(an-uh-TOHL-yuh) - Give thanks to the Lord for the churches in the central Anatolia region! These churches are very young and small, but also growing. One of the local servants/leaders has moved to a different city for a while. Pray that the Lord will raise up local leaders for these churches. Pray that these excited young believers will grow in their faith and begin to serve the local church.

(beng-AHL) - A believing couple and their children recently moved to the area of the "Train" and "River" districts. Pray that Larry and Martha will be able to meet new pastors and church leaders in the area. Petition for connections with leaders who are willing to be taught and trained in the task of the Great Commission! Pray that they will find faithful, available, teachable, and reproducible believers.

Originating from one of the oldest civilizations, the Assyrian Empire of Mesopotamia, Assyrian people are proud of their culture, traditions, and Assyrian Neo-Aramaic language. For various reasons, such as persecution and globalization, the Assyrians have been pushed into other countries outside of their original homeland of what is now modern-day Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. Approximately 28,500 Assyrians live in Turkey. Although they are traditionally from a Christian Orthodox background, many do not follow the teachings of the Bible or they have decided to follow other religions because of persecution. They've had hardships as a people group, but God knows and loves the Assyrian people and has a plan for their lives. Pray that the Assyrians in Turkey will believe that "because of the great love with which [God] loved [them], even when [they] were dead in [their] trespasses, made [them] alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV). Pray that they will be saved through faith in Jesus alone and not strive to be saved by their works. Pray for believers to connect with, care for, and speak truth to the Assyrians, revealing God's love and grace even further to them.

As a Muslim man living in the Netherlands, Zakariya had only been in a church one other time, and it was for a tour. So when a friend invited him to visit an Arabic-language church with him, he decided to come along and see what it was like. As he sat and listened to the Word of God preached in his first language, Zakariya felt like the pastor was speaking directly to him. He enjoyed his time there and continues to attend the services. Please ask the Lord to open Zakariya's eyes to the truth and save him. Praise God for how He is drawing the nations to Himself through this Arabic-language church!

(KOH-bay) - April is the beginning of the new school and job year in Japan. Students and young adults all over the country are preparing to start the next grade, enter university, or start a new job. It can be a time of excitement and stress for many students and young professionals. Please pray for those feeling lost and overwhelmed in the changes this time of year brings. Pray that God will put people in their path who can share the true meaning of new beginnings, and the hope that Jesus brings. Pray that the Japanese in Kobe, Japan will come to know that there is more to life than worldly wisdom and gain.

(kahm-PAH-lah) - "In a rented room tucked behind the trash-littered streets of a slum, Halima sat on the edge of a bed, holding her newborn. I shared a mat on the floor with a friend and believer from the Darfur region of Sudan as we chatted and waited while tea was being prepared. The sharp sent of 'bohea' (pronounced bow-HEE-ya), a Sudanese incense, filled the room as we shared the gospel with this young mother. She had not seen or heard from her family in three months after running from the fresh fighting in Sudan. Just before giving birth, her husband left her, and he hasn't been heard from since. This is a common story for the women refugees in Kampala. Would you pray for her? Also pray for others who are found in similar situations, and ask that God will reveal Himself, His kindness, and His redemption to them."

(joh-HAHN-is-burg) - University students and young professionals of the affluent suburb Parktown are taking action to address homelessness in Johannesburg. Each week, they hold "street church" downtown at Pieter Roos Park. They have been a consistent gospel presence in that area. Please pray for a clear vision of what discipleship can look like in this context, and pray that, in turn, the local community will begin to take ownership of this church. "And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2 ESV).

Pray for the Go Experience team from a church in Indiana that will be in Costa Rica on April 28 through May 6. They will be working alongside a local church, doing discipleship and evangelism, as well as serving on the University of Costa Rica campus. Please pray that their time will be fruitful and that it will have a lasting impact on Costa Rica as well as on the lives of each team member as they go back home.

The Mosuo of China are often referred to as the "kingdom of women." They are a matriarchal society, and property passes through the female side of the family, not the male. Women rule the house, though men do have important roles in society and wield political power. Most Mosuo are Tibetan Buddhists, a stronghold that is difficult to break. They live in remote areas, so their traditions have been slow to change. Their concept of marriage is quite different from other societies, and vastly different from biblical teachings on marriage. There are believers among the Mosuo, but not many. Pray for centuries of tradition and religion to be laid at the feet of Jesus and a new way of life to be found in Christ. Pray the Mosu will discover true freedom and power as they allow the Holy Spirit to guide their thoughts and actions.

"They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?'" (Luke 24:32 ESV). Things haven't changed much since Jesus met those men on the road to Emmaus. There are many people today in the Asia-Pacific Rim who are discouraged and hopeless because they don't trust in Christ or they trust in a false idea of who they think He is. They believe Jesus will do what they want Him to do, and when He doesn't, they are disappointed. Pray for Scripture to be opened to them and for their hearts to be set on fire. May they be excited about what they read, desire to be with God more, share Him more, and obey Him more. As believers have hearts on fire for God, pray for others to see it and desire to know more about Christ.