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(TAH-jeeks) - Pray for isolated Tajik believers as they endure persecution from their family and community. Nancy came to saving faith five years ago after Jesus appeared to her in a dream and she then responded to the gospel message. She has faithfully studied the Word and testified to her family about Jesus. Her family continues to grow more hardened against her faith. Drinking tea with leaders of the church in another city, Nancy shared how her family will not allow her to gather with other believers. She said that they have threatened her for continuing to read the Bible. A dear sister, whom she had only just met, encouraged her: "Whatever they say, whatever they threaten, do not deny Jesus! Live your changed life of love out before them, as a letter of what God has done in you. You don't need to argue with them; you don't need to convince them. Love your family, and do not deny Jesus! He will save them!" Nancy's heart was deeply encouraged. Pray for her and many like her to hold fast to Jesus and to live out transformed lives before those who are against them.
Please pray for a believing sister among the Rocky Soil People as she faces persecution from her family. They recently threatened to kick her out of her quarters that are built onto the family home if she wouldn't return to Islam. To keep the situation calm, she decided to take her daughter and move out. There is also a concern she may lose her job if her boss finds out that she's a follower of Jesus. Please pray for this sister to run her race well and for others to come alongside her. Intercede for her family, asking that they may know the true and living God.
(mah-LOO-koo) - As you celebrate Independence Day in the United States, please remember that your ultimate freedom was purchased over 2,000 years ago "on a hill far away . . ." and that eternal freedom and joy is being offered to many people in the northern Maluku Islands who do not understand how such an incredible gift can be given freely. Pray that the Lord will open their eyes and hearts to the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
(mah-huh-RAHSH-truh) - Please pray for an upcoming weeklong "two-wheeler outreach." During the week, many believers will take to the roads of Maharashtra on motorcycles and scooters, with the goal of finding and sharing the gospel with unengaged, unreached people groups and places. Please cover this time in prayer, asking that the Father will protect everyone involved and lead them to many "divine appointments" with people who are ready to believe! Ask God to show His strength and power leading up to, during, and after this two-wheeler outreach effort to the believers who will be participating and to all those they will meet.
Praise God for a deepening partnership between IMB missionaries and Taichung Baptist Church (TCBC)! After receiving evangelism training from missionaries, TCBC members have initiated prayerwalking and gospel-sharing days, resulting in professions of faith in Christ! Recently, the youth/college ministry of TCBC took their worship service outdoors to the nearby university campus in an effort to meet new students and build relationship with the lost. Pray that God will bless the efforts of TCBC to reach Taichung with the hope of the gospel. Pray for TCBC's youth and college summer camps in July. Ask that it will be a transformative time for these students, one in which lives will be changed for eternity, faith will be deepened, and disciple makers will be raised up!
"Your prayers are making a difference in the training events, so thank you for praying. For this month, please pray for the following ongoing trainings: One of these is the coaching of pastors of small churches. Please pray for these pastors who have challenges, hurts, and need spiritual strength and renewed passion for the ministry that God has given them. Another ongoing training is discipleship groups. Please pray for them to mature spiritually, become missions minded, and spiritually reproduce. There are other trainings also happening for the leadership of two new church plants. Please pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit for both the trainers and the trainees as they go through the important biblical principles for church leadership."
(mow-HAH-jers) - Please pray for a group of believers who will be finishing up a Great Commission training in mid-July. Ask the Father to raise up many harvest laborers from this group to join together as witnesses in the harvest.
Thank the Father for new hands ready to sign and serve the Deaf community in Central Asia! Summer volunteers recently arrived, and the Deaf team is so excited to have them. They have jumped into life, with language learning and meeting members of the Deaf community. Shortly after they arrived, the team hosted a painting workshop. This was the first of three summer workshops they'll be hosting with the volunteers this summer. The goal of these workshops is to offer fun activities as a means of engaging unreached Deaf people. Thank the Lord for the nine people who attended the painting workshop, five of whom worker Melody Hendrick had never met. Although Melody was nervous about teaching a painting class for the first time (let alone in a new language), she was happy that everyone seemed to enjoy the workshop. The team is following up with these new contacts and beginning to build friendships with them! Pray that the painting workshop is just the beginning of friendships with these new contacts and that they will be open and receptive not only to friendship, but also to the gospel. Pray that these relationships will provide opportunities for gospel conversations.
(chit-TAH-gong) - Near the end of the first week of July, Muslims will celebrate their second-biggest event of the year. Officially, it is called Eid al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice). Along with that holiday observance, if possible, families will send one or more of their members to the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia to do the Hajj (pilgrimage). Most Muslims believe that if a person does the Hajj, they are guaranteed to go to heaven. If the Hajj is not an option, then families will sacrifice an animal, remembering the sacrifice of Abraham. In one city in Bangladesh, more than 100,000 cows will be cut in the morning and will be butchered the rest of the day. People believe that the blood of the animal covers the sins of some family members. Finally, if those two options are not possible, then a person is considered to be poor and does not have to do either one. Please pray that Muslims will come to understand that an earthly journey will not get them to heaven. Also pray that they will realize that the story in Genesis 22 points to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?" (Romans 8:35 ESV). Believers in northern Africa are faced with persecution and danger. They are rejected and abused by family members and face arrest and punishment from the government. Despite the persecutions he has faced, Titus has chosen to follow Jesus. Pray that he will remember Christ's love for him and be able to love others, including his persecutors, with the same love.