The Maluku Islands can be a volatile place, with tensions often high between religious groups. The 16,000 Seit and Kaitetu people are majority Muslim and are currently unengaged and unreached, meaning they have no one consistently proclaiming the gospel in their area. Please pray that brave believers will plant themselves among the Seit and Kaitetu people and boldly share the gospel. Pray for the Seit and Kaitetu people to be ready and willing to listen to the good news and eagerly commit to being disciples of Christ.
Kadija has a heart for marginalized people in her town. Recently, she and her friend began weekly gatherings of some of the street children who beg in the marketplace. The children are young, aged 10 and under. They have families but are left to care for themselves most of the time. Weekly, Kadija and her friend provide a meal and a place to wash. However, Kadija saw a need for spiritual care for the children and their families, so on a holiday, she invited them to her house church and showed them the "JESUS" film. Afterward, Kadija and her friend lovingly served the families a holiday meal and shared the gospel, and many decided to follow Jesus. Since then, God has opened many doors for Kadija to share her personal testimony and the good news. She is seeing that the field is ripe for harvest in her town. She and her friend continue to teach God's Word to the children weekly. Pray for Kadija as she continues to love, serve, and teach the children and their families. Pray that she will have time to be discipled so that she may be able to disciple these new believers.
"I have an idea: What if I give you a copy of my book, and you give me a copy of your Book?" Naima, a North African woman living in Europe, recently proposed this exchange to a believing friend who had been praying for more opportunities to share truth with her. Of course, her friend agreed, and they will meet again soon to exchange books and to talk more about what is written in them. As Naima receives a copy of God's Word, pray that she will desire to read it and approach it with openness. Ask the Holy Spirit to soften her heart and reveal her need for a Savior. Pray that she will encounter Christ in the pages she reads and that she will have the courage to follow Him in faith.
Generally, within seven days of a birth, the imam of a local mosque will give a Hui child an Islamic name from the Quran. This name is considered the person's true name, even though the child will also be given a Chinese name before starting school. It is customary for Muslims to sacrifice a sheep for protection over the child's life. When male children are circumcised, usually after five years of age, Hui families celebrate with a feast. These childhood rituals, not practiced among the Chinese majority, reinforce the cultural identity of the Hui, further separating them from non-Muslim Chinese. Please pray this week for Hui children. Pray for those in poor rural areas to receive proper nutrition, decent healthcare, and education. May Hui children be treated with love and affection by their parents and grandparents. Pray that they will have an opportunity to hear the true stories of God, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Sarah and Isaac, David, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Ask for them to study well, go to college, and have an opportunity to meet a Christian witness. Pray all these things so that they will know Jesus and have saving faith in Him.
http://pray4hui.com/ eastasiaprayer@pobox.com(SIN-dees) - Please pray for the work in the interior as some believing families shift to a new area to begin proclaiming the gospel. Pray for people and partners left behind, asking that they will thrive and realize that the work is not done there! Pray that God will be glorified, new churches will started, and there will be new believers in the faith.