HAITI. It has been rumored that the Port-Au-Prince airport will be opened by the end of the month. This would certainly open the door for more Southern Baptist volunteers to enter. Pray that the logistics for opening the airport will be worked out quickly.

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 Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales of Honduras (Central America).

AYMARA OF PERU (eye-MAH-rah). A young girl, only 16, graduates from high school. What will come next, she wonders? She, like most of the younger generation, is looking to move on from this town to “bigger and better things.” She wants to study in a larger city a few hours away. Many times as the children move to the larger cities, the families follow as well. As a result of this trend, many believers in the group in Huancane are moving out of the area. The group is dwindling, and Pastor R’s spirits are equally waning. Please pray for encouragement for Pastor R. May he be “encouraged in God” (1 Samuel 23:16). Pray also that the group will reach out and that they will see new souls won for the Lord.

MISSIONS MOBILIZATION OF BRAZIL. During the January “holiday” month, many Brazilians took their annual month-long vacation, as did many students at the Equatorial Seminary. Missionary Paul Lambach, who serves as coordinator of the Mission’s Department, writes: “Once the students return, pray with us that we can continue and strengthen the following ministries: 1) Monday morning chapel at the men’s prison in Americano; (2) Tuesday morning chapel at Massafra Construction Supplies; (3) Tuesday and Wednesday morning and afternoon chapel with children and youth that begins a social service emphasis with the City of Ananindeua Fire Department; and (4) a garbage dump ministry--this semester, pray that the Lord will allow me to begin mobilizing students for this ministry.”

MOROCCAN ARABS OF MOROCCO (muh-RAH-kan). Worship. Merely hearing the word may bring to mind thoughts of corporate times together in song and prayer, or perhaps it makes you think of sweet times alone with the Father. Maybe it even reminds you of Romans 12:1-2 and thoughts of being a “living sacrifice.” Rarely, though, does the word “slave” come quickly to mind when pondering “worship.” In Morocco, worship is rarely mentioned, except in the context of servant or slave worship. The vast majority of Moroccans are taught to believe that they are servants or slaves to God, but they are not. They, like we once were, are “slaves to sin,” and the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:17, 23, HCSB), but Jesus came to “proclaim freedom for the captives” (Luke 4:18, HCSB). Please pray that Moroccan Arabs will come to know Jesus as their Redeemer, as the one who sets them free. Pray that slave-like worship will be redeemed in Morocco as Moroccans offer themselves as bondservants to Jesus, the life-giver.

BAMBARA OF MALI (BAHM-bah-rah). The Bambara Team writes: “Recently you prayed that God would lead us to choose the right village to start work in for the ‘Foundations for Farming’ project (previously known as ‘Farming God’s Way’). Well, God has answered your prayers! He has led us to begin work in D-village. Already the villagers seem eager to work with us and help us in any way that they can. Recently team member Arnett took some shovels out to the village. Some of the shovels were missing handles, so he told the villagers, ‘I’ll just take some of these back with me since there aren’t enough handles.’ The villagers replied, ‘We can make our own handles.’ This is a huge step in the right direction, and we are hopeful for what the future holds! Please continue praying for this project. Petition for continued good attitudes among the villagers, and pray that God will send the volunteers needed to complete this project!”

BAPTIST CONVENTIONS OF THE CENTRAL SAHEL (WEST AFRICA). Voodoo, animism, Islam, syncretism, and imported religions from Buddhism to Mormonism, combined with an ocean of illiteracy, continually challenge biblical theological stability across the Central Sahel (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo). This region is diversely divided into two dominant languages, English and French, as well as hundreds of indigenous languages, sub-dialects and cultures. A great disparity exists among Baptist conventions--from Nigeria’s firmly established convention, more than 100 years old and with 8,000 churches, to Benin’s convention, functioning since only 1984 and with 103 churches. The Assist Team purposes to come alongside indigenous Baptist partners by working together and empowering them to fulfill Christ’s mandate to evangelize the world, develop disciples, baptize, and teach obedience to the Word. The Assist Team consists of two arms--theological educators and liaisons--who work directly with conventions and all levels of Baptist leadership. Liaisons endeavor to establish close relationships with convention personnel, partner in training the local churches for the work of the ministry, and link churches and volunteers with strategic ministries through conventions to unreached peoples. Please pray for the Baptist conventions of the Central Sahel.

ENGAGING CHURCHES - WEST AFRICA. HighPoint Fellowship of Splendora, Texas, writes: “Praise God for demonstrating His power among the P people of Mali through the volunteer team during the Thanksgiving holiday. God is making Himself known as the one and only true God. He is fulfilling Isaiah 52:10: “The Lord has demonstrated His holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.” Many saw the power of Jesus’ name through prayer and heard the truths of God’s Word through the stories that were shared. A thanksgiving feast was shared between the volunteer team and the entire village. This comment was made: “Everyone ate, and the whole village is full. There is food left over. Everything you have done comes from your heart. Your religion is true.” Please pray for the chief, the families that experienced God’s power, and all who heard stories from God’s Word. Pray for courage for those who are considering the way of Jesus and stepping closer to following His road. Pray for S as he continues to live out his faith as the only follower in his village. Pray for direction as we seek to develop an oral set of stories so that all the P people can hear and understand in their own language.”

NAFANA OF COTE D’IVOIRE (nah-FAH-nah). In December, you were asked to pray for the Lord to give dreams and visions to encourage people to seek Him. D is the son of a Nafana chief; this chief accepted the Lord before he died--the first in his family to do so. D has been listening to the Bible stories because his father wanted his whole family and village to hear them. Missionaries Jerry and Carol Robertson write: “Recently D told us that he had a dream in which his father was sitting with us as we told the Bible stories. This dream encouraged him that he was on the right track to follow ‘the Jesus road.’ Thank the Lord for confirming to D that he is right to follow Jesus, and pray that he will grow in faith and in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord so as to be a faithful disciple all of his life, and ask that his family will accept Christ as well.”

CITY OF NEW HOPE, CHINA. On Christmas Day, hundreds of students and some church members attended an outreach activity. When a young leader shared the Christmas message and gave an invitation, a large number of people accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. All praise to Him!

KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN (GAOW-shong). “On a recent outing to the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung, we were amazed at the number of temples we saw,” writes the Hope Harvest Team. “It seemed as if every street had more than one, some big and some small. Many of them had people coming and going--bowing before idols, burning incense, offering up their prayers, trying to earn their way to heaven. One of the temples was a ‘three-in-one temple,’ where followers of three different religions could come and worship at one temple! Pray for the veil of darkness to be lifted from this city. May people’s eyes be opened to the futility of their rituals, and may they see the one true God. Pray that the traditions that bind them will be broken and cast aside, allowing the Prince of Peace to enter in. The Chinese New Year begins this month; let us join together and ask our heavenly Father for the new year to bring new opportunities to share His Truth, and pray that many new brothers and sisters will join the family of God.”

hope4harvest@gmail.com

MACAU, SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION, CHINA (muh-COW). The most important festival on the Macau calendar is the Lunar New Year Festival. It is a festive, celebratory time for all, with homes neatly decorated and time set aside to visit family and friends. This time is also associated with various superstitions, ranging from not sweeping floors to not washing one’s hair during the first few days of the new year. People also flock to the various temples in the city, seeking blessings and fortunes for the new year. Pray that people will no longer depend on superstitions to guide their lives or seek the emptiness of idols.

SWIRL PEOPLE OF EAST ASIA. Please pray for HX. He has just believed and is leaving a life of work in the illegal selling of trees. He has a new job at a business in the mountains, but this will make it difficult for him to be discipled on a regular basis. Pray for his spiritual growth.

SHAN DAI OF CHINA, THAILAND AND LAOS (shawn-DIE). You have been praying for boldness among the believers, and God has been faithful to answer. The man previously mentioned, whose house had been searched, continues to go to new areas and share the Good News. In one village, previously without a Gospel witness, one woman believed after this man shared with her. Later, another couple with AIDS believed. Pray for the truth to take root in this new village and for God’s fame to spread in this place.

BANGALORE HOSPITAL, KARNATAKA STATE, INDIA (BANG-ah-lohr). Thank you for praying a year ago about the radiation cancer center at Bangalore Baptist Hospital. Finally ground has been broken and construction is underway. Pray that all will progress in a timely way, and that this will open many hearts to Jesus Christ.

NEPAL. “We have entered the ‘season of strikes’ in Nepal. Winter brings a multitude of ‘bhandas’ (pronounced BON-dahs) or strikes, which are closings of roads and businesses called for by different political groups in order to force the government to meet their demands. These strikes are detrimental to many. They often cause shortages of fuel and basic food stuffs. Please pray that the strikes will not hinder our work, but instead, that God will multiply our efforts at this time. Thank you for your fervent prayers.”

LAST FRONTIER. In September, you were asked to lift up Baptist representatives who were having difficulty getting new visas to work in an area that is home to a Last Frontier people group. Thank the Lord that they have finally received a new visa/work permit! Thank you for your prayers.