May 18, 2010

Answered prayers among the RuJohn...

Dear prayer partners for the PB peoples, your prayers are being heard and answered by our Father. The Father is calling the RuJohn people to Himself. Recently a RuJohn family has believed. Praise the Lord. Please continue to ask the Lord of the Harvest to call out and save MANY more RuJohn people. Pray for these new believers as they will be discipled and asked to boldly live out their new faith as followers of Christ.


New workers in our PB fields...

This last week six national students, from a Bible school several hours away, arrived to begin working with our local programs and sharing the Gospel with our PB peoples. Please pray for these six, four young men and two young women. Pray they will be BOLD in their sharing the Gospel with the PB peoples. Please pray they will be blessed by our PB team as we seek to encourage, challenge, and bless these six as they serve our PB peoples.



Lastly

Thank you for your patience with me as I have been posting prayer requests and updates very irregularly. I am thankful and blesses to share with you that our baby girl has been born. Though i trying pregnancy, she is here, healthy, and growing. Thank you for your patience. While I may be irregular in our postings, please don't let that hinder your from going to the Father in prayer for our PB peoples. To God be the glory for NEW LIFE, both in the form of babies and salvation.

PR - March 2010

An answer to prayer...

In November 2009, we asked you to pray for Mr. J. A man who wanted to believe in Jesus yet was, at the time, unwilling to give up his power objects and completely follow after Christ. Praise the Lord, after months Mr. J has decided he wants to whole-heartedly follow Christ. He was even baptized a few days ago. Praise the Lord. Please pray for wisdom for the men who will be discipling Mr. J. And pray for Mr. J that he will have a willing and eager heart to learn about God. As it seems God has radically saved him, please pray that the Lord God will radically USE him for God's Glory among the PB peoples.

Mr. J's neighbors...

Praise the Lord, He is at work in Mr. J's life AND NEIGHBORS! There are three of Mr. J's neighbors who have recently heard and are hearing the Gospel and are open to hearing more. One of Mr. J's neighbors is from another people group (outside of our PB peoples) who is known to be difficult to reach... This neighbor, Mrs. Sammy is interested and wants to hear more about the Gospel. A second neighbor, Mr. Tuk is also interested and longing to hear more of the Gospel. And lastly is an Islamic teacher from their local mosque also has been and is being shared with and yes even he desires to hear and know more about Jesus Christ! Please pray for these three neighbors of Mr. J. Pray that as God has radically saved Mr. J, He will do the same for all three of these neighbors. Pray as Mr. J and others share with these three neighbors that God will speak through them boldly and clearly and that He will bring these three into His Kingdom. And furthermore.... that this would have an amazing impact on the rest of their community. Pray that more and more lost PB peoples in this one neighborhood would be drawn by God into His Kingdom and they would be known as followers of Christ!

And among the RuJohn...

Please pray for three specific people that are being intentionally shared with: Fuld - a community leader, Julk - a store owner, and Yarmi. Some of our national partners are spending much time with these three and sharing the Gospel with them. Please pray that God will open their hearts and save them.

And among the Lembox...

In a poor and poorly educated village, a new English ministry has started. Please pray for a friend, Mrs. Regina as she volunteers in teaching and tutoring in the village. Pray for Regina that God will use her in mighty ways for His Glory among the Lembox and that MANY from this village would come to know and follow Christ!

Are you excited in reading these requests? I sure am excited to share them with you as it is obvious that God is at work. He is calling and drawing PB peoples and beyond to Himself and praise the Lord our national brothers and sisters are being faithful to go out "making disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observed all that [God has] commanded... (Matthew 28: 19-20). And pray that over the next months we will have much to share about these men and women that are "interested" in hearing more about the Gospel and who this Jesus is!

Jan 2010 - bringing in the NEW

It is a New Year, right? Let me tell you about three "new" things in PB land.

New trainings
Our national partners are now developing new agriculture and livestock trainings to help more RuJohn communities. These new trainings, where our extensionists would go into RuJohn villages versus having the villages come to our farm setting. This would hopefully alleviate fears about coming onto the Farm property that some have, as foreigners live there. Also, we pray that these new trainings, will create new relationships enabling more opportunities to share the Gospel with those who have possibly NEVER heard the Gospel before. Please pray for these new trainings. Please pray that RuJohn community leaders will go access to their communities. Pray the trainings and techniques will be helpful to these poor villages. And ultimately that the Gospel would go forth and many would have opportunity to hear the Gospel.

New passion
As you know, the PB team focuses on 13 people groups, with one additional people group in our area that we don't even count as one of our 13 because they are transmigrants, and are being engaged by others in our province. Still we desire as our Lord says that "ALL" would come to know Him, no matter what ethnic group one is from. We want to see an active, healthy church among EVERY tribe. And an answer to our teams prayers is slowly but surely happening in that our national partners are beginning to be burdened for these 13 people groups in our province, even though our national partners themselves are from a different people group. God is breaking their hearts for the lost in our province. This is an answer to prayer. This "new" passion the Lord is bringing about has caused the farm national partners to be focused on two to three of our 13 people groups. This is a praise in that our national partners desire to lead this effort to see these three groups reached with the Gospel. It is no longer a foreigner's passion to see ALL have a chance to the hear the Gospel, it is more and more becoming a shared strategic passion. Before now, there was a mentality of sure we will share with whoever. However now specific goals and ideas are being thought through and prayed over how farm partners will strategically focus on these 3 groups. I hope this is clear to you. The Father is challenging and burdening hearts around the world for the lost who have not yet heard the Gospel or experienced God's amazing grace. Pray for this focused effort over this next year. Pray for these national partners. Pray that God would open hearts and ears and communities to Him and for His glory!

New Life
Praise the Lord for a potential new Believer among one of our 13 peoples. Please pray for this New Life. Pray for discipleship with the "new" man by one of our national partners, Pak A. Pray for Pak A as he deals with issues with the "new" man as he fears baptism at this point. Pray that the "new" man would learn that God's Word in Scripture is our ultimate authority, and to follow Christ means to study and be obedient to the Word. Pray for Pak A as he tries to teach this and disciple the "new" life. And praise God for bringing another PB person into His Kingdom. May He receive all glory through it!

Pray that God would bringing many more "NEW" things in our PB work and among our PB peoples this year! To God be the glory!

PR - Dec 19, 2009

First, I would like to start by apologizing for not updating the blog sooner. We have had a few illnesses and before that no internet availability for about two weeks, so that has made it difficult to post on the blog.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!
It is during this season that those in our organization not only are reminded of God's sacrificial gift of the birth of Jesus on earth, but also of Lottie Moon. For those not familiar with Lottie Moon, take a minute now and google her name. She made and continues to make a great impact on our work as international missions and giving becomes a focus in many churches this time of year. We are thankful to God for His Ultimate Gift to us this Christmas... the gift of His Son Jesus, and also for many of you who give sacrificially for the cause of seeing God's Name being made known and glorified around the world. Thanks be to God and to you for your sacrifical finances, prayers, time in coming, etc. May He receive the Glory!

A new brother!
We want to praise the Lord for a new follower of Christ among the Rujohn people. Pray for our new brother as very few of his people are seemingly even open to the Gospel. Praise the Lord for one of his neighbors who is from a very different people group, yet is also a follower of Jesus and is willing to meet with this new Rujohn believer! Pray that our new brother's faith would grow, that he would be grounded in the Word, and that he would be obedient to the Word and thus sharing the Good News with those around him.

Training national partners
Please continue to pray for our national partners who are so much on the frontlines, sharing the Gospel with our 13+ people groups that live in our province. Please pray for their time in the Word, pray for their health and safety as some travel quite often, pray for their obedience to God's Word, for their boldness, and for them as they disciple new believers. The PB team is still searching for more national partners to make a new team that will focus on areas of our PB peoples that we have been unable to reach thus far. Please pray for God's leadership in this as we continue prayerfully searching for new partners that are willing to go, possibly move and live in new areas that we have not yet been accessed.

PR - Nov 2, 2009

* Can't let go of the power object...
Mr. J is a man who confesses that he is a new follower of Jesus Christ. However Mr. J also believes in spirits and other forms of power. When encouraged to give the power objects up, Mr. J is currently unwilling to throw away and/or burn the power object. Power objects may come in the form of a ring, a needle that has been placed just under the skin, a type of knife, a stone, and a variety of other things. The term power object may ring a bell to you because it is a common issue that our national partners face when encouraging people to follow Christ. I know that I have written about this same issue before with another man. Our national partners ask whoever they are talking with to give ALL up and completely, totally, wholeheartedly follow Christ. Currently Mr. J is unwilling to do so, which makes us unsure of his confession of being a new creation. Please pray for Mr. J as he sees and believes Christ to be powerful. Pray that he will not see Jesus just as a "power object" but solely as "the Way, the Truth, and the Life" just as John 14:6 states. Pray that Christ will take hold of Mr. J and that Mr. J will truly be a new creation, putting away all things, and clinging to Christ.

* Much interest in the Gospel
We praise God for several people questioning and longing to know about Christ. Some have newly professed faith in Christ. Others seem to be right on the edge of faith in Christ. Pray for God to open the heart of thousands and thousands of PB peoples.

* More workers for the harvest...
We praise God and are so thankful for the brothers and sisters that God has given us right now to share the Gospel boldly with those who have yet to believe. Currently we are praying for more national partners, a new team, to focus on other areas and peoples that we are not yet currently reaching. Please join us in praying for the Lord to raise up more national believers. Please pray with us for the discipling and training that will happen once we began to meet these new partners. And pray that we will be able to reach ALL of our 13 people groups.

PR - October 10, 2009

* The Dream

Recently a man was badly sick in the hospital. While there he had a dream that he died. Upon death, he went to a Beautiful place but was not allowed in. And then he woke up and was wondering about the dream. He began asking others about his dream. A follower of Jesus went to visit the man. The man then told the follower of Jesus about the dream, and ask them for an answer regarding the dream. The followers of Jesus then told the man that the place must have been Heaven. They further told the man how no man can enter Heaven without believing upon Jesus. The followers of Jesus then prayed for his healing in Jesus' Name. The man was then healed of his sickness.

Prayer Request: (1) the followers of Jesus are going back to visit the man and talk further about the Gospel, Heaven, and where this man put his trust. (2) Pray that God will give MANY, MANY more PB peoples dreams and visions such as these. (3) And lastly pray that our partners/followers of Jesus will be prepared to share Truth with those they encounter.

*The Story Going Forth...
Mr. and Mrs. Safety became followers of Jesus a few years ago. Since then, their children also have believed. Recently, Mrs. Safety was sharing with a neighbor woman about her beliefs in Jesus. This conversation sparked some questions among their non-believing relatives and friends. These unbelieving friends and relatives then asked more questions about Jesus, the Bible, being His follower, etc. It came to the point where Mr. and Mrs. Safety did not know how to further explain some things, so they called some of our friends that are followers of Jesus. This couple along with another follower of Jesus (3 in all) went to Mr. Safety's village where they expected to find 1 or 2 curious people asking about Jesus. Imagine as they found 8 people wanting to know more about Jesus. Five men and three woman. [Three couples (husband and wife) and two other men.] The followers of Jesus spent hours and hours explaining the Gospel, talking about Jesus, and talking about what it is to be a follower of Jesus. One woman responded by saying "why didn't you tell us this sooner?" And one of the men responded "Now I am beginning to understand, now its beginning to make sense." Then a few days later one of the five men drove to one of the followers' home. And then he wanted to know EVEN MORE. Praise the Lord. He is making Himself known among the nations.

Prayer Requests: (1) Pray for these 8 that they would not just desire knowledge but a life-altering relationship that is known as becoming a follower of Christ. (2)Pray that just as God used this one couple to share about Him, these eight would in turn share this Amazing News with others. (3) Pray the Gospel will spread like wildfire among our PB peoples.

Praise the Lord! We know that ALL of this is done at the hand of God, by Him, for Him, and for His Glory just as Romans 11:36 says "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen."

PR - Sept 5, 2009

Intentionality...
that is the PB team desire, to see God pierce the darkness in this PB homeland, by using us, followers of Jesus, to share His glory and gospel to this people. Since the Push, our national team also has been trying to be more intentional in sharing the Gospel. As of a week ago, a total of 40 (possibly more) have heard a full Gospel presentation. Please pray for these 40 and the many more that heard bits and pieces of the Gospel story, that they Holy Spirit would move in their lives, and that this "seed" would take root. Please continue to pray for all of us on the PB team that we would continue to be intentional in sharing the Gospel with all those we encounter and that God will save many, as only He can. Praise the Father with us for causing an urgency in our PB team. Praise the Father for those that who possibly had never heard the Story before were able to hear. And as the Psalmist says, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give glory, because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth(Psalm 115:1)."

Forgetting his cigarette...
Recently, a friend of ours that I have mentioned several times before, Mrs. Thumper, was at her home when a distant nephew was passing through town and stopped by the Thumpers home for a visit. Over the course of the night, Mrs. Thumper shared the full story with her nephew. At one point he was so involved, so into the Story that he accidentally, unknowingly dropped his cigarette. Please pray for Nephew as he obviously was very interested in the Story. Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in his heart. Thank the Lord with us for those seeds that Mrs. Thumper planted.


Still fasting...
We are still in the Fasting month for Muslims, Ramadan. It has been interesting to be out at night during this time. The town comes alive as they prepare to break their fast at sundown. And then to see many of them flock to the mosques, and fill them as we rarely see them filled before. Truly this is a time of searching for God and seeking His forgiveness. Please continue to pray for Salvation for our PB people, which is only found in Christ Jesus. Please pray that we will continue to be intentional in sharing where only True forgiveness may be found.

Psalm 117
Praise the Lord, all nations; laud Him, all peoples!
For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.
Praise the Lord!

PR August 20, 2009

Update on Push...

After a week long push among our team, we wanted to let you know that after talking with many different men and women, as a team we feel that 15 PB peoples clearly heard the entire Gospel story. Many others heard about Jesus Christ, sin, the need of a Savior, but after much discussion we feel like 15 people clearly heard the whole Gospel presentation. Please pray for these 15 that heard the whole story and for many others who have had seeds sown. Pray with us that God will open His kingdom to these. Pray that God will work in their hearts and speak to them in ways unbeknownst to us.



Muslim Fasting begins on Saturday, the 22nd...

The website Wikipedia describes the Muslim fast below

"The most prominent event of this month is fasting. Every day during the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat Sahur, the pre-dawn meal, then they perform the fajr prayer. They have to stop eating and drinking before the call for prayer starts until the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib. Muslims may continue to eat and drink after the sun has set until the next morning's fajr prayer call. Then the process starts all over.

Ramadān is a time of reflecting and worshiping God. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam and to avoid obscene and irreligious sights and sounds. Sexual thoughts and activities during fasting hours are also forbidden.[Qur'an 2:187] Purity of both thought and action is important. The fast is intended to be an exacting act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a raised awareness of closeness to God.

The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also allows Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control [6], sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate; thus encouraging actions of generosity and charity. However, A certain level of self-control can be lost by those who suffer from eating disorders.[7]

In addition to fasting, Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. Some Muslims perform the recitation of the entire Qur'an by means of special prayers, called Tarawih, which are held in the mosques every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (juz, which is 1/30 of the Qur'an) is recited. Therefore the entire Qur'an would be completed at the end of the month."

To read more about Islamic fasting... just google it and you will find more pages than you ever imagined. Please pray for the millions bound in darkness. How similar yet how immensely different their beliefs are than those of us that are followers of Christ. Pray for the PB during this time as they seek Allah's favor. And last pray for our team and national partners here as we share with those who are seeking Allah's favor that we may share the ultimate Truth with them.

PR - Aug 2, 2009

During August 10-17, workers throughout the island will join together to PUSH.
As the PB team, and our island wide team,we have covenanted together to boldly share into new areas and groups of people.

We are going to make a “PUSH”!
• Push open doors and seize every opportunity to boldly share.
• Push the message of salvation into places where it has not been heard before.
• Push back the darkness by the power of the Risen One!

We have committed to boldly proclaim the message of salvation in Jesus Christ. Will you partner with us in prayer during this significant week?
We invite you to begin now praying for us to declare the message boldly and clearly (Col. 4:3-4) and, “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).

We are already praying for this PUSH. We also have a day of prayer and fasting set on August 6th as our team and an island wide day of fasting and praying on the 7th. Please join us as our teammates island-wide seek God for our PUSH, believing that God is already at work in the hearts of people within our Unreached People. Our PB team and island wide team are very excited as to what our Lord will do during this next month. May our Great God receive ALL the glory.

PR - July 13, 2009

Update and Prayer Request

I would like to begin by sharing a praise to God that there are a few new believers in the Kingdom of God. There are possibly six new believers. Praise the Lord. As excited as we are at God's working in our area, still yet these are of another people group that live inside our province. Praise the Lord that He is drawing Muslims to Himself. Please pray that He will penetrate our PB peoples and that we will begin reporting that several from Cower, KeeKeem, RuJohn, and all throughout the 13 people groups will have believed. Praise the Father that our National partners ARE SHARING THE GOSPEL WITH MUSLIMS. Pray that God will give a passion to our national partners for our PB peoples. And pray for God's will to be done here in our ministries.

A new opportunity

A new ministry will open in the next month that will, we pray, provide us an opportunity to share the Gospel with a different segment of PB peoples. It is an English club. Please pray for the PB team as we work on the finishing touches in order to open the English club. Please pray that we will befriend many college students and adults, and have many opportunities to share about the Wondrous Truth that has changed our lives.

A prayer for our PB team...
Lastly, please pray for our PB team (workers and national partners alike)as many of us want to "up the anty" on our evangelism. We believe and feel that God is doing a great work here. Please pray that the PB team will be 1)in the Word and prayer 2) sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and 3) sharing our testimony of God's mighty work in our lives, share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and calling those around us to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And pray that we will see the PB peoples REACHED. Not for our glory but for God's glory, just as the psalmist said.


Please continue to pray for those individuals and families that were blogged about last month.