Neighbor Prayer Update

1. From friends in the Sealands: “With the conclusion of the month long fasting period on October 1 & 2, many believers will have increased contact with their neighbor family members, their neighbor co-workers, and neighboring neighbors. Pray that God will use these contacts and visits to be times of blessing and bridge building. Pray for opportunistic conversations.”

2. Also from workers in Indonesia: “Mr. F is a committed believer layman who has found email to be an effective way to share hi Hope with his co-worker neighbor. Pray for increased opportunity and wisdom for Mr. F. Pray for more desire to know and more questions from his co-worker.”

3. From colleagues serving in a “gateway city”: “In late August we said a temporary “Goodbye” to our neighbor friends who reside in ____________ city. Our friends represent four grossly under-reached neighbor people groups. We will miss our new friends as we will not see them again until January 2009. During these three-and-a-half months we will stay in touch with them via phone and email. We know that,
as many pray, the Holy Spirit will continue to graciously drawn them to our Lord.”

4. Continue to lift of our pastors and churches in (Orissa) Southern India…that in the midst of violence (even death) that the Holy Spirit will encourage and sustain them, and that they will continue to show a spirit of love and forgiveness to their persecutors. And by their love, may many of their unreached neighbors be drawn to Christ.

5. Intercede for our Iranian friend, Massoud. Since sending him the video testimony we have not heard from him, but a colleague will follow up this weekend. Pray that the eyes of Massoud’s heart will be opened to Jesus Christ as “the way, the truth and the life….” as he watches this video testimony. May this soon become Massoud’s testimony.

6. From today’s “30-Days of Prayer” lets intercede for the Minangkabau people of Indonesia. Numbering about 8,659,000, they are the fourth largest ethnic group in Indonesia and exercise significant influence in the country. While some Minangkabau are scattered across the country on various islands, they originate from the province of West Sumatra. Please pray that:

Minangkabau Girl

• the Holy Spirit will open the hearts of the Minangkabau to the truth that only Jesus can bring salvation, and that He can free them from a life of fear.
• Minangkabau people, including Lina and her family, will no longer look to the dukuns to solve their problems but rather they will look to Jesus for help and healing.
• whole families of the Minangkabau will come to a trusting reliance on Jesus.

7. Finally, this is also a quick appeal from a worker in Iran, for the church inside Iran that has been experiencing an increase in persecution. Pray for strength, peace, mercy and courage for them. In spite of this increased pressure, they report: The team here is doing well and we are seeing open doors on everyside. Visas for workers are available. Open doors for Op Mercy projects, tent making and starting businesses are possible. Please pray for our Op Mercy personnel that the Lord would strengthen them in their faith and that they would recieve great courage from Him—the Lord of Peace.