaweylon’s work in their local community. Many local people listen to the station’s broadcasts and value its work, even if they themselves are not Christians.

Please pray

Tibet October 18 - 24


15Feba UK

Celebration and challengeRadio Wimbe, our partner in Mozambique, has just moved into a new studio facility. This is a real cause for celebration, and we should thank God for it. At the same time, the station is handling a few challenges, and we will pray for God’s intervention in these issues.

Sunday: Radio Wimbe has recently been able move out of a rented apartment and into a new studio on the land purchased for this purpose several years back. Give thanks for this land and pray the move will enable future growth for the station. Monday:Pray for the practicalities of the new studio; that teething troubles with the electrical supply will soon be resolved, and that the newly-installed broadcasting equipment will prove effective. Tuesday:Radio Wimbe is experiencing some upheavals. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for Narciso, the project coordinator, as he leads his team through these challenges.

Wednesday:There are currently vacancies for some key roles on Radio Wimbe’s board. Pray these roles will be filled by the right people.

Thursday:A local man, experienced in organisational governance, has offered to train the station’s trustees in this area. Give thanks for this offer and pray it will prove valuable to the trustees and to Radio Wimbe’s ministry.

Friday:Radio Wimbe continues to bring the community together and support people in difficulty. When a Muslim man lost his house in a fire, many Radio Wimbe listeners made offers to help him and rebuild his house. Give thanks for this practical demonstration of God’s love.

Saturday:Pray for Radio Wimbe’s involvement in environmental issues, especially in the promotion of flood defences for Pemba. Pray that this work will make a difference and result in many more homes being protected from future floods.

Please pray

Mozambique October 25 - 31


16 Autumn 2015

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Prayer diary autumn 2015