Weekly Prayer DigestHelping you pray around the ABWE world.
My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word. —Psalm 119:28
Africa Collapse
The Gambia Collapse
Urgent Needs: Three General or Family Practice Doctors. Doctors are needed to serve in The Gambia with family practice, pediatrician or other non-surgical specialties.
Pray for The Gambia | Learn more about The Gambia | Opportunities to serve in The Gambia
Suellen Black
The medical clinic will end up in the red this year, pray for God to continue to provide for their needs. Pray for Suellen’s stamina and health as she continues to reach out to the women in a nearby village and fulfill the many responsibilities of the clinic. Four pre-field missionary units coming to The Gambia have over 50% of their support.
Togo Collapse
The initiative and industry of the four million people is an asset to the ABWE goal of church planting. ABWE missionaries have found the Togolese people very responsive to the gospel, therefore, they are eager and zealous to open new ministries on their own. Church planters are needed to execute the plan to multiply churches in the urban centers.
Pray for Togo | Learn more about Togo | Opportunities to serve in Togo
Brenda Mastin
Brenda Mastin has been involved in training along with 47 workers who will then go out to churches all over Togo in an HIV/AIDS ministry. They have been learning how to give AIDS education that provides hope and helps people help other people to live a healthy life with or without AIDS. The training also focused on how to make good choices concerning purity, and how to point people to Christ as Savior, and the need to wake the church up to their responsibility and privilege to love first those whom Christ loves.
Sharon Rahilly
The hospital has had 240 applications for the next nurses training program. There is only room for 20 students. God has wonderfully provided almost all of the money for Pastor Martouka’s motorcycle. Sharon is seeking a meeting with the Togo Minister of Health. A delegation of two missionaries and two Togolese hope to meet with him regarding the appropriate diploma/certificate for nurses educated in their program. Pray for the best possible outcome for the nurses.
Asia and the Pacific Collapse
Australia Collapse
The vision of ABWE missionaries is to develop self-propagating churches that will foster an Australian church multiplying movement. A vibrant network of church plants is advancing God's kingdom through personal evangelism, discipleship, evangelism in the public schools, and leadership training.
Pray for Australia | Learn more about Australia | Opportunities to serve in Australia
Steve and Sue Mayo
A couple in their church offered to organize a Family Fun Night as an outreach. It will be held on 15 October. Another attendee volunteered to do some door knocking. An unsaved couple has begun attending church services regularly. Please pray that they will be converted soon. The Bible College enrolled two full-time students for the second semester. Alen has a keen interest in biblical languages and theology. Grant, a nurse in a local hospital, recently started a house church 70 miles north of Sydney. Some of their former seminary students have decided to finish their degrees by distance education.
Paul and Rachel Weber
Paul is teaching Bible Doctrines and the Pastoral Epistles at the Bible Institute. He has three students in both classes. Alen and Grant are looking to become pastors, and Josh is working as an Australian representative for AWANA. Rachel is teaching Scripture classes in Rouse Hill on Wednesdays. They have had at least one family that has become faithful members at their church as a result of the Rouse Hill Scripture classes. They are also teaching English classes and they are beginning to see their students open up and show an interest in the Gospel.
Japan Collapse
ABWE is looking for personnel who will persevere in learning the challenging Japanese language, and will reach out to these people who so desperately need to hear of God's love and forgiveness. It is difficult for the Japanese to break with traditions of their ancestors in a society that emphasizes conformity.
Pray for Japan | Learn more about Japan | Opportunities to serve in Japan
Courtney Lancaster
There are 13-14 teens coming regularly to Sunday School. Praise the Lord for them and please pray for them to continue growing in their faith. Courtney has visited a cooking class that could become a way for her to build relationships, pray for wisdom as she decides. She has also attended a Japanese language practice session sponsored by the city hall. There are Japanese volunteers who will partner with foreigners to practice Japanese conversation.
Thailand Collapse
ABWE missionaries first entered Thailand in partnership with Filipino missionaries. Together they work to establish independent local churches under national leadership.
Pray for Thailand | Learn more about Thailand | Opportunities to serve in Thailand
Ken and Alice Cole
A Thai pastor and wife have been carrying on the student center started by the Caynors. They have been inundated with students wanting to learn English. Of course, as part of the lessons they learn English songs, including ones about The Creator God who loves them. Please pray for Pastor Ang and his wife, Awn (she is pregnant and suffering from a lot of morning sickness); and for the children who visit the center. Volunteers are needed to help them teach English. There are a variety of short-term (2 weeks-2 months- 1 year) opportunities in Cha-am. The “tsunami” Center in southern Thailand is about 95% complete and the Lumilang family (Filipino missionaries) have been living there since July. The little congregation of Thai believers held their first service in the new building on July 4. Even though not officially opened yet, townspeople have stopped by inquiring when English classes will start. Several ladies from various Asian nationalities have asked Alice to disciple them. Most of them are either new believers or undiscipled believers who do not know how to study the Bible on their own. Ken and Alice still need renters for the USA townhouse the own.
Don and Gail Craft
Pray for upcoming camps in October. The Crafts are currently helping at two churches, Sawang Dandin Baptist Church and Santisuk Baptist Church. Pray for growth and leadership development. Pray also for wisdom and endurance as they care for Don’s 81 year old father.
Central America and the Caribbean Collapse
Mexico Collapse
ABWE is planting growing Baptist churches in Mexico City. Our missionaries are successfully overcoming the challenges of severe government restrictions and the high cost of land to plant new churches. Personnel needs include church planters, musicians, children's and youth workers, and teachers to train national pastors.
Pray for Mexico | Learn more about Mexico | Opportunities to serve in Mexico
Kurt and Bethany Gomez
Kurt and Bethany Gomez had the help of a team from a US Christian high school for a week of VBS ministry in their church. Several children accepted Christ, and many are still attending the church’s weekly Bible club for kids. They are waiting on approval of the visa Kurt needs to enter the US. They will then be able to begin furlough ministry complete the training and candidate seminar for Kurt, so that he can be officially appointed as a missionary with ABWE.
Europe Collapse
Portugal Collapse
Building on the success of the past 20 years, the Portugal team has developed a new church planting strategy, called the "Portugal 4x4 Plan." The goal is to enlarge the base of first generation churches to 16 by the year 2016. These 16 churches will become the foundation for a national church planting movement in Portugal.
Pray for Portugal | Learn more about Portugal | Opportunities to serve in Portugal
Sarah Haynie
Sarah Haynie has begun a short-term ministry at Greater Lisbon Christian Academy. Sarah will be teaching in the elementary school and this will be her first year of teaching. She will have the assistance of fellow short-termers, Erin Wahlstrom and Meredith Peters, both veteran teachers, as well as career missionaries Cal and Joyce Voelker.
Ukraine Collapse
ABWE’s work in Ukraine is to facilitate a church planting movement throughout Ukraine that is Ukrainian in character and leadership, culminating in a missions movement. We are accomplishing this through leadership training, medical evangelism and partnering with nationals in planting new churches.
Pray for Ukraine | Learn more about Ukraine | Opportunities to serve in Ukraine
Dan and Carol Pollard
Dan is presently in Barishivka, Ukraine, building a church for the people there. With financial help from two neighboring churches, a generous financial gift from the church Dan and Carol started in Vanino, Russia, and much financial support from people and churches in America, the building is going up. The outside walls are up, the trusses are built and up, and most of the roof is on. Dan’s goal is to have the siding on before he leaves for Salem, Oregon on September 15. The first church service in the new building will be Sunday, Sept. 12, when they will celebrate "Zhatva", their harvest celebration. Please pray for a pastor for the church. The Pollards plan to move there next year to assist with children, youth, and adult ministry. Dan is preaching on Sunday mornings until he leaves. He hopes to return as soon as funds permit, to continue the building project and to assist in the ministry.
North America Collapse
USA Collapse
ABWE-USA focuses on the establishment of reproducing Baptist churches that are centers for evangelism and world missions.
Pray for USA | Learn more about USA | Opportunities to serve in USA
Rod and Angie Stucky
Rod and Angie Stucky spent many hours with two refugees from Myanmar seeking to help them get settled and building a relationship but they had not seen them at church since Christmas. Last Sunday they attended Sunday morning, bringing three friends with them. They are not saved and there is a language barrier to overcome. Pray that the Studcys will be able to sow the seed of the gospel. One of the friends they brought has fairly good English and works for a refugee resettlement organization. He is from a Roman Catholic background.
South America Collapse
Brazil Collapse
ABWE works in nine areas of this vast country.
Pray for Brazil | Learn more about Brazil | Opportunities to serve in Brazil
Lynell Smith
Lynell’s doctor has recommended that she continue physical therapy and not have surgery. She and Laura Fouser are currently on a survey trip to Ecuador, seeking the Lord’s direction for their next ministry. They will return to Brazil on September 29. They will make three other survey trips before determining the location of their next ministry. From October 19-December they plan to do evangelistic Bible studies at the ecotourism ranch in Miranda, make return visits to former disciples in Campo Grande to encourage them, and prepare for their coming relocation.
Chile Collapse
The capital city of Santiago has been the center of ABWE ministries for years. Santiago has a European lifestyle and many large shopping malls can be found in the city. Many nationally pastored churches exist along with a thriving seminary program with three annex ministries. The ABWE Team however is extending ministries to Northern Chile where a team of missionaries serves in the city of Iquique. The team will extend to the south with a ministry to the Mapuche Indians. Adelphos Chile, a national mission board established in 1993 with 140+ missionaries serving in nine countries of the world, contributes to an ongoing national mission’s movement for the glory of God.
Pray for Chile | Learn more about Chile | Opportunities to serve in Chile
Alejandro and Robyn Armijo
Alejandro’s residency document needed to be renewed and can only be filed in the US. The couples from their church in Chile enjoyed participating in a mini marriage seminar on Saturday August 7. Pastor Jim Christian, (missionary Stephanie Garcia's Dad), shared some practical information from the Bible on how improve marriage relationships. There were 18 couples that participated. Currently, 19 individuals are going through the ABWE booklet “The Story of Hope.” Several of those leading were themselves taught this material not long ago. Also, several men are stepping up to greater leadership positions and Lord willing, the church should have its first deacons in the coming months.
Ecuador Collapse
This is one of ABWE’s newest opportunities. A small team of missionaries is establishing the hub of church planting activities in Quito where along with local seminary students, a multiple church planting/leadership training program is being developed. Expansion to other parts of Ecuador is also anticipated. Cooperation with a national partner in Guayaquil will allow for coastal growth in the church planting ministries.
Pray for Ecuador | Learn more about Ecuador | Opportunities to serve in Ecuador
Jeff and Deanne Davoll
ABWE Ecuador is currently making final preparations for beginning their first church in Cumbaya, Ecuador. Please keep them in prayer as they finalize details for their location and all other details needed.
Peru Collapse
Four cities in Peru serve as the centers for outreach to Peru’s vast population areas. (1)The Amazon River basin presents a jungle style of ministry including launch ministries to river villages and an urban style of ministry in Iquitos where the first missionaries arrived in 1939. Both in the city and along the river, opportunities exist to partner with and train nationals. (2) The coastal city of Chiclayo presents the challenge from upper class ministry and the use of an airplane to reach the mountainous areas. (3) The capital city of Lima has a variety of ministry opportunities described on their web page. (4) Arequipa provides a quaint historical setting for ministry with national partners.
Pray for Peru | Learn more about Peru | Opportunities to serve in Peru
Lynn Porter
Four young people were baptized July 31 at Betsan Baptist Church. They are organizing the youth group that meets on Saturday night, as well as leading church services and helping in Sunday school. Iquitos Baptist Bible Institute began the second semester August 9. Lynn is teaching one class.