July 1998
Never believe the situation is impossible.
ummer seems to be only about pleasure and play, but
let’s not forget God’s power to touch people in any
situation. In Brazil, in February (summer there), peo¬
ple filled the streets of the city of Salvador to celebrate Camaval.
From drunkenness to immorality to idolatry, the celebration,
which literally means “festival of the flesh,” seemed to be an im¬
possible setting for witness. Not so.
Missionaries, volunteers and Brazilian Baptists moved
through the streets each day staging gospel dramas, showing evan¬
gelistic films, explaining the gospel using “power bracelets” and
fluorescent paints and pictures, giving out tracts, and ministering
to those lost in the pain and hopelessness of their lives. One lady
told them, “No one will listen to you!” But when Camaval was
over, 1 ,059 people had registered decisions to receive Christ as
their Savior. Was it the boldness of the witnesses, the innovative
strategies, the attractiveness of the presentations that brought this
result? No, not at all. These were just vehicles for the message.
‘The one thing that was a very present force was the power of
God,” said missionary Joey McNeill. And why was His power so
evident? “Prayer was the key to it all.”
Their prayer, our prayer, your prayer. Prayer is the key to it
all. And intercessors like you are the key to prayer.
Thank you for praying.
Randy Sprinkle, Director
International Prayer Strategy Office
1 BELGIUM (northwestern Europe). Please continue pray¬
ing as arrangements are made for the open-air evangelistic
meeting that will be held in Bomem. Baptist representatives Clif
and Laurie Ingram are giving thanks to the Lord that they have
been granted permission to use the gazebo at the city square on
July 4 for this outreach event.
SINGAPORE (southeast Asia). Pray that the Lord will
open a door of opportunity for His people to effectively share their
faith with the 300,000 Malays who live in Singapore. Ask Him to
create a hunger in the hearts of key leaders for the righteousness
and truth that can be found only in Jesus Christ and the courage to
respond to that Truth in faith.
2 FIJI (islands in southwestern Pacific Ocean). Pray that the
Nadi Baptist Church on the island of Viti Levu will have a
renewed vision and growing commitment to reach the lost from
the Fijian and Indian populations of their city. Ask the Lord to
raise up people with gifts of evangelism and cross-cultural min¬
istry to lead in this vision.
NETHERLANDS ANTILLES (islands northwest of
Venezuela). Missionaries Stan and Debra Owens-Hughes are
leading an Experiencing God group on Aruba, where there is no
Baptist church. The participants have indicated a desire to start
one. Join them in praying for God’s guidance in this matter.
3 MEXICO (southern North America). Missionary Doug.
Millar, with his wife, Darla, ministers in Cancun and in near¬
by Play a Del Carmen, where 10,000 people live in cardboard
houses without electricity or running water. He writes: “I need
your prayers for the new Bible study groups we are starting. Two
groups meet in our home each Tuesday night. I am meeting with
another group on Thursday nights. The young man I have been
discipling will hopefully be starting a Bible study with a new
group. God is at work in Cancun! He is also still doing great
things in Playa Del Carmen. Over 100 people have been coming
to Sunday services each week.”
4 IRAN (southwest Asia). There are some audio recordings of
the gospel in Eastern Farsi, the language of the Afghan Per¬
sians, but no known Christians among them. Pray for agencies work¬
ing with them to complete the Jesus film in their language. The
Tadjiks, mostly mountain farmers who herd sheep in the valleys of
Iran, are 100 percent Muslim. The New Testament is available in
their language. Pray that God’s Word will not return to Him void.
BRAZIL (eastern South America). Missionary Bob Harr
serves in Porto Alegre and teaches a course on “friendship evange¬
lism” to a group of about 15 lay people. Pray that they will reach
out to their neighbors and friends through home Bible studies and
lifestyle evangelism.
5 SOUTH AFRICA (southern Africa). Missionaries Gene
and Ellamae Elder are involved in Theological Education by
Extension (TEE) through Cape Town Baptist College. Satellite
centers are being set up in various places to allow more people to
participate in the TEE program. The Elders write: “We praise the
Lord for the establishment of three new satellite centers in the former
Transkei this past month. The four new students there are excited
about their studies. Please join us in praying for the establishment
of many more centers in Transkei and the whole of South Africa.”
6 SURINAME (northern South America). Pray that families
in Suriname, especially the Saramaccan men, will be reached
with the gospel. Life in the village revolves around the family, and
it is very difficult for one to publicly profess Jesus Christ without
the support of his entire family.
ITALY (southern Europe). Baptist representatives Don and
Diana Barr, serving in Milan, ask you to pray that they will have
opportunities to witness to Italians and that some contacts they
