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Helping you prayer for the needs of people around the world. Prayer points provided by Christian organisations.
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27. Brazil
At the end of August, the Kaiwá people of Brazil
celebrated the launch of the complete Kaiwá
Bible. It’s been 27 years since the New
Testament was completed. But it’s still not the
end. Pray that the Kaiwá people wouldn’t just
celebrate the Bible, but would continue to be
transformed in their ‘innermost’ by the word.
Also give thanks that after recent difficulties,
training at the Kaiwá Bible Institute has now
resumed. Pray for the new director. Although
he’s not a Kaiwá speaker, he’s convinced that
the Kaiwá people need to use the Scriptures in
their own language, not Portuguese, which
many don’t really understand. 80% of students
this year are Kaiwá which is greatly significant!
(Wycliffe Bible Translators).
28. Honduras
Most parents in Honduras desire the best
education for their children. Unfortunately, those
who do not make much money are unable to
pay for school supplies and fees, and often
need their children to help with chores around
the house or send them out to find jobs.
According to Honduras’ National Statistics
Institute, only 5.3% of the population has
reached undergraduate education. For the
majority of children who drop out of school,
opportunities become more and more limited.
Pray for the ministry of a girls’ home, within our
Honduras network, that is working hard to
address this issue by giving the girls support for
their education, the opportunity to gain work
experience and life skills lessons. (Viva)
29. Guatemala
La Linea (The Line) is in Zone One of
Guatemala City where a railway line used to be.
Now it is abandoned, along with all the trains,
and filled with dirt and just some metal in the
road. The purpose of La Linea is no longer
trains, but prostitution. It is estimated that at
least 300 woman ‘work’ there. In other parts of
Zone One groups of men live in very poor
conditions spending most of their time drinking
and fighting. Teams of Christians are working
with both groups of people - pray that those
living in such difficult situations would
experience the love of Christ. (YWAM)
30. Peru
Many people from the High Sierra or from some
of the new shanty developments on the coast
can only dream of a holiday. Valle Azul (Blue
Valley), which opened in November 2007, is a
place where families can get a break, at very
little cost, and enjoy Christian fellowship and
great fun. The site covers an area of 20,000
square meters and includes sports facilities,
accommodation for 120 people, dining facilities
to cater for over 300 people and conference
rooms for the varying needs of visiting groups.
Valle Azul welcomes a range of groups
throughout the year as well as hosting Camps
during the summer months. Pray that the centre
can continue to fulfill its vision by ‘sharing Christ
with compassion’. (Baptist Missions, Ireland)
31. Nicaragua
The Peace and Hope Trust work by making
direct investment into community projects,
schools, clinics, hurricane shelters etc. In
response to an increasingly desperate need for
the most basic of housing in the rubbish tip and
rock breaking communities, they are now
funding the piloting a new building module
based on bamboo, which can be erected
quickly and economically by local staff. The aim
is for priority to be assessed within the
community according to need, and that over
time many of these shacks can be replaced by
something much more durable. Please pray for
the pilot project currently underway and also for
funding to become available and help expand
this new initiative. (Peace and Hope)
September - October 2013
Vol 58 No 5 Editor: Paul Tuckwell Hon. Editor: Martin Lee
The annual cost including postage for copies sent to the same address:
One copy per issue £5.00 UK only £8.00 Europe £12.00 Rest of world
All subscriptions should be addressed to: Global Connections, Caswell Road, Leamington Spa, CV31 1QD Telephone: 01926 487755 Email: [email protected]
Registered in England & Wales as Evangelical Mission Association. Company number 3886596. Charity number 1081966
A few thoughts based on 'be... alert to be able
to pray' (1 Peter 4:7, Colossians 4:2,
Ephesians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 5:17)
Alert as preparedness, ready for anything:
Jesus' example shows us that this is
produced through deep intimacy with God,
which is nurtured particularly in silence and
solitude. Jesus drew apart alone to pray and
instructed his disciples to do likewise. Being in
close relationship with God, we are prepared
in any circumstance.
Alert as vigilant attentiveness: This
encompasses listening, observing and
thinking; to God, and with God to each person
we interact with, our environment and society,
and also ourselves. Again Jesus is our
example - his perceptive listening (the rich
young ruler, the woman at the well); use of
local culture and environment in his teaching
and parables ('look at the birds'... a sower
went out to sow...); deep understanding of
issues of justice, law, health; sensitivity (when
the woman touched his garment); awareness
and expression in prayer of his own emotion
and struggle in Gethsemane.
Alert as energised, responsive: Having
been vigilantly attentive and prepared, it is
then more possible, with God's constant
presence to respond and act with wisdom and
relevance. Jesus is the greatest at this! Look at
his insight beyond the spoken words when he
interacts with the people above, and in his
responses to many trick questions about issues
of the day.
Always: Jesus states "...you will realise that I
am in my Father and you are in me, and I am in
you" (John 14:20) What an intimate relationship
he offers. Let us be alert to his constant
presence every moment of our lives; at work, at
home, in the community; in the mundane and
the sacred; in trouble and in joy.....
Alert and always with Jesus: When I wander
up my street and am surprised by a burst of joy
as I see a laughing child bouncing with glee on
her Daddy's shoulders. Our joy, Jesus' and
mine because we're together.
When at the office I sense the acute
defensiveness of a colleague during a
discussion. An insight of fear and anger lying
behind this reaction. This given by the Holy
Spirit as we listen together.
When busy with the mundane task of making up
beds for guests, the blessing on these his
children because Jesus is here too.
What’s your story?
Karen Warne
The Leprosy Mission International
Alert Always 22. Thailand
For the past two years, people who are active in
Business as Missions projects have been
engaged in a ‘think tank’ exploring their role in
church planting, trafficking prevention and
restoration, community development, and many
other applications. In April 550 of these
gathered in Chiang Mai for an historic Global
Congress. Once perceived as solely a vehicle
to remain in difficult countries, it is now
recognised that business plays a vital role in
self-sustaining job creation, promotion of family,
and modelling Godly integrity in business. Ask
the Lord to raise up voices for high moral
standards and well-thought-out development
practice through these Asians called to use their
business giftings for His Glory. (YWAM)
23. Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the few remaining Communist
countries today. We receive regular stories of
surveillance of Christians, restrictions, arrests
and imprisonment. Paradoxically, the churches
are growing - both those registered and
unregistered, and especially so in rural and
mountain regions. There is much to thank the
Lord for. It is also interesting to note that the
government has permitted increased numbers
of Bibles in Vietnamese and in some of the
100+ other languages used today. Pray for our
partners who are using this currently open door
to print and distribute in as many places as they
can. (AsiaLink)
24. Cambodia
For many older Cambodians the emotional
scars from the Khmer Rouge regime remain.
Urban families were often separated during the
forced move to the countryside and never
discovered whether relatives were alive or
dead. A reality TV programme, It’s Not a
Dream, has been running in Cambodia which
reunites long-lost family members in front of a
live TV audience. Some will find the format
distasteful but the producers believe the show
can play a small role in bringing people
together. Pray that old wounds will be healed
and for the churches as they play their part in
rebuilding the nation. (OMF)
25. Japan
The pursuit of comfort and security in work,
reputation, wealth or possessions is the day-to-
day religion of many Japanese, especially in
urban areas. Yet there is also much fear for the
future with long-term economic problems,
ongoing concern over the effects of nuclear
radiation and the possibility of more big
earthquakes. Pray that materialism’s emptiness
will become apparent and many will seek true
meaning. Pray that churches will equip
believers to be bold witnesses in the workplace
living in the light of eternity. Pray that the
glorious riches available in Christ will be of
greater desirability to those who don't yet know
him and that those governed by fear will be
driven to seek the truth of the gospel and
experience God's perfect love which drives out
all fear. (Japan Christian Link)
26. Australia
On 1st July, 350 teens and leaders poured into
the University of Queensland, Australia, for five
days of fun and discipleship at TeenStreet
Australia. With the aim of growing and
deepening their relationship with Jesus,
Australian teenagers looked at what it means to
be holy and victorious in Christ. They also had
the opportunity to be ‘Jesus' hands and feet’ in
the local community by showing His love in
practical ways. 250 teens and leaders visited
nursing homes, painted houses and did
gardening, cleaning, prayer walks and barbecue
outreaches. Many teens and leaders shared
that they had been stretched in their faith and
positive responses were received from the
community. (OM)
16. Bahrain
The island of Bahrain is the most open country
in the Gulf region. Give thanks that many of the
expatriate churches are now catching the vision
of making disciples. There is a renewed
devotion for prayer and witnessing in Bahrain.
Encouragingly, there is also an increasing
hunger for the Word of God and a willingness to
hear the hope of the gospel. May the Lord work
among Bahraini believers desperate for more of
Him. May He build up His Church to be a united
and powerful voice in this divided land. (AWM)
17. Egypt
So far many hundreds of people have been
killed in violent clashes between security forces
and the Muslim Brotherhood. Please pray for an
end to the violence and the re-establishment of
effective rule of law and order. Pray too that
Egypt will be governed for the benefit of all its
citizens, with people of different persuasions
able to live alongside one another peaceably.
Finally pray for Egyptian Christians to play an
increasingly prominent and effective role in
addressing the needs of all Egyptians and
helping to bring healing and reconciliation in the
country. (SAT-7 Trust)
18. Mauritania
The Church in Mauritania needs your prayers.
Worshipping groups are often infiltrated by
those who would try and destroy the Church.
Believers need to be able to trust one another.
Pray for the Church to grow in depth,
discernment and maturity. As a new wave of
workers arrives in Mauritania, pray for the Lord
to enable them to build healthy and sustainable
patterns of ministry. May the Spirit give workers
wisdom to live in a challenging context, and
courage to speak for Christ when opportunities
arise. May issues related to finances and
projects not cause conflict between believers,
as it has in the past. (AWM)
19. Sudan
It is two years since South Sudan voted to
become independent from the north, yet
tensions remain high, particularly in the border
regions. Pray for the negotiations between the
two states, and ask God to turn the hearts of
the leaders towards reconciliation. Following the
government’s crackdown on churches in
December 2012, several mission agencies and
churches in Khartoum have been shut down.
Pray for unity, boldness and wisdom for
Christian leaders, and ask God to provide for
those who have lost their jobs. (Open Doors)
20. Syria
Nearly 2 million Syrian refugees are struggling
to build their lives after escaping their
homeland’s bloody conflict. Pray for our
partners in Jordan and Lebanon who are
working to help these refugees. Over the winter
they provided blankets, mattresses and wood-
burning stoves, alongside help with
accommodation, and over the summer they've
been doing food distributions. Many churches
are playing an active role providing food,
hygiene packages as well as bedding. A worker
who recently visited the region, said, “Local
churches are visiting refugees, seeking to help
meet their needs and loving them – we saw
some wonderful examples of church being
church.” (Tearfund)
21. Libya
Praise God that there are many more teams
serving in Libya now than there have been for
decades. The unprecedented surge of workers
in this North African country is resulting in more
gospel conversations with nationals. Please
pray for a great harvest in Libya in the midst of
their current difficulties. Pray too, for God to
sustain and equip believers as they minister to
hurting people. May God build his Church as
the people rebuild their nation. (AWM)
1. Pakistan (1)
According to Pakistan’s National Disaster
Management Authority, severe monsoon floods
during August affected around 330,000 people
in 770 villages, left more than 100 dead and
destroyed 2,400 homes. Punjab was the worst
affected province, with hundreds of villages
being inundated by the flood waters. Food and
water purification supplies are being distributed
by Tearfund partners in two of the worst
affected provinces. With existing clean water
sources, such as boreholes, damaged by the
floods, water purification tablets are vital to
prevent people drinking from unsafe supplies
and therefore being exposed to waterborne
diseases. Please pray for these relief efforts
and for people rebuilding their lives after the
loss of loved ones, homes, crops or livelihoods.
(Tearfund)
2. India (1)
Persecution in India is increasing - particularly
for independent churches in rural areas. It
includes physical assault, attacks on churches
and Christian property, and harassment of
Christian workers and missionaries. The sharp
rise in the number of attacks on Christians over
the last 15 years has paralleled the rise of
Hindutva extremism. Pray that the church will
not be fearful: pray rather that it will be refined
and strengthened by persecution. (Release Int.)
3. Bangladesh
Give thanks for the only reconstructive referral
centre in Bangladesh: the Danish-Bangladesh
Leprosy Mission hospital which provides
specialist leprosy treatment and general
medical services for people affected by leprosy.
Their emphasis is on supporting children,
women and the ultra-poor. An ophthalmologist
goes to the hospital every week to treat eye
conditions and regular surgical camps also take
place. Pray that, in a male dominated society,
where women are particularly vulnerable, they
will come forward for treatment and not feel
marginalised and lonely. (The Leprosy Mission)
4. India (2)
Following devastating flash floods and
landslides in the northern state of Uttarakhand
during August, there are concerns that children
in the region will be more vulnerable to
trafficking. With thousands of families facing an
uncertain future, opportunistic traffickers, often
a distant relative, offer to temporarily take the
child to the city to find work. Out of desperation,
families accept the offer, without realising that
their child - some as young as six years old -
will be sold into the sex industry or into child
labour. Please pray for these vulnerable
families and for safety for their children.
(Tearfund)
5. Pakistan (2)
Three Christians in Gojra have been
imprisoned, accused of sending blasphemous
texts. Tensions are high in the Punjab
community where a blasphemy row sparked
violence in August 2009 which left eight
Christians dead and many homes destroyed.
On 13th July Sajjad Masih Gill, 29, was
sentenced to life imprisonment. Shafqat Masih
and Shagufta Bibi, a couple with four young
children, have been held in jail since their
arrest. Police claimed that local hardliners were
demanding the death sentence for the couple.
Pray that God will be close to Sajjad, Shafqat,
Shagufta and their families and that all three will
be released soon. Pray for peace for Christians
in Gojra: ask God to protect and strengthen
them. Pray for wisdom for local officials dealing
with these cases and that they will do nothing to
inflame the situation further. (Release
International)
11. Democratic Republic of Congo
Christian men go into the forest to hunt game or
to tend their traps. Before starting they recite
words that call upon their ancestors to provide
plenty of food for them. They believe the spirits
of their ancestors live in the forest and can give
them good luck in their hunt. Though they claim
they are Christians, they hold onto these
practices and pass them on. To address this
issue a Pastor has prepared a seminar on the
topic of ‘Culture and the Bible: What should we
obey?’ Let's pray for the Christians, that they
would know how to live Biblically in their cultural
context. (WEC International)
12. Lesotho
Lesotho - ‘the Kingdom in the Sky’ - is a small,
mountainous country, surrounded by South
Africa. Basotho shepherds are a socially
rejected, unreached and semi-nomadic group of
men and boys, living high in the mountains. A
chief shepherd shared: “I’ve heard of
missionaries going to my home village, but I
have always felt left out. But now, you’re coming
to us, we are very happy!”. AIM is placing a
team amongst these shepherds. Pray for young
men willing to endure these extreme conditions.
Praise God for the shepherds’ eagerness to
share their lives with the team. Pray that their
hearts are prepared to hear the gospel. In two
years, trusting that the fields are ‘ripe for
harvest’, we aim to plant a church! (AIM Int.)
13. Gambia
For many years, work has been going on to
translate the Mandinka Bible. The New
Testament has been in use for a long time now,
but finally the whole Bible has been completed.
A dedication ceremony was held at the end of
July for the Mandinka Bible. It was a time of
celebration. Pray that many Mandinka speakers
will take up the Bible in their own language, read
it, and respond to the Good News. “For the word
of God is living and active. Sharper than any
double-edged sword, it penetrates even to
dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it
judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 (WEC International)
14. Mozambique
The Mwani people live on the north coast of
Mozambique. Influenced by sea-faring Arab
merchants centuries ago, the culture is defined
through fishing and folk Islam. Children go to
Madrassa schools. They memorize and can
recite the Koran, but they don’t understand its
meaning. Most Mwani are illiterate and speak
only a bit of Portuguese. ‘Radio Nuru’ is a
Christian FM radio station in the Kimwani
language, well-known and loved in many Mwani
villages. The Koti were an unreached people
group, violently resistant to the gospel. Since
2003, thousands have come to Christ and Koti
missionaries are now reaching the Mwani.
While Radio Nuru broadcasts the truth about
Jesus, the Koti extend the work and sit with the
Mwani under the trees, answer questions and
give explanations! (AIM International)
15. Burkina Faso
Like most people in the Burkina Faso village of
Pissila, Samuel and his family rely on the land
for their food. Droughts are always dreaded but
the villagers have a back-up when the rains fail
- the community grain bank. Last year Samuel
was able to buy millet from the grain bank
(supported by CREDO) at a reduced rate to
help his family through a lean patch when food
was in short supply. The grain bank buys food
in advance in the years when crop production is
low so people don’t have to leave to find work
or find food. Furthermore, if someone is running
out of food they can come and ask to buy food
on credit. As rain patterns change and harvests
become increasingly vulnerable, give thanks for
this vital ministry. (Tearfund)
6. Belgium
The Roman Catholic Church has deep roots in
Belgium - consequently many Belgians are not
unfamiliar with God. Sadly enough, many miss
the heart of the message of the gospel, which
can be noticed by the exodus taking place from
many established churches. Scandals within the
Roman Catholic Church caused many Belgians
to resign from their membership to the church.
Belgium needs the gospel. Pray for the building
of loving communities, which transcend the
message of the gospel to the many people who
live without God. A beautiful example of such a
community is the Arabic Church in Brussels.
(European Christian Mission)
7. Spain
Each year over 40 million tourists enjoy Spain’s
hot sun and sandy beaches. But their cameras
do not catch the bleak spiritual landscape that
looms just beyond the romance, vistas and
castles. Some 8,000 towns and scores of large
city neighbourhoods still languish without an
evangelical church and scarcely a single
believer. The evangelical church is small,
struggling, often inward looking, and sometimes
divided. Many Spanish Christians are reluctant
to take up positions of leadership and
responsibility. Nevertheless, amongst the
people of Spain there is an apparent hunger for
spiritual reality and a willingness to consider the
gospel. Pray for churches in Spain to embrace
their role as salt and light in their nation and to
boldly bear witness to the transforming power of
the gospel of Christ. (WEC International)
8. Austria
An Austrian is no longer automatically a Roman
Catholic - that time has passed. More and more
Austrians resign from their church membership
and search for happiness in their new found
wealth, different forms of 'new spirituality' and
occultism. Young people, especially, are
seriously searching for fulfillment in their lives.
Pray for a fresh appreciation of the relevance of
the gospel, that through church planting, church
development and youth work, the missionaries
try to show the invaluable worth of a life with
Christ. (ECM)
9. France
Millions of people from Northern and Western
Africa have migrated to France in recent years.
Some progressively migrate as communities
(men coming first, women following), and the
African town may replicate itself on French soil.
In other cases, individuals migrate and find
themselves in mixed communities of African
migrants. For them, tribal identity may be
replaced by a strengthened allegiance to Islam.
Pray for all of these to have loving witnesses of
"Isa al Masih"- Jesus the Messiah, and inclusive
fellowships which can become new families to
them. (YWAM)
10. Germany
In eastern Germany, communism and, after
that, economic difficulties, have left deep marks
in the spiritual lives of the people. The Christian
faith has been pushed to the margins of society.
Many people don't know what the gospel is all
about, oblivious to its message of hope. In the
southwest of the country there are a large
number of refugees, with several religious
backgrounds, trying to build new lives. Pray that
while supporting them in tackling the difficulties
in their lives, we will help them to find a new life
in the gospel that transcends all cultural
differences. Our desire is that they will be a
shining light, not only for their community, but
also for the Germans. (ECM)