Crosslinks Prayer Diary: March 2006

February

Mozambique 

Wednesday 1st 89% of people in the Gambia are Muslim and only 4% Christian. The Evangelical church is in its infancy, and raising national leaders takes time, so student work is important. Sam and Martha Owen have recently arrived and Sam works alongside FES-Gambia, the student movement. Pray that Martha will find a suitable opening for her skills. 

Thursday 2nd Saved from a life of violence and crime, David attended Bible college, was ordained, pastored a church and taught mission related and pastoral courses at a theological college. His vision is to teach students how to reach people of other faiths with the Gospel and to provide the necessary support to his church in evangelism and ministry in this area. Pray for his current studies to enable such a vision. 

Friday 3rd M is an orphan from a very poor background. Recently a rich Muslim family started to support him financially. However his openness brought him into contact with Sena and Jane Ounate-Lare and he became a Christian. He chose to give up his Muslim friends and has returned to great poverty but there is pressure on him to marry the friends’ daughter. Please pray that God will protect him and lead him into his perfect plan. 

India 

Saturday 4th India, the world’s second most populous country with more than one billion people, is geographically, socially, and religiously diverse: 3% are Christian, 80% Hindu and 13.4% Muslim. Praise God for the large number of indigenous mission agencies taking the Gospel into all areas of this nation. 

Sunday 5th Rashmi Ranjan Naik was brought up in a Hindu family in Orissa but came to know Christ after he was prayed for when very ill. Rashmi is attending Chandigarh Bible College studying for a Bachelor of Theology degree. His aim is to gain the necessary ministry skills to return to his home area to reach tribal people, some of whom have never heard about Jesus. 

Monday 6th The Association for Theological Education by Extension (TAFTEE) provides Biblical, non-residential theological education at different levels for around 7000 Christian leaders to equip them for ministry. Please pray for the continuing translation of the courses into the local languages. 

Tuesday 7th David and Angie Ball want to help fellow Christians to gain a deeper understanding of their faith amidst the many challenges they face in the Indian context. Pray for a greater active involvement in local church ministry. 

Wednesday 8th Kachhwa Christian Hospital has recently started a three month School of Biblical Teaching. Pray that in their work the students will not give in to pressure to produce miracles or wisdom but would instead ‘preach Christ crucified’. 

Thursday 9th Last year the Zimbabwe government removed controls on prices and foreign exchange. Pray for the country’s economy and that individual needs will be met. 

Tanzania 

Friday 10th In the Diocese of Mara, Bishop Hilkiah Omindo asks prayer for the early appointment of good teaching staff for the diocesan schools. 

Saturday 11th Martin and Sue Fannon work at the Diocesan Vocational Training Centre and as the college year begins they ask for prayers that new and continuing students arrive refreshed, with their school fees and keen to learn. Please also pray for the health of the staff which has been a concern in 2005. 

Sunday 12th Joseph Argwing is in his third year of a theology degree course at the George Whitfield College in South Africa. After graduation he will have a key role to play at the Kowak Christian Training Centre in Mara. Please continue to pray for his health. 

Monday 13th The Development and Discipleship programme is now established and moving forward. Two new parishes, Oliyo and Manga, are to be involved with initial training in the parishes taking place. They will then identify small scale development projects and continue their discipleship groups. 

Tuesday 14th In the Diocese of Morogoro, Paul and Philie Hunter are hoping to build on foundations laid at the preaching seminar led by Langham Partnerships last year. Pray too for safety on their many long road journeys with three of their children away at school in Kenya. 

Wednesday 15th Pray for the Morogoro Bible School students as several have been quite sick recently. Please ask for God’s protection for them and his provision as they worry about their families at home, many of whom are running short of food. 

Thursday 16th With Giles Roberts taking on the building development side of the hospital, Noj Northway will have more time to develop better medical strategies in Berega hospital for malaria, HIV etc. Continue to pray that the hospital would not just meet physical needs but that each patient would clearly hear the Gospel. 

Friday 17th Giles and Annie Roberts have moved from Tabora to Berega so that Giles could head up a refurbishment project. There have been initial difficulties; pray that God would guide them clearly as to what their role and focus should be here. 

Saturday 18th Praise God for the structures that are in place to allow our mission partners and their families to get good medical attention when needed. Pray especially for good health and protection for the children. 

Sunday 19th Pray for Patrick Maanda and Peter Mkengi who supervise the Theological Education by Extension projects in the Diocese of Mount Kilimanjaro, led by Bishop Simon Makundi. Pray for the students to give quality time to their studies in addition to their regular work. 

Monday 20th Bishop John and Anne Hayden give thanks for the rapid developments in all aspects of church life in Kiteto. Pray for final plans in launching new Diocese of Kiteto later this year. 

Tuesday 21st Pray for wisdom for the new Bishop-in-Waiting, Jacob Chimeledya, as he settles into his new rôle alongside Bishop Simon Chiwanga in the Diocese of Mpwapwa. 

Wednesday 22nd Pray for the new style 10 o'clock services at St Paul's Church, Mpwapwa that the entire congregation may feel involved, and a real spirit of worship may be present. 

Thursday 23rd Godfrey and Rachel Tarling write that four new nurses are settling in at St. Luke’s Dispensary, Mpwapwa. Pray that there will be a good team spirit as newcomers and more established staff settle down together. Two more midwives are needed for a full complement of staff. 

Friday 24th The Diocese of Ruaha led by Archbishop Donald Mtetemela, aims to minister to new Christians as well as older ones. Pray for grassroots teaching and encouragement as well as formal courses so that the whole church is built up. 

Saturday 25th Pray for Liz Tilley as she continues to settle in to life and ministry in the UK, goes through the process towards selection for ordination. There is a great need for her housing in Wonersh area when the current temporary arrangement finished at the end of March. 

Sunday 26th Pray for Bishop Sadock Makaya, the new bishop of the Diocese of Tabora, that he may be given wisdom and vision in leading the diocese in the months to come. Pray that changes will be presented acceptably and welcomed by all. 

Monday 27th Bishop Francis Ntiruka and his wife Miriam are spending a year in Ireland, based at the Belfast Bible College. Pray for their studies, for their fellowship with the local church and for their contributions to Crosslinks General Council. 

Tuesday 28th Pray for plans to build a new cathedral in Tabora. It is certainly much needed, but beyond the diocese's current resources. 

Wednesday 29th As one English course ends, another is about to begin for David Green so please pray for freshness when he is feeling tired. Pray also about plans to initiate a 6-month English course, its structure and method of student selection. 

Thursday 30th The proposed new Diocese of Shinyanga lies in a region south of Lake Victoria in the north-western part of Tanzania. Pray for all the administrative work involved in setting up the diocese and for Bishop John Changae in the parent diocese of Victoria Nyanza. 

Friday 31st Please pray for three study partners: Filbert Komba, from Songea is at Amani Christian Training Centre in Iringa, and Ezron Yuba and Nestory Nitunze have started their three year course at Kasulu Bible College. Please pray for their families during this time.     

April

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