2017 March Prayer Powerlines

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
-1 John 4:9

1. PHILIPPINES. This month, join with us in praying for the Philippines, a nation of 102 million people. It is known as the only “Christian” nation in Asia. Despite this reputation, many Filipinos practice Folk Catholicism mixed with animism. The church needs solid Bible training and discipleship. Pray for God to raise up healthy, biblical churches in the Philippines.
2. ORIENTATION COURSE. Another Orientation Course for new workers has just concluded at OMF’s International Center in Singapore. Pray for the nearly two dozen adults and children who attended to have a smooth time of adjustment to their new ministry locations and that God would use them mightily to expand his church in East Asia.
3. PASTOR ABDUCTED. A Malaysian pastor, Raymond Koh Keng Joo, was abducted on February 13 and remains missing as of the time of this publication. Pray for this brother-in-Christ and his family, that he would be released, that God would grant him grace and strength under pressure and that God would touch the hearts of his captors.
4. THAI CHRISTIAN CHILDREN. Intercede for Thai Christians to be salt and light in their neighborhoods and families. Pray especially for the children of Thai Christian parents to come to a living faith themselves, and that they would be protected from the Buddhist influence they are exposed to all day long at school.
5. MORE THAI NEEDED. A church planting team in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is praying for more Thai co-workers to join them as they minister among the poor. Join them in asking God to raise up Thai Christians to come alongside them in this work.
6. CHINESE NEW YEAR OPPORTUNITIES. An OMF couple in Taiwan is praising God for opportunities to share the gospel with a family at a Chinese New Year gathering. Pray for the family, especially the family matriarch who has forbidden her grandson from following Christ, to be open to the life-changing gospel.
7. WORKING CLASS. Taiwan is a wealthy, technologically advanced urban society. However, most of Taiwan’s people can be considered working class. They may not be poor, but they tend to be less educated and are often plagued by family and social problems. Pray for Christian workers to minister to Taiwan’s working class.
8. REBUILDING AFTER FIRE. In November, Bukang Liwayway (“Dawn for the Poor”), a ministry among Manila’s urban poor, suffered a major loss when its community center, preschool and office were destroyed by a fire that claimed the homes of nearly 6,000 people. Pray for this ministry as it seeks to rebuild. Pray for God to provide for the ministry’s short- and long-term needs.
9. KRUNG BIBLE SCHOOL. Praise God for the four-day Krung language Bible school that took place recently in Cambodia. These Bible schools are run by local Krung church leaders and have taken place twice per year for the past three years. More than 100 new Krung believers have participated. Pray that Krung believers would continue to grow in Christ and share their faith with others.
10. LIFE AFTER DEATH. A Chinese man was overheard in a teahouse bemoaning the pressures in Chinese society to buy houses, cars and get a good education. When asked about death he said, “When I die, I’ll think about death! Chinese people can’t afford to die!” Pray that Chinese people would think about life after death and hear about the hope found in Christ.
11. DIASPORA BIBLE STUDY. A diaspora ministry Bible study group has seen interest from four Chinese scholars who want to join. Two of them came to a Saturday study with their spouses and children. Pray that God continues to draw Chinese scholars to this group, and that the word of God would change hearts and lead them to a saving knowledge of Christ.
12. DISCIPLE-MAKING. Praise God that more than 30 national church leaders of a Southeast Asian country met together recently to be trained in church multiplication and obedience-based discipleship. Pray that these church leaders would be influential in making disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the entire country.
13. STARTING OVER. Defectors from the DPRK who hope to settle in South Korea spend three months at South Korea’s Settlement Center for North Korean Refugees. Some defectors have said that, while the center teaches helpful job skills, it doesn’t prepare them for the challenges of living in a capitalist society. Pray for defectors from the DPRK to receive the support and assistance they need to assimilate well into a new society.
14. HOPE FOR THE DPRK. God loves the DPRK and cares about the future of its citizens. Pray that God would do more than we could ask or imagine for the people of North Korea. Ask him to move powerfully in the hearts of DPRK leaders, that they would lead the country in ways that honor the Lord.
15. RADIO PROGRAMS. The Iu Mien people of China are a Daoist people who worship their ancestors. In recent years, roughly 1,000 “Red Head” Yao (an Iu Mien people) have come to know Jesus through Far East Broadcasting Company programs. Pray that God would open more avenues of gospel sharing with the 1.2 million Iu Mien people of China.
16. CLEAR PATH FOR STUDY. Pray for Kyo, a young Japanese man who recently married a Christian woman. He does not know Christ but would like to do a beginner’s Bible study with an OMF missionary. However, circumstances have never been quite right—a common struggle with Japanese nonbelievers. Pray against distraction and that God would clear the path for Kyo to study the Bible.
17. LONELY DEATH. The term kodokushi or “lonely death” is a Japanese term used to describe elderly people who die alone in their apartments. Instances of “lonely deaths” are common in Japan. Ask God to use Christians to provide not just physical company for older citizens, but also spiritual hope through sharing the message of Christ.
18. NURSES NEEDED. More than 11,000 nurses are still needed at medical centers across Myanmar, according to recent policy by the Ministry of Health and Sports. Pray for opportunities for Christians to meet Myanmar’s needs for nursing staff and training, that God would be glorified through the care offered by Christian medical professionals.
19. VIETNAM’S RELIGIONS. Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism are three prominent belief systems in Vietnam. Careful discipleship is needed to ensure new Christians are freed from traditional spiritual beliefs. Pray for wisdom for church leaders.
20. YOUTH PASSIONATE FOR GOD. Pray for a young generation of believers in Vietnam who have a passion to see God at work in their nation. Ask God to give them wisdom as they try new approaches to mission, breaking away from traditional methods.
21. HOMESCHOOLING AS EQUIPPING. Please pray for the OMF families throughout East Asia that are currently homeschooling their children. Pray that God would equip and enable the parents in their teaching role. Ask God to use this experience to transform the lives of the children and to raise up another generation eager to serve him on the mission field.
22. THINK CROSS-CULTURALLY. The Philippines is an ethnically and spiritually diverse country. Pray for Filipino churches to see the need for mission within their own country, and to think and act cross-culturally to meet that need.
23. PRAY FOR 200. Let us join our brothers and sisters in the OMF Switzerland office in praying for God to raise up 20 women and 20 men to serve long-term in East Asia, as well as 200 short-term Serve Asia workers, by the year 2020.
24. ENGAGING NOMINAL BELIEVERS. Pray for ministry and discipleship efforts among nominal Christians in Indonesia. In particular, ask God to stir up college students and theological education students so that they might have a missional vision and be fervent in spreading the gospel across the many different cultures of Southeast Asia.
25. TRANSLATION WORK. Even though most Indonesians can speak Indonesian, most Indonesians also consider a tribal language to be their first language. Intercede for Bible translation teams around Indonesia, that God will encourage them, give them wisdom and provide for them.
26. PERSECUTION IN THE REGION. According to the Open Doors 2017 World Watch List, six of the top 50 countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian are in Southeast Asia. Pray for Christians in this region to stand strong in their faith, that they, while rooted in their faith in Jesus, would be bold, wise and loving witnesses wherever they are.
27. SERVE ASIA IMPACT. Following a recent Serve Asia prayer journey in a closed-access country, several of the Australian team members came back feeling a call to greater involvement, whether going long-term or mobilizing their churches to pray. Pray for God to work in similar ways among the dozens of Serve Asia workers preparing to go abroad this summer.
28. OMF (U.S.) SERVER ROOM. Technology plays a crucial part in ministry. To that end, pray for work in the OMF (U.S.) computer server room today as it is being rewired. Pray that systems come down and restart without creating problems in the normal work week.
29. NEW RENTERS NEEDED. The OMF (U.S.) office in Littleton, Colorado, has some available office space for rent. Pray for God to raise up some new renters to move into the space.
30. NEW AUDIENCE. A team has been developed on the U.S. homeside to strategize how best to reach new audiences with the message of God’s work through OMF in East Asia. Pray for this group as they assess current communication pieces and channels. Ask God to make next steps clear and to unify the team as they make decisions.
31. DIVIDED COUNTRY. As a country, the United States feels more divided than it’s been in quite some time, particularly given the beginning of Donald Trump’s tenure as President. Pray for Christians to have wisdom in discussing the political and social changes affecting the U.S. at this time.

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