Prayer Powerlines - September 2008

KEY REQUEST: Together in Unity

Right before Jesus left this earthly world, he prayed for all believers: “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20b-21). There are approximately 1,300 workers from all over the world serving with OMF International in East Asia. Pray for unity and against the discord that can hinder the work to which God has called us.

1. WORLDWIDE DIASPORA. OMF International’s Diaspora ministry works in nine countries around the world. Sydney Witbooi is the newly appointed director. This week Diaspora staff members join together in Singapore for strategic meetings. Pray for God’s hand upon the leadership and all the prayerful decisions they will be making at this time.

2. CAMBODIA. Thank you for your prayers for Kelley Miller (PPL, August 08). Kelley has felt the Lord confirming her decision to take the next step in ministry in Cambodia. She will be working in conjunction with International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) with students in Cambodia. Praise God for continuing to reveal his plan in Cambodia and in Kelley’s life.

3. GOD IS OUR PROVIDER. God has been faithful to OMF (U.S.) through financial provision to meet the needs of this growing mission. Praise God for his faithfulness and for those he has called to partner with us. Join with us as we ask God for his provision to complete 2008 in full supply.

4. FLOCKS RETURN. While workers report that the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake was more severe than they expected, things seem to have gone back to normal. Churches are even reporting that a large number of people flock in every week since the quake. Pray that these lost sheep will find comfort in the arms of a loving Savior.

5. CHINA COME HOME. Pray for Scot and Sheryl Myhr who are transitioning into Chinese Diaspora Ministries here in the United States. They will be working with a Pittsburgh Chinese church and praying that other Chinese churches in the United States will catch the vision to see China reached through returning Chinese believers. Pray that the vision God has given them would be fulfilled.

6. PERSECUTION. Over the last six months, many church leaders in Laos have been arrested and imprisoned. Pray for the persecuted Christians in this communist country and lift up their spouses and children who do not know if they will ever see them again. Pray for God’s peace to rain down in this dark country.

7. BEHIND SCHEDULE. OMF International workers hoped to have the new college in North Korea built and ready for students this September, but the process was far behind what workers were lead to believe. Pray that the teacher’s program can go forward even if there isn’t a building and for wisdom, guidance and favor for workers as they seek to mobilize teachers for this strategic school inside the border.

8. UNITY OF PURPOSE. Workers in one part of Indonesia report that the adversary has been sowing seeds of discord and discouragement among the national workers. It is hindering the forward progress. Ask God to protect their hearts and minds and to give them a deeper love for one another and unity in purpose!

9. HOME BUT NOT. As the college year starts around the country, please lift up the many students who have returned “home” to the United States for college but have left the home they have always known. Many Third-culture Kids (TCK) feel isolated and unfamiliar with American culture and may be ostracized from other college students who didn’t grow up overseas. This can be a very stressful time. Pray that God would be their strong hedge and that they would lean into him.

10. WOUNDS. Pray for the ladies at Joel and Seiko Lovestrand’s church in Japan. There has been gossip and hurt feelings as the women talk begrudgingly about each other. Pray that not only would the wounds heal, but that God would reveal the error of their ways and bring this body of Christ back together in unity.

11. DISCIPLESHIP. One young Japanese man has been known to have violent rages against his widowed believing mother. An OMF International missionary tried to study the Bible with him, but he convinced his mother he wasn’t ready. Then, suddenly he was baptized. Now the missionary is trying to disciple this “new believer,” but he still isn’t showing any interest. Pray for this young man, that God would bring him to true believing faith in Jesus Christ and that he would desire to study the living word of God.

12. BREAKTHROUGH. This day 100 years ago a legendary man set out from England for China with the China Inland Mission (CIM), now OMF International. Today we are celebrating his life and ministry. James O. Fraser was an individual that persevered against many odds and only began to see God do a work through his life before he died at the young age of 52. Pray for more people like him to go to East Asia and serve among the lost. Please visit www.jofraser.org for more information about his life and ministry.

13. GOD AT WORK. God is on the move in Southeast Asia. Workers have shared stories of people coming to Christ despite oppressive situations. Even the police, long-standing symbols of persecution, are coming to Christ in some places! Pray that workers would have Acts 4 boldness to preach the word in the face of opposition and physical suffering. Praise God for pockets of new believers, four here, 12 there, 60- and 100-fold in various people groups.

14. NEW ERA. Vietnam is opening and a new era for work has begun. Pray for more workers for the harvest and for in-roads to be created to bring the good news! Lift up the OMF International team in Vietnam and praise God with them for the 21 new believers baptized.

15. FLOODING. This summer Mongolia experienced an unusual amount of heavy rain. Many people have drowned in rivers and flooding. People have lost their homes. Many walk around with angry and depressed looks on their faces. Pray for the workers in the midst of this despair. Pray that people would respond to the good news and find real peace and hope in Jesus.

16. BELIEVING STUDENTS. As believing Chinese students return to school this fall, pray that they will stand strong against opposition from teachers. Last year some students were pressured about their faith. One student was asked to rewrite his final thesis without reference to God. Pray that these students would continue to live in a way that honors God.

17. DISTANCE. Tibetan believers are often isolated from other Christians. Pray for creative discipleship for those who are separated by distance and have no regular fellowship. The Tibetan church is still small—pray for more to hear and understand the gospel message. Pray that they would be given a heart for evangelism and boldness in the face of opposition from family members. Pray that families and villages might come to the Lord.

18. BIBLES ARE COMING. Translation is complete and the Bibles are ordered in the Waray-Waray language of the Philippines. Pray with missionaries, Lee and Diane Stevenson that God would provide the funds needed ($19,000) to provide more than 10,000 copies by Christmas.

19. PHILIPPINES. There are several seminaries in the Philippines where Asians from all over East Asia come to get a deeper foundation in their faith. Pray for these future leaders of the church in East Asia, that they would trust the Lord for future ministry opportunities. Pray that the teachers would know what to teach their pupils.

20. RECONCILIATION. Western China is where East Asia has met (and clashed!) with the rest of the world for centuries. Today there are still deep tensions and trenches between the four main ethnic groups that occupy this area. Pray that God would move and bring the believers of these four ethnic groups together in his peace and that they would share his grace with each other, despite the deep differences.

21. MINISTRY TO MUSLIMS. Pray with our team across Southeast Asia as they ask God for a significant number of new workers to strengthen existing teams and to establish teams among unreached groups where there are as yet no workers. Praise the Lord as we are already seeing him position people all across the region.

22. CARTWHEELS. After Kooi Eng’s death, Connie (and Ridge) Orr began praying for her husband, Ben, and told God that if Ben began coming to church that she would do cartwheels. Well, praise the Lord and stretch those muscles because not only has Ben come out to Sunday worship a few times, but he even started attending the Seniors’ weekly Bible study! Pray that Ben would accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

23. SOVEREIGN. On July 18, 2008 appointee missionary Andy Widman was shot as an on-duty police officer in Florida. Do we find it ironic that the day he was shot was the first day of Buddhist Lent and that the missionary team he and his wife (Susanna) and three children were going to join in North Thailand were also experiencing intense spiritual warfare? The last few months they have been overwhelmed with fatigue, sickness, difficulty sleeping and discord. Pray against Satan’s schemes and for God’s sovereignty to be felt both by the grieving family in Florida and the team in North Thailand.

24. POSTMORTEM. “I cannot call his spirit up. His spirit is not in hell.” This is what the spirit medium told Mrs. Hwa after he tried to contact the spirit of her Christian husband in Taiwan. She is still dealing with the grief of loosing her husband but continues to reject the gospel although she warmly welcomes friends from the house church. Pray that this postmortem testimony will bring her to faith.

25. WITNESSES. Nat and Jian are Thai Christians who moved to Bangkok to sell Soya bean milk to make a living. OMF International missionaries David and Gladys Chang connected with them and have been meeting with them for Bible Study and encouragement. As more migrant workers come to urban cities like Bangkok to make a living, pray that they would catch a vision to be his witnesses to their neighbors.

26. TEAMS. OMF International’s vision is for God to receive glory through indigenous biblical church movements in East Asia. That requires many different kinds of work within the national church and among unreached people groups. Pray that people would join the teams in East Asia who are in need of more people to do the things to which God has called them. Pray for unity among teams where people’s day-to-day activities may look very different. Pray against dissension and frustration between team members.

27. REST. The summer push is over. Many short-term teams have returned home and many who were traveling have stopped. Pray for rest and rejuvenation for those who were busy in the Lord’s work this summer. Pray that they would be able to stop and spend time in God’s word, reflecting on what he did over the last few months.

28. SHORT-TERM SUCCESS. This summer a church from Southern California partnered with OMF International’s short-term program, Serve Asia, to send a team of nine to Taiwan. It was the second team this church sent to teach English with a Taiwanese church. Praise the Lord for using partnerships like this to bring people to Christ: two people, Mona and Foster!

29. ACTION IN WAITING. Currently there are 42 appointee missionaries with OMF International (U.S.) waiting on full financial and prayer support in order to go to the field. Will you pray that our Jehovah Jireh (“the Lord who provides”) will provide all that they need in order to depart for East Asia?

30. SOUTH KOREA. This summer two large mission conferences were held. Pray for the OMF International Korean office as they follow-up those they met at these conferences and challenge them into involvement. Pray for fruit from their efforts—more workers for the harvest.