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COUNTRY NO. 4:

In July, after moving to their new residence, P started a small men’s group that is doing more outreach events in their neighborhood. They also have asked M to share about how they can take advantage of contacts from the BCC (Bible correspondence course) and become more comfortable and skilled sharing the good news “via a chat function on line.” [One week in August their group] decided to go out to the seashore and actually look for people to share Christ with! “P  came ready with tracts and NTs. He took a person with him and passed out four tracts to some university students who were at the beach. The fellow with P said, ‘Ok, I'm done;’ and went back to the rest of the group who hadn't yet talked with anyone. Understandably, our friends here are a bit bashful about sharing their faith given the fact that 99% of the population is ‘M.’

“The ladies from our church and I have also been meeting this summer to pray together; which has really been a blessing to me.”

P and M’s new residence also gives them the ability to host people from their fellowship. M writes, “We've hosted meetings, had the singles over, had a guy crash with us for the night, and served dinner for several people in the past month.”

P and M ask us to pray for:

• Answers to their prayers for their church. “P and I do understand [our fellowship’s hesitancy to share the gospel in this culture], however, at the same time we long for our church to [truly] understand what it means to be lost. Again, please pray with us that that would happen. Praise God—He still used the time on Thursday to move someone to approach the group to ask about what it means to trust Christ; what a great reminder that was to me that God longs to use our efforts on His behalf if only we will be faithful to take the first step!”
• Good health and protection for P and M’s new baby boy. Pray also for their other son’s adjustment to having a little brother.

COUNTRY NO. 4:

In August, a short-term team from the States visited the Js for the purpose of joining with them and their team to share Christ with the people in the southern part of this country.

The Js write, “The team came to work and [now] we see bits of revival coming.  Many were touched here in our city, as well as another city south of us. The enemy also was active as two brothers were beaten and the police harassed the team. The one brother who was beaten went home and slept a few hours before going to work...he works the night shift...he also had a dream in which three people introduced themselves to him.  One said he was Paul, the other said he was Jesus and another he could not recognize.  Anyways he was encouraged to know he is participating in the sufferings of Christ.

Two sisters, one wearing an ‘I’ headscarf, came to the service on Sunday but did not stay after we started sharing Jesus Christ openly. One man whom we have met with a few times confessed faith in Jesus that Sunday.”

Pray for:

• The Short-term work to bring about the salvation of many souls and long-term spiritual fruit.
• “Breaking of fear in believers who are not coming to church or coming infrequently. The threats are real but the fear of standing before the one who can destroy our body and soul in Hell is greater. 
• “Successful results of our teachings on the principles of church life.”
• The J’s to be physically refreshed and emotionally and spiritually renewed.
• The Js and team’s [15 members] expectations of an outpouring of God's presence and power more and more every day. 
• “The team’s boldness [amongst God’s adversaries], as well as for God to stretch forth his hand to do signs, wonders and miracles. Pray also for God’s wisdom to build the local church strong and eternal, not just for our short time earth.
• “Words to be given us [Js] every time we open our mouths to declare the mystery of the gospel boldly as we should… and to all those who are captive to the Devil.”

COUNTRY NO. 6:

The H family (USA) recently returned to this field after a two-month furlough in the States. B is already back helping to teach the children of taxi drivers. She and J and have returned to language school. Their two sons are also back in school and learning the language as well. 
          

The H family asks us to please pray for:

• “Us to receive more humility from the Lord enabling us to learn and grow in every way. [Also to grow, most assuredly, in our language skills].
• “Us as we strive to be effective, loving parents, as well as students, friends, and servants to those around us.
• “The school for taxi drivers' children to be used for God’s purposes
• “Protection against the attacks of the enemy, especially on the minds and hearts of the children; on our hope, joy, and peace; and on our health.”

COUNTRY NO. 6:

Since returning to this country one year ago (after three years in the States) the Ss (USA) have and are facing many challenges.

They, along with D (ILI Director), felt the need to restructure ILI (International Language Institute) as it was obvious to them all that they needed to stream line the school, as well as to become more efficient. In so doing, they have lost some students. In addition, they now have to decide (especially D as Director) whether to continue in the facilities they now occupy, which are very unique for a variety of reasons, or seek other smaller facilities. However, to stay would take a serious investment to update the property to the needed level of functionality.

P and S write, “We are completely willing to move and begin again in any form if that is what is clearly best for all three of us. However, we have seen God move us through different crises in the past, so we aren't sure that taking a purely business solution is really a broad enough answer.”

The Ss are also facing family challenges with their daughter going to school in the States; Praise the Lord God has provided for housing, which is only two miles from the train station. A large financial gift was also given towards her financial needs at college. Their son, now in the ninth grade wants his mother to continue home schooling. The Ss ask us to pray for the following:

• “We are asking God to block any move of the ILI, no matter how promising it looks, if it isn't good for the future.  And if we are supposed to stay in these facilities, we are asking God to reaffirm that in such a way that D is completely convinced.
• “Our daughter who is facing many challenges this new school year.  Pray for her as she settles in with her host family.  She is limited to public transportation since she no longer has a car. (Not that that is all bad with gas costs!)  
• “My (S’s) immediate need to redesign my son’s home-schooling program since he is now ready for ninth grade. [I would also like to] increase my ability to provide more challenge through some internet classes.  But it just looks impossible due to the chronic difficulties we have had with internet access.  So please pray for a break-through technologically. I also need it personally because one of my primary roles in our leadership team is that of being information and communication coordinator.” 
• Pray for God’s wisdom to envelop D as he leads out in helping to decide the ILI facility issue.

COUNTRY 20:

We all know how vitally important it is to pray for our co-laborers serving multi-culturally in developing nations. However, let us be sure to always remember a key part of our teams—the mothers and their children:  the unique role they have in the work, their needs as they grow, and their education.   

Recently a worker in a Central Asian country wrote to share a mother’s perspective on some of the special needs of her children (MKs) and herself. B writes:  “This year has been a difficult one for me and our children, because it has involved moving multitudes of times and trying to keep some sort of regimen among the chaos.  In the midst of this, my job, thus far, has been to teach my children in English, but what about the local languages (there are three)?  However, when your children don't, can't, or refuse to learn the local language (and it is just as hard for most of them as it is for most adults—myth disposed), what do you do?  Each child presents their own challenge. 

“[However, while focusing on the two oldest children] our youngest (3) gets [what’s left of mommy] I hate to say it, but that's how it has been.  After concentrating so much on the oldest two, helping them adjust, trying to live in a city where water and electricity are regularly cut off,  and the periodic breakdown of the washing machine (the landlord continues to vacillate between having it fixed or not), it simply doesn't leave me much time for relaxation or for tons of involvement in the third child. 

“So, that brings me to my work [the Lord’s] outside my home—language learning.  Believe it or not, language learning is one of the biggest ministries I can do.  People love it when you can speak their language and have taken the effort to improve little by little.  It speaks mountains of love to them—that you care for them.  So, this will be my task the next year and the next, to learn from the people {when I can and with what energy God has given me). They know a lot about a lot of things that I do not and language is one of them.  As a busy mother, this often means turning on my tape recorder every time I cook, clean, iron, wash, walk, etc.  It’s not easy learning another language again, but I know it means a lot to the people.  So, I will do it. God will help me.”

This is just a quick snapshot from one missionary Mom’s perspective, as there are many things B has not shared (like that of her husband!). 

Pray for:

• All our third-culture children, the special ministry, and needs they have serving with parents who, very often, are struggling themselves.
• B, and husband E, will learn the “K” language quickly and the wisdom to deal with the demands of being a mom to three MKs.
• All three of the children will learn ‘R’ quickly and do well with interpersonal relationships.

B will find the time for the youngest child amidst the demands of the other children and the challenges of work in a developing country.

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