2016 April Prayer Powerlines

April 2016
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. -Hebrews 11:1-2

1. TRANSFORMATION. A Christian working in Cambodia requests prayer for the participants of a discipleship course she is leading in an urban poor church. Ask God to bring true repentance and transformation in participants’ lives, from the inside out.

2. CANDIDATE APPLICANTS. Please pray for the OMF (U.S.) Candidate Department as they determine which of their 20 applicants will be ready for the June U.S. Orientation and Candidate Course. The team is praying for wisdom in discerning God’s will and calling in the lives of the singles and couples that the Lord has sent their way.

3. TAYLOR MEMORIAL. A large memorial in honor of Hudson and Maria Taylor is being planned for a church in Zhenjiang, China. Please pray for the preparation of this memorial, including the selection and design of the displays as well as the costs involved. The tentative date of the opening of the memorial is sometime in the second half of 2016. Ask that God be glorified and use this memorial as a witness and encouragement to the Chinese church.

4. CHINESE CHURCH SENDERS. An East Asian country near China has a growing need for Chinese language teachers for its population. Much like many Western believers first went to China as English language teachers, so now Chinese believers could go to this country to teach Chinese. Please pray that the Lord will raise up Chinese Christian teachers to fill this need.

5. WANTED: PASTOR. Saitama International Church in Japan needs a pastor. Ask
for God’s clear direction and provision for this role. Ideally, the church would like to have the pastor in place within the next year. Pray the church would continue to grow and be strong
in the midst of uncertainties.

6. MUSIC MINISTRY. OMF missionary to Japan Celia Olson has released an album of classical cello and piano music, Japanese folksongs, hymns and two Japanese worship songs. Pray for this album to be a blessing to those who would listen and that believers who hear the CD would be moved to intercede for Japan, where less than one percent of the population know Christ.

7. CHINESE DISCIPLESHIP RESOURCE. Pray for work on a global resource-sharing website for Christian workers who want to learn how to disciple Chinese students effectively. The website has had one technical problem after another, resulting in months of delay. Pray for the site to run smoothly and to be a blessing to those who use it.

8. DIFFICULT MONTHS. The last few months have been difficult for a group of minority believers in Laos. Many have endured threats, had had their Bibles burned or confiscated and experienced social estrangement for following Christ. Praise God for allowing trial to grow his church. Pray for our brothers and sisters to persevere.

9. MINORITY CHRISTIANS IN THAILAND. A group of 15 Christians from a minority group in Thailand recently completed a three-day day training that aimed to equip them in how to enter into unreached communities, pray strategically and share their faith. Pray for God to use this group of Christians to proclaim the Good News to their people group throughout East Asia.

10. PRAY FOR 150. The Lord has been sending OMF an average of 100 to 110 workers per year over the past five years. As we move forward, we are asking the Lord to provide 150 workers per year. Join us in praying for this increase in workers. The harvest is plentiful!

11. PERSEVERING PRAYER. “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see,” says Hebrews 11:1. Although we cannot be physically present in North Korea, we can still pray for the country and trust that God is working in ways currently unseen. Continue to lift up the nation of North Korea to the Lord, by faith.

12. JUGGLING TWO WORLDS. Being a TCK (Third-culture Kid) can be a great experience for children, but it is not without its struggles. Going on home assignment has its ups and downs. Pray for TCKs to have meaningful relationships with both expat and local friends on the field and with family and friends in their “home” country, especially as many relationships are transitory in nature.

13. AGRICULTURE IN MONGOLIA. Agriculture in Mongolia composes close to 20 percent of Mongolia’s annual Gross Domestic Product and employs 42 percent of the labor force, including many nomadic herders. Pray for Mongolia’s nomadic herders as they face challenges such as children’s education, droughts, severe winter storms and floods.

14. HMONG ORPHANS. A Vietnamese pastor and his family (four adult sons and daughters) dedicated their lives to care for orphan children in Vietnam. Please lift up this pastor and his family, as well as the children, most of whom are from the Hmong people group. Pray for God to use this orphanage to shine the light of Christ in a difficult situation.

15. KIM IL-SUNG’S BIRTHDAY. Today is the “Day of the Sun” in North Korea, the date the country celebrates the birthday of its first leader, Kim Il-Sung. It is the most important holiday in North Korea and is filled with a variety of celebrations and events. Pray for NK on this day, that as a nation the people would turn to Christ and experience the freedom and salvation only he can give.

16. BUILDING FUNDS NEEDED. Pray that God provides sufficient funds for a ministry center in the Philippines. The projected cost has increased because of earthquake issues. US$500,000 is needed to complete the building. The project will support Batang Masaya’s vision to see children’s clubs spark dynamic house church movements.

17. SOCCER MINISTRY. Soccer teams are helping teens build self-confidence, self-worth, a sense of belonging and connecting them with godly role models in certain areas of Southeast Asia. Pray for this soccer project that is coming alongside heavily drug-affected communities. Pray for opportunities for Christian workers to share the Good News with coaches and families.

18. HUI RELATIONSHIPS. “Be sticky.” This advice is well-applied to foreigners trying to make friends with a Hui person. The Hui of China, a predominantly Muslim people, are reserved and skeptical of outsiders. It takes persistence to forge trusting relationships. Pray for believers reaching out to the Hui with the Good News, that God would abolish barriers of mistrust and open hearts so the Hui receive God’s love.

19. BRUNEI MALAY. Pray that God in his mercy would reveal himself to the Brunei Malay, a Muslim people, through dreams, visions, supernatural encounters or miracles. Ask the Lord to strengthen believers in Brunei, that they would have boldness to share about Jesus, Isa Al-Masih, with the Malay majority.

20. BOARD MEETING.The Board of Trustees of OMF (U.S.) will be meeting April 22-23, 2016, for their semi- annual meeting. Pray for these leaders to have God’s wisdom as they meet together to give direction and vision to the work of reaching East Asia with the gospel.

21. FACING A TASK UNFINISHED. On February 21, 2016, more than 1.1 million people in 100 countries sang the hymn, “Facing a Task Unfinished” to declare renewed commitment to God’s global mission. Ask God to use the churches that participated in powerful ways to accomplish the Great Commission.

22. PROVISION FOR MINISTRY CENTER. A team in Taiwan has outgrown their ministry center. A new building has been found, but funds to rent the center will run out around Christmas. Pray that God’s provision for this meeting place would exceed the team’s expectations and enable them to continue effective ministry.

23. WELCOMING THE DISABLED. For people with disabilities in Taiwan, rain is not just a minor inconvenience; it can derail their normal life activities, such as grocery shopping or Bible study. Pray that people with disabilities will feel welcomed and important in the church. Pray for their safety also, as Taiwan’s infrastructure is not built to accommodate the handicapped.

24. CHURCH SHEPHERDING. Grace City Church in Bangkok, Thailand, is shepherding a struggling church in the same city. The congregants from this other church will attend Grace City for a year of “sabbatical rest.” Pray that God would grow the people of this struggling church into gospel-centered members who love each other and their community well.

25. FIRST BIBLE FOR LAHU SI. For the first time ever, the Lahu Si have received the New Testament Bible in their own language. The Lahu Si number 200,000 people and live throughout Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, China and Vietnam. Pray that God grows his church among the Lahu Si through his word.

26. KAZAK PRAYER GUIDE. A prayer guide for the Kazak people has been produced in Russian. Praise God that it is nearing completion. Pray for finalizing details and good distribution. Pray that Russian speakers would be mobilized to pray for the Kazaks, a Muslim people numbering 1.8 million in China.

27. HUDSON TAYLOR MOVIE PROJECT. Half Crown Media is working diligently on the Hudson Taylor Movie project and God has provided new contacts for the project in Hong Kong. Praise God that the documentary budget has been fully funded! Please pray that the screenplay is completed in a timely manner, and for endurance for the screenwriters working on it.

28. LINK ASIA PARTNERSHIPS. The Link Asia team is grateful for the many church contacts they have made recently. Pray for discernment for the team as they guide these churches into prayerful involvement with unreached people groups. Pray that these partnerships lead to church-wide missions engagement and an understanding of God’s heart for the world.

29. SERVE ASIA. As the Serve Asia team works through all participant applications, interviews and acceptance of participants, please pray for wisdom and discernment for the Serve Asia coordinators. Pray that the right people will be chosen for the right teams and that participants will be able to do the work the Lord has set out for them.

30. TOUGH DECISIONS. The OMF (U.S.) Finance team makes difficult decisions on a continual basis that affect the entire U.S. team. Pray for them as they discern a new investment advisor and investment firm. Pray also for guidance in the process of switching banks. Ask God to give the team rest and joy amidst their many responsibilities.

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