November 2001
The secret meeting occurred in a limited-access nation
known throughout most of the 20th century for its
official policy of persecution of Christians. The
elderly believer was sharing with the missionary what it
had been like to live under decades of oppression.
When he began to detail the particulars of the horrors,
his adult son became incensed at hearing for the first
time what his father had endured for his faith. The
father's rebuke took the form of a metaphor.
"You don't hate a dog because it barks. It is a dog's
nature to bark. Neither can we hate those who persecute
us because it is the nature of the lost to hate the saved.
But we have a new nature and that nature is one charac¬
terized by love, even for those who hate us and hurt us."
In recent years, God has grown us in identification
with and empathy for our brothers and sisters in other
lands who suffer for their fidelity to Christ. On the
fourth of this month we will again unite our hearts in a
worldwide day of prayer and fasting for the persecuted
church. In love and with tears of humility, may we
begin with the request of a suffering pastor in The Last
Frontier: "Don't pray that we will be removed from the
suffering, but that we will be faithful through it."
Randy Sprinkle, Director
International Prayer Strategy Office
i BUCHAREST, ROMANIA (BOO-kuh-rest).
I Please ask the Lord of the harvest to provide a pastor
for International Baptist Church (IBC) in Bucharest. The
current pastor will leave on Dec. 14; pray that a new pastor
will be on the field by January 2002. In addition to leading
worship, fellowship activities and discipleship activities,
the new pastor would be responsible for training the
church members in personal evangelism and conducting
Bible study groups. IBC commonly has as many as 14
nations represented in church activities. In the last three
years, people from 30 nations have attended. These include
China, Sudan, Egypt, Indonesia and many others.
2TELUGU OF INDIA (TAY-loo-goo). Please
pray for the small group of men and women who are
being trained in chronological "storying" of The Book. Ask
that their burden for the lost would grow, along with spiri¬
tual insight, boldness and wisdom to proclaim the gospel.
3MAPUCHE OF CHILE AND ARGENTINA
(mah-POO-che). Pray that the Lord will call out a
journeyman or International Service Corps worker to help
with stage one of the Mapuche Radio Project. This would
involve editing prerecorded tapes for broadcast. In this
wide area, there is only one AM radio station that broad¬
casts in Mapudungun, the heart language of the Mapuches.
Pray that God will raise up someone to take on the awe¬
some task of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ on a radio
station in order to reach the Mapuches in the entire region.
4 PERSECUTED CHURCH IN AMBON, IN-
DON ESI A .In late March, Semy, the son of a pastor
in Ambon, Indonesia, disappeared after playing ball with
friends. His mutilated body was found the next night, float¬
ing in Ambon Harbor. That part of the city previously had
a large Christian population but now is occupied by Mus¬
lims. Muslims move across the no man's land into Christian
sections but Christians, because of violence against them,
are afraid to enter Muslim-held areas. A missionary re¬
quests prayer: "Pray for fear in the hearts of the residents of
Ambon to be replaced with peace and forgiveness. May the
Christians of Ambon follow the example of Christ and for¬
give as they have been forgiven."
5 CHINA (eastern and central Asia). Praise
God for opening the eyes of a Christian worker who re¬
cently realized that a locally produced handicraft item con¬
tains the basic colors (black, red, white, green and gold) that
are often used to explain the saving love of Christ! Pray for
this team as it seeks to illustrate the gospel through the use
of this indigenous tool. Pray that all Christian workers seek¬
ing to reach China for Christ will be constantly aware of cre¬
ative witnessing tools, methods and opportunities.
6 SPAIN (southwestern Europe). The Madrid
Gateway City team rejoices at how God is answering
your prayers! Recently, during evangelistic events at Retiro
Park in Madrid, 36 people made professions of faith in
Jesus Christ! The team covets your prayers for mercy and
wisdom as Bible studies continue and grow among immi¬
grant people groups in the park.
7 CHILE (western South America). At noon on
Fridays a wonderful thing is happening! Pastors and
missionaries of various evangelical churches in the north¬
east sector of Santiago, Chile, are meeting simply to pray.
Members of the IMB Santiago Professional team are facilitat¬
ing and encouraging this regular opportunity for Great Com¬
mission Christians to unite in prayer for the most unreached
