Prayer Calendar for February 2012

“Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong. Do all your work in love.” 1 Cor. 16:13-14
In February we are especially conscious of our need to love one another. This includes having concern for people all around the world.  Prayers 2-8 this month are for people in the seven continental unions, gleaned from the Baptist Day of Prayer service.

1. Faith Holwyn, Groups of Hope,  and Alicia Dykstra, head of Women in Focus in Alberta, have been on a mentoring trip to Bolivia since January 16th. They plan to return to Canada February 7th. Pray for their health and safety, as well as worthwhile sessions with the women there.

2. In Africa it is sometimes hard to break away from the old tribal ways. Pray that Christian women will depend more on Jesus Christ and stop from seeking fast answers from soothsayers. Pray also for the youth that they will live Christ-like lives as the future of Africa depends on them.

3. Pray that the restrictions imposed on Christians in the various countries throughout Asia would be lifted so the Gospel can penetrate and expand.

4. There are many needs in the Caribbean. Pray for people of the Islands which have been ravaged by floods, earthquake, hurricane storms and other natural disasters. This has added to the poverty and lack of employment and the feeling of hopelessness which can overcome so many. There is also the problem of the homeless boys, missing children, orphans and those who are trapped in trafficking. Pray that those who are able will show love by helping in the long haul.

5. Pray for the poor in the nations of Europe  – that they would find peace and hope in Jesus Christ. Pray for a spiritual awakening in the youth that God would bring many to Himself through salvation, also that the older women would be good spiritual mothers to the younger.

6. Pray for government officials in Latin America – that they would approve laws that would protect children and youth. Pray also for the children and  youth who are being reached through the continental project “Children, our hope for Latin America.”

7. Although North America is well off in the eyes of some of the have-not areas of the world, we still have unemployment, economic uncertainty, and natural and manmade disasters. Pray that God would remove the fears, supply the needs, and restore hope through looking to Him and being thankful.

8. Please continue to pray for the women of South West Pacific. The Merivale center in New Zealand seeks to minister to victims of domestic violence and to reach out to abused women. Pray for wisdom and safety for those who work at the center and for the women who seek help.
Pray for safety, peace and unity for all Christian groups –especially where Christians are in the minority in Papua.

9. One of the problems Dianne Friesen is having in facilitating Bible translation is that her language learning in Mi’kmaq  is still pretty low. She would like the translators to speak in Mi’kmaq so she can learn more quickly but they want to be polite so keep switching to English. Pray that God will lead her and Meg to a good solution so they can learn the language. Dianne recently went to an event on Truth and Reconciliation in Halifax and realizes how important it is for the Mi’kmaq to have their own language as part of their identity. It helped her to see the value of the work God has her doing in Cape Breton.

10. Mike and Kathy Steinborn, Burkina Faso, report that the national Bible translation organization has not received all the funding requested in its project budgets, which means training for translators and other workers is the budget item that gets cut first. Please pray that the Lord would help them find other ways to finance critical training.

11. HIV/AIDS continues to be a staggering problem. Pray that the Lord will comfort those whose lives are affected by the AIDS pandemic and at the same time sustain and motivate those who work with CBM’s Guardians of Hope programs as they continue to obey His call to provide compassionate support and care to the poor and suffering.

12. Pray for Bruno and Kathleen Soucy and the many young people they support in the Children of Hope program in Rwanda, which puts over 1000 young people in school each year. Other programming touches pastors’ children, providing help for their education. All CBM programming in Rwanda seeks to build sustainable community development so that families can live better and be able to meet their own needs for food security, health and education. Pray that support for this import work can continue to make a difference in these young lives.

13. The Soucys have welcomed many Short-term Missionaries this past year: a bee specialist ; teachers who provided professional development for Rwandan secondary school teachers;   some who helped build a school cafeteria and put the walls up on a local church; others who helped with projects with the Children of Hope sewing cooperatives and provided spiritual encouragement and opportunities for youth to take a break from endless work; medical professionals who shared with community health workers. Pray for such teams who are often physically stressed with the change in climate, language, food, slow travel and emotional and spiritual challenges. It can also be exhausting for the missionaries.

14. Rwanda continues to develop at an amazing pace. The economy is growing, new roads and buildings are being built, and more people are being educated, yet many close to the bottom economically appear to be falling further behind. Bruno and Kathleen Soucy ask us to pray that as things continue to improve for the majority a way will be found to bring increasing equity for those who need it most.

15. Pray for Darrell and Laura Lee Bustin as they close their ministry in Indonesia and focus on their upcoming move to Rwanda in July. Meanwhile they are visiting with churches, groups and individuals and in June Darrell will have his third residency for his doctoral studies at Gordon-Conwell in Massachusetts.

16. Dan and Melody Grove in Cameroon are praising God that people are learning about the life of Jesus through the book of Luke in their own language, some reading it for themselves, some listening to a recording, some hearing it preached and taught. Pray for health and safety for those involved in translation – those already actively involved and those receiving the training to prepare for beginning translation in September of 2012. They are now working on Acts and hope to finish rough drafts by the end of February.

17. Dan Grove had an opportunity to drive through the areas devastated by fighting in Bambalang, Cameroon this past March. Praise God that 70 houses were repaired in time for the  rainy season, thanks to individuals and churches here. There are also two new churches of over 100 people born from this destruction. People who had given up hope and left the village have come back and started again with hope in their hearts.

18. Some of the projects CBM is sponsoring in Kenya to put food on the table in areas of drought are: providing seed varieties more resistant to dry conditions, fruit trees which will not only provide food but also shade, and introducing more fuel efficient stoves which use less wood and are made from local materials and with local labor. Pray for Karen and Colin Godwin and others who are trying to find solutions to help these destitute people.

19. In many places that CBM works in Africa missionaries are either facing violence or threats of violence. Colin Godwin recently had to postpone a trip to the Southern Sudan because of security issues. The purpose of the trip was to look at the possibility of CBM partnering with local churches to address the poverty, high illiteracy, and the culture of violence that remains. Pray for wisdom to know what God is leading our missionaries to do so His will may be done.

20. Paul and Kelly Carline, Kenya, report that although the Horn of Africa and North Eastern Provinces  had some rain in October and November, with the rain came increased insecurity. Somalia’s  militants, with power waning at home, have begun terrorizing in Kenya with kidnappings, shootings and grenade attacks. One of Garissa’s churches was also targeted. Pray that the peace of Christ will reach the hearts of those who need it most.

21. Pray for Democratic Republic of Congo following the election in December. The opposition leader, who was declared the loser, rejected the results and insisted he was president, setting the stage for a dangerous confrontation in the volatile Central African nation. Randy and Elizabeth Legassie may have periodic, short-term teaching ministry trips to DR Congo. Pray for their safety.

22. Tim and Diane Bannister, Kenya, ask us to pray for their children, all in some degree of transition. Pray that they will all be given direction and enthusiasm for their future, and that the Holy Spirit will be especially close to them.

23. Since resigning from CBM Jim and Diane McBeth have been praying about God’s direction for the future. Jim has been called to pastor First Baptist Church in Fort Erie, Ontario. The church helped establish a branch of Matthew House right next door, a place for refugee families to stay for a short term while they get established in Canada. It also helps with basic needs like food, clothing and counseling for the immigration process. Praise God for his leading.

24. Pray for David and Suzannah Nacho in Bolivia. David is teaching four nights a week, all new courses, so lots of preparation time needed. Pray for David and also for Suzannah as she looks after their two little ones at home.

25. David and Suzannah Nacho ask up to pray for the church they are attending. There is tension over worship styles, liturgy, etc... and the arrival of the new pastor.

26. Continue to pray for our up-coming UBWMU/ABW Convention May 25-27. Our CBM Global Field Staff Laura Lee Bustin and Dan and Melody Grove are scheduled to speak. Pray for them as they prepare what to share, and for those on the planning committee that it will be a meaningful time for those who attend.

27. 10 months after the devastating quake that claimed 181 lives in New Zealand’s South Island, a Christmas Eve aftershock sent terrified people fleeing into the streets just 21 kilometres from the Christchurch quake. Pray for them in this stressful situation.

28. In the north, the use of Oxycontin is endemic and many are affected adversely by the addiction. Pray for God’s healing of wounds and memories and freedom from addiction.

29. Joyce Hancock, Brazil, asks us to pray for a possible three or four Short Term Mission teams/individuals/families who will volunteer at Free Flight in 2012. Pray that they will be well-prepared regarding time, team players, types of ministry and spiritual readiness.

Prayer calendar sources: November DLPN, emails from missionaries, CBM prayer line, daily news items.