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Prayer for Brazil
We only have a few weeks left but I thought I'd write and share with you a story and some reflection about these final weeks and leaving Brazil. Thank you for your continued prayers. The last two clinics have been wonderful and we have seen God work in many ways.
Mirian came into our clinic at Vila Kennedy and was so excited. She ran up to give me a hug and said, "I'm so glad to see you again! I accepted Christ the day after you shared with me last year!" We had been at that church last year and I had treated her and shared the Gospel with her but she was not ready to make the decision to accept Christ. God continued to work on her heart even after she left the clinic and she told me that God has used those words "from someone who had come from so far away" to get her attention. She kept saying how I had been such a blessing to her! God has changed her life...she is no longer a depressed person without hope but is a joyful person who is blessing those around her! When I asked to pray for her at the end of our time together and asked for any special prayer requests, she said that her request was for me, that God would continue blessing me and using me in His work. I was blown away...out of all the needs she had, she wished to pray for me. What a confirmation and encouragement this was to me! It was a reminder that God is at work even after we, the missionaries and the Americans, leave this place. He uses the words and the message that have been shared...many times we don't know what happens to the people who have heard the message and have not accepted it. But my encounter with Mirian and seeing a life that was truly changed was a confirmation...that our labor has not been in vain and that we can leave Brazil knowing God is still here and still at work.
Many of you have been involved in this ministry in Rio through your prayers, money and your time to love these people and to share Hope with them. It is a sad time for all of us, knowing that this Rio--Tennessee Partnership and the medical clinics in the Rio favelas are coming to an end. As we leave though, we can leave knowing that during these years countless lives have been changed, including our own. God has been at work here in Rio de Janeiro and it has been a blessing to be a part of it. We can also leave knowing we are leaving these churches, the new Christians and those who are still lost in the hands of our Mighty God. We can rest knowing we are leaving Brazil in God's hands and that His work will continue even after we are gone.
I will admit though, even knowing all this, it is still hard to leave. I ask for your prayers during this time, for the Brazilian churches, for the interpreters, for the volunteers and for our team. Jen left a couple weeks ago, I leave on November 3rd and Ray and Sharon will be leaving in December after 26 years in Brazil. It is a transition time for all of us and I ask for prayers for comfort and peace as we say good-bye and for guidance and direction as we look to God for His next step in our lives.
For me this time is bittersweet. When I look back over these past five years and all that I have experienced and been a part of here in Rio, I am filled with amazement and thankfulness. When I first heard in May, 2002 of the opening in Rio de Janeiro to work with volunteer teams in the Rio favelas, I would never have believed how I would fall in love with this country or all I would experience during five years (it was only supposed to be two). God knew what He was doing when He brought me to Rio and I have been blessed beyond belief. I am also filled with sadness as I leave this country and these people and this ministry that has become so dear to me. I know God has plans for me that are bigger than Brazil and that I must keep following Him, but it is hard for me to say good-bye. Pray that God would fill me with His comfort and peace during this time. Pray that my last few weeks here in Rio would be glorifying to Him. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey with me, for allowing me to share my heart, for your encouragement and most of all for your prayers. My five years in Brazil would not have been possible without you guys. Thank you!
I'll write an E-mail after I get back to the States and let y'all know about the next step (but for now you can be praying for direction and clarity). Hope y'all have an awesome week! Keep seeking the Lord and allowing Him to use you where you are!
Prayer for Malaysia
PRAY:
--Pray that the evangelism training would have a great impact on the students and our ministry partners and that they would boldly share.
--Pray for Rebecca as she meets with Yoko tomorrow. She has asked Rebecca to explain what Christianity is all about during this meeting, so pray that Yoko's heart would be receptive to the good news.
--Pray for Chris to cultivate Christ-centered partnerships with churches in the states and for Rebecca and the kids to do well while he is gone.
Prayer for Malta
From: Earl and Robin Pinkston
Psalm 65:11
You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Dear Pray--ers,
The above verse really blessed me this afternoon as I am typing this and looking out a window at the beautiful fall colors. We are truly feeling His abundant and overflowing grace as we make our home in Tennessee for the next few months. The kids have done extremely well at adjusting once again to a new culture and house and all the travel. We have had some wonderful family time with both sets of parents and some of the cousins, too.
The teams last month all found open doors and fertile soil and we are trusting God for the bountiful harvest! I think around 15-20 Maltese prayed the sinner's prayer recently and we are now asking that they will take the next step in obedience to Christ and follow Him in believer's baptism. Please pray for Kathryn to do this too in the right timing. She has already mentioned baptism a time or two now. Both Thomas and Kathryn were in their secret spot in our new house this week (its in the upstairs hall closet) and Kathryn was having him repeat Bible verses after her for their AWANAS (Kids Club) memory verses. It was so great to hear them doing that.
NOVEMBER CALENDAR:
November 1 - 7:
A team of ten from Elizabethton, TN is in their adopted village of Kalkara this week. I heard from Colleen that they had already made some good contacts there, including a farmer who is going to have them all over to show them what his life is like. Pray that they will speak to the exact folks God wants them to and that they will find a real openness as they prayerwalk and do distribution.
November 8 - 15:
A team from Maryland will be working in their adopted village of Zabbar this week. Again our prayer is that they will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's guidance as they gain a better understanding of how to pray for "their" village and the Maltese. Also, we are praying for a bountiful harvest! Lift up Mike and Colleen Mauney as they have had several teams back to back. Pray that they will have strength and energy for the tasks. In Tennessee, Jimmy and Nancy Moore and Earl will be at the Tennessee Baptist Convention in Hendersonville, Tennessee so ask that they will enjoy sharing with many people from churches across Tennessee about possible ministry and prayer partnerships.
November 15 - 23:
This weekend (15th and 16th) we will be in the Memphis, Tennessee area. I (Robin) am going to share at a Tennessee Missionary Parent's Fellowship meeting on Saturday and Earl is going to be at a Global Impact Conference at Kirby Woods Baptist Church on Saturday and Sunday. Pray that we will discern exactly what we need to share abut God's work in Malta and that we can encourage folks to be obedient in doing whatever it is God is leading them to do to reach the world with the good news.
November 24 - 30:
Happy Thanksgiving to our American Pray--ers! It's a wonderful time to stop and recognize how many blessings God has given us, even eternal life through Jesus Christ. I'm especially praying for some terrific family time as my brother and sister and their families came to Jackson for Thanksgiving. Pray that Momma will stay well from secondary infections and that she will have strength and energy to play with her grandkids--all 7 of them!
KIDS KORNER:
Nathan has discovered the little spring, like door stops, in the missionary house we are living in and he loves to close the door and make them go boing! (Any of you all have some of those in your house?) He has taken two or three steps on his own but is still not walking but it should be anytime now. Kathryn and Thomas were able to go to the small Montessori school where my mother was teaching and that has been a tremendous blessing. They are adjusting pretty well and especially Kathryn is enjoying it. (I think Thomas would prefer to stay home and watch TV al day.) He's had a day "off" today since he had some dental work done this morning and thankfully it went smoothly. We drove up to Kentucky this past weekend and had a wonderful time on the farm and with family. When we got into the van, Thomas said, "Don't tell me we have to get on three airplanes again." Thankfully it was "only" a dix hour drive. However, a tractor-trailer caught on fire and we ended up stuck at a rest area for around three hours waiting for it to burn out and be safe to pass. Both boys slept though so it wasn't too bad. We were just grateful for safe travel.
Thanks for your prayers.
Love,
The Pinkstons
Russia
Khabarovsk, Russia Team October, 2008 Prayer Calendar.
"You have become her (Sarah's) children when you do good and aren't frightened by anything alarming." -- 1 Peter 3:6b
Sunday, October 26:
Pray for Jen as she builds relationships with students and teachers at the university where she is teaching.
Monday, October 27:
Pray for the Chungs as they continually meet new Korean Russians in the city and share Christ with them.
Tuesday, October 28:
Pray for the Khabarovsk Marketing Association, that Jen can assist them in starting to do things completely on their own.
Wednesday, October 29:
Pray for Connie as she prepares to make a quick trip to Prague in November. Pray for things to get done in Khabarovsk before leaving.
Thursday, October 30:
Pray for the English and Korean language classes that meet weekly as a part of the ARK club. Pray for relationships to be built for sharing Christ.
Friday, October 31:
Pray for the Chungs as they go to Seoul to get new 3-month visas. Pray for an enjoyable time with family members there.
Please pray for these that are lost:
Olya (2), Iksana, Galya, Ira, Katya, Elena (2), Lera, Lena (4), tanya, Sveta, Dima, Nadya, Elvira, Kiril, Ana, Galya, Jenya and Mom, Irena's family, Satomi, Akie, Sang-Ki, Sung-Yol, Bok-soon, Jong-Pil, Myung-Soo, Il-sik, Natasha (2), Sukjo-Yoon, Ki-Bun, Sasha, Lena, Jenia.
Prayer for Slovenia
Spring is beginning to make its appearance here after another fairly mild winter. The upper elevations have had a fair share of snow, but here in the valley, we have had a green winter. We hope you are doing well. We are preparing for Easter here and looking forward to Joanna's arrival for her Easter visit.
Please pray for Joanna today as she and a group of students and sponsors from BFA travel to Glasgow, Scotland, for a week long mission trip. They will be working in the inner city of Glasgow, making presentations on cultural diversity in schools and then working in a children's program with a local missionary. Pray for their safety and for the Lord to work in and through them all. Thank you for praying for her and for contributing to her being able to go on this trip.
Pray for us as we prepare to give Easter gifts to children here with a gospel tract designed for children. We have ordered the tract, and Joe has spoken with several people in the organization who makes them, but we haven't received them yet. Please pray that they will arrive in a timely manner. This is critical. Pray for the families who will be presented with the gospel yet another time.
Pray also for the distribution of another literature piece. I hope in the next update to be able to attach an English version of the pamphlet about a historical figure named Primoz Trubar who is a hero to Slovenes whose life 500 years ago is a powerful testament to God. His notoriety to most Slovenes is his contribution to producing the first document in written Slovene, but many don't know about his life as a Christian.
We are awaiting a final piece of the Bible study material (the instructions) to be proofread before we finally get this thing published in its entirety. It seems that we have had one delay after another. It's quite frustrating. Pray that this would be completed as soon as possible.
We are excited about the fact that on February 29, Joy prayed to receive Christ. We praise the Lord that He worked in her heart to draw her to Himself. Pray for her continued discipleship.
Josiah has officially been accepted to BFA to begin his freshman year next year. He is looking forward to it, but he is very nervous about studying in English for the first time in years. He will be continually translating what he knows from Slovene to English for a while, I'm sure. He is concerned about being homesick, but it will be good that Joanna will be there for her senior year to help him adjust.
Josie and Jordana both have colds right now. Please pray for their recovery. Pray for me as I had a skin cancer removed from my face this month. We are awaiting the final results of the tests. The doctors here all asked, "Have you been exposed to a lot of sun." I respond, "I grew up in Texas." They then understand.
This summer is shaping up to be busy, and we are excited about it. Pray for the following people who are planning to come to Bovec or are considering joining us this summer in ministry here: Regina White--She will be leading a summer day camp for children for two weeks; Taylor Gibson--Who will be serving with Regina besides other things; Danae Corley--Planning on being in Trenta with the family where Gene and Becky McPherson served last fall; Katy Stewart--Volunteering in the tourist information center as a way to help with the employees' English skills; Scott Forrester--Working with a local tourist company building relationships there; Joe and Sheila Forrester, Ryan, Catty, Jack and Donna--Group doing prayer walking and evangelism in tourist farms; Joey and Ashley Armstrong--Ministering in camp grounds and to rock climbers; group from University of New Mexico, and a group from First Baptist Church in Mineral Wells, Texas--Who will be doing community beautification to witness through that; Wesley Gray and Jonathan Chaney, as well as some Slovene believers from Maribor (Nino, Andreja, and Mojca) who will be helping with the day camp. Pray for the logistics of this all, the relationships that will be continued and new ones formed, that in all that is done or said God would be glorified. We pray that the people of Bovec would see how God's love permeates every area of life and that they would recognize their need for salvation.
Pray for us in April as it is time to renew our visas. Pray that the process would proceed smoothly and timely.
Joy will be 9 years old on March 26. It's hard to believe how she is growing so fast. Josie has become a good little skier this winter and enjoys it very much. Jordana is finally beginning to talk. She thinks she is big enough to do whatever Joy and Josie do.
Continue to pray for people here. Pray especially for Elke, Janko, Sonja, Stanka, Marko, Mira, Dejana, Vanja, Mac, Spela,Janja, Dejan, Sandra, Valter, Marija, Jure, Helena, Tadeja, Matjaz, Boris, Sasko, Slavko, Robert, Marijano, Maja. There are many others.
Thank you again for your prayers. We are grateful.
Prayer for Thessaloniki
PRAISES: Holy Father we thank you--
1. That DD is continuing to make friends in school.
2. For your presence and guidance in our day of prayer for the Greeks.
3. That EM's Mom made it safely to Greece and is a big help to the family.
4. For your guidance in preparing for the Bible study.
5. That SM celebrates her birthday Saturday.
6. For the much needed vacation for ET and DT.
PRAYER REQUESTS: Holy Father we pray--
1. For you to open the eyes of the heart of Froso, Niki and Demitra as they read Your Word Thursday and to show them their need to receive Jesus in their heart to be righteous.
2. For Natasha and George as they meet with the EM family that You would provide an opportunity for them to hear the Gospel and for their salvation.
3. For Your guidance to the RB family and BF as they are training and preparing to join the team in Thessaloniki.
4. For salvation to Katerina, George, Tasoula and Alexandria.
Thank you, Amen.
Prayer for Last Frontier country
Day 13: (November)
For V Country: "If at first you don't succeed....." A fellowship leader, and friend of some believers, drove a long distance to visit the home of the community leader of another ethnic group to share Truth with him. Sadly, no one was at home. Pray for God's timing and protection of this endeavor.
For MY Country: Last month prayer was requested for two believers who were going to travel with a group of visitors for a week during the middle of last month, at that time, one of the country's biggest holidays for the predominant faith. The two believers ended up having many opportunities to share Truth with those they visited. Pray that the seeds planted will be watered. God has responded to your prayers!
Prayer and fasting: Ilongo people of the Philippines: Pray that current Filipino fellowship planters will "not grow weary in well doing....."
Day 14 (November):
For MA Country: Please lift up a believing couple. The husband is having some cardiac problems.
For C Country: Last month prayer was requested: He raped the deaf and mute girl and told her he'd pay her $3.00. The deaf girl's mother decided not to press charges because her oldest daughter works for him washing his family's clothes. The money she receives is the only income for the family. The deaf girl's father is blind and weak, so her Mom takes care of him all day. The oldest daughter has a baby to raise and so must work. They can't even afford to buy rice to feed their family. Recently, some believers gave the girl some money. As soon as she gave her Mom the money, they ran out to buy rice. Now, the deaf girl joins believers regularly, even learning sign language. It brings joy to their hearts to see this beautiful deaf and mute girl participating with her friends and filled with joy. She signed that she believes in the Son. Pray that God uses her life as a testimony so that many more believe.
Birthdays: Tony P.
Day 15 (November):
Pray that God clearly guides the leaders who meet this week in their decision-making for the future.
For My Country: Continue to pray for the situation in the area affected by the storm several months ago. Now there is lack of drinking water. The rain is slowing down now and will soon stop completely, so residents will not be able to drink rain water much longer. The people cannot drink salty water and filtering it will not help. Pray that through these situations He will be glorified and His love is made evident.
For Northern T Country: Praise the Lord for a team of believers in a large city working together wonderfully to manage a new community center. Thank Him for their service and obedience to follow the Father wherever He leads. Sadly, all but two will be leaving this coming summer. Pray for long-term personnel to run with perseverance the race marked out for them as they fix their eyes on the Lord. And pray for new team-mates as they prepare to come. May the Lord prepare their hearts and minds to work with the peoples of this city.
Birthdays: Angie C. and Jared G.
Day 16 (November):
For C Country: Pray for a local believer's school that reaches out to local students. They are going through accreditation and the process of building a new facility. Pray for the Lord's grace upon the administration and teachers as they go through this stretching time. Ask for the Lord's favor in both these ventures. What the staff slaves over in these days will be a blessing for many in the years to come. Pray that they have strength and vigor in this work and in teaching.
For Southern T Country: "P" and "M" moved from a nearby province about 3 months ago and became neighbors with a new believer who is being taught the Book. They came to study one time with this new believer, but have since given excuses not to study. Pray that God moves in their hearts to study regularly with this new believer. Pray also that God moves in other lives in their district so that a cell fellowship can soon be formed.
For L Country: Recently, more than forty villages were flooded by rain. Many were flooded for several days. This means there will be little or no harvest in the affected areas. Pray that God enables His people to vigorously and boldly reach out to those affected by the flooding, vividly demonstrating His love toward them.
Birthday: Quintin R.
Day 17 (November):
For V Country: Pray for Mr. Q who is working with the M people. He became a follower of the Most High God seven years ago. After two years of mentorship, God called him to work with tribal people. Since that time, he has traveled to share the Good News with many people. Because of the severe mistreatment, all of the mentorship is done one-on-one. Mr. Q has to be very creative in the way that he mentors. Ask God to give him strength physically and spiritually. Pray that the new followers he mentors grow and become strong in their faith.
For MY Country: New work is starting in an M and B village. Pray for wisdom on how to train leaders to start small house gatherings. There is already one M family and four K families who are believers in this village. Pray for these families as they start the first small group in the village. Pray that their group thrives and multiplies.
For V Country: Two locals have recently begun master's degree programs. One required course is "Philosophy." While they principally study the philosophy of V Country, they also learn about other "philosophies," including about the Faith. Pray that they will ask the believers around them to explain more about Him.
Day 18 (November):
For Southern T Country: RC is leading a team in a southern district. Each week the team mentors a group of locals who have the potential to become leaders. These locals depend on the team to come and lead, and have yet to accept the responsibility for the group. Pray that they soon accept their roles as leaders and allow the team members to exit.
Last Frontier: In a different province, a few months ago, authorities took five men away. One of them had been a believer for only one week! They have been forced to sell their land so a golf course could be built, so they wrote the authorities, complaining that they had not received a fair price. Following that, they were summarily detained. Their families tried to visit them, but the jailers pretend not to know of these men. They have now been gone for more than three months. Pray that God greatly strengthens them and brings about their quick release. Throughout all of their trials, pray that God moves upon them to share the Truth boldly with everyone around them.
Birthdays: Greg H., Ben M., John M, Bryan B., Geoff J.
Day 19 (November):
For MA Country: Praise the Lord for how He enabled a woman, D, to give her mother a copy of the Word. Her mother lives in a place where it is very difficult to obtain the Word. When her mother came to visit earlier in the year, she accepted the God News. D then sent the Word back home with her. Give thanks for this young sister who shared not only the Good News with her mother, but also her most precious book.
For C Country: "T," a former night guard, has started a fellowship in a shack in front of his house. They meet every week, following the simple style they had been taught. There are only 3 families: T's family, his older brother and family (all suffering from HIV and not yet believers), another old night guard and his family (believers) and another believer. They are small but so on fire for the Lord. The Holy Spirit is there. Pray that God greatly encourages "T" to stay focused to his task and to be very bold in his witness.
For T Country: "H" is a young professional from another country, studying in T Country. This year he met the Lord and now boldly shares the Good News. As he returns to his native land with his family, he most certainly faces maltreatment. Pray that God gives him wisdom and discernment in his witness. Pray that he is not ashamed of the Truth, because it is the power of God for the deliverance of everyone who believes. Pray that he trusts in the Father's sovereignty.
Birthdays: Caleb C
Thanks.
Prayer Office -- International Mission Board
"Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Who should I send? Who will go for us? I said. Send me." (Isaiah 6:8, HCSB)
Dear Intercessors,
Please pray for those seeking missionary appointment.
The Candidate Conference we began praying for on Wednesday is coming to a close. The candidates have been here for interviews and confirming their call to missions. This process is handled in offices some distance from our prayer office; so as far as I know, everything has gone smoothly for the individuals being considered. But that is not always the case.
Thirty-nine years ago, a young man wrote an article for "The Commission" magazine called "The Unappointed." It is a poignant description of the emotional process of surrendering to the call of missions but not being able to go. "What were we supposed to do with our lives? We had counted them already spent for the cause of Christ in foreign missions." These questions are still valid today. Medical, financial, even spiritual issues may delay or prevent one from being appointed. The reasons are varied and often personal. Suddenly, the hymn lyrics, "Ready to go, ready to stay," take on new meaning.
The young author continued his article with these challenging words of encouragement, "I like to think that we have grown in our missionary spirit and that we have provided strength for missionaries around the world. . . . What happens to unappointed candidates? If they continue to search for God's will . . . the probability is they will see a closed door to foreign missionary service not as a dead end but as a turn of God's will in their lives."
Please pray for those who desire to serve overseas but are unable to do so at this time, asking the Lord to encourage them in new areas of service.
Ask God to call out workers from within your own congregation and thank Him for giving all of us the responsibility of sharing the gospel.
Plead for the nations to be open to the gospel of Jesus Christ. |
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