Dear praying friends,
We thank you for receiving this prayer update. These are cumulative prayer requests of nearly 100 teammates and local partners serving in four different countries in the Near East.
The shared vision of this community is to see multiplying churches established among each of the people groups we're serving in. This is a massive vision, which is well beyond of this group of 100 on the ground, and we appreciate the important role you're serving in as you support us through prayer while we seek to see Christ's kingdom extended among these people groups.
Habakkuk 2:14
"For the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covers the sea"
Proverbs 16:9
"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord direct his steps."
Team working among Kurds
The leading couple share:
As a family, we have had a few emergencies this past week. We thought one of our sons had broken his elbow, our elder daughter had to have a root canal, and our other son has eczema on his feet. Our daily lives are very full with homeschooling, the normal house work, plus Kurdish lessons, soccer with the kids, spontaneous meetings for ministry, and admin work on the computer. The current situation here is very relaxed in regards to covid. People meet normally and are not wearing masks very much. The numbers went back up with a second wave and now are slowly going back down. We have really been protected as a team and haven‘t had it...yet. We are really grateful that we are able to meet weekly as a team for a meal then for prayer and worship.
A couple is coming for a vision trip and we would appreciate prayers for the time with them. It is key that we fit well together as they would like to join us at the beginning of the new year. Pray for good talks and for them to get a realistic picture of what life would be like here. We have been praying for people to come and join our small team for a while.
We praise God that one of our teammate's back is much better and he is getting back to life as normal. We have two partners who have really been impacted these past two months. One had a horrible motorcycle accident and now has pins in his leg, but his leg is infected. Pray that the infection won‘t go to the metal there. Another partner, one of the first Yazidi believers, suddenly passed away and left his lovely wife along with 4 kids behind. It has been a very challenging few months for these two partners.
Pray for them.
Team Two
(in one of the tougher areas)
The leading couple are back on the ground after waiting for about one year for the visa offices to open. They have been recently joined by a new family with two kids and they expect another guy who just finished the training school. They are very thankful that the family has quickly found a very good place to live at, not too far from each other.
Please pray:
The Entry Team
The leader shares:
On the whole we are doing well. We are grateful most people are, and have been throughout this time, healthy. We are thankful for opportunities to share Jesus with locals even during times of restrictions.
These are the things you could pray for:
We thank you for receiving this prayer update. These are cumulative prayer requests of nearly 100 teammates and local partners serving in four different countries in the Near East.
The shared vision of this community is to see multiplying churches established among each of the people groups we're serving in. This is a massive vision, which is well beyond of this group of 100 on the ground, and we appreciate the important role you're serving in as you support us through prayer while we seek to see Christ's kingdom extended among these people groups.
Habakkuk 2:14
"For the earth will be filled with knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the water covers the sea"
Proverbs 16:9
"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord direct his steps."
Team working among Kurds
The leading couple share:
As a family, we have had a few emergencies this past week. We thought one of our sons had broken his elbow, our elder daughter had to have a root canal, and our other son has eczema on his feet. Our daily lives are very full with homeschooling, the normal house work, plus Kurdish lessons, soccer with the kids, spontaneous meetings for ministry, and admin work on the computer. The current situation here is very relaxed in regards to covid. People meet normally and are not wearing masks very much. The numbers went back up with a second wave and now are slowly going back down. We have really been protected as a team and haven‘t had it...yet. We are really grateful that we are able to meet weekly as a team for a meal then for prayer and worship.
A couple is coming for a vision trip and we would appreciate prayers for the time with them. It is key that we fit well together as they would like to join us at the beginning of the new year. Pray for good talks and for them to get a realistic picture of what life would be like here. We have been praying for people to come and join our small team for a while.
We praise God that one of our teammate's back is much better and he is getting back to life as normal. We have two partners who have really been impacted these past two months. One had a horrible motorcycle accident and now has pins in his leg, but his leg is infected. Pray that the infection won‘t go to the metal there. Another partner, one of the first Yazidi believers, suddenly passed away and left his lovely wife along with 4 kids behind. It has been a very challenging few months for these two partners.
Pray for them.
Team Two
(in one of the tougher areas)
The leading couple are back on the ground after waiting for about one year for the visa offices to open. They have been recently joined by a new family with two kids and they expect another guy who just finished the training school. They are very thankful that the family has quickly found a very good place to live at, not too far from each other.
Please pray:
- as they set things up
- that they continue to hear God's direction as they're starting out
- for the Facebook campaign that is all designed and ready to launch whenever the team is ready to follow up, that God will really use it to bring them into contacts with groups to be discipled
The Entry Team
The leader shares:
On the whole we are doing well. We are grateful most people are, and have been throughout this time, healthy. We are thankful for opportunities to share Jesus with locals even during times of restrictions.
These are the things you could pray for:
- Strength, joy and motivation for language learning during these warm summer months ahead.
- Guidance from, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in all our relationships so we can know how God wants to use us to bring others to Him, even with our limited language.
- For three specific relationships with locals with whom we’re either studying the Bible, or are able to share with on a regular basis
- For some members of the Entry Team who are in the process of making decisions regarding long-term ministry placement.
This morning I realized our neighbor had put some new stickers on the front screen of his car...
I think it pretty much sums up what many people are experiencing here: lack of hope and a future. Let’s continue pray for the Lord to reveal himself as the Giver of Life, Hope and a Future!
Two of our team members are leading a new Health and Development Team planning to move into a neighbouring city in 2022, God willing.
Please pray:
- For the Lord to bring the people he wants to join the team
- For good planning about the logistics of operating such a project, activities, funding, visas, gifts and roles etc.
- For our spiritual eyes to grow, with a God-sized vision, of new life reaching a dry and weary land. At the moment the spiritual dryness and poverty are overwhelming in our eyes.
- That we be more deeply rooted in the message of the cross for our own brokenness.
- For smooth travels for our home assignments over the second half of the year, and encouraging encounters back home.
Teams in neighbouring country
There are two DMM (Disciple Making Movements) trainings coming up this month, starting May 22 and 29.
The first one will be three days with participants from the South, all of them currently leading DBS (Discovery Bible Study) groups.
Please pray:
- that this time adds a bit of clarity to the things that they're doing and for what the next steps are
- for confidence in beginning to do those things
- that beginnings of relationships are formed
- that some bonds would grow between them as they are all starting groups in a relative proximity to each other (but as of yet don't know each other), in the future for encouragement, coaching and peer help
Please pray
- that each one that attends will establish a DBS group.
Recently several guys visited the intern school team for a vision trip.
Please pray
- for clarity for the school team to know which ones to invite back
- for clarity for the participants to understand if we're a good fit for them as they'll be making their decisions in the coming weeks
- for the upcoming school that will begin in the fall
THANK YOU!