The wall. Which one? Berlin? China? No. The Viet¬
nam wall. The traveling version of the memorial
came to our town last fall. As I stood before its
names, I remembered, with tears, those who died
that Vietnam might be free. Today as I write you, I am
remembering the One who died that all people, includ¬
ing the Vietnamese, might be free indeed.
On the surface, communism seems to control the
lives of the Vietnamese. Underneath, though, Buddhism
still gives much of the inner framework for belief and
worldview.
This month we have the powerful opportunity to
unite in prayer for the Buddhists of the world as they
continue their fruitless search for enlightenment. On the
23rd, we will open Buddhist prayer guides and begin 15
days of strategic intercession for them. You can order a
free copy by calling 1-800-866-3621. On May 6, believers
the world over will observe a day of prayer especially
for the people of Vietnam.
President Reagan, in a famous Berlin speech said,
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Our words are
far more powerful than those of a president, for in
answer to our prayers, God will pull down the walls
that encircle and enslave Buddhists, and they will come
to know true enlightenment in Him who is the Light of
the world.
Amen!
Randy Sprinkle, Director
Prayer Strategy Office
1 PANAMANIANS OF THE NEW BARRI-
I ADAS (bar-ee-AH-das). The strategy coordina¬
tor of the Barriada team, missionary Mark Fuller, has been
sharing with several pastors and leaders in the area a vision
for reaching the lost through cell groups (home-based con¬
gregations) and home Bible studies. He says, "There seems
to be an openness and hunger not present before." Pray espe¬
cially for three area congregations that are excited about the
possibilities for evangelism and church growth: "Siloe,"
"Vista Alegre" and "7 de Septiembre." Ask God to call out
laborers from among them who will be discipled and trained
to reach the lost in their social and family networks. Pray for
much fruit that would remain and produce more fruit.
2 MACEDONIA (central and eastern Europe).
Baptist representative Betty Easter asks for continued
prayer for the Bible study being held in an area of Skopje
called Liciche. The group has been meeting since June of
this past year. Especially pray for the encouragement of "H"
and "S," whose home is opened weekly for the study and
who diligently seek out people to come. They have a heart
for sharing the gospel but not the confidence to speak it
themselves. Pray that they will learn and grow confident in
sharing. Also pray that this group will fully realize the op¬
portunity of developing from a Bible study into an indige¬
nous church.
3 PALESTINIAN ARABS OF THE MIDDLE
EAST (pal-uh-STIN-ee-uhn). Pray that Pales¬
tinian believers will be confident in their faith, outgoing
about their love for the Lord and inspiring in their spheres
of influence. May the Lord protect them as they swim very
much "against the stream" with the religious majority and
the nominal Christian minority around them.
4 MONGOLIA (north of China). Pray for a
teacher who has come to Mongolia to work at a medi¬
cal university. He is teaching English and hoping to build
relationships with students and doctors and to plant seeds
of faith among them.
EXTREMADURANS OF SPAIN (ex-tray-
mah-DOO-ranz). The Extremaduran team requests
your prayers for God to use a Focus on the Family radio pro¬
gram in a mighty way. A broadcast was recently begun in
Trujillo (population 9,315). Ask the Lord to use this medium
to draw souls to Himself and to lead believers in this city to
new contacts.
5 TAJUMULCO MAM OF GUATEMALA
(tah-hoo-MOOL-coh mahm). Missionary Pam
Jones, a member of the Tajumulco Mam team of western
Guatemala, writes: "We praise God for the continued inter¬
est in spiritual things among the children of Pavitzalan!
There have been anywhere from 30 to 50 children each
Sunday afternoon for Sunday School. This class is held in
an open pasture (there is no room in the tiny church), so we
sit amongst the sheep manure on the mountainside — so
steep my easel won't even stand up. We have continual
distractions, like horses thundering by, children hanging in
the trees and sheep herds meandering down the hill, but
the children are learning. Despite their very low education¬
al level, they have learned half the books of the Bible and
are eagerly learning the Bible stories through the chrono-
