February 2005
Middle America and the Caribbean is a diverse region of
multiple cultures and languages spanning from islands in
the Caribbean to small villages in the interior of South
American countries of Suriname, French Guiana, and
Guyana to the megacities such as Mexico City and Santo
Domingo, Dominican Republic. Poverty and political
issues plague many of these cultures.
While many of the 542 people groups in this region
would be classified as "religious," the majority suffers
from expressions of false gods and misunderstandings
about Jesus as Savior and Lord. IMB career and short-term
missionaries are seeking to confront lostness where major
world religions have a stronghold. Saturation of the
gospel is magnified by GO (Gospel Outreach) projects as
literally hundreds of stateside volunteers prayerwalk and
distribute Scripture portions each year in unevangelized
and unreached communities of Mexico and five neighbor¬
ing countries.
The missionary task will not be complete until the
vision of "the gospel penetrating the world, permeating all peo¬
ples, and transforming every person" is cast among local
believers, and Baptist partners are mobilized to plant mul¬
tiplying churches throughout every people group and
region where the greatest concentration of lostness is a
reality. Until then, your missionaries and local Baptist
Christians are working and praying together for a move¬
ment of God's Spirit that will result in a rapidly, reproduc¬
ing indigenous church that moves across Middle America
and the Caribbean like a mighty wave.
Out of the depths I cry to you,
О
Lord;
О
Lord, hear my
voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy
(Ps. 130:1-2, NIV).
MIDDLE AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN. In every
Caribbean island or country, Chinese live and labor. Last
March, an IMB representative led a Chinese mission team
to explore two Caribbean islands. In both places, the team
was asked the same question on the first night: "What
should I do to become a Christian?" Chinese are thirsty to
know the Lord. Many Chinese in the region are reading
Jehovah Witness literature in Chinese. Please pray that at
least one Chinese church can be planted on every Carib¬
bean island. In addition, a bilingual Chinese /Spanish Bible
is needed in all Spanish-speaking countries. Praise the Lord
that a Bible society in Canada is undertaking the project to
publish such a Bible. Pray that this Bible will be completed
this year. Pray for missionaries Paul and Aurore Trinh as
they lead Chinese believers living in the Dominican Repub¬
lic to accept the challenge to send mission teams to minister
to Chinese living on Caribbean islands.
GERMAN-BRAZILIAN OF BRAZIL. Pray for the German-
Brazilian team as they facilitate the translation of the
Bible into Hunsriquer Sproj. Dr. U, who serves through a
sister organization that focuses strictly upon Bible transla¬
tion, said that Hunsriquer Sproj is not a German dialect as
she first had said. Now she is saying that the language is
indeed a Germanic language but not German, having
become its own language over the years. Please pray for
the acceptance of the idea that this Germanic language can
be written. In Brazil, there is a movement to preserve the
Indian languages. Why shouldn't Hunsriquer Sproj also be
preserved? This language is widespread, being spoken in
Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. The
German-Brazilian team writes: "Please intercede for M,
who will be coming soon for one to two months to work on
the translation process. Pray that we would find German-
Brazilians to help and also a place for him to stay among
the German-Brazilians. Ask, as well, that the orthography
would find widespread acceptance and that the Word
would be sown."
П
BURYAT OF RUSSIA (BOO-ree-aht). Many of you have
U been praying for a Buryat village named Village S
(October, November and December 2004 Global Prayer-
Gram). God is at work in this village. The Buryat team has
begun a Bible study using chronological Bible storying.
Please pray that the Lord will use His Word to pierce the
hearts and to open the minds of Buryat men, women and
children. Praise the Lord that with Him all things are possi¬
ble, and He can do abundantly beyond all that we think or
ask. Continue to pray for the Buryat team and the growth
of Village S.
FRENCH CREOLE STUDENTS OF GUADELOUPE (kree-
ohl). Missionaries A1 and Judy Gary's passion is to start
multiple house groups in 2005 so that many more French
Creole intellectuals will have the opportunity to hear,
understand and accept the good news of Jesus Christ.
House churches are already emerging that put support
groups together, such as families with teenagers or single
mothers. Pray that those who are now "living in the Light"
will bring more friends and relatives, and that many of
those who come will be "children of peace" (Luke 10:6) and
will open their home to be a "household of peace" for their
family and others whom they will invite.
