Pray for Joy Corson as she helps program a way of enabling those who have done a basic Bible training course to do more. Classes will probably be held on Friday nights and all day Saturday for those who can’t do the weekly study program. Praise the Lord for the great blessing this study program has been.

Praise God for 5 people who will be baptised on 21 February! The church is growing so rapidly they are hoping to rent a larger building in Liege. Pray for negotiations with the city council regarding use of the building as a church.

The team are trusting for a great annual conferene (January 17-22). Pray for many Balanta Mane to be added to the Kingdom, for evangelism and discipleship during the dry season, and for the churches as each adopts an unreached people for prayer and sending.

URBANA 09 was a great conference. Over 17,000 college-age people attended, from all across the USA and points overseas, too. One guy from China traveled 20 hours to attend. About 250 agencies were represented. Our twelve Weccers made over 400 contacts. Seating was provided, which allowed for lots of sharing, with young people even standing in line to get to chat with one of the 12! The weather was a threatening challenge before the truck left HQ on Christmas Day, but PTL Neil reported that, “We drove in front of the storm all the way." Pray for follow-up, and lots of mail to answer from inquiring potential candidates.

Remember the church national leadership as they meet together January 22, and particularly as church president Pascal A. shares some items for discussion. Will they value a missions mobilizer and networking with a cross-cultural missions facilitator?

A house is being constructed on team property in the province - key to future ministry in that area. Pray for teams to come and help build in summer 2010. Pray that God would bond the team together in vision, in city-wide prayer, and in ministry to the lost, the sick and the rejected.

URBANA '09 (Dec. 27 - Jan 31): We have a larger display area and a great team coming together for this strategic student mission conference. Pray for Dave Hall as he leads the URBANA team, for our team to have significant conversations with students. Pray that God will bring many to the WEC booth and will connect us with those whom He is calling to serve through WEC. Pray for the follow-up to be strategic and effective.

Praise God for better fellowship and communication in this growing team.  Pray for an on-site field leader, and for more workers to assist with church planting initiatives in Tirana and Shkoder.  Pray also for the right person to administer their NGO.

Visas urgently needed for Pilar Cancino and Patty Pardo, who are hoping to join the candidate orientation course in Mexico, January-March 2010. Please pray them in!

Pray for new students with a conviction that this is where God wants them, with a vision for cross-cultural mission.

Pray for renewal of strength and wisdom for senior staff, and provision of all that is needed.

Praise God for the beginning of Betel in Sao Paolo. Pray for the whole process of getting started, wise decision-making and open doors. They will need to find out what is the best plan for the legal aspects involved.

Visas urgently needed for Pilar Cancino and Patty Pardo, who are hoping to join the candidate orientation course in Mexico, January-March 2010.  

 

Hans Scutze, Regional Director for Pan America will be at a unique conference in the South of Spain from Nov 9th to 13th. About 130 leaders from various agencies will be thinking and praying about one topic: How to mobilize and train Latinos living in Europe so that they can reach out to their immigrant neighbours. There is a lot of potential in this approach, so let us pray for bold steps in this direction.

Pray for the WEC advance into Quebec. Jose and Margarethe Almeida plan to move from Hamilton to Quebec in 2010 and are making initial contacts with pastors. Pray for good relationships with all denominations and language groups in the province.

For the Missions Globales conference in Montreal from November 13 – 16. Almeida will present a workshop on “Being Equipped for Missions”. Pray God will bring many people by the WEC booth who have a desire to do cross cultural service and that some will apply to WEC.  

 

Praise God for answered prayer for WEC representation across Canada. We now have representatives in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC. Henry Bell meets with them on November 14 in Saskatchewan. Pray for united focus, wisdom in strategy for mobilization and encouragement in networking.

 

 

Praise God for the gift of a 55 acre farm, 35 kms from Hamilton Sending Base. Pray for smooth transfer of papers, and for Kyun Ho and Hyun Ok as they move there this month. Pray that WEC staff will walk wisely as they seek God's will concerning the use of this property.

We are moving full speed ahead in planning for our next Missionary Training Weekend, Kambagalcia, which will take place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2.  These training weekends involve months of meetings and planning.  We’re all excited about this year’s theme, which is “children at risk / in crisis”. Please pray with us as we move forward in the preparations.

November 1 - 4 we have the ETHNE TO ETHNE meeting for the Americas, expecting about 300 participants from all over the world. Please pray for visas, especially for our African and Asian friends.

Our Congress AMEM will be held Oct 9-12. The theme is 'Advancing - in times of crisis'.  Please pray for a good number to come and for the anointing of the Lord on the messages and conversations. Keith Gibson, Senegal Field Leader will be speaking, along with Regional Director, Hans Schutze and WEC Brazil Leader, Rosifran Macedo.

 

Hospitals are in a unique position to display the compassion of Christ to people with physical needs. There are many opportunities to work in these contexts for those who have a deep desire to serve the poor and needy.

Pray for Christian medical workers in these places. They carry heavy responsibilities.

General Tagme Na Waie, the chief of staff of the army in Guinea Bissau was killed late on Sunday 1st March as a result of a bomb blast at the military headquarters in Bissau.

There has been a long standing disagreement over many years between the President Vieira and General Tagne Na Waie.  It would appear that the President may have orchestrated the death of the general, and was in turn shot and killed by soldiers close to the general. The president's wife and family were not harmed – the UN has arranged for them to be taken out of the country.

This follows a failed coup attempt in November last year.

Please pray for stability in this country, pray for our workers and for the national church. Field leaders, Kevin and Anna, need wisdom and sensitivity to hear the Lord's voice and to know His peace in making decisions for the team.

Following threats from Muslim nationalists, a Turkish Bible Society bookshop in the southern city of Adana was vandalized for the second time in a week on Thursday (Feb. 12).

Security camera footage shows two youths attacking the storefront of the bookshop, kicking and smashing glass in both the window and damaging the door frame.  During the first attack on Feb. 7, the glass of the front door was smashed and the security camera mangled.

The employee who discovered the damage said that these are the first such incidents he has witnessed in the 10 years he has worked there.
"We sit and drink tea with our neighbours and those around us; there are no problems in that regard," he said, though he did acknowledge that local opinion is not all favourable towards the bookshop.

Pray for protection of this and other Christian bookshops, for ongoing good relationships with neighbours, and for a positive heart and attitude toward Christians in this land.

Bian Tan, a missing Betel missionary is now assumed to have perished in the bush fires raging through parts of southern Australia.

Betel UK Director Kebt Martin writes:

Bian Tan served faithfully and sacrificially with Betel for many years in Spain and Australia. We know she is safely with the Lord. Please remember her family, and the team in their courageous efforts to rebuild. 

Betel assistant director, Lindsay McKenzie writes:

On the evening of Saturday 7th, the Betel Australia team was forced to abruptly evacuate the Betel Australia property in Marysville, Victoria, when massive bushfires suddenly appeared on the forest-covered mountain behind the property. It appears they were given no prior warning of the close proximity of the fires, although most had packed a bag.

The giant flames rapidly and mercilessly razed the entire township to the ground. Our dear friend and co-worker, Bian, along with possibly over 100 other men, women and children, (one fifth of the population), is believed to have died in the inferno that swept through Marysville. The town is still closed off as a crime scene and authorities have warned that it could be weeks or even months before any official confirmation of deaths can be given.

In view of this, Bian's family have chosen to hold a private memorial service for her family and close friends. Lindsay McKenzie, daughter Rebeca and the Betel Australia survivors will attend.  

Links: 

• Betel International
• Betel Australia 
• WEC Australia
• BBC News mentions Marysville tragedy 

 

 

One of our workers in Spain writes about the day to day reality of church planting there:

I met Andreas last summer when I was fishing in the river Eo. He really appreciated the Good News as I shared with him. May this friendship with Andreas and his wife grow and bear the fruit of salvation.

Our Regional Directors in Thailand write the following:

In Asia, Thailand has always been considered a safe and secure place for either a holiday or for Mission. We have come to realize that today's world is not a safe or secure place any longer. The impact of recent troubled events in Bangkok has shaken us out of our complacency and brought a much needed urgency and focus to our ministry.

We, along with thousands of foreigners and Thais, were caught up in the recent political activities that shut down the main International airport. After waiting for 7 days, it was a miracle that we managed to fly out of the military airport south of Pattaya. With handwritten boarding tickets, makeshift immigration at a convention centre and a police escort, we finally boarded the plane. 28 hours of travel in all!

God did answer prayers in a wonderful way but He also reminded us to not take anything for granted and seek Him for a fresh passion and urgency to finish the task.

Mike and Wilma Dwight

Christmas/New Year is an ideal time for sharing the Good News.  

Many Japanese people are open to talking about Christmas and why it is celebrated. Pray for the following outreach events:

- The gospel in Bunraku. Pray for presentation of the gospel of Jesus using traditional Japanese theatrical puppetry. 

- Gospel Choirs. Many enthusiastic choir members are not yet believers. Pray for their eyes and hearts to be opened to the words they are singing!

- 3000 Christmas tracts. Pray for short-termer, Fabian, and Kaori Church who are giving these out. May they reach the right hands!

- A team of 5 university students from Australia visiting Kinomoto from 19th to 24th December. Pray for open hearts, a good time of sharing about Jesus and Christmas, and ongoing openness to the gospel.

One of our workers in France writes:

This Sunday we have 5 baptisms, some of them quite amazing stories to tell. One girl was deeply involved in the occult, another had been involved with a bank hold-up! and another has come through the Food bank work. We look forward to a time of real blessing on the visiting people who come and hear these testimonies.

The last time our house group met there was a real burden in prayer and everybody ended on their knees praying for the lost around them.

Let's pray for more 'fruit' in this spiritually hungry land!

A young volunteer has been building a playground for the childrens' centre, Esperanca.  Recently he decided to open his heart to Jesus and begin attending a bible study group.

Since then the police have been giving him trouble over a offense he committed last year. The young man has served his time for this penalty, but the police are now saying there is no statement from the lawyer proving this… and it seems that the lawyer has lost the paperwork.

China government concerned about the growth of Christianity.

Cities are currently being surveyed to find out how many Christians there really are. House church meetings are being visited, and attendees made to register. At the moment this seems to be just a research activity. But by making every Christian register their faith the government could have a powerful tool available to persecute the church.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to blow throughout China. Pray for boldness for Chinese Christians to share their faith, and wisdom to answer the authorities. Pray that whatever the outcome of these investigations the Church will continue to grow and be a positive influence in society, and that God would be glorified in China today.

Pray for the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly those people living in the North Kivu provincial capital of Goma. At least 250,000 civilians have been displaced since fighting began in late August 2008. These people are at risk from both rebels and "out of control" DRC soldiers.

Pray for Drs. Philip and Nancy Wood, monitoring the situation from their centre in Bunia, several hundred kms to the north. In recent weeks there has also been rebel activity in this area, causing the evacuation of Nyankunde hospital after an attack there. Although the hospital has now reopened, the nursing school is moving to Beni for this academic year.

Pray for a deep work of the Holy Spirit throughout this land.

The Madurese are among the most fanatical followers of Islam in Indonesia. A recent report shared how Pak M. came to Christ.

Since early childhood M. was fond of reading the Qur’an. One day in his strong desire to seek for truth he isolated himself to meditate for 40 days and nights. During this time of meditation he saw someone wearing a white long robe who said to him ‘Go to a Christian if you want to know about truth.’