January - February 2015

27. Nepal

People in rural Nepal often live in remote

communities with little access to clean water,

health services and education. In some areas

the land only yields enough crops to feed

families for a few months each year. In such

places very few people have heard the good

news of Jesus Christ. International Nepal

Fellowship is bringing the gospel to these

people and helping the locals plan and work

together to change their own lives. They may

decide to dig a well, learn about different crops

and farming techniques, or ensure that all

families know more about safe child birth. Give

thanks that thousands of lives are being

transformed and pray for the fledgling church as

it begins to grow. (INF)

28. India

Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi was elected as

India’s Prime Minister earlier last year. Please

pray for him, for the country, and for Christians

both in India and in surrounding nations, that

peace and justice will reign. Pray for wisdom as

a relevant and dynamic regional mission focus

is developed, and discernment to meet the

ongoing challenges for the future of BMS work

in India. Pray that our partners will be

strengthened to persevere and work with

creativity, particularly in the context of a change

of government. (BMS World Mission)

29. Pakistan

On 14 June last year the Pakistan army started

an operation against the Taliban in North

Waziristan, a mountainous region in the tribal

areas. As a result of the conflict, almost a

million people have been forced to flee their

homes. Miranshah is a small town in North

Waziristan situated about 65km from Bannu,

the district headquarters. The residents of

Miranshah and its surrounding areas were

asked to evacuate immediately when the

conflict began. Hundreds of people fled, leaving

their homes and belongings behind. Tearfund is

supporting its partner ABES to organise a daily

medical camp providing healthcare, hygiene

education and nutritional supplements for the

displaced community. The doctors and nurses

in ABES’ team have helped 975 people so far.

The conflict between the army and the Taliban

may continue for another six months, so the

displaced people will not be able to go back to

their homes – if they still have homes to go to.

Pray for ABES as they plan to continue

providing assistance over the coming months.

(Tearfund)

30. Uzbekistan

Exciting things are happening spiritually in

Uzbekistan and many are coming to faith

across the country. There are an estimated

number of 8,000 Uzbek believers. Official

churches are predominantly Russian speaking

while Uzbek fellowships are generally

underground house churches and no Uzbek

church has yet got official registration. Severe

persecution from the government keeps

fellowships small but general despair in society

is bringing many to put their hope in Jesus.

Please pray for continued growth in the church

and for the protection of those who meet to

worship. (Operation Mobilisation)

31. Afghanistan

Thank God for those who are responding to the

call and offering themselves for service in this

nation. Pray that there will be a steady flow of

people to sustain the work and fill the various

vacancies. Pray for stability in the nation and for

the government, as the draw down of foreign

troops and the security handover to Afghan

National Security Forces continues. Pray

without ceasing for the Spirit of God to impact

and minister to the lives of the Afghan people.

(BMS World Mission)

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1. Because prayer is through Jesus Christ and keeps me grateful

False teachers in the early church had tried to teach that the way to God was through rituals or experiences. That it's down to me; it's down to what I perform or what I experience. Whereas prayer inevitably reminds me that the only way to the Father is through the Son.

I can’t truly pray without constantly reminding myself of Christ's gloriously sufficient work upon Calvary.

2. Because prayer is about dependence and keeps me humble

False teachers were proclaiming their own schemes. Do what I do, say what I say and then you’ll be fulfilled, they taught. In other words, Christians were being encouraged to look away from Jesus to their own plans and activities. Whereas true prayer is a declaration to ourselves and to God that we just can't do it by ourselves. All our hopes, longings and dreams for lasting and substantial blessing can only ever be achieved as God does his work.

3. Because prayer is about relationship and keeps me connected

In his letter to the Colossians Paul emphasises the relationship that believers have with Almighty God. There are constant references to His Fatherhood.

And of course, when Jesus himself was teaching his disciples to pray, he began with this radical note of relationship – “When you pray say ‘Father’.”

Our natural instinct is to think of God as totally other. He's so holy; so majestic; so transcendent. But the work of Jesus invites me to know him in relationship, as my father, as my friend.

Jim Packer, in his book ‘Knowing God’, wrote this – “If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God's child, and having God as his Father. If this is not the thought that prompts and controls his worship and prayers and his whole outlook on life, it means he does not understand Christianity very well at all.”

In other words, when you've grasped the incredible, gracious position that you find yourself in as a redeemed and adopted child of God, then prayer is radically changed. It's not a duty, it's not an obligation, it's not a religious exercise, it’s not dependent upon how I'm feeling or how I'm doing - it's that natural overflow of relationship. That’s why I pray.”

Andy Paterson

Mission Director

Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches

Why do we pray? 22. Philippines

Last December the people of the Philippines

braced themselves to face yet another powerful

typhoon like typhoon Haiyan that caused so

much death and destruction in November 2013.

This time the authorities acted ahead of the

storm and evacuated over a million people to

places of refuge. The good preparations, and

the early weakening of the typhoon, meant few

lives were lost. Much still needs to be done to

repair infrastructure from the year before and

rebuild people’s lives and livelihoods in the

coastal areas. Pray for aid agencies that are

building new dwellings on raised ground,

replacing the boats of fishermen whose craft

were lost, and helping people to find new

sources of income like seaweed cultivation.

(OMF International)

23. Japan

Population: 125 million

70% Buddhist

1.5% Christian

600,000 evangelicals

The majority of Japanese follow Buddhism and

Shintoism. Many see Shintoism not as their

religion but the “culture”. With the Japanese

bent on conformity, it is important that

Christians know their Bibles and are not

deceived by what’s around them. Pray that

Japanese Christians will be rooted in Scripture

and strong in faith. (WEC International)

24. China

The 50,000 or so Northern Pumi people live in

China’s Sichuan province and are strongly

Tibetan Buddhist in outlook. Ancestor worship is

practised with few Christian believers. Food, for

example, is not eaten until it has been placed

on a tripod - an invitation to the ancestors to eat

first. Spirits are also believed to dwell in the

wooden centre post of their homes. In 1960,

five different tribes were assimilated into this

one group and as a result there are five

different Pumi dialects. An increasing number of

Chinese words are being introduced to their

vocabulary. They are one of hundreds of

minority groups in China that desperately need

Christ. Please pray for a Bible for the Pumi

people. Pray, please, for the Good News to

spread to these minorities. (AsiaLink)

25. Burma (Myanmar)

Pray for people affected by leprosy from

Eastern Shan State in Myanmar, many of whom

were driven from their homes simply because

they had leprosy. Give thanks for the amazing

work being done to rehabilitate them into new

villages and for wonderful supporters who

enable The Leprosy Mission to provide medical

care, health training and education about

leprosy. Schools are also being built in

partnership with other agencies to increase

educational achievement in children. Pray that

the Disability Resource Centres and drop-in

centres elsewhere in Myanmar will be able to

continue to provide physical rehabilitation

through physiotherapy to overcome disabilities,

as well as counselling and emotional support. In

over 100 rural communities, 1,500 families

affected by leprosy have been helped, including

about 150 leprosy patients who have

undergone reconstructive surgery. (The

Leprosy Mission)

26. Thailand

Pray for the work of BMS partner Compasio in

Mae Sot, that as the organisation grows they

will know God’s wisdom as they seek to work

strategically with Burmese refugees. Pray for

pastors in Thailand, that they may know God’s

leading and guidance as they teach and care

for God’s people. Pray that BMS may be able to

send more workers to be involved in church

planting. (BMS World Mission)

1. Iran

Iran is full of young people. Nearly 54% of the

79 million population is under thirty; about 23%

is under fifteen. Sick of religious hypocrisy and

corruption, these millions switch off when their

bearded leaders talk about their revolution.

Their minds are not on the past but on the

future. They have two major frustrations. First,

they want more social and intellectual freedom.

They are tired of being told what they should

wear, watch or read. Secondly, they want

meaningful jobs, as nearly one million enter the

labour market every year. For the church, this is

an opportunity. Millions of young Iranians have

time to browse the internet and watch satellite

TV where they can hear about Jesus. This

curiosity has led many to look for a New

Testament. House churches are often full of

young people, and many church leaders and

planters are under 25. (Elam Ministries)

2. Egypt

Egypt has around 90 million inhabitants, but the

vast majority are crammed into less than 6 per

cent of the country’s area. Vast swathes of land

are uninhabitable desert, with a small fertile

strip along the Nile. This results in major

crowding in the cities. The people of Egypt have

been through so much over the years.

Revolution has followed revolution, first in 2011

and then again in 2013. As a result, tourism –

once a major economic prop in Egypt – has

plummeted. Tearfund’s partner organisation has

been working in a village in Minya for several

years, providing the residents with vocational

training, loans to start their own small

businesses, water supplies and toilets in their

homes, a health clinic and medication, and

spiritual and emotional support. Pray that the

village and its people will soon experience a

new period of stability and security in every

area of their lives. (Tearfund)

3. Lebanon

SAT-7 want to praise God for their new studio

opened in Lebanon – over 400 people joined

together in November to dedicate the facility for

the glory of God. Continue to pray for the

protection of this facility and all who work there

and that the programmes that are broadcast will

draw people into a living relationship with

Jesus. (SAT-7)

4. Turkey

The Bus Station and Soup Day ministries

happening in the city of Ankara provide great

opportunities to serve in fruitful ways, especially

for those on the training programme for national

believers run by WH, that they will grow as they

learn from the disciplines of service. We need

wisdom to find the needs of the people here

and how we can meet them. Nobody asked us

to feed the poor in the bus station, we were

looking for a need to meet. It’s the job of a

minister to find the needs that need meeting.

Pray with us; we want to see God’s kingdom

come in Ankara, His will be done, and working

towards a day when there are no more hungry

people in the city. Ultimately that can only

happen when Jesus comes again, in the

meantime we demonstrate the kingdom by

feeding the poor. (World Horizons)

5. Iraq

When was the last time you got up in church

and sang 'We have not learned fear from ISIS

or any terrorists, we will trust in Jesus’. These

powerful and important words to declare are

from a new song heard recently at a church

service in Iraq. Please pray for protection of our

brothers and sisters in Christ who are facing so

much persecution. (3P Ministries)

17. Argentina

Pray for those addicted to drugs or alcohol.

Praise God for a ministry of hope in a small

house in Tartagal called ‘Clamor en el Barrio’,

where pastor Martinez, himself an ex drug

addict, is helping six young men break the habit

of drug addiction and discover new life in Jesus

Christ. Members of the church of the Good

Shepherd help this work with regular gifts of

food and other necessities. Pray for this and

other similar ministries across the country.

(CMS)

18. Bolivia

Pastor Franklin Cuenca is serving in his home

city of Tarija, working with the youth and helping

in leadership training. He says that Tarija is

often called ‘the city of smiles’ due to the

warmth of the people, however, as anywhere

else, spreading the gospel is challenging. ‘Pray

we will be loyal ministers of the Lord Jesus so

that people will get to know our generous and

forgiving God’. (CMS)

19. Colombia

For the past four months, Tearfund’s partner

Red Viva has been helping the indigenous

Wayuu community deal with a crippling drought

in northern Colombia. After four months, some

things have not changed: there is still an

extreme drought in this area. But what has

changed dramatically is the smile on the faces

of the children. The first time we visited, we saw

sad children with very low levels of nutrition.

Now, though, they are smiling and eager to play

again. Some 640 children and more than 400

adults will continue receiving nutritional support

through January. Please pray for rain in this

area so that next year will be an easier one for

the Wayuu people. (Tearfund)

20. Brazil

Pray for organisations working with children and

young people who have been forced into

prostitution or who have suffered abuse from

within the home. According to the Brazilian

government, out of the 59.5 million children and

teenagers in Brazil, almost half of them (45.9%)

live in extremely poor conditions where they find

themselves vulnerable to great risk. Boys tend

to join the drug gangs where their lives are

endangered either due to the drugs or rival

gangs. The girls tend to find themselves in even

more vulnerable situations as many are forced

into selling their bodies for money. UNICEF

estimates that there are around 500,000

children involved in the sex industry in Brazil

with another inestimable number suffering

'hidden' systematic abuse within the home. In

some cases the child's own family has been

found encouraging them to sell their body or

has actively 'touted' the child for sex. (CMS)

21. Peru

The La Unión Quechua people in Peru live in

some of the most rugged terrain on earth.

Reaching a depth of 10,967 feet below the top

of the plateau, Cotahuasi Canyon is believed to

be the deepest canyon above sea level, more

than twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. Over

40 villages are scattered throughout this canyon

where subsistence farming is possible. Reach

Beyond helped our ministry partner establish a

Christian radio station in 2008 that covers most

of the canyon and last month 220 solar-

powered SonSet radios tuned to this station

were sent to the Cotahuasi people to help

spread the Good News. Pray for open hearts

and changed lives. (Reach Beyond - formerly

HCJB Global)

11. Tanzania

For a number of years now AIM has been

running a livestock project which loans goats to

evangelists from the Africa Inland Church

Tanzania (AICT) working in the Lake Eyasi

area. The project aims to help them in a

sustainable way, encourage them to breed a

herd and then return the original goats to the

project within a four year period. The idea is that

through the goat herds the evangelists will be

able to supplement their incomes. Give praise to

God that recent highlights have included the first

goat twins being successfully reared and seeing

one evangelist having to enlist the help of a

second herder as his flock grows. It has also

been encouraging to see people who have

tended to live ‘hand to mouth’ start to take a

more long term view of things as they have seen

the value and number of their goats increase

over time. (Africa Inland Mission)

12. Malawi

A pastor from the Zambesi Evangelical Church

(ZEC) had a most encouraging day recently

when he baptised 35 people at a rural church in

Malawi. However, he was surprised to find out

that not a single one had a Bible. He wrote that

this “means the church has a long way to go to

address this problem”. The pastor asked, “how

will these young men and women get rooted in

the Word of God if they do not read the Bible”.

Please pray for organisations that seek to help

provide Malawians with a Bible. (Zambesi

Mission)

13. Liberia

The Dental Clinic at ELWA Hospital in Liberia

has begun treatment again despite the Ebola

crisis. The need for dental intervention and

treatments was extreme as all dental clinics

have been closed since late July and the team

could no longer stand the suffering caused by

untreated infections. The team all received full

training in donning and working in full protective

suits, including total decontamination of the

clinic at the end of each day. Pray God’s

protection for them, as dentistry cannot be done

without contact with bodily fluids. (Reach

Beyond—formerly HCJB Global)

14. Cameroon

The culturally complex nation of Cameroon has

seen a remarkable growth of evangelicals over

the past 30 years, after a long history of

nominal Christianity. There is much to hope for.

But resources are scarce. A Cameroonian Bible

scholar explains, “Our primary trade language is

French. That is what most people can read. But

although we have a French Bible, there are very

few study materials for those who wish to go

deeper in their faith”. Please pray for skilled

French speaking evangelicals to take on the

task of composing study helps for pastors,

professors, teachers, and all who desire to

know Him more through His Word.

(Youth With A Mission)

15. Ghana

Recently there was the dedication of the

Dagaare New Testament, spoken by 1 million

people. Pray that it will be wisely and widely

distributed, and that many people will discover

Truth and Life through what they read.

(WEC International)

16. Mozambique

There are still parts of the world where it’s a real

event to have a gospel in your own ‘heart

language’. Across the world thousands of blind

people receive Braille and giant print material

produced by Torch Trust. Pray that as people in

Mozambique receive God’s word via accessible

means such as Braille and solar powered audio

bibles, that these materials will be as food and

strength as they are read and shared with

others. (Torch Trust)

6. Ukraine

Separatists seized an evangelical church in

eastern Ukraine in November amid reports of

increasingly frequent attacks on Christians in

the region. Armed separatists broke into a

newly constructed church in Donetsk, driving

out the Christians inside and forbidding them

from holding any further services there. They

threatened to kill anyone who disobeyed this

order. The Donetsk and Luhansk regions of

Ukraine are under the control of pro-Russian

separatists. The Council of Evangelical

Protestant Churches of Ukraine issued a

statement reporting intense persecution of

Christians citing 'abductions, beatings, torture,

threats of execution, pogroms at the places of

prayer meetings'. Please pray for protection.

(Release International)

7. Italy

Immigration came later to Italy than to other

western European countries. Ask for God’s

mercy for the constant flow of illegal immigrants

trying to reach Italy by boat from Africa, fleeing

persecution but often finding only danger and

hostility. The Baptist Union is benefitting from

the number of ethnic minority churches that

have joined in recent years due to a rise in

immigration. Pray for the Baptist Union of Italy,

which only has around 30 ordained ministers to

serve its 120 churches throughout the country.

Pray that God would raise up new lay and

ordained leaders. (BMS World Mission)

8. Moldova

It is estimated that 30,000 women from Moldova

have gone missing without trace – many will

have ended up in the sex trade. About £1300 or

less buys a young girl for the rest of her

unhappy life. Worldshare partner with Beginning

of Life, a local organisation that provides

essential anti-trafficking education in schools

across the country and last year reached over

21,000 young people. They also provide refuge,

counselling, medical care, vocational training

and careful reintegration into a life apart from

the sex trade. Pray for their work and an end to

the evil of human trafficking. (Worldshare)

9. Bosnia

In 1997 the first missionaries came to Banja

Luka and since that time they dreamt about

having a ‘church building’. 10 years later, in

2008, the church was officially registered,

“Christian Fellowship”, which was a huge step

because evangelical believers are considered a

cult. At the beginning of this year God

performed a miracle and they were able to

purchase a church building which required a lot

of rebuilding work. Around 100 people gathered

for the official opening at the end of the year.

‘Now, it is time to pray for those people who

came to the Church for the first time that God

somehow touched their hearts. We hope and

pray they heard the Gospel and that the seeds

fell on fertile ground.’ (Transform Europe Now)

10. United Kingdom

At university Christian students may have a

close Christian support network, but for many

(especially those who have become Christians

at university) it can be very hard to maintain

their walk with the Lord when they head home.

They may not have any local Christian friends,

often no church connections and possibly face

hostility from their families who don’t

understand why they’ve become ‘religious’.

Some are even accused of having joined a cult.

Pray that their relationship with Christ will

deepen as they remain faithful to Him in spite of

the difficulties. Pray that they will find a

Christian community and church to connect with

in their home context, and that changes in their

behaviour, attitudes and values would impress

and challenge their families and friends. (Agapé

UK)