October 2015
“The history of missions is the history of answered prayer.” -Samuel Zwermer

  1. NATIONAL DAY. Today marks the 66th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Pray for China’s leaders today, that they would govern wisely, justly and compassionately. Ask that some of them would hear the gospel and humble themselves before the Lord.
  1. PRAY FOR THE SHAN. Pray for breakthrough among the unreached Shan Dai of Myanmar, Thailand and China. To join many other intercessors in praying for the Shan this month, participate through e-mail (prayfortheshan@gmail.com); Facebook (Pray for the Shan-Tai); or Twitter (@ShanPrayer). Request further info via e-mail at prayer@omf.org.
  1. BIBLE CONFERENCE. The Klang Valley Bible Conference Trust in Malaysia helps train and equip pastors, with a particular focus on expository preaching. William Taylor will be teaching in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Penang and Miri in October 2015. Pray for a good turnout and that the time would be useful to pastors throughout Malaysia.
  1. SMOKE COVERAGE. Pray for relief from thick smoke blanketing Southeast Asia thanks to slash-and-burn clearances by paper and palm oil companies. Airports and schools have made cancellations, making visa renewals difficult for some Christian workers. Pray for good health and access to important services, that ministry workers would receive the resources they need.
  1. REMEMBERING MARTYRS. With 2015 being the 150th anniversary of OMF, the OMF Hong Kong office has held a traveling “In Remembrance of Martyrs” exhibition at schools and churches. Ask the Lord to use the testimonies of these faithful servants to encourage and challenge the students and teachers.
  1. NEW RESOURCE ON NK. After several years of research, a new Resource Handbook about North Korea was released this past summer. Pray that more prayer partners, homeside mobilizers and Serve Asia workers can learn about North Korea from this resource.
  1. BOARD MEETING. The OMF (U.S.) Board of Trustees will have their annual fall meeting October 23-24, 2015. Pray that God will guide and direct this group of godly leaders. Pray for clear guidance and direction as the board members meet together to discern God’s plan and purpose for OMF moving forward.
  1. NEW INITIATIVES. Steve and Saeko Manders, OMF workers in Japan, hope to work with four local churches and lead a new support initiative in the economically depressed area of Sorachi, Hokkaido. The OMF Japan field also hopes to initiate a new strategy to reach the 80,000 university students in Sendai. Pray for these new initiatives.
  1. BIBLE OVER TV. A small church in rural China includes about a dozen young believers (17-20 years old) who meet twice a week to study the Bible while their peers watch TV shows. Pray that God sustains their desire to study and that the teachers would lay a solid foundation for their faith.
  1. DOUBLE TENTH DAY. Today (10/10) is National Day of the People’s Republic of China, marking the day of the Wuchang Uprising that led to the dissolution of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Pray for Taiwan to become a nation committed to worshiping Christ rather than idols.
  1. NEW ATTENDEES. A new evangelistic outreach in Taiwan drew two local Christians and two missionaries to its first meeting. While the time of fellowship was good, Christian workers hope to reach nonbelievers. Pray for a larger attendance by those who need to hear God’s word and be saved.
  1. DIASPORA TRAINING. Lift up the “Reaching Your East Asian Neighbors” Diaspora Ministries training event in Columbia, S.C. on October 17. Pray for God to use this one-day seminar to equip and encourage American believers to reach out to the East Asians who God has placed near them.
  1. MONGOLIANS ON MISSION. Recently, at the Western Mongolian Mission Conference held in Uvs Province, nearly 300 Mongolian Christians gathered to discuss foreign mission, as well as church planting in rural areas in Mongolia without any churches. Pray for the conference and discussion to bear fruit in active ministry to unreached rural areas of Mongolia.
  1. AWAL MUHARRAM. Today, Muslims celebrate Awal Muharram (also called Maal Hijrah), the beginning of the Islamic New Year. As Muslims quiet their hearts in reflection, pray that they would hear the voice of God inviting them into a relationship with himself.
  1. EXPANDING CONNECTIONS. A worker in Myanmar recently commented: “Over the last 15 years … the work has widened geographically and in ministry, and the team now has connections in the whole strata of society.” Please pray for many more committed believers who are bold in their witness to the local people.
  1. VILLAGE SEEDS. Recently, an OMF worker in Cambodia shared the gospel with 15 people from a village along the Khampa River. An older man put his faith in Christ. Others expressed interest in “Kredei” (the Creator God). Pray for more of the villagers to turn from idols to the living God.
  1. LAMPUNG. The Lampung people live on the southern tip of Sumatra in one of the island’s poorest provinces. They work in farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing. Most Lampung are Muslim. Pray that followers of Jesus from other ethnic groups would reach out to the Lampung people, sharing both their physical and spiritual wealth.
  1. BELIEF AND REPENTANCE. While reading the story of Zacchaeus, a young believer in Vietnam remarked, “I hadn’t realized that true belief and repentance go together.” Pray for this new Christian’s growth in holiness and passion for God, that he would be a spiritually fruitful believer in Vietnam.
  1. TRANSLATOR. A man from an unreached minority people group in East Asia is helping translate some Bible stories into the spoken and written forms of his language. Pray for this man, who is not yet a believer, to find new life in Christ as he helps in this project.
  1. GROWING NETWORK. Another denomination and cross-cultural mission agency in Japan have joined JOMA (Japan Overseas Mission Association) this year. The Lord’s work is bearing fruit! Pray that JOMA can employ a suitable full/part-time staff to assist council members to organize meetings and that JOMA would be used to unite believers in Japan in mission.
  1. ORIENTATION COURSE. OMF anticipates 12 people attending the OMF (U.S.) Orientation Course October 24-November 1. Pray that God will lead the right people to complete all of their paperwork and assessments in time to join the course. We long to see many more gifted, willing workers for the Lord’s harvest field among East Asians.
  1. PERSEVERANCE. A Christian worker who has transitioned from Muslim work in East Asia to teaching a children’s Sunday school class in the U.S. notes how comparatively “easy” it is to get people to attend church and study the Bible. Pray for perseverance for workers planting seeds in hard soil in Asia.
  1. NEW PERSONNEL. We give thanks that Tania English (OMF’s new International Coordinator for Personnel) had a good handover with Steve and Anna Griffiths at our International Center in Singapore. Pray for discernment and God’s wisdom as she learns all that this new role involves.
  1. SINGAPORE ELECTIONS. Singapore’s general elections on September 11 resulted in the People’s Action Party (PAP) retaining its more than 50-year rule. Pray that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong would lead with an integrity that gives birth to a Christ-honoring society.
  1. PASS THE BATON. An OMF worker and professor at Singapore Bible College (SBC) shares: “The Singapore of today faces many challenges—assimilation of over a million immigrants, a widening gap between rich and poor, and the influx of Western liberal values (e.g., radical individualism, a growing LGBT movement).” Pray that SBC students would take up the baton of leadership in Singapore’s churches with vibrant faith and commitment to biblical teaching.
  1. ROOF NEEDED. A community activity center and church project in the Philippines is starting to bear fruit. Six people have recently come to know Christ, but a roof is still needed over the church building. Without it, services are sometimes canceled due to inclement weather. Pray for God to provide the remaining funds needed.
  1. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL. Lift up faculty at Chiang Rai International Christian School in Northern Thailand as they minister to children of missionaries, as well as local Thai and hill tribe students, who make up one-third of the student body. Pray that God would provide more teachers to share Christ’s love with students. (Visit crics.asia for more information.)
  1. ONLINE THAI MINISTRY. Bangkok Bible Seminary, established in 1971, has a worldwide ministry through its Internet courses in Thai. Pray that this online branch of the seminary would help equip the Thai church to not only grow in knowledge but in passion for mission.
  1. BUDGET SEASON. Pray for the OMF (U.S.) finance team as they gather details for both members and departments in the 2016 budget process. Ask the Lord to give clarity and good organization. Pray also for the National Leadership Team as they make budget decisions.
  1. STATIC TO ACTIVE. “Mobilization is moving the church from a static to active role in advancing the kingdom of God,” writes one long-time OMF member. Pray that more churches in the U.S. would take on an active role in advancing the kingdom of God in East Asia.
  1. ADVOCATE ROLE. The Advocacy Team is in need of an East Asia’s Buddhist Peoples Advocate, who will help mobilize people and resources to bring the hope of Christ to those living in the shadow of Buddhism. Pray that focused mobilization efforts would result in Buddhist peoples coming to Christ.

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