WORLD LEADERS - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please pray today for President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan (eastern Asia coast).

RURAL PEOPLE OF EAST ASIA - Please continue to pray for teams of two who are visiting many unreached villages to train villagers in better methods of planting vegetables that will yield vastly higher amounts. As they train these villagers, they are also distributing media players with Gospel messages and worship songs on the players in the heart languages of the people groups.

SUSU OF GUINEA (SOO-soo ) - “One of the great pleasures and privileges of serving on our Susu Team is working with volunteers who share a love for the Susu and have a desire for them to know Jesus. It is always a boost and an encouragement to have them come, but especially when they come from a home church, and they and the rest of the church share in our vision and strategy. Missionaries Paulo and Heather will be welcoming a volunteer team from their home church at the end of June. Pray that God will work through the team to show Himself to the people of Guinea. Pray that when the people interact with the volunteers, they will see Jesus in them. Ask that Paulo and Heather will be strengthened and encouraged by having them here. Pray that doors will open and opportunities will arise for further ministry that will extend beyond the volunteer team’s visit.”

AR OF COLOMBIA (ahr) - An IMB missionary traveled to a town near the Ar people last month and there met with national missionaries J and A and local pastors. The pastors in this town have people who are interested in and beginning to have contact with Ar people. Church members are traveling into nearby Ar villages with the desire to share the Gospel with them. Plans are being made to work with these local churches and church members to give them training in cross-cultural ministry and missions. There is a desire to work together and to build a larger team that can reach this people group. Please pray for this process of training and defining how everyone can work together in the coming months.

brenlar@kastanet.org

ANTANDROY OF MADAGASCAR (an-tan-DREW-ee) - A pause in the conversation as well as an occasional gasp from the national: This is the reaction missionary apprentices Adam and Suzie Hailes usually get from the Malagasy people all over the island when telling them about their work. It’s not the shock of their being missionaries, but the people whom they are seeking to reach. It is known all around that the Antandroy people are strong and fierce, but so far, Adam and Suzie have found them to be warm and receptive. It is obvious that God’s timing is right. The harvest is ready! Pray that the Southwest Madagascar Team members serving among the Antandroy-Adam and Suzie and their three children, journeyman Ashley Gruber, and missionary apprentices Chandler and Kelli Snyder and their daughter-will all be sensitive and obedient to the Spirit in building initial relationships and pursuing witnessing opportunities.

JOLA-FONYI OF SENEGAL AND THE GAMBIA (JOH-luh-FOH-nyee ) - “When my husband, Lee, started a storying group in Bougoutoub 22 years ago, it was with approximately 15 young men who wanted to know what the Bible had to say to them,” writes missionary Donelle Kauffman. “P was one of those men. Most of them could read and speak French, so after several weeks of Lee’s telling them Bible stories in Jola, they wanted to have a Bible and read it. There was no Bible in Jola, so the study became a French Bible study. P was the only one in the group who could not read or speak French. As a boy, he didn’t like school, and after several years of trying to get him to go, his father gave up and let him farm instead. When the group started studying the Bible in French, P lost interest and didn’t come anymore, even though the men would translate for him. Through the years, he has had other friends teach him French but not how to read it. Often when we get together for special occasions with our neighbors, he is one of those with whom we eat and visit. After eating and having tea, Lee usually tells the group a Bible story or shares the ‘Creation to Christ’ stories in Jola, or we listen to one of ‘The Righteous Way’ lessons in Jola, with discussion and questions following, so P has heard the Gospel many times. Pray that P will see his need for a Savior and accept Jesus.”

EUROPEAN PEOPLES - Hundreds of Southern Baptist volunteers will be coming to Europe this summer to be involved in various projects. They will lead sports and English camps for children and youth, assist with family camps, do construction projects, distribute Christian literature, prayerwalk, hold concerts, host Bible clubs, offer medical clinics, and much, much more. Praise God for these individuals who will be sacrificing vacation time and personal funds in order to share the love of Christ with Europeans living in spiritual darkness. Intercede that each volunteer will have “divine appointments” and boldly share the Gospel every time the Lord opens a door. Petition that this summer will yield a rich harvest of new believers throughout Europe!

MUSLIMS OF KARNATAKA STATE, INDIA (CAR-not-ick-ah ) - As Ramadan quickly approaches, opportunities for sharing the Gospel with the Muslims of Karnataka are vast. But there are millions of them spread across the state, and so few believers willing to share with them. That’s why media can play a special role in reaching this group of people. Pray for Brother S as he seeks to land a slot on state-wide television for the “JESUS” film to be shown during Ramadan. Pray that this project will move forward without any major glitches, and that God will use the film to impact many Muslims for His glory.

SRI LANKA - Despite the threats of danger, about 70 believers came to a church that was meeting in a village. Soon after arriving, a group of approximately 700 Buddhists, including nearly 30 monks, came to the church, armed with bags of rocks. The police came and advised the pastor to send the believers home, as they couldn’t guarantee their protection against the crowd. Since that time in February, these 70 believers have divided into 17 churches that meet in homes throughout the area. Instead of being discouraged or defeated, the church is now experiencing greater growth than they’ve seen before, with new believers being added weekly. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness! Pray for God to equip new leaders and for His kingdom to continue to grow in this area.

Interceding4SL@gmail.com

MOUNTAIN YI OF EAST ASIA (ee) - Since most Mountain Yi churches are relatively new, they do not have much experience in performing God-honoring funerals for believers. Recently an elderly Christian Yi brother passed away. His family desired to honor the Lord by having a Christian funeral service. Christians from neighboring villages traveled in support of this family’s decision. A local influential “bimo” (village shaman) told the family that unless they sacrificed to ancestors and held a funeral in the old traditions, another family member would die within three days. “OK,” replied the believers, “but we will stay gathered together for the next few days, and if nothing happens to any one of us, then you have to quit being a ‘bimo’!” Praise the Lord that nearly a month later, no one else in that village has even been remotely ill! The “bimo” left quietly and has lost all his influence over that village. Pray for other Mountain Yi to come to faith as a result of God’s powerful work in this village.

PEOPLE OF THE SWAN AREA, EAST ASIA - “But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. . . . Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them” (Psalm 115:4-5, 8, NIV). “We made a trek half-way up the mountain the other day. When we arrived, we turned around and looked out over our city-one of the SWAN cities. What we saw was gorgeous! But we had not come to look out at the valley; we had come up to pray for those worshiping in the temple. It was truly heartbreaking. We saw sincere people-our neighbors-seeking favor from gods that their hands had made. We saw people bowing before them in prayer. We saw parents teaching their children to offer animal sacrifices to them. As we prayed, the one true living God reminded us that these are those to whom He has called us to tell His story-His truly good story-the story of His love for His creation and the cross and the resurrection. These people who are up at the temple are the same people who live down in the valley. They are living without hope . . . without peace . . . without purpose. They are living lifeless lives. Please pray that our neighbors will turn from trusting idols and turn to the living God! Ask Him to use you however He wants-no matter the cost!”