August 2005
Northern Africa and the Middle East region is the
birthplace of the world's three monotheistic religions:
Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Adherents to these faiths
range from the quite secular to the fanatic. Political strug¬
gle disguised as religious difference has created much
unrest and instability in many areas of the region. Span¬
ning seven time zones and encompassing 27 countries,
Northern Africa and the Middle East is an immense re¬
gion of 410 million people, the vast majority of whom are
Muslim. The peoples of Northern Africa and the Middle
East live in teeming cities, remote mountain villages, next
to the sea or in wide deserts. Some are vastly wealthy
from oil and commerce but most live in or on the edge of
poverty. During the last century, the hard, stony ground
of Northern Africa and the Middle East has been watered
and tilled by hundreds of workers and millions of
prayers. Despite political instability and great resistance
to the gospel, green shoots of new life are springing up in
various locations and we whom God has called to this
region look with hope to the harvest that is coming!
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to
put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceit¬
ful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true
righteousness and holiness (Eph. 4:22-24, NIV).
SILT'E OF ETHIOPIA. Imagine in a tribe of 1 million
Muslims you are the only person you are aware of who
follows Jesus. Wouldn't you be lonely, longing for fellow¬
ship, discipleship and community? Now imagine that you
have an opportunity to meet other believers of your tribe at
a secret location. There you will pray and sing in your lan¬
guage, fellowship with others and receive teaching from
the Bible that God will use to challenge and change you.
This month more than 50 believers will meet together. Pray
for those who will lead them. Ask God to gather just the
ones He wants there and to keep them safe with one anoth¬
er. Ask that the evil one will be allowed no chance to dis¬
rupt or divide. Ask God to use this nucleus to build His
church among the Silt'e.
AYMARA OF PERU (eye-MAH-rah). Missionaries Rick
and Kelly Martinez, who serve in the small town of Hua-
ncane, Peru, high in the Andes Mountains, ask for your
prayers for new believers in the community of Yapupampa.
Many have expressed a desire to be baptized, and it is
hoped that this will take place soon. These would be the
first biblical baptisms in the history of this community.
RURAL HAITIANS OF HAITI (HAY-shuns). Believers in
Mont Ti No Nom have been meeting since last fall. They
now have new converts and are eager to put up a cover under
which they can meet. They have begun buying supports to
hold up a tin roof, but they do not yet have a leader for the
church. Very few people can read, and most do not feel
capable of leading. Despite the fact leadership classes have
been given and much encouragement and prayer have gone
into this, no one is willing to learn the Bible stories to share
with the group. It is a little church filled with "baby Chris¬
tians." Pray for some teeth to develop so they can eat spiri¬
tually. Intercede for a spiritual hunger for the Word. Pray
for spiritual growth and for leaders to emerge.
NORTHERN AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST. Almost 2 mil¬
lion Muslims from Northern Africa and the Middle East
(NAME) are streaming back from a summer break in the
sunshine of North Africa to the gray streets of Paris, France.
They are returning to their homes in the grim, towering,
low-rent apartment buildings that stretch as far as the eye
can see. For years, thousands have prayed along with Team
Paris; 300,000 New Testaments have been distributed to
Muslim households as the spiritual ground in these commu¬
nities was prepared. As the new school year begins, a new
phase of work begins for Team Paris. We will enter into a
season of direct evangelism throughout these Muslim neigh¬
borhoods and in the dormitories where men from NAME
countries reside. Please pray for the volunteers who come to
help us in this work, week after week. Pray that the Lord
would move mightily and that a church-planting movement
would result from this season of direct evangelism.
THESSALONIKI, GREECE (thes-a-loh-NEE-kee). Pray that
representatives from the Door of Life Ministry would be
invited to speaking engagements in order to raise aware¬
ness in Thessaloniki and the surrounding areas about pros¬
titution. Ask that hearts would be touched and people
would be moved to give their time and resources to help
the ministry. Pray for safety, love and wisdom for W, A
and N as they visit with prostitutes each week. Ask God to
open the door for C to visit with her friends and neighbors
and to have an opportunity to share the good news with
them. Pray that He would prepare their hearts to receive
Christ as Lord of their lives. Thank God for the cell groups
(home-based congregations) that have started in the inter-
