May - June 2014

27. Pakistan

The Thar Desert, in the south of Pakistan’s

Sindh province, is an arid region of rolling sand

hills with a population of around 1.3 million.

Over the last two years’ rainfall during the

monsoon season has been minimal, and crops

have suffered. The water table has lowered to

the extent that wells have started to dry up,

leading to a scarcity of drinking water.

Tragically, in the last few months more than 100

children have lost their lives because of

malnutrition and other illnesses related to the

drought. The landscape is littered with dead

cows and sheep with vultures circling ominously

in the sky. Pray for the government relief

operation, for local churches that are mobilising

resources to help the people in need, and for

Tearfund partners PVDP and SSEWA-Pak, who

are monitoring the situation. (Tearfund)

28. Afghanistan

“The vast majority of the Afghan people want an

end to the bloodshed and a negotiated

settlement. After three decades of war people

want to get on with their lives. Mothers and

even Kalashnikov-carrying fathers want their

children to have a better life than they

themselves had,” says an agency staff member

reflecting on the future of Afghanistan. Pray for

stability in the nation to be maintained over the

coming months as presidential and provincial

elections take place, foreign troops pull out and

security is transitioned to Afghan National

Security Forces. (BMS)

29. Nepal

There is a strong anti-foreign NGO (Non-

Government Organisation) sentiment in Nepal

at the moment, both in the media and amongst

some politicians. New government guidelines

regulating the hiring of foreigners have been

published. These have been particularly aimed

at the international NGO sector. Pray for

wisdom for the leaders of Christian

organisations working in Nepal as they seek to

discern the implications for their ministries, both

now and in the future. Pray too that the good

relationship INF has with the Nepalese

government will be able to continue. (INF)

30. India

Traffickers exploit the poorest families in

vulnerable communities by promising a better

future for their children. Under these false

hopes and expectations, women and children

are taken and then forced into prostitution or

hard labour in fields and factories. Pray for

Sahaara Charitable Society (SCS), which has a

vision is to bring transformation to Mumbai’s

commercial sex workers. It’s dangerous work -

pray for the protection of staff and volunteers as

they move about the city’s darkest areas and

meet with people on the very fringes of society.

(Tearfund)

31. Uzbekistan

Religious persecution in Uzbekistan is driven by

dictatorial paranoia and, to a lesser extent,

organised corruption and Islamic extremism. No

religious activities beyond state-run and

controlled institutions are allowed, with

Christians frequently branded as 'extremists'.

As the leadership prepares for transition, taking

into account the president's age and health,

pressure is unlikely to diminish. Security forces

have increased wire-tapping homes in order to

find ‘extremists’. The crackdown has also

targeted religious education of all types, and

many control systems and mechanisms derived

from the communist system are still in place.

For example, it is up to the state to define the

illegality of a meeting or a piece of literature.

Pray for believers who are detained, fined, and

even beaten for owning Christian materials and

for pastors trying to lead their churches with

very limited resources. (Open Doors)

Vol 59 No 3 Editor: Paul Tuckwell Hon. Editor: Martin Lee

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“Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy

gluttons”: so says Paul rather boldly (Titus

1:12). We’re not so fond of such stereotyping,

are we? Not even if we are able to hide behind

what somebody else says, as Paul does,

quoting the then famous Epimenides, a Cretan

philosopher/poet/magician and hero of some six

centuries earlier. Paul’s point, as he wrote to his

young missionary colleague, Titus, was that

cross-cultural ministry was going to have its

challenges.

Not much has changed today. The person who

works in another culture is surprised by all sorts

of cultural attitudes and practices that affect the

way the ministry can be carried out. I wonder

how Paul would have characterised the people

of Caracas, or Cairo, Moscow or Mumbai. I

wonder what our friends, serving in those

places, need in order for them to achieve what

God has for them. What should we pray for

them? The passage in Titus gives us a few

clues.

First of all, let’s pray that they would be fully

trustworthy, above reproach in their family lives,

patient in their relationships with others,

focussed on other people instead of

themselves, caring for those in trouble, self-

controlled, and working according to the

discipline of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly, let’s pray that they hold firmly to the

trustworthy message. I remember how our

family, having said goodbye to our home in

Central Asia and, on the way to the airport, fully

laden with exactly the maximum luggage

allowance, were given a five-litre bottle of wild

mountain honey. How could we get that on the

plane? By giving it to our eight-year-old son. He

just wasn’t going to let it go, no matter how

many officials told him it wasn’t allowed. May

our friends in far away places hold just as firmly

to something that is sweeter than honey: the

message that is always reliable, always

dependable.

Thirdly, let’s pray for them to encourage others

with the truth. If Paul had been writing about the

problems of people here, he might have picked

up on what anthropologist Kate Fox sees as

one of the values of the British: the importance

of not being earnest. So many of us seem to

struggle to confront, to disagree, to speak what

others don’t want to hear. May our friends far

away be earnest, sincere and ready to speak

the life and health giving truth of Christ.

Dr Ian Kirby

Moorlands College

Challenges of Cross-Cultural Ministry 22. Philippines

Since ancient times the Bata people have

inhabited a series of river valleys along the 50-

kilometre stretch of coastline on the island of

Palawan. They are a highly mobile people, but

at the behest of the government, have since

settled in small villages. They often go on

gathering trips into the forest for a few days at a

time, an activity of both economic and spiritual

value to them. As animists, the Batak make

regular offerings to the spirits of nature, whom

they believe to reside in big rocks and trees.

Due to rapid depopulation, restricted forest

access, sedentary living, incursion of

immigrants, poor sanitation and accessibility to

health services, there are only about 300 pure

Batak remaining today. Pray for the success of

a new initiative which is encouraging churches

in the Philippines to reach out to tribal groups

such as the Batak. (OM)

23. Indonesia

A fascinating archipelago of thousands of

islands (almost too many to count), Indonesia is

the world's fourth most populous country. In

addition, it is home to a quarter of the world's

Muslims! Polling began in April for 19,000

national and local parliamentary seats. The

parties that win can run for president in the July

elections. Indonesia holds great potential, but

too many times corruption has kept resources

and talent from benefitting all but the upper

classes. Pray for elections to be fair and honest,

and for the freedom of believers to be upheld.

May righteous men and women gain the

contested seats. May God's will be done, and

may His Spirit continue to bring many to him

throughout the land. (YWAM)

24. Thailand

Spotlight English Clubs are proving popular in

Thailand for people wanting to improve their

language skills. These clubs meet weekly to

listen to the Spotlight audio programme

together and to discuss English usage in small

groups. As well as hearing holistic Christian

content in the programmes, the participants

also come into direct contact with registered

churches and end up building relationships with

people of faith. Praise God for three new

English-learning clubs for women involved in

the sex trade in Thailand. Pray that these

women would feel safe enough to allow God to

work in their hearts. (Reach Beyond)

25. North Korea

During April, North Korea returned from several

months of relative quiet by firing rockets into the

sea. This in itself is not unusual – North Korea

often puts on an aggressive show of strength

during South Korea’s joint annual military drills

with America. Many believe the rockets are

simply a demonstration of their anger at the

drills, which they say are ‘preparation for

invasion’. However, on this occasion over 30

rockets released - considerably more than the

usual amount. Please pray that the rockets

remain nothing more than harmless

demonstration. Ask the Lord to use political

talks to reach agreements that benefit ordinary

North Koreans and increase stability on the

troubled peninsula. (AsiaLink)

26. Japan

Give thanks for the faithfulness, integrity and

perseverance of pastors and churches in Japan

where church growth is often slow. Ask God to

encourage pastors and equip believers in being

godly, radical, influential followers of Jesus

wherever they go. Praise God for churches that

are thriving as they equip believers for ministry

and reach out effectively with the gospel. Pray

for many new churches, house churches, cell

groups and innovative ministries to begin this

year, and for them to be characterised by God-

centred, Bible-based discipleship and mission.

(Japan Christian Link)

17. Iran

Those who become Christians in Iran

immediately fear for their jobs because 80% of

the economy is directly run by the Islamic

government. Apostates are definitely not

welcome. Believers must tread wisely to keep

their job, and many do, but live with the

pressure that any day they may be fired

because of their faith. Though Iran’s ethnic

minority Christians, the Assyrians and

Armenians, do not face the same level of

intimidation, they too have found employment

and business very challenging. The best jobs

are always reserved for Muslims. Pray for

protection and wisdom for Christians in the

workplace and in business and for the impact of

‘marketplace’ evangelism. (Elam)

18. Syria

The 15th March 2014 marked the third

anniversary of the on-going conflict in Syria. It’s

hard to comprehend the degree of suffering and

devastation that these three years have seen.

More than 100,000 people have been killed,

and every hour now, more than 300 people flee

their homes in fear. As the conflict drags on, the

people of Syria need our persistent and

determined prayers more than ever. We know

that, even in the darkest places, God can shine

the light of his love and hope. (Tearfund)

19. Libya

The violence in Libya is sadly continuing but,

despite this, dozens of mission workers

continue to minister there, coordinating their

efforts through a network that has been built on

the foundation of 15+ years of partnership.

Almost half of the Christian workers do not

come from traditional sending countries but

rather from other Arab-Muslim lands. Pray for

them and also for the small number of Libyan

believers, who are often isolated and scattered,

hungry for fellowship. (BMS)

20. Morocco

Pray for Stories of Bahamman, a puppet show

for children that teaches from the Bible about

how God wants them to live. The programme is

broadcast in Morocco in 15-minute episodes.

Aimed at 5-8 year olds, the show deals with

different issues children face or need to learn,

such as obedience, honesty, cleanliness, good

behaviour, looking after the environment, etc.

Each lesson is taught by Ba Hamman, an

elderly wise man dressed in traditional

Moroccan clothes. At the beginning of each

show he presents an issue to the children with a

Biblical perspective on the theme using a

variety of puppets in different environments.

(SAT-7)

21. Turkey

Just over an hour from Istanbul, Izmit is a

bustling, industrial city of nearly half a million

people. A small church, originally planted in

1999, had been struggling, particularly as a

result of a death threat against the pastor last

year. Furthermore, the continual presence of

security personnel has not presented a

welcoming face to outsiders. In order to show

that the church is a warm, welcoming place, the

church recently ran International Friendship

Days. OM Turkey’s winter outreach sent a team

of 12 people, representing 10 nationalities, to

help the church with the event. Foreigners are a

rarity in Izmit, and visits by tourists are

considered a compliment. Outreach participants

sang, told stories and performed puppet shows

to share about their home countries. Each guest

received a gift bag with a Jesus Film and a New

Testament. The church nearly doubled its

number of visitors after the outreach days. Pray

for the church and that those who came to the

event will continue to seek the truth. (OM)

1. Haiti

“We’re not poor anymore,” said the Haitian

man. The missionary engineer was confused.

The clean water project in his remote

community was still under way. How could this

man, living in Haiti, the most impoverished

country in the Western Hemisphere, think he

was no longer poor? “Because now we have

the power to build a water system ourselves,”

responded the man. The project working

alongside the community of La Bruyère in

northern Haiti showed that poverty is much

more than a lack of physical resources. It is also

about people lacking the power to make their

own decisions and control their lives. Pray for

communities continuing to rebuild their lives

after the 2010 earthquake. (Reach Beyond)

2. Peru

Please pray for the youth work run by the

Anglican Church in Peru, especially after the

shooting in March of a 15 year old teenager

who had occasionally attended one of the youth

projects in Lima. Sadly, such shootings are not

so unusual in Peru but they do serve as a

reminder of the urgency of the need young

people have for Jesus. Please also pray for

young people in Peru who are affected by land

rights issues, poverty and discrimination. (CMS)

3. Brazil (1)

It’s another year of ‘green drought’ in north-east

Brazil - a term used by locals to refer to the fact

that the rainy season has started, but there has

only been sufficient rain to turn the landscape

green, not to grow crops. The hardy people

living in the semi-arid region understand climate

change and are quick to point to the impact it’s

having on their daily lives. Yields from farming

have diminished for four consecutive years.

However, new possibilities are becoming a

reality as families adapt to the effects of climate

change. In 2012 the people of Carnaíba

decided to set up a bakery. They were

supported by Tearfund partner Diaconia, who

provided training, support with planning and

budgeting, and later, as the business took off,

helped them gain permission from the local

authority to utilise the kitchens of a disused

school. Pray for this and other initiatives that

are helping people to cope with the effects of

climate change. (Tearfund)

4. United States

The Christian student movement in America is

experiencing a new excitement about

evangelism. In particular, many groups have

been successfully using creative outreach ideas

such as artistic displays designated to help

initiate conversations on spiritual issues.

However, one particular challenge facing

InterVarsity/USA is the rising number of

American students studying online, or

commuting to campus and returning home each

day. Pray for the leaders as they consider how

to meet these students where they are. (IFES)

5. Brazil (2)

It’s said that the area around Cariré is one of

the least evangelised places in Brazil. The town

has a population of around 7,000 but there are

also many small settlements spread across the

countryside. Challenges in the region include

idolatry and witchcraft (many families, even

Christians, will approach the local witchdoctor

for healing). Proclamation Church in Cariré

started two years ago, with one weekly cell

group. Today there are 11 cell groups and a

Sunday congregation of over 60 people,

consisting mostly of poor families. Each month

the cell groups distribute food parcels to those

in need. The groups also play an important role

in discipleship, helping individuals to develop

the gifts God has given them. Give thanks that

Jesus is transforming lives in Cariré! (Latin Link)

11. Nigeria

Christians in north and central Nigeria continue

to be targeted by Islamic extremist group Boko

Haram (meaning ‘Western education is

forbidden’), which is trying to establish an

Islamic state, and by armed Fulani militants.

Villages are often targeted and inhabitants

brutally killed and their homes and churches

destroyed. In March in the Riyom area of

Plateau state eight members of one family were

burned to death in their home. During an attack

on a village in Wukari, Taraba state, on April

15th, seven people were killed and the church

and all the houses destroyed. Resolve on behalf

of the authorities to tackle this violence has also

too often appeared largely to be lacking. Please

pray for an end to the violence and that the

security forces will act effectively to protect all

Nigerian citizens. (Release International)

12. Guinea Bissau

There are around 24,000 Balanta Mane, a

people who are 97% Muslim. Pray for workers

called by God to reach this unreached people

group. Pray that God would break the ties they

have with traditional spirit worship. Some Bible

portions exist in the language. Pray for the Bible

to be completely translated. Pray for God to

raise up a strong church among the Balanta

Mane. (WEC International)

13. Rwanda

Give thanks that local churches in Rwanda are

grasping the nettle and helping to care for those

in their community living with HIV. Aprecom, a

ministry providing material, social and spiritual

support to people living with HIV, has been

connecting with church pastors - a group it sees

as having particular potential to bring about

change. Churches are now starting to visit

people with HIV when they are sick as well as

providing much-needed practical and financial

support. (Bethany Children’s Trust)

14. Democratic Republic of Congo

Over 50% of the Congolese population is under

16 years of age. Many parents are unable to

afford school fees, which leaves children and

young people idly hanging around on the

streets. There isn’t enough work available for

the young people, and with mobile phones they

are more knowledgeable about the outside

world than every before. This can create

problems. Yet young people also fill the

churches. They sing in choirs, they play the

traditional instruments. They do lots of things to

help. The big challenge is to find ways to reach

the young people and disciple them, so that

they grow spiritually and develop healthy

Christian morals and behaviour. Please pray.

(WEC Int.)

15. South Sudan

The crisis in South Sudan, though neglected by

the media, is far from over. In fact it appears

that the worst may still be ahead. Outbreaks of

violence between government and opposition

forces continue in pockets, particularly areas

such as Malakal. One million people have been

displaced in the months since the crisis started.

The slow moving peace talks have often been

suspended, suggesting the inability of the

warring parties to reconcile and forgive for the

sake of their people. Continue to pray for peace

but also for the work to provide clean water and

food - malnutrition is particularly common

among children. (Tearfund)

16. Malawi

Pray for the blind people of Malawi. 1% of the

16 million population in Malawi, one of the

world’s poorest countries, is blind. Unoperated

cataracts remain a major cause, but there are

only a handful of ophthalmologists in the

country. Many blind people cannot work and

they and their families become destitute. (Torch

Trust)

6. France

In the experience of Etienne Lhermenault,

President of the National Council of French

Evangelicals, the commitment and effort to

encourage church planting in France is stronger

today than it has ever been. The total number of

evangelicals has multiplied by a factor of nine

over the past 60 years but they still represent

only 0.73% of the French population. Pray for

the success of what is a fresh and coordinated

effort to plant new congregations. (BMS)

7. United Kingdom

Caleb came from Cameroon to study in the UK.

He came as a Christian, and while in the UK

had the opportunity to be discipled and taught

Bible handling skills. He then returned home a

strong and confident believer, and even started

a teaching class for his church. Thousands of

international students arrive in the UK each

year, some come from countries where it is not

possible to speak openly about Jesus and

others from countries where the church does

not have strong Biblical teaching. Pray that

these international students would encounter

God in the UK. Pray that those who arrive as

Christians would be equipped and encouraged,

like Caleb was, so that they may return home

and have a positive impact for Christ. (Friends

International)

8. Ukraine

Recent events in the Crimea have caused a

great sense of anxiety in people throughout the

country. Alarming phrases are being used like

"Europe's worst crisis since the Cold War".

However, there are reports of a new unity of

heart and action being demonstrated by

Christian denominations. The defence minister

has written to church leaders that "The voice of

the Church is more important now than ever

before." Believers from all denominations kneel

in public squares to pray for the nation. And the

Muslim Tatars have offered to open their

mosques to Christians to host prayer

gatherings. Pray for this new hunger for God

and for His Word to produce a refined church,

and many new believers. (YWAM)

9. Romania

“When we started the work in Henri Coanda our

prayer was for God to answer people’s prayers

so that they can see He is real. And this is

happening.” This is Traian and Elena writing

after the first few months of their new ministry,

Open Heart. They feel particularly concerned

about the 800 families living in a new area of

Constanta called Henri Coanda. Many of these

are in difficult circumstances, living in simple

container homes. They currently visit 20

families regularly, praying with them or taking

food if needed. Traian and Elena write: “The

biggest satisfaction we have in all this work is to

see people putting their hope and trust in God,

and not in us.” Pray for God’s wisdom for Traian

and Elena in deciding who and how to help with

limited resources. (Transform Europe Now)

10. Montenegro

The youngest children that attend the Roma

Writing School in Bar, Montenegro, are about

three years old, the oldest around 13 - it’s hard

to be sure, since the Roma people don’t

celebrate birthdays. While they let the younger

ones have fun colouring pictures, the OM

workers practice reading and writing with the

older ones. They also try to encourage them to

attend the local school regularly, but

unfortunately the parents are rarely supportive,

since they need their children to help support

the family financially by begging. Pray for this

ministry seeking to support children

unwelcomed by society. Pray too that their

parents will realise how important education is

for their children, so they can break the cycle of

poverty and deprivation. (OM)