Thank the Lord that Send Relief was recently able to provide food for 200 families, including nearly 50 leper families and others in the surrounding villages. Namagera is home to a group of lepers who have been outcast and forgotten by most. They were not welcomed in community gatherings and were even asked to leave churches when they dared to enter them. Now the leper colony is a mini hub of the community. It began more than two years ago when the dire conditions of those living in the leper colony came to the attention of a young Ugandan man. He began to organize community support through International Mission Board missionaries to assist with unmet spiritual needs, medical care, food, and clothing. The help to the lepers opened doors to their larger community. God's presence has changed the people of Namagera! Villagers now join in worship with the lepers under a tarp right in the middle of the leper colony. Physical food has opened doors for spiritual healing and social acceptance in Namagera. Praise the Lord!
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/(SHOW-pee) - "They live five hours away roundtrip. Some have yet to hear the truth that will set them free. Some have been given an audio Bible. Some now have the Word at their fingertips. But how can discipleship take place? What can it look like? What will the Lord do? Please join our Southern Mozambique Team in praying for open doors for follow-up discipleship to our audio Bible distributions that happened at the end of this past year. Pray for entrances to working with existing unhealthy churches that may not yet be convicted of their straying ways. Pray for partnering with a 'person of peace' (Luke 10:6) who was welcoming of evangelical work in the past. Pray for the vast need for discipleship--the plentiful harvest and the meager and feeble laborer representation. Please pray for the audio Bible studying tools to bridge into this massive Chopi people group while they are awaiting the discipleship they may not even know that they need. 'Please, Lord, show us the way and open the doors. Pray that every tongue will confess You as Lord and Savior of their lives and then begin to work out their salvation with healthy discipleship strides."
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/(SWAH-zee) - A volunteer team from the United States will be involved in a three-day pastors' conference, two one-day camps, revivals in different regions of the country, as well as many home visits. Pray for a wonderful ministry during the team's time in Eswatini on February 12-28. Pray for safe travels and good health of the team members. Ask God to work in and through them in a mighty way among the people as they teach and encourage the saved and share the gospel with the lost. May the Swazi people freely share the Word that they freely received with their friends, neighbors, relatives, and others with whom they come in contact. "You received without paying; give without pay" (Matthew 10:8 ESV).
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/(sow toh-MAY ee PRIHN-sih-pih) - Please pray for Pastor Tiago as he virtually responds to requests for prayer and gives biblical guidance to individuals who are seeking answers, prompted by probing questions that they have seen online. Pray for other faithful followers of Jesus in São Tomé e Príncipe to feel called to join Pastor Tiago in ministering through this outreach using digital engagement strategies.
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/(DER-bun) - Missionary apprentices Luke and Leslie Montgomery work with university students in Durban, South Africa. In February, a new school year will begin. Pray that they will be able to identify believing first-year students with whom they will be able to build relationships. They want to ensure that Christian students continue walking in obedience to God while at school. Helping them become disciple makers and potential church leaders during their university years is another desired outcome. Pray that these students will be an example to others "in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity" (1 Timothy 4:12 ESV).
http://www.imb.org/sub-saharan-africa/