2017 June Prayer Powerlines

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. -1 John 5:14

1. PRAY FOR MUSLIMS. Many people don’t associate Islam with East Asia, but the region is actually home to millions of Muslims. This month, join us in praying that East Asia’s Muslims would be blessed by God, and that they would have the opportunity to learn more about Jesus’ love for them.
2. ANNIVERSARY MONTH. June is a major anniversary month for OMF. We were founded on June 25, 1865. It was also in June—June 3, 1905—that our founder J. Hudson Taylor died in China. Join us in giving thanks for God’s faithfulness to OMF over the past 152 years.
3. BUSY SEASON. June is Serve Asia’s busiest sending month. Pray for the individuals and teams who will be leaving for China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand and Southeast Asia this month. Pray for safe travels, good team interactions and smooth adjustment to new cultures. Pray also that God would use these short-term workers to bless the communities they visit.
4. GLOBAL HYMN SING. On Sunday, June 25, Getty Music will be partnering with OMF for the second annual The Task Unfinished Global Hymn Sing featuring the Gettys’ new song, “For the Cause.” Pray that churches around the world will join in this global event and that God will use it to mobilize believers for the Great Commission.
5. IODINE DEFICIENCY. Iodine deficiency is once again a serious public health problem in Cambodia. Iodine is essential to brain development and hormonal functions and is particularly vital for children and pregnant women. Pray for improved production processes and stricter enforcement.
6. LANGUAGE TEACHERS. Language teachers serve a vital role in helping OMF workers acquire the necessary language skills to be effective in ministry. Pray for them, and also for the many non-believing teachers to open their hearts to the gospel as they teach their foreign Christian students.
7. NEW SISTER. A woman from a minority people group in China recently came to faith after hearing the gospel over dinner with some Christians. She is eager to be baptized and has convinced three of her friends to do so as well. Pray for these new believers to grow in faith and to be effective in spreading the gospel.
8. MIGRANT MINORITIES. A church in a large city in China has started a ministry to migrant workers from a particular minority people group and is sending a longer-term worker to serve them in another part of China. Praise God for the step Chinese churches are making toward cross-cultural mission and pray for this church’s efforts to spread the gospel to those who have not heard of Jesus.
9. CANDIDATE COURSE. Tomorrow begins the weeklong OMF (U.S.) Candidate and Orientation Course. Pray for staff as they prepare. Pray also for candidates, that God would give them clarity and direction in their ministry path.
10. REFUGEES AND SUICIDE. A high rate of suicide has been reported among women in camps housing long-term refugees fleeing Myanmar’s ethnic conflict. Pray for these refugees, mostly from the Karen people group in Myanmar, to find lasting hope in Jesus that will sustain them through difficult times.
11. GROW THROUGH READING. Lift up a new initiative by the Bamboo Resource Center in New Zealand as it tries to encourage reading and promote spiritual growth among the Chinese diaspora. Pray this effort sparks greater interest in gospel-centered literature among the Chinese in New Zealand.
12. WITH THE LORD. The past couple of months have been trying times for the OMF Japan field. On April 25, OMF Field Director David Ferguson died after a yearlong battle with cancer. Later, an OMF Japanese missionary went to be with the Lord as well. Pray for families, friends and co-workers as they cope with these losses. May they know the deep peace and comfort of our God.
13. SPORTS MINISTRY. A sports ministry in Japan is bearing spiritual fruit. A former rugby player who made a profession of faith at an OMF sports event is growing in his faith and now helps out with sports ministry through The Ultimate Victory organization. Intercede for this man, that his faith will continue to grow and that he can lead other athletes to Christ.
14. ORIENTATION COURSE. The next international Orientation Course (OC) in Singapore for new OMF workers begins on June 29. Pray for these workers to transition well to a new phase of life and ministry and that the OC will be an encouraging, helpful time as they prepare to live long-term in East Asia.
15. SABER RATTLING. Tensions regarding North Korea have ratcheted up on all sides in recent months, with both the U.S. and Chinese governments making more ominous-sounding public statements than usual. North Korea, for its part, has continued to practice missile launches. Pray for a peaceful resolution and for many in the DPRK to come to know the Lord.
16. PERSECUTION AND FRUIT. Some Hmong Christian families in Southeast Asia recently were able to share the gospel with a family from another minority group. The family came to Christ and has invited Christians to come share the gospel with their fellow villagers. Pray for these new believers to be rooted in Christ and to bear much fruit.
17. FIELD CONFERENCE. OMF Cambodia members will gather on June 19-23 in Siem Reap for its annual Field Conference. Please pray that this will be a time for workers to be built up, inspired and united. Pray, too, for the children’s program and the volunteers coming to run it.
18. MONGOLIANS REACHING OUT. Two young women from Mongolian Christian families recently visited nomads to teach them the Bible and help with the herders’ livestock. Such actions reflect the ethos of JCS (Joint Christian Services), which has the vision “to see Mongolians building and restoring families, churches and communities.” Praise God for this and pray for more efforts like this by Mongolian believers.
19. NEW LAW. A new law passed in recent months clarifies previous ordinances on church registration and controls in Vietnam. Pray for church leaders to respond wisely to new restrictions. Also pray that, in spite of more stringent laws, the growth of the church would be unhindered.
20. BUILDING PROJECT. A building project is underway to provide two OMF ministries in the Philippines with a better space to serve the local community. The ministries are a children’s club and the Philippines Basketball for Jesus team. Ask God to provide $200,000 for the project so that construction can begin in August.
21. FIELD DIRECTOR TRANSITION. OMF Philippines Field Director Jay Hallowell and his wife, Amor, will be going on home assignment in June after a five-year term on the field. Ernst Digglemann with his wife, Sonya (both from Switzerland), will act as Deputy Field Director for the following year. Pray for the Hallowells’ transition to the States, and ask God to give the Diggelmanns strength and wisdom in their new role.
22. CRACKDOWN. In one province of a nation in Southeast Asia, government officials are cracking down on religious gatherings out of concern about the potential for terrorist activities. Authorities are putting strict new rules on churches and preventing Christian student fellowships from meeting. Pray for the believers who can no longer gather together. Ask God to sustain and protect their faith, and to use them to minister to government officials.
23. SINGAPORE. Singapore, with a population of 5.8 million people, is home to OMF’s International Center. The largest segment of the country’s population follows Buddhism and Daoism, but Islam, Christianity and Hinduism are also observed. Pray for the church in this diverse city-state, that it would represent Christ well and be a light in all sectors of society.
24. EID AL-FITR. On June 25, Muslims around the world will begin their celebrations for Eid al-Fitr, a three-day festival that marks the end of Ramadan. Pray that God’s hope, love and peace would surround Muslims as they go about daily life after their month of fasting.
25. GOSPEL CENTER OPENING. The Wanhua Hope team has served the working class people of Taipei, Taiwan, for more than 10 years. This past year, the team opened its first gospel center. Praise God for the new opportunities to connect with the local community and share the gospel. Pray for deepening relationships with the children, parents and grandparents who visit.
26. LOW INCOME ASSISTANCE. After a Taiwanese woman was released from prison, Social Services made a visit to her home and found that her children both had part-time jobs. Despite her family’s low income, they lost low-income status and now struggle to afford both university education and their current home. Pray for working class families in Taiwan who are unable to receive the help they need. Ask God to provide for both their material and spiritual needs.
27. NEW CHURCH PLANTER. Praise God for Faa, a mature believer and recent university graduate who plans to teach at a public school in Central Thailand, one of the most spiritually dry areas of the country. She hopes to share the gospel and start a new church there. Pray for God’s grace over Faa as she starts her new job and seeks to make Christ’s name known.
28. PHROM KHIRI. Praise God for opportunities for OMF workers to invest in the community of Phrom Khiri, Thailand. One worker will be teaching at a preschool twice a week, and a Wednesday and Sunday English Club will start up in the new school term. Pray that God would use these ministries for his glory, and that a church would be established in Phrom Khiri.
29. PRESIDENT SEARCH. OMF (U.S.) President Michael Littlefield will be retiring in less than six months. The search committee task force is still meeting together and praying faithfully to discern God’s will for the person who will take Michael’s place. Ask God to make next steps clear, and to help both Michael and the U.S. team prepare well for the transition.
30. FINANCE TEAM. The OMF (U.S.) Finance team keeps necessary IT and finance processes in place to ensure the efficient working of the U.S. office. Pray for the team as they develop new IT infrastructure, update policies and procedures and catch up on issues that were set aside during their busy season.

To download the pdf version of our Prayer Powerlines newsletter CLICK HERE.