July 2001
GLOBAL
Today, as I write you, I am experiencing the contrast¬
ing emotions of gratitude and grief: gratitude for the
way you responded to last month's annual Day of
Prayer and Fasting for World Evangelization and grief
because billions of people in other lands are still dying
without a knowledge of the life that can be theirs in Christ.
Because of your intercession, the Drukpa, a Bud¬
dhist people in Bhutan, who know nothing but fruitless
self-effort in their quest for enlightenment, will now
experience new openness to and hunger for the Truth.
In Africa, though, hundreds of millions of people
are still without a knowledge of the Truth, and the
scourge of AIDS is bringing the continent to its knees
and her people to their graves. You already know that
we will be uniting with believers from around the world
on Aug. 3 in an Africa-wide prayer initiative called
2001PRAY (Pray 'Round Africa Yes!). I want to invite
you to order the free video (information below) and then
again, by prayer, join in preparing the way of the Lord.
Praying with you,
Randy Sprinkle, Director
Prayer Strategy Office
The video, Pray 'Round Africa Yes! Behind the Wall,
includes a prayer guide and is free through Aug. 3.
Order by phone (1-800-866-3621) or at our Web site
(www.imb.org/resources).
i DECCANI OF INDIA (deh-CAHN-nee).
I Several short-term workers ministering among the
Deccani will be completing their terms of service soon.
Pray that they will have wisdom in saying farewell and
that they will respond to God's call on their lives, wherever
that may lead. Some of them are making plans to return to
India. Ask for God's will to be accomplished in and
through them.
2 EAST INDIANS OF TRINIDAD AND
TOBAGO. Please pray for the people attending
Bible studies at Gordon Village. Pray that the teaching will
be such that those who have not professed Christ — many
of whom come from a background of a world religion —
will have a clear understanding of the love of God that
leads to a saving relationship with Him.
3 GERMANY (central Europe). The Thuringen
team asks for prayer for the salvation of dozens of
teens in the growing youth group in the Weimar church. A
team member reports that over 40 teens were present at a
recent Friday night gathering, and only 15 of these were
Christians. A smaller group is also meeting on Wednesday
evenings for the Survival Kit for New Christians study. Some
of them are not yet believers but are very interested in
knowing more about life in Christ. Pray that God's Holy
Spirit will work in a mighty way in their hearts, convicting
of sin and their need for Jesus.
4 SHIJIAZHUANG, CHINA (shir-JEE-a-
jwang). Missionary work in Hebei province has
been mainly Catholic, although the Protestant community
is also growing. Most of the residents of Shijiazhuang,
however, have never heard about Christ. Christianity is
viewed as a private conviction rather than a life-changing
faith; thus, it is said that little evangelism takes place in the
city. Additionally, many people are suspicious of Chris¬
tianity because of its perceived connection with the colonial
era and the control of China by foreign powers. Pray that
the hearts of the Shijiazhuang people would be softened, as
they realize that the Lord is completely trustworthy. Pray
also that Shijiazhuang Christians will have a burden to
share their faith with those around them.
5 BRAZIL (eastern South America). New
missionaries Bruce and Cherise Wenger have complet¬
ed their first year of formal language study and have
moved to their area of service in the Equatorial Brazil city
of Boa Vista. Continue to pray for them as they develop
their new ministries and home school their children. They
ask: "Pray that God will lead us to 12 students in Boa Vista
whom we can begin to disciple, train and pour our lives
into." Pray also for a semester student worker who will
work with them in student ministry through December.
6 SEYCHELLES, INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS.
In Seychelles, there are 127 confirmed HIV-positive
cases. While this number seems small compared to other
African countries, when one realizes that the population is
less than 80,000, this is a significant number. Please pray for
the evangelization of the Seychellois (people of Seychelles),
as many are running out of time.
7K'EKCHI' OF GUATEMALA AND BELIZE
(KEK-chee). Please pray that the Lord of the harvest
will send more laborers to the 500,000 K'ekchi' Indians of
Guatemala and Belize who have not yet heard the gospel in
