Crosslinks Prayer Diary: May 2008 (click here for pdf version, easy to print)
Tanzania
1 Jo Sayer, Mission Personnel Leader, is in the first week of her visit to Tanzania; pray for safety in travelling around the country, for encouraging times as she meets church leaders and mission partners, and for a special time of meeting her friends and former colleagues at Msalato Theological College.
2 Carol Derbyshire at Msalato in Dodoma writes: "At college we welcomed a very small pre-diploma course. We have only six students so far, others couldn't come because of family issues. Pray we can find some more students, otherwise the diploma intake in August is going to be very small."
3 St John's University in Dodoma, established by the Anglican church of Tanzania has a School of Theology and Religious Studies. With Msalato Theological College so close, pray that the two will develop different strengths and work together to produce a solid foundation for church leadership.
S4 Pray for all those who are sharing about mission in churches today, including Jill in Weymouth. Pray that young people will see the excitement of being part of this work and become involved in praying and giving as well as considering whether they could also be going.
5 Last month Kagera Diocese held its Diocesan Council meetings, attended by all pastors. Pray for them as they continue with their ministries affirmed and encouraged by the meetings. Pray for those affected by decisions which were made and for diocesan staff putting them into practice.
6 Bridget Hathaway from Kagera writes: "I am lost for words when I see the immense generosity of so many people who are sharing in this work with us here. God has answered our prayers in abundance, so that we have enough now for the cost of driving the new Landcruiser up from Dar es Salaam. May God give you joy in your giving, and assurance that many people will benefit from your generosity. Give thanks to God for the generosity of his people who share with us in this ministry."
7 The Diocese of Mara still has large areas to be reached with the Gospel, particularly southern and northern parts. They need both human and financial resources, because Mara region has very traditional communities, many of whom are still embracing African traditional religions and Islam is also growing at a high pace. With a grant from Crosslinks the Evangelism Co-ordinator will carry out two rural missions and two workshops training people for evangelism. Pray that this will have wide-reaching effects.
8 Because of a general lack of teaching materials in the Diocese of Mara, the Children’s ministry co-ordinator is developing a programme of providing books for Sunday school classes as well as training for teachers. Pray that these resources will encourage many more to become involved in teaching, and that the children would gain a real understanding of the Lord Jesus and his love for them.
9 After many years as Bishop of Morogoro, Dudley Mageni will be retiring in November and we thank God for his faithful years of service and friendship with Crosslinks. Please pray for the right person to replace him and for an election process that honours God.
10 After a term at language school, Bob and Jane Hurley have joined the teaching staff of Morogoro Bible College and look forward to becoming involved in teaching and church planting. During their course the students are sent out to an unchurched area and expected to plant a church. Praise God for the many new congregations that have grown up because of this practice.
S11 Kiteto Christian College recently hosted a major training seminar for the Rooted in Jesus course. At each of the two three-day seminars there were 75 existing leaders and slightly more potential leaders. In total 320 people had to be found food and a place to sleep. Praise God that through these leaders many more people will have the opportunity to because personally rooted in Christ.
12 Godfrey and Rachel Tarling are preparing to leave Tanzania: "Pray that as we hand on the mantle we may do so in a way that it is not so much a closure of all we have done and shared in with the Christians here, but rather an opening of new chapters both for those who stay to carry on the work and us as we seek the Lord's path for the next phase of our lives."
13 As an interim measure to cover the period between the Tarlings' departure and the return of Dr Lugwisha who completes his Assistant Medical Officer's qualification in October 2008, there is the possibility of borrowing a doctor from Kilimatinde Anglican Hospital. But St Luke's Health Centre runs on a not-for-profit basis so it has no means to cover the extra costs. Pray for clear guidance in this matter.
14 A Tanzanian bishop has made this plea: "We are appealing to you once again to pray for the people in rural areas. Please pray for us. I don't know the cause of the unpredictable rains - perhaps global warming. As you serve God in UK please do remember many people who are having a shortage of food”.
15 Pray for David Green and others teaching at the Tabora Bible School as they prepare future church leaders. Pray that the students also gain a standard of English which will give them access to resources currently unavailable in Swahili.
16 As the Smile team return from Gambia today they give thanks for the opportunity to set up a church Sunday school, for good Bible studies, seminars and Bible overview sessions and for opportunities to become involved with other young people through sport: three played for a local football team, three played for the Gambian national cricket team and one competed in a school sports day at the national stadium.
17 As the Smile team return from Uganda today, they give thanks for prayer support from others, for good communication with their colleagues, team unity, opportunities for evangelism and RE teaching in schools and for real involvement with the street kids' work. Pray that God will help both the Gambia and Uganda teams to carry forward all they have learnt during these months.
North Africa
S18 While we praise God for the long Christian history of the countries of North Africa, growth in the numbers of believers is slow. Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel through visitors and the media.
19 Pray for safety for church leaders, for courage when needed and for wisdom to know how best to build up their congregations. Remember those in North Africa and elsewhere where people have been imprisoned for their faith.
20 Peter and Jackie Cottingham are visiting North African projects supported through Crosslinks. Pray for the travel arrangements to work well and for them to be an encouragement to those they visit.
21 In London letters are going out today to Crosslinks members asking for nominations for the Crosslinks General Council, The trustees have legal obligations in the way the charity is run, so pray for the right names to come forward at this time.
22 Praise God for opportunities to work with disabled children and their parents. Pray that parents can learn the skills which will help their children to increase their abilities and life skills as well as having the chance to learn about complete healing through Christ. Pray that similar centres can be established to bring hope to other areas.
Tanzania
23 As Donald Mtetemela returns to being a diocesan bishop, pray that this will give him a rest from national and international commitments and enable him to concentrate fully on Ruaha. Praise God that he will have greater time together with his family.
24 After a long period in the UK, Fiona Richardson's long-standing condition was diagnosed and she has reacted well to its treatment. In March the family returned and Philip is now back teaching at the Amani Bible College. Please pray for young Bethany to settle in well and to pick up her Swahili again.
S25 Rt Revd Dr Valentino Mokiwa, Bishop of Dar es Salaam is being installed today as Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Tanzania. Pray that he will oversee the Church with godliness and truth.
26 The resource material produced by Fiona Richardson and the youth department in the Diocese of Ruaha has been made more widely available. Since there are no similar resources, pray that it will stimulate youth ministry nationally and be an encouragement in the development of young people within the Church.
27 For some years Crosslinks has been assisting with the training of pastors from the Diocese of Ruvuma at the Amani Bible College; pray for those who have completed their studies to share the Word of God clearly and be an encouragement to others who want to learn more, at whatever level.
28 Robert Mugabe has admitted for the first time that famine exists in Zimbabwe. "There is hunger in the country and a shortage of food," Pray that that those in government can make a priority of the basic needs of the people, whatever the cost to them personally.
France
29 According to one poll last year 51% of the population was identified as Catholic and 31% as agnostic or atheist, 4% as Muslim, and just 3% as Protestant. Pray for the churches to preach the biblical Gospel and to share the news of the redeeming love of Jesus Christ.
30 Andy and Uta Buckler in Mantes La Jolie praise God that as a result of very generous gifts the church was been able to construct and begin to use the new building, and look forward to fitting the kitchen area before the end of the year. "It feels like the project has given the church a fresh dynamic in its spiritual life: church services on a Sunday are fuller than ever, and we sense real joy as people come together to worship."
31 Edward and Laura Nelson write that Célia Evenson has joined the church staff team as a part-time women's worker. She is very able and has got off to a great start. Do pray for the team to work well together. It is rare in France for a church to have staff other than a pastor, so it is a challenge for people even to grasp what she's doing. Pray for the members to value her ministry and grow through it.
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