Monthly Archives: April 2012

Sacrifice is a way of life for Bangladeshi believers

By Caroline Anderson

BANGLADESH – “You have to sacrifice something to get something better,” Hem Sarkar* says.

On the eve of Bangladesh’s 40-year anniversary of independence, Sarkar visited his country’s National Monument.

He’s sad, he says, whenever he visits. He knows many of his countrymen died, and some even around this monument. He says he’s asked himself why he wasn’t born a decade earlier so he could have fought.

“Without their sacrifice, we could never get this independence,” Sarkar says.

Sarkar sacrificed a great deal when he became a Christian. His family has a Hindu background. Hindus are the minority in Bangladesh and choosing to become believers made Sarkar’s family even more of a minority.

His great grandfather was the first in his family to believe. Portuguese Jesuit priests were the first to bring the Gospel to Bangladesh. Catholic missionaries came after and William Carey’s grandson followed them. Soon after, Australian and New Zealand Baptists arrived in Bangladesh.

Baptist work in Bangladesh dates back to the early 1800s when Carey’s grandson arrived. Southern Baptists arrived in 1957.

Until recently, Western missionaries were the primary preachers and evangelists.

“Now, we are preaching,” Sarkar says. “Western missionaries are still present but the Bangladeshi church has taken on the burden for their nation. Before, people believed for what they could get in return. Now, the message is if you become a Christian, you will have persecution. Believers are more genuine now.”

Sarkar’s family lost their home and was forced to leave their village because of their faith. Sarkar knows of a former Muslim who had his right hand cut off for turning to Christianity.

Bangladeshis have the freedom to believe in whatever religion they choose. Persecution usually comes from communities.

Sarkar is giving up his job to attend seminary abroad. He’s trusting the Lord will provide. He has the opportunity to work in the U.S. but he says the Lord has called him to reach his people in Bangladesh.

“Pray for us, still we have a lot of obstacles,” Sarkar says.

He knows the sacrifice is worth it and his sacrifice will give God glory.

Pray for Sarkar and his family as they travel to another Asian country to attend seminary. As Sarkar studies, pray God would reveal practical ways to apply his seminary education in Bangladesh.

-30-

*Name changed. Caroline Anderson is a journeyman writer based in Southeast Asia.

FIRST PERSON: The meaning of sacrifice

By Lucinda Swinson*

SOUTH ASIA – Romans 12, verse 1, says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

And 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17, says, “And He [Jesus] died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. “

In light of the definition of sacrifice, our team members surrendered their Christmas holiday with family stateside to travel to South Asia. This surrender brought the emotions of missing Christmas day with our dear loved ones. For many on our team, this would be their first time away from family during this special holiday. Yet, the team committed to a higher call of spending Christmas in a land where there are only 0.3% Christians and the majority of the people know nothing of the true meaning of Christmas.

Our church family and even the Christians in South Asia commented with amazement of such a sacrifice and assured us of their prayers. As we began our long journey away from home, our sacrifice quickly faded as God provided an overwhelming amount of opportunities to share the Ultimate sacrifice of Jesus in such a short time to so many people who had never heard. One Christian worker said, “It would have taken us four years to accomplish all that God did through your team over the Christmas holidays here.” This was not a statement of frustration by this servant of God but a testimony to God’s timing and the answer of prayer for more laborers in the harvest fields.

As our team enjoyed spiritual worship among a people so different than us, presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God became so vibrantly real. Only during the Christmas holiday could we be so bold in our faith here. For this is the only Christian holiday recognized in the country where we were. In a land that tourists avoid, as Americans, we were like a parade everywhere we went. The people assumed we were Christian and in this case, their assumptions were correct. This made it easy to have Christmas parties with invitees that did not know Christ but were curious to know what Christmas meant to us. We were able to go to schools and refugee camps located in the slums. We held a medical clinic in a village with no access to the Gospel and shared the Jesus film there. It was refreshing to focus on the true meaning of Christmas without the influence of materialistic or secular holiday messages.

Many times our team would share the story of Christ, starting from creation, moving through highlighted Old Testaments stories, and finishing with Christ’s birth, ministry, death, and resurrection. We shared with over 700 people the true meaning of Christmas. God moved in remarkable ways that expanded His family and Kingdom in a land so dark without Him.

Looking at Christ’s supreme sacrifice for us, we thank Him for dying and giving us the opportunity to no longer live for ourselves but to live for Him. Our prayer would be that we, as Christians, would commit to living for Him daily wherever we are.

-30-

*Name changed. Lucinda Swinson was recently part of a short-term team serving in South Asia.

FIRST PERSON: God remembers us

By Torie Speicher

INDIA — An Indian man we met recently was compelled by God to move to another part of the country to share about Jesus with people in a village who had never heard.

He sacrificed many things to serve God: A good and profitable job, the good will of his parents, the nearness of family and church, stability and comfort, his own health at times. The village where he lived didn’t have electricity or internet or mobile phones when he first went there. He and his wife grew lonely at times, especially when they had to send their children to boarding school.

They wondered if their sending church was praying for them. They longed for someone to ask if they were ok, how is their health. Someone asked him if he had prayer partners. He said, “Yes, we had. But I don’t think they pray.” Through all of this, God showed Himself as the One who never leaves or forsakes His children.

Even though we live cross-culturally in a foreign country, my husband and I live in much more comfortable conditions. We have mobile phones, internet and electricity most of the time. We miss many comforts from the US, but we are not as isolated. There are other American families in our city.

And yet, we still find loneliness to be one of our biggest struggles, as we long to know if we are remembered.

So, as I listened to my brother in Christ share his testimony, I wept.

I wept tears of understanding. Loneliness is not unique to Americans living in India.

I wept tears of joy. My Indian brother was called to serve among His own people and he was obedient to the point of great persecution, such that I may never experience.

I wept tears of longing for my family and community that I’ve left behind.

When another friend shared that her church had heard about the persecution that this brother experienced in 2001 and remembered praying for him by name, I was amazed at God’s kind and faithful provision. At a time when he, in his humanity, wondered if anyone cared, God was moving people to pray.

As I said, I was weeping. Well, it wasn’t just for the poetic effect. I can’t remember a time when someone from our South Asian church has cried as openly as I was weeping. I was embarrassed, but I could not hold back the tears. A guy from our church walked up to me — one of the guys who’s always cracking jokes and horsing around — and said, “What’s wrong, Torie? Missing your folks?”

I thought, well, it’s more than that, but oops, I’m crying again because of your kindness, so, I’ll just nod affirmative. And, then, this guy, one of the least serious people I know, hugged me — the first time an Indian man ever has.

I want you to understand what kindness this was to me. I have gotten so used to Indian men not shaking my hand or being affectionate in any way, that I’m now surprised when American men who are my friends start to hug me.

Our Lord cared for me through the thoughtfulness of a playful Indian man.

Then, another, older very traditional Indian man from our church walked up to me and asked what was wrong, in a kind, but typically curious way. I was convinced that he would not understand, but I did my best to explain it.

I shared with him how grateful I was for the community God has provided for us, but that we still get lonely sometimes. He said with great authority, “We will always be here for you.” Cue more tears!

Our Lord cared for me through the fiercely loyal friendship of my neighbor. I could almost hear the Lord saying the same thing.

—30—

Torie Speicher is a writer serving among South Asian peoples.

Pastor plants churches with former terrorist

By Susie Rain

INDIA – Criminals sit jam-packed in a filthy Indian holding cell. The smell of urine permeates the dank air.

Two bedraggled men in the corner stand out — not because of their threadbare clothes or clean-cut features but because of their actions. Pabitra Kata hums a hymn while Niladri Kanhar prays.

Their alleged crime: “proselytizing,” trying to convert others to their religion.

Local authorities accuse the two of coercing a Hindu man into becoming a Christian. Neither denies that he was sharing a Bible story, but the word “coercion” makes them shake their heads in disbelief.

Claiming Christianity here in India’s Orissa State means persecution and brutal beatings. Both men have the scars to prove it. Kanhar has an eight-inch scar along his right side; Kata sports a hairless, jagged line above his right ear where his head is caved in from a beating.

Kata glances at his friend, deep in prayer, and remembers his own fervent prayer that started their journey six years ago.

* * * * *

“Lord, give me just one family to build Your church on,” Kata begged God in 2005. “We need a family that can stand strong like a rock — like Your disciple Peter.”

The Holy Spirit answered by leading the pastor up a mountain path and through the forest. When he stopped at the edge of a well-known terrorist village, Kata couldn’t believe it. This paramilitary group often killed or terrorized Christians in a nationalist effort to keep India strictly Hindu. To make matters worse, one of the most feared leaders lived in this village. He destroyed churches, beat or raped Christians and even killed them.

“Surely,” Kata thought, “God isn’t this crazy!”

Obviously, he made a wrong turn in the forest, Kata thought. The pastor walked back home, pleading the entire way for just one family.

Send Someone

Inside the village, Kanhar sat in his house, a broken and angry man. All five of his children were sick. Despite his powerful position as the local terrorist leader, there was nothing he could do to make things better for his family. He already had tried everything — medical doctors, offerings at the Hindu temple and witchcraft.

He gave all his money and possessions to one of the gods but nothing changed. When Kanhar consulted this god one last time, it told him someone in his house would die.

“I did everything you asked. We have become beggars and still we are suffering,” Kanhar screamed. “If you are not able to save us, go away and send us someone who can!”

A Dream and a Prayer

The pastor sat straight up in bed. The vivid dream startled him awake. It was as if someone called out to him. He replayed the fragmented images in his head: a mountain path, a village and a falling tree. The tree pointed to the terrorist leader’s mud-packed home that emanated sorrow and mourning.

Kata dressed and told his wife that a family needed prayer. Then he scurried up the mountain path to the most feared home in the region.

He arrived too late. Kanhar’s eldest daughter had died during the night. The terrorist leader’s wife met the pastor at the door, explaining her husband took the body to the hospital for a death certificate. She advised Kata to leave before her husband returned. Kanhar hated Christians, and she didn’t want to see anyone else die today. She had enough pain inside her for a lifetime.

The pastor pleaded with the mourning mother not to give up hope. They just needed to pray. She said she didn’t know how, so he urged her to repeat “in Jesus’ name” throughout the night. He promised to return at 10 a.m. the next day to meet the girl in person.

Miracles and Faith

The next morning, Kanhar and his daughter walked hand-in-hand up the path to their home. The pastor wasn’t surprised, but no one else could believe their eyes. The doctors pronounced her dead and now she ran to hug her mother.

Kanhar eyed the strange man standing at their door. Kata smiled, extended his hand and said, “I’m your new friend, Pabitra Kata.”

Recognition registered on Kanhar’s face. His orders were to kill this pastor in the quest to wipe out Christianity. His eyes wandered around the yard, searching for anything he could use as a weapon.

“We hate Jesus here,” the terrorist stated, moving toward the pastor.

Kanhar’s wife stepped between them, explaining the pastor’s prayers brought their daughter back to life. She boldly told her husband that now she, too, believed in Jesus and prayed in His name.

The terrorist reluctantly listened to his wife’s story and halfheartedly agreed to believe. After all, what choice did they have? The pastor’s God had healed their daughter when nothing else worked.

By 5 p.m., though, Kanhar truly had given his heart to God. Just as the pastor predicted, his four other bed-ridden children got up to play — they were healed, too.

“My family is healthy. This is a miracle of God,” the terrorist announced. “From this day, our household will worship only Him.”

Building the Church

Each night, Kata snuck through the forest to the terrorist village. He ducked past guards looking for him and slipped in Kanhar’s back door. The family of seven sat waiting to learn new Bible stories and to pray.

Kanhar soaked up every lesson like a sponge. He had never felt so much peace in his life. Even though his neighbors were angry with him for bringing the shame of Christianity to the village, he openly shared his newfound faith.

Gradually, more people attended the nightly meetings. The paramilitary group tried to block this multiplication by fining anyone who talked to Kanhar 10,000 rupees ($200) — more money than most made in a year.

One night as Kata left the prayer meeting, a group of men grabbed and bound him. They dragged him along the paved road, finally stopping in a clearing where 30 others, with clubs and sticks in hand, waited to join the attack.

The men blamed the pastor for “turning” their former leader. They beat and kicked the crumpled man so violently that his head bounced off their clubs like a cricket ball and ricocheted off the pavement. They broke ribs and bashed in one side of his head.

The pastor’s screams pierced the silent night, yet no one came to his rescue.

“God, like your servant Stephen, I am ready,” Kata prayed through the pain. When heaven did not open, the pastor changed his prayer. “Help me stand firm. Use me to build Your church here!”

Standing Firm

Police picked Kata’s battered body up off the road and took him to the station. They threatened to charge him with “converting Hindus.” But in the end, they told him not to return to Kanhar’s village or next time, he would surely die.

Despite the warning, Kata continued meeting with the former terrorist leader for Bible study. At one of their prayer times, the pastor looked at his student through still-swollen eyes and predicted, “You will have to suffer worse than me for your faith.”

Kanhar couldn’t believe what he heard. He was already sneaking in and out for the daily discipleship. After another entire family proclaimed Christianity, the village had forced his family to leave and filed charges against him for “conversions.” He couldn’t find work to feed his family. His brothers disowned him. Even his children were forced to leave school. How could it get worse?

It didn’t take long for the pastor’s words to come true. One day as Kanhar worked in the field, a group of men carrying machetes chased him down. They bound their former leader and forced him to kneel.

He looked up to see 50 men throwing large stones at him. Kanhar prayed. The angry mob took aim but none of the stones touched the Christian. Kanhar lifted a prayer of thanksgiving that enraged the men. They rushed at him, swinging clubs and machetes. Blood pooled quickly around him.

“Stop!” a man yelled. “He deserves a slow death for what he has brought to our village.”

With that, they divided into two teams — taking turns kicking and clubbing. At one point, the men urinated on Kanhar, causing his open wounds to sting and burn. They broke his leg and placed a poisonous plant on his eyes to increase the pain.

“If you don’t come back to Hinduism, you will die,” a man told him.

“Even if you kill me or my children, I will remain a Christian until my last breath,” Kanhar countered. “I will stand firm in the Truth of Jesus Christ.”

* * * * *

Holding to that declaration has not been easy. For the two friends, persecution is simply the cost of sharing the Gospel with their community. Beatings, the loss of jobs and threatened jail time are to be expected.

The “good days” come when someone professes Jesus as Savior. Those days make walking through the hard ones possible.

Kata sees the bailiff approaching and stands up. It’s time for their case. The judge glances through the papers and then sternly warns them about proselytizing. He surprises everyone, however, by dropping all charges against the two Christians.

The friends thank God and rush out the door. There’s no time for celebration; they are late for evangelism training at the church.

—30—
Originally posted on AsiaStories.com. Used by permission.

Week of April 29, 2012

April 29 : Video training. In April and May there is an area-wide GCC effort to train local churches in one area of Canada in Muslim outreach using a weekly video-based teaching series. Please pray that God will call many workers into the local harvest, that many will go out to spread the Gospel, and that souls will be given grace to repent and believe the Good News.

April 30 : Spirit working. Pray for V who has become more and more open to talk about Christ. Initially she wanted to hear nothing about Jesus, but now she is studying God’s Word with a new believer and attending house fellowship. Praise the Lord for the Spirit’s work in her life. Pray that both she and her husband would come to know the Savior in a personal way.

May 1 : Heating up. The summer in the Deccan of India tends to be hot – between 100-115 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the heat, people tend to have less energy and are also short-tempered. Pray that the heat would drive them to the Lord. Pray that their hot, restless nights would prompt them to repent from their sin and turn to their savior, Jesus.

May 2 : Mind of Christ. Pray specifically for one Deccani Muslim background believer, Syed*. Syed came to Christ about five years ago but became a serious student of the Bible in the last three years. Pray that the Lord would draw Syed closer to Him, giving him a mind and will to obey the Word and helping him not to rely on his feelings and other motivations.

May 3 : New believers. Women are coming to Jesus in the “Red Light Districts. In one area, nine women recently came to Jesus. Praise the Lord! Pray that just like Mary Magdalene they will be totally changed and become devoted followers of Jesus who share His truths with others.

May 4 : Singing to the Lord. Around 250 people from throughout the area, representing at least nine languages, attended a songwriting workshop led by a team of American songwriters. We lost track of the number of songs written, but praise God that the workshop went really well. One group of attendees has since written 10 more songs in their heart language after going home. Pray that these mostly young new songwriters will establish a pattern of “singing new songs to the Lord” for the building up of believers around them and the spreading of the Gospel.

May 5 : No separation. Pray for the new believers to have full assurance of the truthfulness of the Gospel and that nothing can separate them from the love of Christ. One day, the truth will be plain to all. May believers have the boldness to make the truth known while people still have a chance to believe in the Gospel. May new believers have confidence in the promise that if they do not deny Christ then one day Jesus will acknowledge them in the presence of God.

 

Kashmiri believers persevere through persecution and adversity

By Cinda Ingram

KASHMIR – God’s Kingdom is growing in Kashmir.

This growth, however, is coming through the fires of persecution and hardship. The fires burn hot for these believers, but in the heat is the opportunity to see God at work.

In recent months, persecution has become more strident and strong. Voices are raised against God’s people and the spread of the Good News. The voices have become hands grasping for God’s people, seeking to stop them.

In November 2011, a local pastor and two others were charged with forcibly converting Islamic youth by an Islamic law court. After being arrested by the state police on charges of hurting Muslim religious sentiments, the pastor was released on bail. He and the other two have since left Kashmir.

Recently as one Muslim-background believer taught others about Christ, a mob burst into his home, and a fight broke out. Police took three believers to a station, where they were detained for several days. While detained, the three were accused of forcible conversions by Islamic community leaders. Local Christian leaders took a stand for their brothers by visiting the police and seeking their release.

Meanwhile, believers around the world were praying. News of the detention got out to the global church, and God’s people responded with fervent intercession.

Believers petitioned the throne for their brothers, asking God to move in the hearts of those bringing the complaints. Christians asked for wisdom for those being held and those negotiating on their behalf.

In His kind sovereignty, God responded with the release of the three men. No charges were filed. Believers rejoiced at this news.

However, the fires continue to burn. Kashmiri believers are seeking God’s wisdom as they continue to live in the area. Some local believers have fled the region in anticipation of continuing attacks.

Cross-cultural workers urge the global church to continue praying. One worker asks, “Pray that the believers would continue to boldly proclaim the majesty and glory of Jesus.”
• Pray for peace, religious freedom, perseverance, and joy for these believers.
• Ask that believers will be bold and wise in proclaiming the name of Jesus.
• Intercede for cross-cultural workers who labor in a challenging situation. Another worker states, “We find that this persecution has created more opportunities than ever to share the hope found in Jesus Christ.”
• Pray that believers in villages and remote areas will find ways to fellowship with other believers for encouragement.

God’s Kingdom is growing deep roots through persecution. Stand with brothers and sisters as they persevere. Petition the throne on their behalf.

–30—

Cinda Ingram is an IMB representative serving South Asia.

Week of April 22, 2012

April 22 : Workers for the Local Harvest. “I don’t know what to say to people of other religions. Is it disrespectful to talk to them about my faith in Jesus?” In April and May, local churches in Toronto will be trained in presenting the Gospel to those of the Muslim faith. Please pray that God will call out many workers into the local harvest, and that many will go out to spread the Gospel. May souls will be given grace to repent and believe the Good News.

April 23 : Seeking Godly Men. There are many young, single women in the Punjab of North India who are believers and come from believing families, yet they are faced with quite a dilemma. Their families and culture place an unbelievable amount of pressure on them to get married and begin a family; however, it is very difficult for such women to find young men who are believers. Therefore, many young women respond to this tremendous pressure from their culture by marrying non-believers, which seems to be the only solution. Please pray for these young, single women to remain strong in their faith and to wait for God to bring them the right kind of husbands, who will love them and lead them to know the Father more. Pray also that God will raise up godly young men in the Punjab area who will be strong in their faith and become the husbands that these young women so desperately need!

April 24 : Mogers need Jesus. This month, please pray for the Moger people of Karnataka. Long ago, these people were rabbit hunters, which is how they got their name, but now they mainly serve as agricultural wage-laborers on plantations. All family members participate in working in the fields: fathers, mothers and children. Lack of education is one strike against the Mogers’ having the opportunity to hear about the Lord Jesus Christ. Another is their language. The Moger people speak Tulu, which further serves to isolate them because they usually do not speak the primary language of the state in which they live. Praise God that a report has come that some of these Hindu people have become followers of Christ! Pray that those who do know Him will live their lives, trusting Him, before their fellow Mogers. Pray that a true relationship with Jesus will be seen. As the Mogers migrate between jobs at various tea and coffee plantations, pray that they will have more opportunities see the lives of true Christians lived out and, as a result, that they will desire a true relationship with Jesus Christ with all their hearts. Pray that strategies will be developed among workers that will serve to give the Moger people an opportunity to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. Currently none of our personnel know the Tulu language.

April 25 : Commander in Chief. The name Senaithalaivar means “Commander in Chief” and derives from the Senaithalaivar people’s former military leadership. Although their number is fairly small (approximately 150,000) and there are no known believers among them, ask the Lord to bring the Senaithalaivar people to Himself and equip them to lead others in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

April 26 : Hard Soil?  Saurashtra is the south-central region of Gujarat. The people there form a distinct cultural/language group, with strong ties to Hinduism and a strong pride in that culture. Traditionally they have been viewed as “hard soil,” and very little outreach has been made by Christian groups. Last summer, a prayer journey was made into Saurashtra by several believers, and since that time, a few others have made trips into that region. To date, work has been initiated in four small cities. Small groups of believers have been found living in or near these cities, and seekers have also been found. Please pray for the believers who are traveling into Saurashtra to share the Gospel. May they have safety in travel and be diligent in seeking God’s will and direction as they go forth. Pray that they will find believers to work with, as well as other people who will hear and heed the Word of God. Pray for the believers who live there to learn how to share the Gospel, see beyond the usual cultural barriers, and respond to the lostness around them. Ask God to give them boldness and grant them protection. Pray for the lost, asking that they will become aware of the futility of their worship of false gods and be drawn to learn about the one true God. Pray that they will listen and respond to the Word of God.

April 27 : Leadership Training. Pray for the lay leaders who are trained in Sri Lanka to live out their faith passionately and to share with others what they learn. Please pray for the remaining 13 districts to be engaged with Discipleship Training before the end of 2012. Ask that workers will be able to filter for faithfulness and fruitfulness as they identify people with whom they can partner more intentionally. Ask God to reveal in-roads to the remaining districts and show workers how to encourage national partners, volunteer teams, local churches and organizations to be involved in this task. Pray for those all over the island who have already been trained to share faithfully with others what has been given to them so that all of Sri Lanka will come to know, love and serve Jesus Christ.

April 28 :  Passing the Baton. “In May we will have the privilege of working with a group of Baptist pastors and church planters who have been studying in the Leadership Equipping and Development (LEAD) program for some time. This program is designed to equip them to equip others, and that is what they are doing. The May training session will be geared toward helping them to see how they can teach others in a more systematic way. They will look at their vision and make plans regarding what courses to teach, the best order in which they should be taught, and the timing. Intercede for these pastors and church planters as they carry on the 2 Timothy 2:2 idea of passing on what they have learned to other faithful people, who will also pass along what they have learned. Pray for wisdom as they evaluate their situations and the specific needs, and ask that they will have the strength and endurance to do the preparation and the study that will be required for this task.”

Week of April 15, 2012

April 15 : Alcohol De-Addiction Program. Give thanks to God that in answer to your prayers, the community health programs offered by the hospital have grown and expanded. There are now several new believers and also some seekers groups. Pray for an alcohol de-addiction program just started in early 2012. There is a great response in the villages and a desire for help with a terrible problem. Lift up those who are now off alcohol, asking that they will continue to be able to avoid it. Pray that families will be transformed, and that the recovering alcoholics will be able to experience God’s forgiveness.

April 16 : New Years in April. The Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations coincide each year in mid-April. In ancient times, the celebrations marked the end of the harvest season. With the advent of Hinduism and later Buddhism, the New Year celebrations took on a more religious flair, with the Tamils celebrating with Hindu customs and traditions and the Sinhalese celebrating with Buddhist customs and traditions. Join in asking the Lord to bring a great harvest of souls among South Indians and Sri Lankans so that New Year celebrations will celebrate new birth in Jesus Christ. Pray for Isaiah 9:3 to become a reality among the people: “You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. For You shall break the yoke of their burden (of sin) and the staff on their shoulders.”

April 17 : Growing in Christ. “Last semester, LEAD participants took a course entitled ‘How to Study, Understand and Communicate God’s Word.’ What seemed like a simple concept to us didn’t seem so simple to many of the participants. However, one group of pastors testified of how the course had profoundly affected their lives and their ministries in such a short time. They talked of church members inquiring as to what they were doing differently. Praise God for those who grasp the importance and value of study in preparation for preaching and leading Bible studies, and for the church members who want to know how to study God’s Word more effectively! Pray that these pastors will be faithful in their study of God’s Word so that they will know how to handle the Word of God properly.”

Wisdom in Sowing Seeds. Pray for harvest workers, including local believers in Jesus, to have wisdom in sowing seeds of the Gospel, seeds of Truth and Love. Pray for them to have faith in God while they wait, even in times when it seems, humanly speaking, that nothing is happening in hearts where seeds have been sown. May they remember that God can be working underneath the surface! Pray for the harvest workers also to have discernment in knowing when the harvest is ready. Claim Mark 4:26-29 (NIV): “He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’” May many seeds be scattered there be a beautiful harvest in Karachi!

April 19 : Life Transformed. “Several Training for Trainers (T4T) meetings are going on in different places each week among the Christians here. (Most are just Christian in name, not true believers.) T4T involves taking simple Bible truths and focusing on obedience to what Scripture teaches. During one of the recent meetings, a woman from a nearby village came and asked for the leaders and the whole group to come and pray for her nephew. She said that her nephew was very sick with an evil spirit. The group went to her house and found a boy of about 15 years old. He was lying on the floor and growling. They tried to talk to him, but he didn’t acknowledge that anyone was in the room and didn’t seem to recognize his own family. The group from the meeting started praying. They prayed against this evil spirit for over half an hour, and the boy screamed and vomited as the spirit left him. The next day, the boy came to find the leaders of the meeting and invited them to his house for a meal. Praise the Lord; He is all powerful and is able! The leaders of the meeting are our national partners. We praise God at how He is increasing our faith and the faith of our partners. Please pray that in this community, many will hear and understand that the Lord is mighty and all powerful. Thank you for your continued prayers for what He’s doing here in Pakistan.”

April 20 : Land of Extremes. “A land of extremes is what I feel when I start to pray for Bangladesh: beautiful rice fields and also concrete city blocks, flowing with waste . . . a peaceful village with children playing near a pond and a dark factory where young children put in 12-hour-plus days, doing hard labor . . . colorful clothes and customs in contrast to eyes reflecting the emptiness in their souls . . . a great Muslim majority with all the outward signs of devotion, from clothes and hair to verbiage and rituals, and a small church full of believers with full hearts, worshipping God. Pray for this land of 160 million people. It is crowded and loud and polluted but has great hope. God’s hope fills the hearts of the less than one percent of the population who claim to know Him. Pray that God will do a mighty work in Bangladesh. Ask that the words of Isaiah 60:18 will ring true for this country: ‘Violence will never again be heard of in your land; devastation and destruction will be gone from your borders. But you will name your walls salvation and your gates, praise.’”

April 21 : Ganak Need Jesus. Earlier this year, two American women completed an ethnography research paper about Ganak life and culture. This is some of the first information that has been collected in English about this group. Pray that God will send believing Hindu-background men and women into Ganak communities to testify about Jesus. Ganaks are very wary of outsiders, but seem willing to listen to others of a Hindu background. Pray also that the Lord will lift the veil from the eyes of Ganak astrologers who believe they can accurately predict any future event in human or earthly life. Ask that they will be able to see that God is the only one who knows their future and that He has good plans for the Ganak people.

Week of April 8, 2012

April 8 : Resurrection Sunday. As believers all over the world celebrate Jesus’ victory over death today, pray that the 1.5 South Asians who follow other gods will hear the Truth and the Truth will set them free. Pray especially tonight as the “Magdalena” film is shown on national television in southern India. Pray that many Muslim women will see this program and that the “veil of unbelief” will be lifted from their eyes.

April 9 : Christ As Sustainer. M used to be a committed follower of Islam. He dressed the part, went to the mosque, and even participated in persecuting those who were not of his faith. One day he came across God’s Word as it was being torn away from a man who was being beaten for trying to share it with others. He secretly kept it instead of destroying it like the other persecutors would have. He read and believed. Now M lives in Dhaka with his family and is faithful to share his faith with others. He has now experienced persecution himself, as he has been asked to leave his home because the landlord does not like the house church to meet there. Recently some of the seed that he had worked so hard to sow was taken away by another person. Pray that M and his family will keep their eyes on Christ as their Sustainer. Pray that they will fall more and more in love with Him and continue to minister to those who are lost and in darkness. M knows this darkness from his own experience, but now there is light that shines from a heart changed by God!

April 10 : Hindu Peoples of Myanmar.  Please lift up new believers in the village of Z. Much has happened in this village in the past year, with many coming to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior and many being baptized. A national partner recently reported that 15 more candidates have come forward, ready to be baptized. Please intercede for the growth of these new believers. Ask that they will be strongly discipled and that they will, in turn, entrust what they have learned to other faithful people. Pray for confidence.

April 11 : Making a Difference. Immigrant Christians can bring the Gospel to other immigrants! Mr. R, for whom you have been praying, is a recently arrived Pakistani Christian who speaks Punjabi. He joined with an Indian Punjabi family of new followers of Jesus for Bible study. Through Mr. R, their visiting grandmother heard the Gospel presented clearly and decided to follow Jesus also! The wife and husband of this family are talented in composing, singing and playing the drums for Punjabi-style praise songs. A Canadian who has his own recording studio is willing to record some of their music. Please pray for this to be done successfully in April. Because of travel, it will involve full days. Pray that these songs will attract Punjabi-speaking immigrants to the “True Guru” (Teacher), Jesus. Ask for this group to grow into a neighborhood Bible study, and eventually into a church of South Asians.

April 12 : Leadership Transitions. As South India undergoes changes in organization and leadership, pray that each worker will continue the work with patience and endurance. Pray that the current leaders will transition well to a stateside assignment, and that the new leaders will adjust well to the work here. Ask God to work out the many details and to provide wisdom for these leaders so that His name and renown will continue to be made known among South Asian peoples. Pray that they “may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:9-10, ESV).

April 13 : Seeking Growth. Pray for MJ as he works with his leaders who have started eight fellowships among the Bpor people group. These people are originally from another Indian state but migrated to Kolkata years ago. Pray that the fellowships will continue to mature as a strong body of Christ, giving light to their communities and creating multiple churches among this people group.

April 14 : Freedom From Fear. Ask the Lord to free national believers from fear. Pressure from family, friends and co-workers can often be powerful enough to frighten believers into hiding their faith. Pray that the Holy Spirit will empower His children in Mumbai with boldness and confidence in Him. Pray for a peace that passes understanding.