(for the week of January 4, 2010)

NEAPOLITANS OF ITALY (nee-uh-PAHL-uht-n). This month, Charlie Worthy, team leader for the Harvesting Naples Team, will be going to London to an International World Changers (IWC) meeting. It is four intense days of hammering out details. Afterwards the men and/or women from IWC who will be overseeing the Naples project will travel with Charlie to Naples. They will spend three days walking the city, determining what the project will look like for July. Please be in prayer for Charlie as he travels to London and as he shares the ministry vision for Naples. Also pray for the IWC men and/or women as they walk around Naples, asking that they and Charlie will come together on the ministry that will best suit the IWC team and best benefit the city. paulandmackenzie@gmail.com

SVERDLOVSKAYA OBLAST AREA OF RUSSIA (SOAR) (svehrd-LOHV-skah-ya OH-blahst). TeamSOAR writes: “Thank you so much for your prayers on behalf of the MKs (children of Baptist representatives) on our team whose school, which they had attended for six-and-a half years, closed last July. Each of the students was able to enroll in one of the other local Russian schools, and they are all having a good year. Give thanks that as a result of being dispersed among the schools in our city, our team’s ‘mission field’ has been expanded, and each family has found new opportunities for ministry among the students, teachers and parents in their respective schools!” ahart4russia@pobox.com; http://www.teamsoar-russia.com/

SAYANG, AROMA AND BUNGA PEOPLES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA (sai-YANG, ah-ROH-ma, boon-GA). Workers write: “Our most remote team of co-laborers has just seen the first signs of fruit as a local man prayed to receive the Lord. He accepted after hearing the Good News for the first time. The biggest challenge we have been facing is that once people believe, they are not making themselves available for initial discipleship afterwards. This is a crucial time, and the hope is that from early on, they will learn that this Story is not meant to be kept to ourselves, but shared with others. Please pray that this man will have a thirst for God’s Word and make time to be discipled, as will the other new believers throughout these islands.”

BICOLANOS OF THE PHILIPPINES (bee-koh-LAH-nohs). Thank you for praying for the group of new believers from Brother J’s extended family. The Lord is answering your prayers. God is blessing this group as they invite more of their relatives and friends. Last Sunday, so many new visitors came that there were not enough places to sit. Brother J was embarrassed but pleased. This week, he and his nephew are making two more benches. Last Friday, one of the group’s leaders baptized four more believers. Praise the Lord!