(an-uh-TOHL-yuh) - Shari and Chelsea, two believing women, recently met and befriended Olivia at the local park. They all have children of similar ages, so Olivia invited Shari and Chelsea over for a children's playdate. While drinking tea, Chelsea was able to share a bit about the Christian faith with Olivia. Please pray that Shari and Chelsea will have more opportunities to share about Christ with Olivia and the truth that it is only by the grace of God through Christ that we can be saved, not our own good works.

Recently in South Asia, a church was burned. Gratefully, no one was injured in the attack. Pray for the pastor and his family to be protected and encouraged, and ask for the believers to be strengthened in their faith. Pray that the place of worship can be repaired.

Local authorities sponsor a popular, full-ride university scholarship which affords students from selected countries the opportunity to live and learn in Pilgrim City. They study a range of subjects, from diplomacy to computer science and engineering. A large part of this group is composed of students from Russian-speaking post-Soviet countries. Almost all these Russian-speaking students are culturally tied to Islam, but most are nominal Muslims. Some believers are engaging this group of students in English- and Russian-speaking environments, working closely with an organization which serves international students. A few of the Russian-speaking students have met one-on-one with believers, while some have attended events and small groups with other believers. Whereas Slavic peoples are accustomed to going to a church building, the path to Jesus with these Muslim students is not as straightforward. Time and trust are needed to form relationships and share the gospel interpersonally. Pray for follow-up conversations with these students. Pray that the group of believers will work well together and with other partners to reach, follow up, and connect these students with local fellowships. Pray for the students' salvation.

(car-NAH-tuh-kuh) - Please pray for several local leaders from the Upper Plains who gathered with others last month to discuss how to go after and find the unengaged, unreached peoples of South India. Pray that the momentum that sprang from that meeting will have a lasting effect and that these leaders will have creative ideas to implement and test out in their places of service. Ask that they will desire to invest time in other leaders so that more and more people will have their eyes on these peoples who have, in the past, been overlooked or inaccessible for gospel proclamation.

"Most people living in South Korea's Southeast region are unaware of the blessed life that is available through faith in Jesus Christ. It is the least evangelized area in South Korea. By God's grace, prayer can open doors we wouldn't be able to open in our own strength. So, please join us in praying for open doors for the gospel in this region so that God's love and renewal can spread to the people and society, positively impacting them both today and eternally. Please pray fervently that God will raise up many local laborers to join in reaching the millions in the region. For 'the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few' (Matthew 9:37b ESV). Please pray as we work together with national believers and their churches to spread the gospel. Pray it will move across the region, the country, and the world, so that all peoples may have the opportunity and blessing to believe in and follow Jesus."

(n-SANG-uh) - Please pray for the Nsenga churches to seek the Lord in all decisions. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" (James 1:5 ESV). Pray for their leaders to be humble. "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28 ESV).

Most of their days are spent at the refugee camp. They've waited on residency status for several years now but have yet to receive it. They live off a weekly stipend, not yet able to get a job or own a home or car. Despite living in what feels like an endless waiting game, these refugees love to gather weekly as a church. Amir continues to shepherd this flock and also work a second job. Because most of the members are refugees, their church faces unique challenges. They've met as a church for over a year, and in the past month, stepped out in faith and begun tithing. Initially, giving seemed like an impossibility, but much like the widow in John 12, they gave of what they had and, in their first month, raised around 300 Euros. "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV). Praise God for the heart He's given this church to give cheerfully! Continue to pray for the health of this church, for the members to receive status in their new home, and for their hearts to remain steadfast in Him.

Last time missionary explorers, Colson and Caleb, travelled to find people groups that they were researching, locals warned them that guerrillas were nearby. The explorers adapted their plans and detoured around the area to continue searching for the unreached people groups. Please pray for them because they are headed into the same area again. To these explorers, it's worth the risk to share the gospel with the lost. "These groups are small, but they are gripped by spiritual strongholds of darkness that do not want to be penetrated by the light," they said. "Pray that we will overcome the darkness because the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world. Pray that we will be discerning when these obstacles arise, remembering they are not random and that we will use our spiritual armor to fight and stand strong."

(kah-RAH-chee) - Last year in Karachi, student outreach was done at several different universities. Many of these students were from unengaged, unreached people groups and from difficult-to-access people groups in the interior and up north. Many new seed sowers were also trained, and many seekers were located with whom the believers could follow up. Since then, a church has adopted their area for outreach. A local brother has begun sharing his faith daily this year, and a few men and one woman have come to faith and been baptized. Praise God! Please pray for continued fruit from the gospel seed that was sown and for there to be more local brothers and sisters who will boldly and faithfully sow even more gospel seed.

During worker Gretchen Snow's recent time working at a Deaf school in a Southeast Asian country, she was teaching a woman who was a secret believer. Gretchen shares that, unfortunately, the woman isn't following Jesus anymore. She asks you to pray for the woman. Also pray for Gretchen amid this discouraging turn of events. She writes: "The Father has the best plan, and there are more blessings available from Him. It is all for His glory. He is teaching me to be humble and to look forward to doing what He wants me to do in my tasks."

(dar es sah-LAHM) - "'For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea' (Habakkuk 2:14 ESV). Looking out over the Indian Ocean in all its vastness, I'm overwhelmed. Just the mere thought of the knowledge of God's glory covering the sea is powerful! It's impossible in our own strength; however, it's our desire to see Dar es Salaam, the coast, the surrounding cities, and all of Tanzania covered with the saving knowledge of our Lord. Please join our Dar Urban Team in praying for these things: Pray for the 15 new Tanzanian missionaries who will be serving along the coast and throughout the country. Ask that the message of salvation they will bring will be received by many. Also pray for the International Baptist Church in Dar es Salaam. Ask God to give them wisdom as they search for a new pastor. Pray that God will raise up a man of vision who has a heart to reach the city for the glory of the Lord!"

(buh-LOHCH) - Mary is an older Baloch woman who lives with her sons, their wives, and their children. A few months ago, Beth, a believer who lives nearby, went to visit them. Friends and extended family members were also there because Mary's brother in her home country had died and she was in mourning. They all spoke about casual things, and then Mary asked Beth to share the Christmas story with her friends. Beth had shared the story once in December with Mary and her daughters-in-law, and then again after a wedding when asked to do so. This was now the third time that Mary was wanting to hear the story. Beth shared, and the entire time, Mary prayed and nodded her head in agreement. When Beth said that we believe that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave, Mary nodded at that, too. Pray that Beth will have the ability to connect in a meaningful way and communicate the gospel well with Mary, who is much older than she is. Pray that Beth can share more stories from the Bible and that this whole family will believe!