by a Pioneer in the Middle East

We recently asked you to pray for more opportunities to share. The Lord answered your prayers. One of those times came after watching a soccer match with my co-worker Tate. After some small talk about the game, Tate turned to me and said, "Have you ever considered becoming a Muslim?" Some people might be intimidated by this question, but I love it because it is an opening to discuss Jesus.

As we discussed the similarities and differences between our two religions with my primary focus on Jesus, Tate became more and more agitated. At one point, Tate stopped the conversation and said, “You are a good person. You have good morals and you follow God. However, I am really afraid that you are going to hell because you are not a Muslim.” Tate’s declaration touched me for two reasons. First, the light of Christ is shining through us. Second, we are in a spiritual battle where there are winners and losers. The penalty of sin is death. Our work here is eternal. Your prayers for us are eternal. God’s glory is eternal.

Pray that the Holy Spirit would work in people’s lives so that they might see the truth.

by a Pioneer in Senegal

For the past three days, Korité (the day that ends the month long fast for the Muslims) has been celebrated. Rob decided to do something different from his usual tradition of going around to his friends' houses, and instead went to everyone's house or store in the neighborhood. As he walked into a little store and greeted everyone, a man rose from a far corner to greet him. This particular man has been the cause of many issues against Rob over the years in the neighborhood, with partnerships, with directors and inspectors, as well as with the mayor and the governor. Rob has been praying to know how to approach this very angry man. He greeted the man, who then said, “I have wronged you; I am very sorry. Please forgive me. I want to work together with you.” To ask for forgiveness is normal on this specific day of the year, but the hug this man initiated was a huge step. He specifically communicated wanting to move forward. Praise Jesus for the divine orchestration of circumstances and hearts.

by a Pioneer in the Middle East

“They were training me to blow myself up…with promise of 70 virgins.”

“So they really did promise you that?” I replied to Harvey as we talked in the coffee shop a few blocks from my house. This training occurred more than 20 years ago while he was a youth and his country went through a civil war. Harvey progressively distanced himself from his religion as he saw its reality among those seeking to be most faithful to its origins. He married a woman from a Christian background, and more recently began watching Father Z—an Egyptian Coptic priest on a satellite channel—attack the religion by merely quoting its sources and scholars. Harvey cried out to God to show him the truth, and after seeing Jesus in a dream, began to follow him one year ago. Friends in the U.S. put me in contact with him.

Apart from his wife, I was the first ‘live’ believer he had talked to about his faith. What a privilege to hear his story, confirm the gospel with him, and begin to answer his questions!

Praise the Lord with us that terrorists are not beyond his reach! Pray for Harvey’s growth, fellowship and discipleship. Ask also for wisdom in his work environment and the protection of his children.

by a Pioneer in Asia

We climbed the hill toward the thangka house—well, not a hill really—more like a slight incline. But at 12,000 feet above sea level, a slight incline is enough to make me pause to catch my breath. Thankful for my wool sweater, I unfolded the turtleneck and raised it up above my nose to warm the freezing air before it entered my lungs.

Two elderly Tibetan women were walking our route, swinging their prayer wheels and chanting, “…om mani padme hum…” Poor women! Subzero temperatures and a slight incline were the least of their worries. Elderly Tibetan people are in a race against time to accrue positive merit before they die. Satan’s lie says that freedom from suffering can be achieved through chanting mantras and making pilgrimages. If your good karma outweighs the bad, you will reach nirvana and escape the wheel of suffering and rebirth.

Ahead of us, a Tibetan man was making prostrations: Clap, clap, clap! Lie down. Stand up. Two steps. Clap, clap, clap! And on and on… Poor man! He doesn’t know he’s on the wide road to destruction and his works have no merit in heaven. He’s never heard of the Spotless Lamb. He doesn’t know he could be forgiven. Come, Lord Jesus!

Ask God to transform the hearts of the world’s 1 million Tibetans, drawing them to Himself.

by a Pioneer in North Africa

Recently construction workers have been working to dismantle our neighbors’ living space. At its peak, 1,200 families lived here, “on the other side of the tracks.” The government plan is to send the inhabitants to low cost housing projects in other parts of the city. In approximately six city blocks there was a primary school, a mosque with a very loud loudspeaker (which continues to awaken me at the dawn call to prayer), and a communal shower, but no bathroom facilities. Sewage runs down the streets. There were two centrally located water faucets where families drew water for laundry or to carry home for drinking and cooking. More than one-third of this city (of millions) lives in such shantytowns.

Pray for these families to seek after Christ as their lives are uprooted.

by a Pioneer in South Asia

07.12.10 | God has heard your prayers. For about the last year, Mr. Handsome has been telling his wife the stories from the Bible. She heard the story of God using Moses to rescue His people from Egypt, and thought, That’s great, I wish I had powers like the ones God gave Moses. The story that affected her the most was when God sent His Son, Jesus to die in our place. She was amazed that as Jesus was dying on the cross, He said, “Lord, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.”

About two months ago, their baby got really sick. They took her to the hospital, but nothing the doctors could do helped. Then Mrs. Handsome asked her husband, “Can we ask God to heal our baby?”

“Of course we can!” he answered.

They prayed and God healed their baby the next day! So as a sign of her decision to give her life to God, Mr. Handsome baptized his wife in the ocean. Mr. and Mrs. Handsome would like to thank you all very much for your prayers to God for them.

by a Pioneer in East Asia

07.09.10 | Last night our living room was packed with twelve Asian students that attend a local underground seminary. It was a privilege to worship with these students and to study the Word with them. They come from all over the country and are looking forward to entering some sort of ministry when they graduate. One of them mentioned that he would like to work as a missionary to Muslims!

Partnering with this seminary was one of the initial reasons we were interested in moving to this city. We are thrilled that we can be a part of ministering to and training these students.

Please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom in our teaching and the language needed to communicate clearly.

by a Pioneer in Peru

Originally from the mountains of Peru, Jacob felt at home in our village. When he was a young man, he joined the Shining Path terrorist group that went into Quechua villages killing people, stealing their things and violating the women. Jacob eventually accepted the Lord as his Savior and became a podiatrist, using this skill to serve the Lord in the jungle. While he was in our village he asked one of the older men if there had been much terrorist activity there, to which the older man replied yes. Then Jacob took the time to apologize to the man for the wrongdoings of the Shining Path. There are very few people, if any, who ever come back to apologize to and reconcile with the Quechua people, so our hearts were really touched to see this! What a testimony to the changing power and love of Christ!

by a Pioneer in India

05.28.10 | Praise the Lord with us for my wife’s new language helper, Suzy. Suzy lives here in "the hood" and has a firm grasp on English as well as the language we’re learning. Though Suzy appears to be very western with few religious interests she was horrified to hear of my wife’s boat ride on the local river while pregnant. Her belief, along with others here in the "hood" is that the curses thrown into the river affect not only the person being cursed, but also any unnamed person who traverses the river, such as an unnamed, unborn child. Suzy went onto explain that many Muslims go to their spiritual leaders if they want to curse someone. The religious leaders give them a written curse. The curses are carried around for some time and then thrown into the river. Suzy was concerned for the protection of our baby. She also encouraged my wife to wear an amulet during her pregnancy in order to avert "the evil eye." What a joy it was for my wife to tell Suzy of Christ's victory over all evil spirits and powers. Pray with us for protection for our child not only physically but also spiritually in this dark city. We are thankful that we need not live in fear.

by a Pioneer in Thailand

05.19.10 | "Bangkok Dangerous" ... "Live Fire area stay indoors" ... "U.S. Embassy is evacuating citizens"

These are some of the headlines we've been reading these last few days. As we keep up with the news via the internet and twitter, it is completely heart wrenching to see Thais killing Thais. For more than 40 days now, Bangkok has been in a political deadlock between the Red Shirt anti-government protesters and the government—complicated by some "terrorists" instigating violence and mayhem. The situation is extremely complex, and the facts are sometimes difficult to sift through often depending on the news source. However, the fact is that there has been burning, shooting and bombing on the streets of downtown Bangkok with the death count at more than 40 dead and 360+ injured.

Today, most (though not all) of the protest leaders surrendered to the military calling off the protests, but the protestors angrily refused to stop. Then protestors proceeded to set fires at major sites across the city. If an official call to end the protests by the main leaders does not end the violence, what will?

Almost all of the danger is in the very center of the city, of which we are far from. Some of my students have had close calls. One student, Dan, told me last night that he had to evacuate a bus because of a bomb that had just gone off not too far behind them.

As it is with tears that we write this update to you, it just reminds us of how the Lord's heart aches for all the Thais here. We ache and we mourn with the lives that have been taken. Yet with all this increasing mayhem, we are not shaken and continue to cry out to the Lord who loves and has loved the Thais all along. Please pray with us.

He is good...All the time...All glory to Jesus.

by a Pioneers writer

Workers in East Asia may soon have a way to find renewal and rejuvenation when they need a break from the stresses of work in a cross-cultural environment. One Pioneer hopes to bring them out into the wilderness—the same environment, he believes, where the biblical prophets and Christ found solitude for rest and healing. He will be focusing specifically on kids, who are often hit hard by cross-cultural life. He has already begun taking third culture kids on overnight trips in the mountains surrounding his city. This year, he hopes to begin ramping up the program to eventually include a three-week backpacking trip in Southern China for teens.

This worker needs assistance. Pray that God would raise up workers with a similar vision to help him with this program, and also that God would move supporters to contribute the rest of the gear he needs to make the program a reality.

04.30.10 | Pray for Kashmiri Muslims—one of Pioneers’ Priority Unreached People Groups—as a civilian died during a recent violent protest against the Indian government.

by a Pioneer in Peru

04.30.10 | This weekend some big parties will start here in the valley. Most of the parties begin with the Catholic holiday Virgen de Chapi as people trek to an area where a virgin saint appeared. They believe she will bless them with wealth and many other things if they make the walk to where she had been seen in the rock. People come from all over Peru to our area for this and other rituals. The Catholic Church blesses these things, and then the alcohol comes out. While they are dancing and worshiping the virgin idols, they are getting drunk. The Catholic Church is much different here than in the US. These are the types of things we are up against here in Peru as we share the Good News of Jesus Christ. And it makes us very sad to see our friends here caught up in it all. Please pray with us for the Light and Truth of the gospel of Christ to break through and reach the people.

by a Pioneer in Asia

04.04.10 | Tomb Sweeping Day is a time to pay respects to deceased family members at their gravesites. Families may pay tribute to relatives by sweeping tombs, offering prayers and leaving flowers, fruit, tea or other token offerings. These traditions are not necessarily connected with a well-developed religious worldview, but seem to be signs of respect for the family.

One of the more well-known superstitious practices associated with honoring the dead is the ritual burning of “paper money” (literally “currency of the underworld”) that is made to resemble real money. Issued by the “Bank of Heaven and Earth” in the amount of 100 billion, the bills picture the Jade Emperor who is the king of heaven in traditional Daoist belief. People believe that these practices allow their ancestors to enjoy good things in the afterlife and also burn paper clothes, paper replicas of ancient coins and paper credit cards.

Ask God to open the eyes of Asians to the gospel. Even as they honor Tomb Sweeping Day may they be freed to celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

by a Pioneer in Cambodia

04.01.10 | God is using the missionary doctors and the Khmer evangelists at Mercy Medical Center to heal the sick and to build His Kingdom. I am presently partnering with a fellow Baptist missionary to follow up with one of the patients who came into the clinic recently. He has been a believer for about a year now but because he is very far from any church he still knows very little about the Bible. Still, he asked for help to know how to evangelize and start a church in his village. His name is Lok Krew (meaning "teacher") and he is very excited about his faith in Jesus, but is the only believer in his village at this time.

Because He is older and is a teacher, he has clout in his village. My missionary friend and I have gone there each week for a month and are teaching through the book of Mark. Many in the village are open to hearing about Jesus, but none have yet decided to trust Christ.

Last week, we had our first baptism. Most of the villagers looked on as Lok Krew stepped into a drinking water pot (about three feet in diameter and three feet tall) and went under the best he could. After he was baptized many of the villagers asked good questions pertaining to how Lok Krew would relate to them as a Christian. What would he do when people persecuted him? Would he go to their funerals and parties (most of which have Buddhist content and purpose)? I was amazed at how well Lok Krew answered their questions in both love for them and confidence in his decision to follow Jesus with his whole life.

Pray that a group of believers would be raised up in this village.

by a Pioneer in Mongolia

The end of 2009 found us fighting nighttime temperatures of 30 to 40 below zero Fahrenheit. Even though it was very difficult, at least we had a nice warm house and the shed where we made fires for the garage and library was only about 25 yards from the house.

The livestock haven’t fared very well. From what we understand, our state is one of eight hardest hit in Mongolia, with our county of Tuvshrulek being the worst in our state. We entered into the fall of last year with around 127,000 head of livestock and now at least 60,000 are dead, from intense cold, snow and starvation, plus the wolves. As we drove out through our town into the countryside we passed pile after pile of dead animals. We again began to realize how many animals are dying. With the nighttime temperatures still around 20 below or colder the winter is still severe. If we have 20,000 livestock left by June we will be blessed.

by a Pioneer in Southeast Asia

After an afternoon spent with one of my “adopted families” here, I was going to take one of the little public vans back to my friend’s home where I was staying. The bumpy ride earlier in the day made my back worse, so I asked Abba if I should splurge and take a taxi. I sensed His answer was yes.

The taxi driver was very talkative and I wasn’t offering much in response. Suddenly he asked what church I went to here. We hadn’t discussed religion at all, but I told him and he told me the name of his church as well. Without my asking, he also informed me that he was a former Muslim. I asked how He came to be a follower, and he said he had three dreams where a man in a white robe came to him. The dreams led him to meet with a pastor who explained who Isa (our Savior) was, and he eventually believed. I was stunned. If my back hadn’t been out, I wouldn’t have taken the taxi home.

I am giving the taxi driver a DVD about four Muslims from different countries who came to believe because Abba used dreams to initially open their hearts to Him. Now I have the name and phone number of a man right here who had a similar dream.

Would you please continue to pray for God to give visions and dreams and open blind eyes? Thank you!

by a Pioneer in Papua New Guinea

The village of Bung Ples was burned to the ground recently as a result of an inter-clan tribal fight. By God's grace our former student Michael and his wife, Doris, were not there.

Men from two enemy clans from Michael's tribe surrounded the village and attacked. The people of Bung fled and consequently had to endure the destruction of nearly everything they owned.

The attackers looted, burnt houses (including Michael's mother's), destroyed the coffee cash crop, cut down banana and nut trees, and killed or stole pigs. The people of Bung lost nearly everything including pots, pans, clothes, mattresses, and blankets. Some spent the first night sleeping outdoors in the rain in the bush. Others found wontoks or friends to stay with.

What makes this even more tragic is that Bung Ples is where many youth had recently turned to the Lord. We have spent over two years working up there to help turn a bunch of former criminals into committed Christians.

A man from Michael's clan appears to be the cause of the fight. There are conflicting reports of what exactly happened. He either raped or had a pre-arranged liaison with the wife of another man. The wife's husband belonged to another clan within Michael's tribe. Apparently, he came home in the middle of the night to find the two of them together. A fight ensued and the husband was badly cut up by a bush knife.

The sad part about the whole affair is Michael's clan had previously run off the perpetrator because he was a known troublemaker and the cause of a tribal fight that broke out in 2007.

When we heard about this, we prayed that the missionary doctors at Kudjip Hospital could save the man. Thankfully, they did. However, a line had been crossed.

Walking back home for lunch last Friday, I could see smoke rising from the mountains around Bung, and I knew what had happened. The attack was on. People at the Christian Leadership Training College where I teach reported hearing gunshots, and we feared the worst.

We prayed that there would be no loss of life, and graciously the Lord answered.

However, the initial reports were of total devastation. We heard that the attackers had burned the Youth Bible Study House to the ground and that they had spared nothing.

However, a few days later Peter Tommy and his wife, Maria, paid us a visit. They live in Bung and had lost their home. We did what we could for them. My wife and Maria went to our garden to harvest anything ready to pick. We also found a pile of clothes we planned to donate and a blanket, and gave the lot to the Tommys.

They did bring some good news. The attackers had spared a soon-to-be-completed schoolhouse and the Youth Bible Study House.

Please pray for the people of Bung. They have suffered this kind of hardship before, but this is the first time we have been so close to people in this predicament. Pray for wisdom for us as to how we should help.

Pray too for unity. Members of the youth Bible study were on both sides of the fight.

by a Pioneer in Thailand

03.12.10 | On February 26, 2010, Thailand's Supreme Court ruled that the government could seize $1.5 billion from the fugitive politician Thaksin Shinawatra due inappropriate actions during his term of service as prime minister from 2001-2006.

Although Thaksin has been banned from politics for five years for violating election laws, he remains popular with the rural poor, who feel he was the first Thai leader to address their needs by implementing social welfare programs. His supporters believe he is being selectively targeted by his political enemies, while his opponents feel he is paying the price for blatant conflicts of interest and abuse of power.

What's next?

Pro-Thaksin protesters, known as red-shirts, announced their plans to hold a three-day mass rally (March 12-14, 2010). The highlight will be on Sunday at the government district at the heart of Bangkok. Their objectives?

• To demand a House dissolution and a snap election
• To destabilize the government and proclaim their support for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra
• The red shirts claimed that it is mobilizing at least 1 million supporters nationwide to join the mass rally March 14 aiming at bringing down the current government.
• To cause a paralysis to Bangkok traffic and have also targeted to attack key government installations located in the capital. This will likely cause huge inconveniences and tempers might flare up to trigger riots.
• With Maoist tactics of the “forest surrounding the town,” protesters from the provinces will move from their home towns to the capitol by farm and pickup trucks, plus buses to put pressure on the government.
• Nobody knows how long the demonstration will last and how serious the situation will be, but the government is prepared for a worst-case scenario of violence and riots.
• The red shirts have not ruled out the possibility of copying the yellow-shirt group's tactics, including seizing government offices as well as Suvarnabhumi Airport.
• The bottom line is to stir a chaotic situation until the government loses control. The Cabinet on Tuesday, March 9, 2010 approved the enforcement of the internal security law on March 11-to-23 in the face of the red-shirt rally.

 

Please pray that the Lord would use this opportunity to prompt Thais to seek peace and find it in the Prince of Peace. Ask that the Lord would bring peace into the situation and that there will be no violence, injuries or loss of life (Isaiah 60:18). Pray, too, that He will give wisdom and strategies to the government how to solve problems (Psalm 20:7). We long for the Holy Spirit to move powerfully in bringing the light of the gospel of Christ to the Thai people.

Compiled from Time.com and Bless Chiang Mai Prayer Network email. Read more.

by a Pioneer in the USA

03.10.10 | One Mormon single mom, Allison, who we helped out of the Latter Day Saints church and into our church recently wrote and said, “You guys have really taken me under your wing and really helped me with my walk with God. I don’t think I would have ever seen the truth if it wasn’t for you guys. I have lived a lie for years and never knew it. The Mormon church was so hard to leave cause they have been my family for so long. They were there for me when no one else was. I lived my life feeling alone and they made me feel like I wasn’t alone…. When you lose a religion that you have known forever it seems you feel like a part of you is missing, but God wanted me to see the truth and he brought me to you guys for a reason.”

Please keep praying for Allison as she grows in her faith with Christ.

by a Pioneer in India

03.04.10 | Have you ever sat watching a movie with your wife on a quiet Sunday afternoon and had the state police come to your door?

It happened to us yesterday. A large group of police is posted in our town due to a terrorist bomb threat. They said they’d heard about me from many people and wanted to talk to me. They were friendly enough, even smiling, and asked me if I could come to their camp that day. They wanted me to tell their 30 officers about Christianity. I made two pans of brownies and preached the message: “Why Christians bring people brownies instead of bombs.” A local friend went along as my interpreter and we explained the basics to them for over an hour. Just a normal day on the mission field.

by a Pioneer in Central Asia

The unreached people we serve are great carrot farmers, but in the face of falling demand, the market is very poor. This year, many left healthy carrots in the ground because the sale price did not justify even the cost of harvesting.

They are desperate for a new product and we think we have found the answer in soybeans. Our optimism stems from the fact that we have three very motivated buyers. Currently no one in the country is producing soybeans in any quantity. The main buyer is a believing co-worker who wants to buy as many soybeans as we can produce at a very good price for his poultry farm (which is also a ministry outreach).

Yesterday we put together a conference in conjunction with USAID for those interested in growing soybeans. We shared the benefits of growing soybeans and made a plan to support the farmers in their production. Our company is going to support three needy, but qualified, farmers to each plant about 13 acres in separate fields. These are all men who have heard stories from the Word from us and received copies of the Scriptures and the Jesus film.

Pray that these spiritual seeds will sprout and that the soybeans will follow suit! Also pray for wisdom as our company explores all the equipment and seed that we need to make this a success.

03.01.10 | Pray for the people of Chile as they recover from an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Ask God to use this trauma to draw people to Himself, particularly the Chilean Turks and Jews, the country’s remaining unreached people groups.

by a Pioneer in India

02.26.10 | This weekend marks a very big holiday here—Holi, the festival of colors. The religious ceremonies will take place on Sunday night, and the fun-filled colors party (where people throw different colors on each other) will be on Monday.

We have noticed that holidays have been a great way for us to grow in relationship with people here. Please pray for that to continue with Holi. Also, if you have any Indian friends or neighbors, this is a great opportunity for you to wish them "Happy Holi." Maybe it will lead to deeper and more meaningful conversations...

by a Pioneer in India

“Slowly, slowly” is a very common phrase here that is always said twice in Hindi. That is our life—“slowly, slowly.”

The other day a Hindu friend asked me if my son liked animals so much because he was an animal in a previous life. What!? We have already had at least two conversations about how we don’t believe in reincarnation and that a person is only given one chance at life. But she, still thinking that all ‘gods’ are the same, thinks it’s just a matter of logistics.

I realize that in my heart I still think I will persuade her by my own words. Even though my speech contains truth it falls on deaf ears. The softening, wooing and saving is God’s work. Why do I forget that my part is to just be faithful, share and pray? It all happens so “slowly, slowly…”

Pray for this missionary family and countless others who are persevering among unreached people groups that are not initially responsive to the gospel.

by a Pioneer in Asia

We entered a region that restricts foreigners to 15-day permits every three months. After gaining entrance stamps the previous day, my friend and I trekked into a ridge-top village. We found a congenial aged man who invited us to stay in his extra room. The next couple of hours we visited as a vegetarian meal was cooked over a wood fire. (Our hosts believe that killing animals is wrong because it may be a reincarnated person from the past.) The evening was an incredible as we shared life and ate as one.

In the morning, the birds brought a welcomed alarm clock and a beautiful background for a “quiet time” in the Word. Suddenly, however, my peace was broken by the man’s family playing bad 70s rock music on his portable radio. Undaunted, I continued reading my Bible and a few minutes later my new elderly friend poked his head out of the door and asked me if I would like tea. He observed I was reading a religious book and when he reentered his house, he changed the channel to medieval cathedral music.

After breakfast, I shared with the elderly man that I knew a living God and we asked if he knew about Jesus’ plan for the world. He said no, but told us we must come with him. Soon he led us to a village worship room and told us we must discuss things there. We spent the rest of the morning discussing reasons for the faith and sharing the plan of salvation.

Please pray for this man and the others in his village to follow Christ.

by a Pioneer in Lithuania

02.19.10 | Our team was blessed and encouraged to visit the village of Siesikai with the shoebox gift ministry. We hosted a program for over a hundred well-behaved children who were very excited that we were there. They were very attentive as we shared the simple gospel message.

Part of the program was a five-minute film showing the distribution of gifts and presentation of the gospel to children in the poorest countries of Africa. Later, the principal thanked us and added that this village and surrounding area is Lithuania's "Africa." He said that many children lack basic things at home. There were still gifts remaining for younger-aged children, so the principal suggested that we return and do a program for the children from the kindergarten.

The administration and teachers were extremely welcoming and helpful. They served us tea afterward, and we had a good time getting to know them better. The teachers said that when we return to the school the children would give a performance to show us their appreciation.

Thank you for your prayers!

02.18.10 | As the Dalai Lama visits Washington, D.C. today, intercede for Tibetans worldwide. Ask God to tear down the spiritual strongholds that keep more than 1 million devout people from embracing Him.

“To make converts in Tibet,” said Hudson Taylor, “is similar to going into a cave and trying to rob a lioness of her cubs.”

“Today there are just one or two small Tibetan fellowships in Lhasa,” reports Paul Hattaway in Operation China. “Would-be missionaries face opposition from Buddhist monks, the Chinese authorities, and pro-Tibet foreigners living in Tibet.”

Pray that the God who “opens doors no one can shut” would overcome these obstacles for the glory of His name in Tibet.

02.16.10 | North Korea’s “dear leader” Kim Jong Il turns 69 today. The second leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) succeeded his father, Kim Il Sung, in leading the country in 1994. Kim Jong Il continues to be idolized by the people of North Korea even while his people live in poverty and he extravagantly maintains the world’s fourth largest army.

Of North Korea’s 23.9 million people, 64 percent are unreligious and only 1.5 percent is evangelical. True believers are persecuted but government-sponsored religious groups try to present an image of religious freedom.

A popular song in DPRK boasts, “We cannot exist without you, Comrade Kim Jong Il! The motherland cannot exist without you!” Pray that North Koreans would learn of Christ and turn such praises to their Redeemer, the God of the Universe.

by a Pioneer on home assignment from Guinea

Our hearts were turned once again to Guinea as we heard of clashes between Christians and Muslims in the southeastern part of the country late last week. At least three people were killed and dozens more wounded as residents and soldiers alike clashed over religious disputes. Pray for peace and for the gospel to prevail in this needy land.

02.01.10 | The UN’s World Food Program notes that 4 million people in South Sudan are currently in need of nutritional assistance—four times the amount of last year at this time. Pray that God would provide for South Sudan physically as well as spiritually. Ask specifically for God’s direction and provision for a Pioneers partner ministry in the area.

The Sudanese (both northern and southern) are among Pioneers’ 28 priority unreached people groups. Join us in asking that God would call out additional teams to represent Christ and plant churches in this desperate war-torn country.

02.01.10 | Pray for those recovering from the violence in Jos, Nigeria caused by rising tensions between Muslims and Christians. Pray that Christians will walk out their faith well and for unreached people groups such as the Fulani (.3 percent Christian) and the Kanuri (.01 percent Christian) to embrace the gospel.

Christians in Nigeria today trace their heritage in the faith in part to Sudan United Mission (SUM), now Pioneers-UK. In 1904, Dr. Karl Kumm, a German, together with three English nurses, ventured to Nigeria to stem the southward advance of Islam in Africa. The church-planting movement that arose through the efforts of this international team eventually included missionaries from Europe, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. The fruit of their work now includes 15 million men and women who worship regularly in churches planted through SUM. Learn more.

By Jack Uphill, a Pioneer in India

I met Abad in a cheap hotel room downtown. After a couple minutes of pleasantries, he said suddenly in as many words, “I have come to India for two purposes: to explore possibilities for further education and to learn more about Christianity.” I was stunned by his openness. We talked over the next few hours about Jesus, his teachings, his claims and his demands. Knowing that I had only a few hours with this seeker, I cut to the chase and headed deliberately for the stumbling blocks and common objections. I don't know when I have ever actually seen eyes open, knowledge fill a mind and faith enter a heart, but I did that day. At one point over lunch he leaned back abruptly and said, “That's enough. You have answered my questions. I don't need to go anywhere else.”

Please pray for our new brother. He is keen to know God and his Scriptures and live according to them in his life. Pray that God will renew his mind, that he will accept and appreciate the truth and sufficiency of God's grace. Pray also that God will guide him as he lives a life of faith in a truly treacherous society.

01.25.10 | Pray for those affected by a crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight near Beirut, Lebanon. The majority of the reported 90 individuals on the aircraft were Lebanese. Ask for God’s peace to minister to the families of the victims in a way that would ultimately draw them to trust in Him.

Pray also for Pioneers teams throughout the Middle East and North Africa to share Christ well in the face of such tragedies.

01.25.10 | Pray for Iraqis as they recover from the three bombs that went off today in Baghdad, killing more than 30 people and injuring dozens. Iraq is 96.9 percent unreached, representing 20 distinctly different people groups.

Pray for supernatural breakthroughs in the spiritual realm and for the few Christians there to effectively share the peace of Christ amid turmoil.

by a Pioneer in Lithuania

01.13.10 | Pastor Kestas and I recently visited many towns and villages of the Ukmerge region and found that all were hostile to the gospel except for one village, Siesikai. People there were very friendly, and listened to what we wanted to share. We felt that the Lord was working. We prayed and decided the Lord would have us to come back again to do further ministry. Last week we returned to talk to the local government about the Christmas Samaritan's Purse ministry for school children.

From the first step out of the car the Lord opened every door. A local man met us right away and mistook us for Parliament members. (He may have been drinking.) After a good handshake and smile we asked where we might find the town hall. The man led us to the government office where we were warmly received, even after introducing ourselves as missionaries. They suggested that we go to the school and speak with the principal. He welcomed us and was very pleased we wanted to bring the children gifts, as about 70 percent of the children come from poor families in their town as well as surrounding villages.

Siesikai is home for 600 people and is located in the very corner of the district, a bit out of the way and forgotten. The Samaritan’s Purse ministry event is this month. Please pray for the Lord to guide us in preparing the January Christmas program and gospel presentation, so that this ministry would open doors for future ministry and Bible studies. Pray also for the Lord to provide a man or woman of peace to open their home and their heart to Him.

Read answer to prayers.

01.15.10 | Ask God to extend His mercy and care to the people of Haiti as they suffer from the devastation of January 12’s earthquake—a 7.0 on the Richter scale. Pray for lives that hang in the balance, asking for God’s miraculous intervention. Also lift up believers there who, amid their own grief, seek to show Jesus’ love to their neighbors.

While Haiti as a country is not statistically considered “unreached,” the French Jews who live there are only .07 percent Christian. As Joshua Project reports, “The Jews have a wonderful understanding of their connection with the Abrahamic covenant. However, they also have a history of rejecting Jesus Christ as Messiah, the one who has fulfilled that covenant.” Pray that through this current tragedy, they would meet and trust in Him, who can transform any tragedy.

01.04.10 | Pray for villagers in the Andes of Peru whose children and livestock are dying from unseasonably cold temperatures. Pioneers teams are planting churches among the Quechua and the Aymara, two people groups living in the affected areas in Southern Peru.

11.04.09 | Thirty years ago today, Iranians invaded the U.S. embassy in Tehran. As the anniversary of this event is celebrated in Iran, pray that its more than 70 million people might seek and find the Peace that supersedes any political boundary or regime.

Iran has 104 distinct people groups—94 of which are unreached. Ask God to send dreams and visions of Himself to this 99 percent Islamic nation. Pray for Iran’s leader, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, to encounter the gospel.

Intercede also for Christ to intervene in the human trafficking that is prevalent in Iran. Pray that He would be near victims, bring justice to perpetrators, and turn evil into good (Gen 50:20).

In addition, Iran is primary path for getting South Asian heroin into Europe. Iranians are plagued with one of the highest opiate addiction rates in the world. Pray that these points of desperation would cause people to cry out to the living God!

from a Pioneer in Southeast Asia

Our friend "Samuel" was always taught by his religious leaders not to read a chapter in the Quran in which Isa Al Masih [Jesus] is talked about at length. Yet years ago a different religious teacher recommended reading a verse from this very chapter to support him in his faith. Samuel expressed to us his anger and frustration with this contradiction. "Why not just take out this particular chapter from the Quran if they are so concerned about it?" he asked.

Samuel acknowledges Isa as a savior and admits that He is unique among the prophets, but he has yet to go beyond that. We prayed for Samuel, and after the prayer he told us the reason he is now so interested in Isa: He has twice prayed that if Isa is still alive and if He is really with God, that God would demonstrate it. On both occasions Samuel's prayers were answered. We could clearly hear and see his excitement as he explained that these answers to his prayers demonstrated that Isa is who he claims to be.

Samuel said that he wanted to pray a final prayer to Isa for confirmation. We asked him "If Isa answers your prayer what will you do?" He promptly replied, "Accept Him as Lord."

For the past two months Samuel has accepted our invitation to study the Scriptures together on a regular basis to learn more about Isa Al Masih as revealed in the gospel.

Pray that the Spirit will open Samuel's heart and mind to understand why Isa is Lord, and for wisdom upon those involved in studying the Scriptures together with Samuel, that they will be able to answer his questions and doubts. Pray also that the Lord will personally reveal Himself to Samuel

from a Pioneer in Southeast Asia

We've decided to send several groups to Padang and surrounding areas as soon as possible. A church planter that we work with who lives in West Sumatra has already left his home and traveled to the affected area. He is currently in Padang gathering information and developing strategies with partners from different organizations who live and work in the damaged areas.

We're grateful that he was able to get there so soon. Tomorrow morning, one of our teammates will go along with some national partners and attempt to help set up a base camp and provide for the immediate needs of ministry partners in the area. They're bringing a generator, some tarps and other supplies. One initial goal will be to set up a centralized point for developing strategies and determining where to focus resources and ministry. Another team will be bringing an industrial sized water filtration system used to help provide people with drinking water in times of disaster. We have been doing some planning with them today and hope to be able to help them with this project.

Tomorrow afternoon four young men that we have the pleasure of working with will load their motorcycles onto a truck along with tarps, blankets and other items and travel to the damaged areas. Roads have been damaged all over Padang, and large vehicles may not be able to access smaller villages that are likely to be overlooked by government and NGO relief efforts. These smaller towns outside of Padang may become some of our main areas of interest.

I will leave for Padang early Monday morning along with some national partners to continue survey work and consider next steps for the work there. We will bring some medical supplies as well as other items that will be needed. The primary goals for the teams going will be to survey as well as help in the early stages of the gruesome work for relief from this sort of disaster. One huge need for people who've experienced this kind of trauma is to have an opportunity to talk about it. We hope to be able to sit and listen to people's stories and offer to pray with them. We will be surveying the area to see if there may be potential for projects or various types of ministry initiatives.

Please pray for the millions who live in the damaged areas as well as for those who are traveling there to minister to those who've been affected by the quake.

from a Pioneer in West Africa

A tragedy took place recently in Guinea. Your prayers are urgently needed. You may know that Guinea is currently under the rule of the military which took power in a coup last December. Monday, September 28, opposition leaders organized a peaceful demonstration against continued military rule. According to estimates, 50,000 people or more turned out for the demonstration. During the demonstration, the military opened fire on the crowds of protesters. There were reports of brutal killings. The death toll currently stands at more than 150 people with more than 1,200 wounded. Please pray for the people in Guinea who are suffering so greatly. Our hearts are broken for the Guinean people. They have suffered so much already. Their plight just seems to go on and on. Please pray for Christ to bring his peace to these people.

by a Pioneer in Hungary

Camp worker Vera has been praying for her brother Bence for years. This was her brother Bence's third camp. I saw Bence seated in front of the last night's campfire just staring and thinking. I sat next to him and began asking what he thought about all he has learned about Jesus this week. It was clear that Bence understood the gospel.

I then asked if he felt there were still unanswered questions or barriers to him making the decision. He said there were none. He was processing what it would mean to become a follower of Jesus and wondering if he would truly be able to persevere and follow through in all that Jesus asked. We discussed the truths about how God does the work to create new desires in us and break the bondage of sin when we turn to Jesus. We talked about how we could not in any way follow Jesus in our own strength, but it becomes a new possibility when the Spirit causes us to be born again. I encouraged him that the first step, if he believed in all that we studied about Jesus was true, was to make the decision to agree that sin is sin, to turn away from it to Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. After the campfire, I was privileged to join Bence as he prayed to put his belief in Jesus. The following day when Bence shared this decision with his sister Vera, Bence said, "I know this is not the last step, but it is the first step."

Please pray for Bence as he seeks to begin attending a local church plant in Vecsés where some of our camp workers serve.

Muslims worldwide are celebrating Ramadan, their holy month of fasting, from August 22-September 20. During this season, Muslims are often more open to hearing from God. Pray that Jesus would visit them in dreams and visions, causing many to trust in Him as Messiah. For a daily guide in how to pray for the world's 1.5 billion Muslims this month, click here.

from a Pioneer in India 

At first I thought that Ashok's influence was going to be primarily among lower caste Hindus, but not too long ago a high caste man met Ashok, came to faith and is on fire for God. This man (we'll call him Sunil) was in a desperate situation. For weeks his mother had been possessed by an evil spirit and his family didn't know where to turn. Then they heard about Ashok and rumors that he worshiped a powerful God who could help.

Not long before, Ashok had cast a demon out of a woman by the power of Jesus' name. Sunil had heard about it and went to find Ashok. Ashok went to Sunil's house at once and found Sunil's mom in a frantic state. Through hours of prayer and battle—commanding the demon to flee in Jesus name—the evil spirit came out of the woman. At once the woman became relaxed and has been in a peaceful state of mind since then. Sunil, his two brothers, and his father witnessed the power of Jesus. Shortly after his mother was released, Sunil began meeting with Ashok and came to faith in Christ. Since then Sunil has read through the entire Bible and is very excited about sharing his faith. Currently, he is in pre-law at the university.

Please pray as Ashok and I invest more heavily in this young man. Sunil is 25 years old, and though he is pre-law is still not sure what he will do for a career. We are hoping to train Sunil to initiate a house-church movement among high caste Hindus in his community.

from a Pioneer in Southeast Asia

Mr. S is a 60-year-old man who is known as a religious leader imam in his village. He has four children. Every day he works as a roadside vendor selling bottled gasoline, which he has done for years since he has asthma and respiratory distress. A team of national missionaries started visiting Mr. S and giving him traditional medicine therapy once a week while also trying to build a relationship with him. The team shared about Isa (Jesus in Arabic) as the healer who can heal sickness. Then they continued sharing that Isa is the Spirit and the Word of God. He is the deliverer and He is the way, the truth and life. No one could come to God without Him. The conversations became deeper as they continued to meet with Mr. S and his wife every week.

Three months after their initial meeting, Mr. S told the team that he had had a dream. He said that Isa had come to him in a dream dressed in white, His face shining brightly and offering him a bouquet of flowers. After hearing Mr. S 's story, the team challenged him, "So, after what you saw in your dream, who do you think Isa really is?"

"Isa is God," he replied. Then Mr. S accepted Jesus as his personal savior and confessed that He is God who delivers men from sin and sickness. Praise God that the Word that was sown has grown and borne fruit in Mr. S's life.

from a Pioneer in China

May 12 is the one-year anniversary of the 8.0 earthquake that happened near us. This will be a big time of remembrance and reflection for everyone living here. There are still many people trying to get their lives going again after the destruction of or damage to their homes and villages. Many lost family members as well and are still grieving. There is an immense amount of depression and suicide still in these areas. This anniversary will also be a unique time of many people thinking about what they really are trusting in. Pray for us and other brothers and sisters who can speak truth and point them to Jesus Christ.

from a Pioneer in Central Asia

Her friend came to my house one day and watched the Jesus film. She recognized the truth of the gospel, but feared that her family would kick her out of the house if she made a decision for Jesus. But today she did make a decision! Fiona called me bursting with joy (and talking so fast it was hard to make out all she was saying)! But she and her friend came to my house to share the good news and celebrate.

How beautiful it is that all the evil forces of this world cannot stop our God or the establishment of His Kingdom! Even death itself is only a temporary separation for us. We are victorious. We have secure places in the Kingdom as priests and kings! The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.

from a Pioneer in Central Asia

The oldest daughter of the Uzbek family we have come to know entrusted her life to Jesus yesterday after hearing a gospel presentation from my wife. She is a 15-year-old girl who has been learning from my wife how to bake chocolate cake and apple pie. She has also been hearing the Uzbek praise songs, and knows a few by heart. She understood much of what she was reading from the Bible, and decided to commit her life to the Lord yesterday. It was her second birthday! Praise the Lord!

Pray that her commitment to Christ would be genuine, and that we will see the fruit of conversion in her life. Pray also for an opportunity for me to meet with her father privately to talk about what's happened to his daughter, and to share the gospel more concretely with him.

by a Pioneer in China

Inside the mosque, there is a separate room where women are allowed to do their ritual prayers. As my friend scrambled to find a head covering so she could go in, I sat outside, watching the various women who pray in hopes that they are heard. In that moment, the reality of their "lostness" and the reality of their emptiness hit me; I could not hold back the tears. These women desperately need something. If they didn't they wouldn't be bending over backwards to please a deity that demands so much to be appeased. What these women don't know is that the One who is the creator and sovereign over all things has already stooped down to pay the price. Remember Muslim women and pray for their salvation.

from a Pioneer in Central Asia

Luke is a believer from Central Asia. We consider him to be the first of many whom we envision coming to our city to learn a marketable skill and receive ministry tools–all for the sake of going to those places throughout Central Asia (and beyond) where many have not yet heard the Good News. This bi-vocational training school is in its early stages, but the excitement that it's been generating among local believers is phenomenal. Many are hearing His call to go to nearby towns and villages to share the gospel. Some have even heard the call to go to places like Western China, Afghanistan and Turkey. But they must go with some trade or skill that will provide both an income and an identity for them. This training school will equip these future missionaries to go where no others have gone before to plant churches!

We had the privilege to share about this school with some key leaders from the national church. A number of them were in our city attending a three-month leadership school specifically designed for them. We had the privilege of being with these leaders for one whole week. As we shared about the bi-vocational school, we could see their hearts burn with the possibility of being sent out to nearby lands for the sake of the gospel. God is doing something powerful here in our city. We ourselves can't wait to see how it unfolds!

Pray for Luke and other Central Asians as they prepare to be sent out as missionaries to unreached peoples.