Many Beng are hungry today. Some are hungry because their families don't have enough food, but others are voluntarily hungry. It's Ramadan, a time of fasting for Musl1ms, a time of increasing their spiritual piety and improving their standing before Allah. They fast during the day and eat after sundown. The lunar month of fasting ends with a big celebration. (This will be be on or around September 9th this year, depending on the moon.)
Pray that God will speak to many Beng during this time of fasting. Pray that He would reveal truth to them, through dreams, visions, and interaction with Christians. Pray that they would give their hearts and lives to Jesus.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
July prayer requests
All this week on the radio, the weather man has been talking about our need for rain. We are a number of inches below what is considered normal by this time of year.
I understand that for some Americans- farmers, firefighters, and the like- a lack of rain is a serious plight. I couldn't help but think, though, that my life isn't greatly affected by a lack of rain. My grass may be brown and there may be sweat on my brow, but I can still find food in the grocery store.
When it doesn't rain enough in West Africa, however, there is more widespread devastation. Most of the Beng people are subsistence farmers, so if there isn't enough rain, there isn't enough food. Period.
Let's pray this month that God would send rain to the Beng region, providing food and drinking water to the people.
I remember a time when I was visiting another people group in Cote d'Ivoire years ago. We stopped to greet the chief in one village, asking if there was anything we could pray for the village. He asked us to pray for rain. We prayed there with him and continued our visits in the village. An hour or so later, as we were leaving, the gray clouds rolled in and the rain started. God had answered our prayer. The chief had to have noticed that it was the God who we had prayed to who had sent the rain.
Pray that as rain comes to the Beng, they will recognize the one true God as the giver of all good things, rain included.
I understand that for some Americans- farmers, firefighters, and the like- a lack of rain is a serious plight. I couldn't help but think, though, that my life isn't greatly affected by a lack of rain. My grass may be brown and there may be sweat on my brow, but I can still find food in the grocery store.
When it doesn't rain enough in West Africa, however, there is more widespread devastation. Most of the Beng people are subsistence farmers, so if there isn't enough rain, there isn't enough food. Period.
Let's pray this month that God would send rain to the Beng region, providing food and drinking water to the people.
I remember a time when I was visiting another people group in Cote d'Ivoire years ago. We stopped to greet the chief in one village, asking if there was anything we could pray for the village. He asked us to pray for rain. We prayed there with him and continued our visits in the village. An hour or so later, as we were leaving, the gray clouds rolled in and the rain started. God had answered our prayer. The chief had to have noticed that it was the God who we had prayed to who had sent the rain.
Pray that as rain comes to the Beng, they will recognize the one true God as the giver of all good things, rain included.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April prayer requests
Pop quiz: Are you familiar with Eid* al-*Fitr? How about *Diwali? Why is *Visakah *Puja celebrated?
If you're anything like most Americans, you (we) couldn't really answer those questions. Christianity is the predominant religion in our country, and its holidays are the only ones we know much about. We've never heard of most of the Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist holidays such as the ones listed above.
Imagine it were reversed. What if you lived in a place where Easter wasn't talked about? That's what it's like for many of the Beng people. Some of them have heard of Easter and maybe a few could tell you why it's celebrated, but the majority are altogether unfamiliar with this eternally significant holiday.
Let's pray this Easter that God would give the Beng Christians many opportunities to share with friends and neighbors what Easter is all about and that many would come to faith in Christ as a result.
If you're anything like most Americans, you (we) couldn't really answer those questions. Christianity is the predominant religion in our country, and its holidays are the only ones we know much about. We've never heard of most of the Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist holidays such as the ones listed above.
Imagine it were reversed. What if you lived in a place where Easter wasn't talked about? That's what it's like for many of the Beng people. Some of them have heard of Easter and maybe a few could tell you why it's celebrated, but the majority are altogether unfamiliar with this eternally significant holiday.
Let's pray this Easter that God would give the Beng Christians many opportunities to share with friends and neighbors what Easter is all about and that many would come to faith in Christ as a result.
March prayer requests
This week is the annual missions conference at my church. It's always an exciting time- exciting to hear about what God is doing in other parts of the world and hear stories of people's lives being transformed as they give their lives to Him.
The missionary who is visiting this week spoke on Sunday of his service in a country in Asia. At the present time the government of this country is allowing missionaries/ development workers, but they don't know how long this window of opportunity will be there. They are trying to train leaders in that country so that when or if the "missionaries" have to leave, the church will continue to grow and flourish, with nationals serving as missionaries in their own country.
That is in fact what has happened in other countries in Asia. Missionaries have been forced to leave, but the number of Christians has continued to grow. Praise God for this exciting phenomenon!
As this man spoke, I couldn't help but think of the Beng. When I last visited them 9 years ago, there was a small number of Christians in a few villages. I pray that when I or someone else next visits the Beng, they will find that the number of Christians among the Beng has grown exponentially and that they are growing and thriving. Would you pray with me?
The missionary who is visiting this week spoke on Sunday of his service in a country in Asia. At the present time the government of this country is allowing missionaries/ development workers, but they don't know how long this window of opportunity will be there. They are trying to train leaders in that country so that when or if the "missionaries" have to leave, the church will continue to grow and flourish, with nationals serving as missionaries in their own country.
That is in fact what has happened in other countries in Asia. Missionaries have been forced to leave, but the number of Christians has continued to grow. Praise God for this exciting phenomenon!
As this man spoke, I couldn't help but think of the Beng. When I last visited them 9 years ago, there was a small number of Christians in a few villages. I pray that when I or someone else next visits the Beng, they will find that the number of Christians among the Beng has grown exponentially and that they are growing and thriving. Would you pray with me?
Saturday, February 6, 2010
February prayer requests
Romans 1:5 says, "Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name." (NLT)
Though we may not be able to (at this time) go in person and tell the Beng about Jesus, we can pray these verses nonetheless. Let's pray that the Beng will hear "what God has done for them" and that they will "believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name".
I think sometimes we underestimate the power of prayer. I know I sometimes catch myself thinking, "Well, since God hasn't called me to go overseas at this time in my life, I guess I'll just have to pray instead." Just pray?! Prayer is just as much an action as going overseas is. When you pray for the Beng, you are taking an active role in their coming to Christ. You may even get to meet a Beng believer in heaven one day who is there because of your prayers! That's so much fun to think about. So let's pray!
On a side note this month, I have some personal news... My husband, sons, and I are soon moving to Fredericksburg, VA to help start a new church there. We're excited. I'm attaching our newsletter for those who are interested in learning more.
Though we may not be able to (at this time) go in person and tell the Beng about Jesus, we can pray these verses nonetheless. Let's pray that the Beng will hear "what God has done for them" and that they will "believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name".
I think sometimes we underestimate the power of prayer. I know I sometimes catch myself thinking, "Well, since God hasn't called me to go overseas at this time in my life, I guess I'll just have to pray instead." Just pray?! Prayer is just as much an action as going overseas is. When you pray for the Beng, you are taking an active role in their coming to Christ. You may even get to meet a Beng believer in heaven one day who is there because of your prayers! That's so much fun to think about. So let's pray!
On a side note this month, I have some personal news... My husband, sons, and I are soon moving to Fredericksburg, VA to help start a new church there. We're excited. I'm attaching our newsletter for those who are interested in learning more.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
December, 2009
I'm having fun teaching my 3 year old about Christmas this year. He's getting to that age where he's beginning to understand things, but doesn't quite get it all. It's fun to see him try to wrap his little mind around things sometimes. We've told him Christmas is Jesus' birthday. He loves birthdays, so he's all about that. He continues to talk regularly about his last birthday party (which was 3 months ago)- mostly about his friends all coming over. So in thinking about Jesus' birthday, he's excited about the party side of Christmas. I think he thinks Jesus is coming over for the party. (Wouldn't that be fun?!) He keeps finding things around the house that he wants to give to Jesus for his birthday.
Africans love parties too. I remember losing sleep at night sometimes when I lived there as the drums beat and the people danced into the wee hours of the morning. They celebrate all kinds of things- marriages, birth of children, various festivals associated with their belief system. How wonderful it would be if they would party hardy for Jesus' birth too.
Pray with me this month that the Beng people would come to know Jesus and experience all the joy and excitement that Christmas brings.
Africans love parties too. I remember losing sleep at night sometimes when I lived there as the drums beat and the people danced into the wee hours of the morning. They celebrate all kinds of things- marriages, birth of children, various festivals associated with their belief system. How wonderful it would be if they would party hardy for Jesus' birth too.
Pray with me this month that the Beng people would come to know Jesus and experience all the joy and excitement that Christmas brings.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
November, 2009
November is the time of year we typically focus on giving thanks. Yes, we should be good at doing it all the time. But somehow the turkeys, cornucopias, and pilgrims adorning everything from grocery ads to home decorations give us that extra nudge this month to meditate on what we're grateful for.
I have a Thanksgiving journal that I write in each year and list the things I'm thankful for. Psalm 100 is written on the inside cover. Here's a portion of it:
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
I thought that maybe this month instead of petitioning God with a specific request for the Beng, we could just thank Him for the Beng people and thank Him that His love for them endures forever.
I have a Thanksgiving journal that I write in each year and list the things I'm thankful for. Psalm 100 is written on the inside cover. Here's a portion of it:
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
I thought that maybe this month instead of petitioning God with a specific request for the Beng, we could just thank Him for the Beng people and thank Him that His love for them endures forever.
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