January, 2014 prayer requests

Pray for the translation of the Bible into the Beng language.  Pray that God would provide the contacts, the workers, and the finances necessary for this project to be restarted some time this year.

December, 2013 Prayer Requests

This month, as you celebrate our Savior's birth with family and friends, I encourage you to remember the Beng people, half a world away, many of whom have never heard of Jesus.  Pray that the year to come would be one in which many Beng people will be added to the family of believers.

October, 2013 Prayer Requests

This week I am reading 1 Samuel with my Bible students.  We talked about the call of Samuel.  You know the story... Samuel hears a voice in the night and thinks it's Eli. He asks Eli what he wants and Eli says he never called him. This happens a few times before Samuel and Eli realize that it is God calling Samuel.  Samuel responds in obedience, giving his life to God and following in the path that He has for Samuel's life.

It is so exciting to know that God speaks to us in such a real and personal way.  He is not far away and hard to know.  He is near, and He is real.  He wants to communicate with us.

As I sat down to write a prayer request for the Beng tonight, I thought of this story and how incredible it would be if God called out to the Beng people in a similar way.  Pray that God would speak to them in a real and personal way and that they would respond in obedience, giving their lives to Him!

September, 2013 Prayer Requests

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."
Romans 8:26

I was reminded of this verse today as I was praying.  I was really burdened for someone, really wanting God to work in his life, but I was at a total loss as to how to pray. I don't even know what I want God to do (as if it's my job to tell Him what to do anyway). I just know I want Him to do something.  I just know that I need him, that this person I know needs him.

I think maybe that's right where God wants us sometimes. We don't always have to have detailed, eloquent prayers, saying just the right thing at just the right time.  "The Spirit helps us in our weakness."  God sees the desperation in our hearts as we pray and the Spirit fills in for us when our words are lacking.

Sometimes when I pray for the Beng, I sense this kind of loss for words. What do I pray for them?  How am I to know what their needs are when they are half a world away?  Maybe you feel that way too.

This month, let's ask for the Spirit's help as we pray for the Beng. Let's take the time to sit before the Lord in prayer and let a love and compassion for the Beng set in.  Let's take the time to feel a desperate burden for God to work among them. And then let's allow the Spirit to step in where our words lack. 

August, 2013 Prayer Requests

For the past several weeks Musl1ms around the world have been fasting.  They abstain from food and drink during daylight hours in order to focus on Allah and spend time praying in an attempt to purify themselves and develop their humility and selflessness.  The 27th night of Ramadan is called the Night of Power (in commemoration of the Quran being revealed to Muhammad).  On this night in particular, Musl1ms ask Allah to speak to them and visit them in visions and dreams.

In countries all over the world, there are Musl1ms who have put their faith in Jesus and testify that they had a dream or vision in which God visited or spoke to them.  Visions and dreams can play a significant role in Muslims coming to Christ. 

About half of the Beng people are Muslim and are observing Ramadan.  Pray that God would speak to Beng Musl1ms during this time and reveal Himself to them through visions and dreams.  August 6th is the 27th night of Ramadan this year, the Night of Power.  Pray for them especially on this day. 

July, 2013 Prayer requests

This week, as we thank God for the freedom and privileges we enjoy as Americans, let us also remember to pray for those who have less than we do- less freedom, less leisure time, less access to medical care, less formal education, fewer material possessions.

I say this not to make us feel guilty for being Americans or to make us feel bad for what we have.  I think we should enjoy what God has blessed us with and thank Him for it.  But there is more to it than that.  Jesus said "And from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."  (Luke 12:48b).  He wants us to bless others with the blessings He has given us. 

When people hear this, they automatically think of giving financially to those in need, and that is certainly part of it, but we can also bless others by investing our thoughts and prayers in their lives.  I pray that this week we will give a little extra of our time to pray for the Beng and their needs.  You can pray as God leads or maybe scroll back through some past requests and spend some time praying through them.  

Thanks for your prayers. They matter.

June, 2013 Prayer Requests

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting an African bishop and pastor who was visiting the United States. He shared with us about his work there and about his desire to see people know and love God.  Two things struck me about this man. One was his wisdom.  The other was his love.   It was obvious that this man spends time regularly with God.  Wisdom and love this true and apparent can only come from God Himself.

Meeting this dear man renewed my hope for Africa.  He may live and work on the opposite side of the continent from the Beng, but if African churches had leaders like this, surely the Gospel would spread throughout the cities, villages, forests, savannahs, and deserts and throughout the entire continent.  Let's pray this month for the leaders of the churches in Cote d'Ivoire, that God would strengthen their faith and widen their vision.  Pray that they would spend time regularly with God and draw from His strength rather than depending on their own.   Pray that God would grant them wisdom and love.  Pray these things for the leaders of the Beng church in particular.

May, 2013 Prayer Requests

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13

Personally, I have had a really hard year, and I have found that some of the hardest moments were when I felt hopeless.  There were times when I felt like my situation would never change, like God would never answer my prayers, like there was no hope. 

I wonder if Beng Christians sometimes experience hopelessness.  I wonder if they feel sometimes like God has forgotten their people, like life will always be hard, like there will never be more than .4% of the Beng population that knows Jesus.

This verse reminds us that our God is a God of hope.  As we trust in Him, he fills us with His hope, a hope we can't conjure up on our own.  His hope is real, lasting, and based in truth. 

So let's pray this verse for Beng Christians this month:
God of hope, fill the Beng Christians with all joy and peace as they trust in You so that they may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.   Amen.

April, 2013 Prayer Requests

I was talking to a friend today that I hadn't seen in years, and she shared with me her story of God's work in her life. I was reminded of how God is constantly working to show Himself to people and draw them to Himself.  Just as He is working in our midst, He is working in the midst of the Beng people of Cote d'Ivoire. 

Let's pray this month that God would soften the hearts of the Beng and give them open eyes to see Him at work in their lives. Pray that many Beng people would give their lives to Him.

March, 2013 Prayer Requests

I was thinking last week about names. A Bible study I am working through brought up a link between an Old Testament name and a New Testament name and highlighted the significance of names and their meanings. There are so many names in Scripture that remind us of God's attributes and/or God's leading in individuals' lives.

We all have different reasons for naming our children as we do. My husband and I chose our children's names just because we liked them. Others choose to name their children after family members or famous people. People groups in other parts of the world have their own ways of choosing names for their children. There is a people group who live near the Beng people in Cote d'Ivoire called the Baoule. Their custom is to name the child after they day of the week on which he/she was born. Thus, all boys born on Mondays have the same name, and all girls born on Saturdays have the same name, etc. There are 7 names for girls and 7 names for boys. Many Beng people name their children the same way that the Baoule do.

 I like praying for people by name, and I thought it would be a good idea this month to pray for the Beng people by name. Granted, I don't know all of their names, but if we pray through the 14 names, we will be praying for all the Beng people with those names (which would be a good number of them).

 So... for the next week, I challenge you to pray each day for the Beng. On Monday, we will be praying for those born on Monday (named Kouassi and Akissi). On Tuesday for those born on Tuesday, etc.

Here's the list. You can print it out or jot it down and reference it each day this week.

 Monday- Kouassi (male) Akissi (female)
 Tuesday- Kouadio (male) Adjoua (female)
 Wednesday- Konan (male) Amlan (female)
 Thursday- Kouakou (male) Ahou (female)
 Friday- Yao (male) Aya (female)
 Saturday- Koffi (male) Affoue (female)
 Sunday- Kouame (male) Amoin (female)

 Let's cover the Beng people in prayer this week and pray for them by name.

February, 2013 Prayer requests

This month I'd like us to pray for the translation of Scripture into the Beng language. Several books of the Bible were translated into Beng by a missionary 20+ years ago. His work was continued, for a while, by some Beng believers. At this time, the project has been discontinued. Pray that the Scriptures that have been translated would make their way into the hearts and lives of the Beng there. Pray that nonbelievers would be drawn to read it and that God would reveal Himself to them as they do. Pray that believers in Christ would be diligent to read God's Word or have it read to them and that their everyday lives would be transformed by what they read. Pray that somehow, someday the translation of the Bible into the Beng language would continue, and, one day, the entire Bible might be available in the Beng language.

An invitation...

With the new year upon us, I have spent the past couple days reflecting. I’m not really one to make a list of resolutions, but I do see January as a time of reevaluation. What am I doing with my life and why? Does what I am doing matter? Am I making a difference in the world?

Maybe you’ve decided that you are going to change your life or save the world or something like that this year. Or maybe it seems really overwhelming. You can’t see how in the world you are going to start your own charity or write a book or travel the globe this year distributing mosquito nets.

If the latter is where you’re at, then this email is for you. Because my request today may seem really insignificant and, quite frankly, boring… but it’s not. I am convinced that what I am asking you to do this year is hugely important and can make a difference in people’s lives on the other side of the globe. And you don’t even have to leave your own home.

I’m not saying it’s easy. It’s actually quite difficult. It will take time and energy and perseverance. It will require that you live by faith and not by sight.

I’m looking for people to pray. You see, there’s this little people group in the forest in Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa. They need to hear about Jesus. That He loves them. That He wants a personal relationship with them. This little people group has captured my heart over the course of the past 12 years, and I am praying that they will capture your heart as well.

We won’t be able to travel there this year and see them and touch them and tell them, but what we can do this year is pray. And that’s got to matter, right? When we are powerless to do anything for them, God is powerful. I believe that if we pour out prayers on behalf of the Beng people this year, God will move in their midst, and it will make an eternal difference.

So will you join me? Will you let your heart be captured by these precious people? Will you spend time each month, week, or day praying for them? Will you live in hopes that you will someday see some of them in heaven?

If you are interested in joining the Beng prayer team and committing to pray regularly for them, send me an email at prayforthebeng@hotmail.com. I’ll send you some background information about the Beng and add you to the monthly prayer email, plus give you some other options if you want to get involved in other ways.

December, 2012 Prayer Requests

Stores filling your mailbox and inbox with promises of Christmas deals. Brightly lit Santas and snowmen clinging to the street lights as you drive through town. Children and grandchildren filling your ears with their requests for under the tree. Christmas songs flooding the radio air waves. With all these signs of the season surrounding us, it would be hard to escape Christmas even if we wanted to. In Beng villages it is much different. Many have never even heard of Christmas. Can you even imagine that? Never hearing of Christmas? More importantly, many have never heard of the Jesus that we celebrate at Christmas. Let's pray that many Beng would hear of Jesus and accept His invitation to relationship. Pray that this year and each year, more and more Beng would be celebrating Christmas with us.

November, 2012 Prayer Requests

As our country is abuzz with talk of politics this week, let's take a minute to pray for the country where the Beng live, Cote d'Ivoire. Though the Beng are removed geographically from the Ivorian center of government and commerce, Abidjan, the decisions made there can affect the lives of the Beng. The condition of the Beng schools, roads, and water pumps and the prices of the coffee and chocolate that the Beng grow are tied to government actions. Just as we desire the leaders of our own country to be wise, just, and compassionate, let's pray that the leaders in Cote d'Ivoire would have wisdom, justice, and compassion as well. Pray that they would put the needs of their countrymen above their own and uphold honesty and integrity in political dealings.

October, 2012 Prayer Requests

Yesterday I took my oldest son to the pediatrician for a check-up. On these visits, I often thank God for the access that our family has to medical care. I think of so many of the African mothers I met who had to watch their children suffer through illness, powerless to help them in any way. There was no doctor in their village. They didn't have the money necessary to get them to a doctor and pay for any needed medications. So we may say, "Send money to Africa. Send doctors. Help them!" Well, it's not quite so simple. I am reading a book at the moment. It's by an anthropologist and her husband who lived among the Beng to study their culture and beliefs. The husband often treated people who would come to them with injuries or illnesses. He tells of a neighbor who came to him with a gash on his hand that had become infected. He washed and dressed the wound and sent the man on his way, telling him to keep it clean. The man returned each day to have the dressing changed, and each day he came with a dirty bandage. "[The author] began to lecture him again about proper bandage cleanliness. Jean translated Kouassikro's reply. "He wants to know why." "Because," I said, but then stopped. How to explain bacteria? "Well," I started again with Jean's help, "there are these little animals, so tiny that you can't see them without a..." I paused: what would "microscope" mean to Kouassikro? "Without a special machine. But these little creatures are so dangerous they can kill you if you don't keep your wound clean." I watched Kouassikro's face slowly harden into a deeper and deeper skepticism. "Little animals?" "Yes. Very, very tiny ones." Clearly this was one of the most ridiculous stories he'd ever been told, but as I was kind enough to give him medicine, Kouassikro nodded politely, thanked me again, and returned to his compound. How could I blame him? Murderous, infintesimally small animals and special detection machines sounded implausible even to me." (from Parallel Worlds, by Alma Gottlieb and Phillip Graham) You see what I mean? It's complicated. We can't always just rush in with our Western methods and medicines and expect those of other cultures to wholeheartedly accept the knowledge we have to offer. The Beng usually correlate sickness with spirits and/or witchcraft. When they are ill, it's because they have angered the spirits of the earth or because someone has bewitched them. It's what their parents have told them. And their parents' parents. And their parents' parents' parents. I start to think about this and get so overwhelmed by the needs of the Beng- physical and spiritual. But then I am reminded of Matthew 19:26. "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God, everything is possible." So pray with me this month for the Beng. Pray that God would bring physical and spiritual healing to this precious people that live half a world away. Thanks for praying.

September, 2012 Prayer requests

I was reading an article today about a seminary in another part of Africa that is training church leaders in sound Biblical doctrine. One of the students commented on how common it is in their country to hear incorrect theology preached because pastors and leaders have not had adequate training. I thought about how most Beng Christians have not had access to Bible classes and prayed that God would lead them to a correct understanding of His Word. Then it hit me... not only do Beng Christians not have access to Bible classes, they don't even have access to a Bible in their language. Imagine your life as a believer in Christ without having God's Word to live by. Can you even imagine it? A few books of the Bible and various other portions of Scripture have been translated into the Beng language, but much remains to be done before the Beng have a complete Old and New Testament in their language. Let's pray this month that some day Beng Christians will have access to the entire Word of God in their heart language.

August, 2012 Prayer Requests

About half of the Beng follow traditional religious beliefs, largely animistic. About half follow a major world religion (though they often mix in animistic beliefs as well). This world religion is in the midst of its holy month, in which adherents spend the day fasting. It would be hard enough to go without food and water all day, but take into account the fact that most Beng spend all day working in the fields, carrying water, and/ or preparing food, and this month becomes an especially grueling one. Pray that, in the midst of the physical weakness they experience during this time, they would be aware of their spiritual weakness as well, seeking God in new and fresh ways. Pray that God would speak to them. Pray also that Beng Christians would be used by God to show love and grace to their friends and family members during this time. Pray that they would have wisdom to know when to share the truth with words and when to share through deeds. Pray that they would stand strong in the face of persecution (such as alienation from friends and family) they may face this month.

July, 2012

Recently I read an interview with a pastor from a country in the Middle East. His church's vision is that "... the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). Recognizing that there are many areas of their country that the church can't preach at this time, they are praying that God will declare Himself to the people of their country, including those of other religions. Even though their church can't physically visit people in an effort to reach them, this pastor says, "Jesus, He can reach and visit people in their dreams." When I read this, I immediately thought of the Beng people. Even though there are no outside missionaries in their midst at this time seeking to reach them with the Gospel, Jesus can still reach them. Jesus can and does visit people in their dreams, revealing Himself to them. God's power is not limited by human constraints such as politics or geography. He is at work among the Beng, even as I write this. That thought is so exciting to me. If we never get to visit the Beng in person, we will get to hear about God's glory revealed among them when we get to heaven. So, let's pray this month like this Middle Eastern pastor, that "...the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" and pray specifically that He would reveal Himself to the Beng people and visit them in their dreams.

June, 2012 Prayer Requests

So, what's for dinner tonight? A daily predicament for the average American family. Will it be tacos or pizza? Or hamburgers? But we just had hamburgers on Monday... For most of us, the question of what's for dinner is a matter of choosing something from the bounty that lies in our fridges and pantries. In West Africa, dinner can often be a question of, "Is there anything left for dinner?" And if there is something there, "Is it enough to last us until the next harvest?" Many places in West Africa are experiencing shortages of food this year. Weather conditions and political and social conditions in many West African nations have all contributed to this. Though I don't have any information specific to the Beng people, I would think that there are at least some who are struggling to provide food for their families. Pray with me this month that God would provide the Beng with the food they need. Pray that the Beng would look to the one true God for both physical and spiritual nourishment.

May, 2012 prayer requests

Children are great, aren't they? Such boundless energy, limitless curiosity, and inspiring optimism. When I was in Africa, it was often the children who were the first to come and greet me, flashing their sweet smiles. One of my favorite memories from when I was there was when my friends Amy and Katie were visiting me. We took a trip to Bengland and happened to be there on Palm Sunday. There was a small church in the village of Ouassadougou where we were staying, and they celebrated by parading around the village singing and clapping. The most memorable part was the joy and excitement the children displayed that day. It was contagious. I am asking this month that we pray for Beng children. Pray that their curiosity would lead them to a knowledge of the one true God. Pray that their energy would would be used to live out a life of faith. Pray that their optimism would inspire them to lead their people to follow Jesus.