Ministry in Montreal

Pray for Dave and Virginia, ReachGlobal personnel in Canada, as they work with volunteers, organize small groups and care for leaders at two church plants. Mosaique Montreal was born in May with a congregation of 50-70 people attending the weekly services. This body of believers has come together from different backgrounds to offer Montreal a community of faith, hope and love. The second daughter church Dave and Virginia saw God open in 2010 and are ministering in is River’s Edge Vaudreuil, outside of Montreal. Pray for this body of 50 people as they impact their community with the message of God’s hope and love.

Discipling and leading small groups

Pray for the church in Craiova, Romania, that is growing in number, in depth of understanding of God’s Word and in its identity in Christ. Pray for Doug, ReachGlobal personnel in Romania, who is co-leading one of the four small groups with one of the men he is discipling. The church leadership and the Craiova City Team are praying that God will use the small groups to develop mature Christians and to begin the process of planting new churches in Craiova and in the surrounding villages. Please pray for unified hearts and eternal fruit in these things.  Also pray that God would provide the funds so that there is a supply of Bibles available to distribute in the church and future church plants.

Update on two health concerns

Praise God for the answers to prayer on behalf of Lois and Jill, ReachGlobal personnel serving in Europe. The results of Lois’s procedure are encouraging and the prognosis is good. It will be at least two weeks before Lois can travel back to the U.S. for continued recovery and rehabilitation. Jill's wrist surgery was completed without complications. Her fingers are fully mobile and she will wear a wrist brace for several weeks. Please continue to pray for good long-term healing and recovery for both Lois and Jill.

Urgent prayer request

Pray for Lois, ReachGlobal personnel in Russia, who is hospitalized after suffering a heart attack on December 26. Pray for wisdom for the cardiologist as he evaluates the vascular status of her heart and makes decisions concerning the most effective treatment for Lois. Ask God to give Lois peace and comfort as she trusts Him in this difficult situation. Pray for discernment and wise choices on the part of ReachGlobal Europe leadership as they assist Lois in follow-up care.

Surgery today

Pray for Jill, ReachGlobal personnel in Bosnia-Hercegovina and currently on home assignment, who is undergoing carpal tunnel surgery in Cedar Rapids, IA, this morning at 10:00 a.m. Pray for excellent surgery by the surgeon with no complications. Ask God for His grace and mercy during her recovery in the next several weeks that she will regain long-term strength in her hand.

Open Hearts to the Gospel

Pray for the 90 people from diverse backgrounds who came to the home of a ReachGlobal couple working in a creative access area in Asia for a Christmas get-together. Ask God to open the hearts of the people as they read the written explanation of the meaning of Christmas and a summary of Jesus’ teachings that was given to them. Praise God for the trust established with these friends and neighbors. Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in these peoples’ lives so that they will have comments or questions about Jesus and that this couple will give wise and spirit-led answers.

Christmas event in Belgium

Pray for Joel and Dennise, ReachGlobal staff in Belgium, and the members of The Lighthouse Church as they host a Christmas event on Sunday, December 26. Ask God to bless the nearly 60 people they plan to invite, most of whom are poor and live near the church, with this outpouring of God’s love and hope. 

Healing and Hope at Christmas

Pray for the Good News of Christ’s coming to bring healing and hope in the lives of sex trafficking survivors in many different countries. As they receive Christ-centered aftercare from loving and compassionate staff, pray that the young women and girls will receive their new life in Christ this Christmas.

Newborn in Africa

Michelle and Aaron, ReachGlobal staff serving in DR Congo, are currently in Gamboula, Central African Republic awaiting the imminent birth of their first child. Pray for a safe delivery, a healthy mom and baby, and for Dr. Tim, ReachGlobal staff, who will be delivering the baby.

Health Concern

Pray for John, ReachGlobal personnel in Asia, who has been unable to walk due to extreme back pain. An X-ray and physical exam found nothing wrong, so the doctor has John on pain medication to help him get around.  Pray that the Lord would restore his back to full mobility so he will be able to preach the Christmas Eve services and the two English services on Sunday, December 26. 

Health concern update

Pray for Martha, ReachGlobal personnel in Costa Rica, who has been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. Her final treatment is December 20, and she will also have a PET scan. Pray that the scan will show no cancer as a result of five months of chemo. Pray that God would give Martha strength and endurance as she receives radiation treatments daily for six weeks. She will continue to receive intravenous smart drugs that attack just the cancer cells and not her healthy cells every three weeks until the end of October. Please pray that the side effects be minimal and for complete permanent healing.

ReachGlobal Personnel Needs

•  Pray for God's provision and encouragement concerning the support needs of ReachGlobal personnel and their families.
•  Pray for God’s grace that those who recently arrived on their ministry field may adjust quickly to their new culture and learn the language.
•  Pray for empowerment of the Holy Spirit as our staff does outreach events in their locations around the globe telling the story of our Savior’s birth.
•  Pray for our home assignment personnel who are traveling and have speaking engagements with their supporters.

Coaching English as a Second Language

God has opened up an opportunity for Steve and Carol, ReachGlobal personnel in Tanzania, to train bi-vocational government school teachers to be church planters to unreached people groups. They have been asked to teach conversational English at a teacher’s training college. Steve and Carol have asked Linda, ReachGlobal personnel trained in ESL, to come to Tanzania to coach and prepare them for the second semester that starts January 17. Ask the Lord to provide the necessary funds for Linda to make this trip. Pray that God will use her to help Steve and Carol become effective in reaching their ministry goals in Tanzania. Pray that God will start church planting movements in each of the unreached people groups in Tanzania.

Christmas events in Japan

Pray for Bob and Joan, ReachGlobal personnel in Japan, holding a Christmas party for Lami Club (outreach ministry to young moms and their children) on December 16, and the neighborhood kids’ party December 21. Most of those who attend these events do not know Jesus, so these are wonderful opportunities to share the true meaning of Christmas. Pray for opportunities to share the gospel as they spend time with these mothers and their children and live out God’s love in front of them.

International English Class Christmas Celebration

Pray for Steve and Joan, ReachGlobal personnel, involved in the International English Class Christmas Celebration December 14. To convey the true meaning of Christmas, a pantomime of the Chilean miner rescue story will be presented to show how Christ came to rescue people from spiritual darkness. Pray for the students and children representing 21 countries and 29 languages participating in the program. All the students will receive an evangelistic booklet explaining the pantomime in their own language Ask God to fill all believing English Class staff and believing students with His Spirit to spread His love to those who attend. Pray that this evening of food, music and diverse cultural interaction will bring glorify to God.

Breakdown of hydro-electric power plant in Africa

Pray for Tim and Ann, ReachGlobal personnel in Gamboula, as a major problem has developed at the hydro-electric power plant that will necessitate waiting for parts to arrive from Europe to make the repairs. The hydro-electric power is what runs their stove, refrigerator, lights, washing machine, and computers. Since all the appliances are electric, there is concern about food and medicines spoiling due to limited electricity from an expensive diesel generator ($20 per hour to run). There is also the concern for sterilization of surgical packs and enough light to see well during surgeries at the hospital. Please pray that all those who depend on this power plant can creatively learn to live in this situation and that the parts and expertise to repair the turbine would be available.

Christmas Outreaches

Larry and Bella, ReachGlobal personnel in Japan, are involved in several Christmas events this week. Pray for them as they share the message of hope and the meaning of Christmas to a senior citizens group on December 13, and to a children's group on December 17, at another community center. Pray that many children will also be able to attend the Children’s Christmas event put on by the church on December 18. Ask God to use the gospel presentation, central at each event, to touch the lives of those seeking.

Ministry in Russia

Pray for Lois, ReachGlobal personnel in Russia, whose ministry focus is evangelism, teaching and mentoring. Ask God to bless her time with two friends in Moscow, both believers and one she led to Christ several years ago. Pray that God will minister to each of their needs through one other in ways that brings glory to Him. Pray for safety as she travels by train to Trinity Equipping Center in Kursk for the start of her teaching sessions December 20. Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit on her as she teaches and for sustained health.

Trip to Haiti

Pray for Jill, director of GlobalFingerprints, the child sponsorship ministry of TouchGlobal, who will be in Haiti December 9-11. Jill is preparing for a 24-member youth team that will be traveling to Haiti in March 2011. Ask the Lord to grant her safe travels and wisdom as she seeks God’s leading regarding involvement in bringing God’s Kingdom to Haiti. Pray that the gospel and God’s light would break into the darkness gripping Haiti.

Church planting in Africa

Pray for Nubako Selenga and Nzuzi Mukawa, African leaders of ReachAfrica, the missions sending coalition of African Evangelical Free Churches, who are in Kisangani, Congo exploring opportunities for church planting and meeting with potential Congolese church planting missionaries. This is one of the strategic areas for ministry in Congo as there are many people who have yet to be reached with the gospel. Also, pray for Dave Kiamu from Liberia, Reach Africa Church Planting Director, who is in Sierra Leone conducting Multiplication Church Planting training with a group of church planters working in a highly unchurched area. 

Shipment to Congo

The shipment of supplies to Congo that was scheduled to go out last week was postponed and is now scheduled to be loaded and go out today. Ask the Lord to superintend all of the details surrounding this. Ask God to pave the way for its entry into the country and its safe and expeditious arrival.

BCA in Romania

Bucharest Christian Academy (BCA) continues to wait for its building permit. Pray that the city council who requested further revisions to the drawings for BCA’s building will accept the more precise drawings the school submitted. This delay is actually one in BCA’s favor because it has learned that school inspectors often levy big fines for discrepancies between design and the finished product. Pray that the permit will soon be issued and this project can get underway without further delay.

SERVEurope Team Retreat

Pray for God’s blessing on the ReachGlobal SERVEurope team retreat in Budapest. This team serves the church planting and educational teams throughout Europe. Pray for Dale, team leader, and Gary, one of the team coaches, as they lead a seminar on The Heart of the Healthy Individual. Pray that this will be a meaningful time of encouraging one another and that God would grant them wisdom in vision-setting and in decision-making.

Youth Center in Austria

Pray that God would provide wisdom and vision concerning the Lighthouse Youth Center project in Innsbruck, Austria. Pray for clarity on next steps concerning this potential ministry and that the churches would be unified in their decision. Pray that God’s will would be clear for the meeting and vote on December 2, where the future of this project will be determined.

EFCA TouchGlobal Team Retreat

Pray for the EFCA TouchGlobal leadership team meeting December 1-3, in Minnesota. Pray for travel safety for the team members coming from other cities. Ask God to give them insight, guidance and unity of spirit in their discussions and decisions.

Strategic Meetings in Europe

Pray for Todd and James, ReachGlobal Europe area leaders, meeting with key leaders in Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia, initiating and facilitating strategic partnerships in Europe. Ask God to give Todd and James wisdom as they listen and ask questions so they may clearly understand how ReachGlobal can partner with these leaders to see healthy churches multiplied in Europe. Also, pray for safe travels for them.

Rebuilding process in Haiti

Recently, leaders representing four international aid organizations and five countries (Haiti, U.S., Columbia, Brazil and Congo) met in Haiti. Their purpose was to work out a long-range plan for assisting the Haitian church in the building and rebuilding process. Pray for Steve, ReachGlobal church planting catalyst for Latin America, who has been asked to mentor and coach the national and international people arriving in Haiti. Pray that he can foster close-knit relationships between an on-site team representing multiple countries and help them understand the Haitian culture.Also pray that he can facilitate the creation of discipleship and mentoring strategies that can be lived out indigenously.

Providing additional support in Haiti

Pray for Clyde and Rebecca, ReachGlobal Latin America staff, as they travel to Port au Prince, Haiti, this weekend to help provide additional support for the staff while one key EFCA TouchGlobal staff member is recovering from an illness. Although he has begun to recover during his time back in the U.S., please pray for the quick return of full health, strength, and energy.

Thanksgiving

A blessed Thanksgiving to all our prayer partners! We praise God for what He has done during the year that has gone by and now “…let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28b, 29)

Christmas Outreach

Pray for Bob and Joan, ReachGlobal personnel in Japan, who are preparing for various Christmas outreach events. Their first wreath-making class is scheduled tomorrow with Lami Club, a ministry to young mothers and their children. Another class is scheduled on November 26 for others who wish to come. These are popular classes that are held yearly and are a great opportunity for sharing the gospel. Pray for Bob as he prepares a Christmas message to share at these events.

Short-term team in DR

Pray for ReachGlobal staff in the Dominican Republic as they host an impromptu short-term team this week. Ask the Lord to give the team great relationship-building opportunities and a chance to share the love of Christ. Also, pray for God to protect the team and keep them healthy (especially as cholera has now spread into the Dominican Republic) as they work hard to complete the floor of a new church building. Until the floor is completed, the church body cannot meet in the building. Praise God for their service to the people of the DR.

Health Concern

Ernest and Effie, ReachGlobal personnel in Venezuela, request prayer for their daughter who is having health issues that are causing her a lot of pain. Ask God to give the doctors wisdom to identify the problem and give her the correct treatment. Pray for patience, comfort and healing. Pray that Ernest and Effie will be a blessing and encouragement to their daughter and her husband as they spend this week with them.

Church Plant in Czech

Pray for Ritch, ReachGlobal personnel in the Czech Republic, as he prepares for and presents a youth program in a church plant in southern Czech this coming weekend, November 20-21. Pray for clear understanding among the leaders so they will see how vital youth ministry is for the future of the church. Ask God to provide the resources that they will need for this ministry.

Surgery today

Pray for one of ReachGlobal’s personnel in Europe, who is having abdominal surgery today. She and her family are currently in the U.S. where the doctors discovered in a Cat-scan that she has a lump on her abdominal wall and two hernias. Ask God to give the doctors wisdom and the ability to make correct decisions during the surgery and follow up treatment. Pray for God’s hand of healing and peace for her. May His name be glorified through her faith and witness.

Battling health issue

Pray for Mike, ReachGlobal personnel, serving as principal of the Home School Cooperative in Mongolia. For the past seven years, Mike has been battling a bad cough due to the polluted environment and each winter his cough seems to get worse. Pray that the Lord will give Mike and the family understanding of His will for them concerning remaining in Mongolia long-term. Ask God to protect Mike's health this winter and the ability to cope with this health issue.

Summer Youth Team.

Pray for Mike, ReachGlobal Berlin City Team leader, who is following up an invitation he received to send a youth team next summer to work with kids in a community center in Berlin. The opportunity is for a day-camp and English lessons. It is in the neighborhood of one of the new church planting projects. Pray for favor from the director and great ideas as this has the potential for long-term impact in furthering the gospel in Berlin.

Beginning new ministry

Pray for ReachGlobal personnel, Rob, Jill and their family, who are settling into a new home and ministry in Japan. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom and understanding as they begin six weeks of intensive language school November 15. Pray for God’s peace for the children as they transition into a new school, learn a new culture and are experiencing times of home sickness.

International Day of Prayer

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) is Sunday, November 14. Millions of believers in Iraq, North Korea, Africa, and around the world are subject to laws that restrict their worship, and they are suffering for their faith. Their churches are burned, and they are beaten and killed. Prayer is the number one request of these persecuted, suffering Christians. Please join in the largest global prayer event of its kind this month to pray for these brothers and sisters.

 “For God who said, ‘Let our light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”(2 Corinthians 4:6)

Medicine and Public Health

Pray for Dave, Dr. Tom, Thelma, Rachel, Mark and Tim and Ann as they represent ReachGlobal at the Global Medical Health Conference November 11-13 in Louisville, Kentucky. This is one of the large medical mission conferences in the country with at least 2,500 medical professionals and students coming to see if God has a place for them in medical ministry worldwide. Pray for many good contacts with potential recruits and that God will lead those of His choosing to join ReachGlobal for medical and holistic ministry in the years to come.

Treatment for cancer

Continue to pray for strength, encouragement and rest for Martha, ReachGlobal Latin America personnel, who is in the U.S. undergoing chemotherapy treatments for cancer.  Please pray for minimal side effects and that the Spirit will bring comfort, restoration and healing. Ask for God’s guidance and direction as Mark and Martha need to move out of their temporary housing situation here in the U.S. and locate a permanent home.

Urgent prayer request

Barry and Karla, ReachGlobal personnel in Mexico, got word yesterday that their daughter-in-law had a seizure. The doctors ran several tests and throughout the evening could not determine what actually caused the seizure. However some abnormalities showed up in the brain and spinal fluid that requires surgery to see what is happening.  Please pray for skill as the doctors perform the surgery. Ask God to give them wisdom to determine the cause of the seizure so they know what steps to take in her treatment. Pray for peace and comfort for Barry and Karla’s son and two young sons during this difficult time.

Marriage and Family Life

Pray for a ReachGlobal staff couple in a creative access country who have been asked to prepare a series on marriage and family issues to be presented weekly to the national teaching assistants at the international school. Most of the assistants are Christians in their 20s and 30s and are eager to consider the principles of building a marriage and raising kids. This is a critical need in today’s world so please pray for growth among them in building healthy marriages and families. Ask God to open doors for them to share the gospel with those around them as they see that God has the answers to family life.

Spiritual Attack

ReachGlobal leaders just sent us word to ask for urgent prayer. They are in Egypt this week for leadership meetings and are feeling much oppression, and under high spiritual attack.  Money has been stolen, cell phones don’t work although there doesn’t seem to be any reason for them not to, internet access is sporadic, and several are getting the stomach flu. Mostly, all the logistical plans are not going well. One praise is they have been able to minister and feel the trip is going well on that front. Please pray that they will stay strong and focused on their purpose in spite of this spiritual attack. Pray for God’s power and authority to work through them and to protect them as they meet.

EFCA EQUIP Team Retreat

Pray for the EFCA EQUIP Team Retreat this week in Minnesota. This ministry provides training and professional development to equip ReachGlobal staff and church leaders for health in life, passion for Christ, effective leadership, and fruitful ministry. Pray for sensitivity to the Spirit, wisdom and insight as they share and encourage one another. Pray also that there would be unity, strategic thinking, and ministry effectiveness as they work toward the goal of "...equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ."

Strategic Meetings in Haiti

Pray for ReachGlobal and EFCA TouchGlobal leaders as they convene in Haiti this week. Please pray that the power of God's Spirit directs key meetings between the leadership of the Brazilian, Congolese, Columbian, American and Haitian churches as they work together to foster a long-term (5-10 year) partnership. Pray that any barriers that might arise when communicating cross-culturally and across various languages will be broken down. Ask God to grant safe travel and protection from hurricanes and cholera.

Church Based Training in Latin America

Pray for Omar, ReachGlobal personnel with Latin America Church Based training, as he travels to Colombia, Venezuela and Panama November 5-20. Ask God to bless this time as Omar builds relationships, conducts training of ministry skills and theology, and seeks like-minded ministry partners. Ask God to use this training as a platform so that the leaders in Latin America will also be able to write and teach their own courses and materials in order to impact the region.

Urgent prayer request for Haiti

Please pray for the safety of the people of Haiti and ReachGlobal/TouchGlobal staff and volunteers as Tropical Storm/Hurricane Tomas comes ashore. Pray that the storm will have a mild and merciful impact on the devastated country.

Home Assignment

Pray for the ReachGlobal personnel currently on home assignment in the U.S. Pray that the Lord will use them to encourage His people, challenge others to go to the field and for congregations and individuals to be led to support them in their ministry.

Latin America Partnerships

Pray for Clyde, ReachGlobal personnel with Latin America, who is in Columbia meeting with people from the Evangelical Free churches November 3-9. This is a non-resident field, but ReachGlobal has personnel who are helping with leadership development. Clyde is traveling with a group of leaders from an EFCA church exploring the possibility of sending a short-term medical team to Cartagena. He will also be working with the Columbians in establishing a philosophy for a short-term team/partnership ministry. Pray for his safety and protection. Ask God to grant unity, strategic thinking, and ministry effectiveness for all involved.

Strategic Meetings in Russia

Pray for Jim, one of ReachGlobal’s Europe area leaders, who is in Russia for meetings for two weeks. Ask God to give him wisdom and insight, stamina, good health and safety in travel, and for the ability to grasp and articulate a vision for expanding and multiplying ministry in these areas.

Team travels upriver to unreached villages

Please pray for ReachGlobal staff Blair and Joan as they lead a medical and evangelistic team from Pennsylvania to unreached villages in Peru November 1-17. The team launches from Pucallpa, Peru, traveling three days upriver aboard the Evangelista, partnering with members of the church in Pucallpa as well as pastors and church leaders from Shipibo tribes along the river.

Pray that the team is able to reach all seven villages, that the Lord is glorified through the ministries (adult and pediatric medicine, dentistry, chiropractics, installation of water filtration systems, and distribution of reading glasses) and evangelism, and that many of the indigenous people are touched by the transformational power of the gospel.

Medical Conferences in the U.S.

Pray for safe travels to the U.S. from the Central African Republic for Dr. Tim, EFCA TouchGlobal International Medical Director and his wife, Ann, who will be attending the Community Health Evangelism Conference and the Global Medical Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in November. This is one of the large medical mission conferences in the country with at least 2,500 medical professionals and students coming to see if God has a place for them in medical ministry worldwide. Pray that Tim and Ann will have many good contacts with potential recruits and that God will lead those of His choosing to join ReachGlobal for medical and holistic ministry in the years to come.

International Conference in the U.S.

Pray for an international conference on Turkey taking place this week in a Midwest city. Turkish church leaders, workers in Turkey and stateside church leaders are gathering to pray and learn how to build Christ’s Church in Turkey. A ReachGlobal couple, who work with a Turkish community, will share about the open door to reach Meskhetian Turks in the U.S.  Pray for God’s blessing during this time of connecting with brothers and sisters serving in Turkey and the desire to bring more Turkish people to Himself.

Update on health concern for missionary family

Thank you for praying for ReachGlobal’s candidate family whose son needed a liver biopsy. The procedure went well but the issue that family faces is to determine if their son should begin receiving “interferon ribavirin” treatments (chemotherapy). This would be a proactive approach in attempting to destroy the Hep C in his body.  If left untreated, there is a very strong possibility that he will develop cancer. Please pray for them as they gather information and consult with the doctor regarding the options.

Post 10/12/10
Pray for a ReachGlobal candidate family raising support to serve in Europe. Their son, who was adopted from Ukraine four years ago, carries Hepatitis C, but it has been dormant since his adoption. Two weeks ago when he had his annual blood work done at a children’s hospital it showed that his “numbers are elevated” and that a liver biopsy needed to be taken immediately. The biopsy will check to see if the Hepatitis C has done any damage and if there is a presence of cancer cells. Hepatitis C ultimately destroys the liver and is treated with a form of chemotherapy. Please pray for God's grace and mercy that there will be no evidence of cancer.  Ask God to give the family peace during these days when they continue to need to lean on Him.

CHE Workshop in Tanzania

Pray for a beneficial Community Health Education (CHE) workshop October 25-29, in a town outside of Dar es Salaam. Betty, ReachGlobal personnel in Tanzania, will be co-teaching with another ReachGlobal staff member on how to start a CHE ministry in this area. Pray that God would use this workshop in the lives of the people who are attending, and give Betty more ideas of how she can implement this type of ministry in Dar es Salaam, especially with the church.

Online Training Course in Latin America

In Latin America, the Church Based Training team is launching their first-ever online training course October 25. The eight-week online course will focus on missionary work and its place in the ministry of the local church. Helping to test this new platform by participating in the inaugural course are Spanish-speakers from churches in Venezuela, Dominican Republic, USA, Peru and Colombia.

Please pray for the students as well as ReachGlobal personnel, Omar and Henry, as they work out any bugs in the system, facilitate the course, and prepare for the expansion of the online learning community. Ultimately, the vision is to provide theologically sound, accessible and affordable courses so that Spanish-speaking believers would be trained to minister effectively in their churches. 

Missions Conference in Washington

Pray for Linda, EFCA CONNECT team member, as she participates in the missions conference at Irondale EFC in Washington on October 23. Ask God to bless her time of sharing her ministry she with short-term teams, preparing new ReachGlobal personnel for ministry and developing training for short-term individuals who go to minister cross-culturally up to twelve months.

Teaching at Bible School

Pray for Ann, ReachGlobal personnel in Africa, who is teaching a number of classes at the Bible School. This is the final year for the students before going out to pastor a church. She teaches cults, world religions and Islam as well as Christian Education principles, especially on a variety of Sunday school ideas. Ann also works with the woman on a Bible lesson, improving their reading skills and discussing health topics. Ask God to bless her preparation and teaching as she equips people to do ministry.

Bible study in Czech Republic

God brought over 20 people to the initial kick-off of the high school girls’ Bible study at the Christian International School in Prague, Czech Republic. Pray that these students would be moved by the Holy Spirit to pursue Him personally, individually first and foremost, but also corporately as the leaders look to have groups available to meet on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings each week.

Typhoon in the Philippines

Please pray for the people of the far north of the country (200 miles from Manila). The typhoon is traveling across the northern portion of Luzon and seems to have missed most of the populated areas. It slowed upon hitting land and current the local storm center says that winds are running 112 miles per hour with gusts running up to 140 miles per hour. The blessing in all of this is the fact that this is a very mountainous region and not nearly as densely populated as many other parts of the country.

DBM meetings in Minneapolis

The ReachGlobal Division Business Managers are meeting October 19-22, at the EFCA national office. Ask the Lord to grant safe travel for those coming from some distance; pray for the ReachGlobal financial directors facilitating these sessions; ask God to give this group wisdom as they determine the best financial policy that would result in God-honoring stewardship for the organization.

Visas for Brazil

Last month Jeff and Diane, ReachGlobal personnel in Brazil, were informed by the Federal Police that their visas were denied, with no other option except to leave the country. Jeff and Diane are now in the U.S. and working to obtain new visas. Pray for God’s leading and wisdom as Jeff talks to different sources (Brazilian Consulate in Chicago, a consultant in DC, and our German missionary partners in Brazil) about the possible options. Pray for patience and perseverance as they go through this process that is going to take at least three months for approval once they receive all the paperwork.

Discipleship training in Costa Rica

Through a partnership with Sonlife Ministries/International Teams and ReachGlobal, twenty-six Venezuelan youth leaders from the Venezuelan Free Church (ADIEL) are spending a week in Costa Rica, participating in part two of a four-part discipleship training, modeled off the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Please pray for Ernesto from Sonlife as he guides them through the training, and pray for the Venezuelan youth leaders, that they will be encouraged and equipped to reach the youth in Venezuela with the transforming power of the gospel. Pray for ripple effects in their churches as they share what they have learned with other leaders.

PT Live

Pray for Pre-field Training (PT) Live October 13-21, at South Suburban EFC in Apple Valley, MN. Pray for the EFCA EQUIP staff and several guest presenters facilitating this training for future ReachGlobal workers. The focus will be on topics of cross-cultural ministry, teamwork, spiritual warfare, evangelism, disciple-making, and other critical issues. Please pray for effective learning, for great community and for these participants to follow God’s guidance to be better ministers.

Health concern

Pray for a ReachGlobal candidate family raising support to serve in Europe. Their son, who was adopted from Ukraine four years ago, carries Hepatitis C, but it has been dormant since his adoption. Two weeks ago when he had his annual blood work done at a children’s hospital it showed that his “numbers are elevated” and that a liver biopsy needed to be taken immediately. The biopsy will check to see if the Hepatitis C has done any damage and if there is a presence of cancer cells. Hepatitis C ultimately destroys the liver and is treated with a form of chemotherapy. Please pray for God's grace and mercy that there will be no evidence of cancer.  Ask God to give the family peace during these days when they continue to need to lean on Him.

Health concern

Pray for one of ReachGlobal’s personnel in Europe, who has been having abdomen pain for more than a month. She and her family are currently in the U.S. so she was able to see a doctor and get a CAT-scan. The results of the CAT-scan showed that she has an abdominal hernia, (tear in her muscle wall) that needs to be surgically repaired and also has a cyst on her liver. They are meeting with the surgeon today so please pray for their appointment that God would give them peace and clear guidance. The recovery period from this surgery is six weeks, so the family needs wisdom as they figure out the next steps for returning to the field that was planned for November.

Africa DT Meetings

Pray for the ReachGlobal Africa Directional Team meeting in South Africa, October 12-16. Ask the Lord to give the team wisdom and spiritual discernment during this week of prayer, evaluation, and planning for moving forward to implement our vision of seeing 25 million people impacted by the gospel between now and 2020.

Fellowship in the Philippines

Pray for Arlys, ReachGlobal personnel in the Philippines, hosting a Pastors’ Wives Fellowship at her home in Cebu on October 9. Ask God to bless the message she will share and the handouts she has prepared. Pray that the women who come will be encouraged in their faith and ministry. Also, pray for Arlys as she prepares for the Pastors’ Wives Fellowship in Manila on October 23, before coming to the U.S. for a home assignment.

Visa for Bulgaria

David and Sasha, ReachGlobal personnel, are transitioning from ministry in Poland to begin a new work in Bulgaria. Pray for David as he is trying to secure a visa to live in Bulgaria. David will be applying for a visa that allows him to live in Bulgaria long term as a family member of a Bulgarian citizen. This requires a trip to Chicago for a formal interview with the Bulgarian consul, providing evidence of David and Sasha’s marriage, and a wait of up to 40 days for a decision on his case and processing of the visa. They want to get to Bulgaria as quickly as possible, so please pray that the decision and processing go smoothly and quickly.

Team meetings

The EFCA CONNECT Advocate Team Retreat is underway in Cumberland, WI, October 5-7. Pray for this time of prayer for ministry, discussion of strategic issues, team building and annual goal planning.

Arrived on the field

Pray for Roberto, Robin and their children as they adjust to their new home and life in Honduras. Praise God for providing the necessary commitments and funds for the family to be able to serve the Lord. Pray for their transition to Honduras and for their ministry and business as mission development opportunities as well as for the relationship building and the multiplication efforts with the people in Tegucigalpa.

Teaching and training in Portugal

Jonathan and Traci, ReachGlobal personnel in Portugal, have several teaching opportunities during October. Pray for Jonathan who is teaching an Old Testament class at the Bible seminary, preparing a sermon and Sunday school lessons with the youth at Benfica church.  These are key opportunities for him to minister through God’s Word as well as to grow in his fluency in the Portuguese language.  Pray for Traci who teaches English two days a week with a Christian Portuguese home school co-op.  Pray for her students and her schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays as she balances this ministry and caring for their two young daughters. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give them the capacity, energy and effectiveness to make an impact through each of these works.

REV event

Pray for the Readiness Event (REV) for missionary candidates at the EFCA national office October 2-8. Pray for the 18 candidates attending this key event who are away from their jobs, ministries, families, and responsibilities to focus and discern the Holy Spirit’s leading. Pray for physical, emotional and spiritual stamina for the attendees and ReachGlobal staff involved in REV. 

Missionary Debriefing

Pray for the ReachGlobal Debriefing event today and tomorrow at the EFCA national office. Pray for the facilitators from the ENHANCE team as they encourage and equip ReachGlobal missionaries who are attending for full health and effectiveness in their ministry. This event gives our personnel the opportunity to share their field experience. Debriefing also gives the missionaries an opportunity to get practical help and advice from ReachGlobal staff on support team building, insurance, finances and technology.

ICSB in full swing

Pray for Bjorn and Trisha, ReachGlobal personnel at ICSB (International Christian School of Budapest), as classes are now in session, Bible studies have started to meet, and discipleship relationships have begun. Bjorn's teaching and coaching are in full swing so pray that God will do mighty things in the hearts of the students this year. Ask God to bless the preparation and teaching Trisha does as she leads the 10th grade girls' Bible study on the parables on Thursdays.

Ministering in a CAC

Pray for Ben, ReachGlobal personnel in Asia, traveling in creative access areas (CAC) on a ministry project and meetings with the leaders. Three of these leaders and Ben are speaking at an International Youth Conference in Thailand and visiting churches in a neighboring country. Then Ben will take these leaders through some training and follow up at his home. Pray for safety and protection for Ben’s family at home, his trip and the leaders who are traveling for the first time to this area.

Europe Leadership Meetings

Pray for the Europe Division Leadership Team meetings this week in Minnesota. Ask God to give David, ReachGlobal’s new international leader for Europe, and the Europe area leaders adequate time, unity, strategic thinking, and ministry effectiveness.

Ministering in Haiti

Pray for safe travel and good health for Jill, EFCA TouchGlobal personnel, and Cheryl who leave Sunday, September 26 for Haiti. Their objectives are to:

• Continue exploring schools and orphanages for potential partnership with GlobalFingerprints and short-term teams.
• Visit businesses that have been established to support ministry activity and brainstorm about potential savings and micro-enterprise projects with Haitians. 
• Try to more fully understand the situation in Haiti: the depth of poverty and life of Haitians (how they think, what they believe, how they live, where their hope lies). 
• Preliminary preparation for a large short-term youth team coming down to Haiti during spring break.
• Discern how and where God wants our mission agency to share His love and the gospel to transform the lives and futures of the Haitian people and the country of Haiti.

Pray that Jill and Cheryl would have God-ordained connections, be able to encourage all they interact with and that they would have many opportunities to pray for and bless the people they meet with. Ask God to grant them clear vision, so that at the end of the week it will be clear what TouchGlobal and GlobalFingerprints are to do next and what direction to move in.

Serious vision problems

Pray for Gloria, ReachGlobal personnel in Thailand, who is experiencing serious vision problems. Pray for excellent medical advice in the treatment she receives. There is no cure or care that will stop or change the progress at this stage. Gloria is using medicated eye drops that have alleviated most of the pain, but her vision is worsening. If she approaches blindness, there is an invasive procedure that the doctor might try. Please pray that Gloria won't get to that stage. Ask God to give her peace and trust in His plan.

Missions Conference

This week Kevin and Becky, ReachGlobal Africa leaders, are participating, along with 20 other missionaries, in the Global Outreach Festival at their home church in San Jose, CA.  Please pray for Kevin and Becky as they share the vision for ministry in Africa with many of the people in their home church as well as interact with missionaries from all over the world. In addition to the conference, pray for Kevin and Becky as they are making final preparations for a trip to Africa in October.

Ministry in Asia

Pray for wisdom for Mindy, ReachGlobal personnel in Asia, as she does follow-up meetings with the national brothers and sisters that she partnered with over the summer at the children's camps. Pray that she would get into a good rhythm with her ministry and language center responsibilities. Ask God to give her direction and guidance as she starts a Bible study at the language center and to continue ministry with single, believing women.

Training and PTM Conference

Pray for Howard and Marilynn, ReachGlobal personnel in Asia, traveling back to the U.S. on September 20, for a CernySmith training seminar and a Barnabas Pastor to Missionary (PTM) conference. The training seminar involves learning how to assess the results of a cultural adaptation assessment that our ReachGlobal staff take and then guide them in further cultural adjustments. The Barnabas PTM conference involves learning how to provide better pastoral counsel to ReachGlobal staff. Pray that Howard and Marilynn will take away from these two events tools that enable them to more effectively help and encourage ReachGlobal personnel.

High School Retreat

Pray for Gil, ReachGlobal staff at Haven of Peace Academy (HOPAC) in Tanzania, as he and other teachers take the 11th grade high school class on a retreat. Pray that God would orchestrate meaningful opportunities for the teachers to speak into the lives of these students. Pray that God works in marvelous ways to bond teachers and students and enable them to build leadership skills in the students’ lives.

Training event

Pray for Gary, ReachGlobal personnel, attending a training event with Wellspring Group in Alabama.  He is coaching a team from the material The Heart of Men.  He will also be a mentor coach for four other coaches. These sessions of coaching and learning are important for what Gary is doing as part of his role as Europe Division Coach for ReachGlobal. Pray that he will be a blessing and encouragement to these men.

Strategic Meetings

Pray for the Senior Vice President, EFCA ReachGlobal and his wife who are in Hong Kong and Japan this month for strategic meetings. Ask God to give the ReachGlobal Asian Area Leadership Team insight, guidance and unity of spirit in their discussions and decisions for ministry in Asia. Also pray for several other key meetings during his time in Hong Kong and their time in Japan celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Evangelical Free Church of Japan (EFCJ) and discussing ways that ReachGlobal can partner with the EFCJ as we look to the future.

Visas denied

Pray for Jeff and Diane, ReachGlobal personnel in Brazil, who were informed by the Federal Police that their visas were denied, with no other option except to leave the country in eight days. Jeff writes, “Although we don't understand what God is doing, we have faith that counts on Him in spite of the confusion. We've got a million things to get done before we leave and ask you to join with us in praising Him ahead of time for what He is doing and ask you to pray as we attempt to take care of as many details here and leave as smoothly as possible. Pray for God's wisdom as we return to the U.S. and look at other types of visas so we can return soon!"

Update on MK Accident in Asia

Cameron, son of Carl and Kathy, ReachGlobal personnel in Hong Kong, is improving and doing well following his motor bike accident last week that injured his leg. The doctors confirm that there is no damage to the ligaments or knee joint but continue to treat him with IV antibiotics. Pray for full healing for Cameron as he follows the long-term rehabilitation plan developed for him. The doctors are telling him it will be a year before he regains his pre-accident capabilities.

Team building

Pray for David and Lois, ReachGlobal personnel on the ENHANCE Team, who are in New Orleans this week leading several sessions on skill development, team building, coaching, and counseling at the EFCA TouchGlobal Crisis Response Team annual retreat. Pray that God will bless David and Lois as they present this material and that the team would find it helpful to equip them to be effective working in crisis situations.

Church planting training in Costa Rica

Pray for Mike, ReachGlobal Church Planting personnel, and Pastor Jose who will be training 60 pastors and regional leaders in Guanacaste, Costa Rica this week. Pray for Jose and Mike as they prepare for this time and that God will use this teaching to bring understanding and deeper knowledge of His Word. Also pray for Mike as he has received requests to teach and train church planters in the Dominican Republic, Brazil and has an invitation to Chile to help church leaders there assess needs in church planting.

Prison Evangelism

Pray for Jeff and Craig, ReachGlobal personnel in Brazil, who are hosting a team from a California church arriving on September 11. They’ll be visiting a prison where they will have an opportunity to preach the gospel and share powerful testimonies. The pastor from the church in California participated in criminal activity of one of the largest and most organized gangs in America before coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. Please pray that forgiveness, salvation and liberty will come to the captives. Jeff and Craig will spend one week with this team in three locations focusing on evangelism. Pray that this will stimulate each of the local churches they visit to a greater burden for evangelism. 

Ministry Trip

Pray for Sharon, Monica and Kathy, the Asia Women's Initiative Team, who are spending two weeks traveling throughout a creative access country in Asia visiting ReachGlobal partners, as well as other ministries reaching needy women and children. The purpose of this trip is for the team to learn from and to encourage our brothers and sisters who are reaching those who are hurting and to share from God's Word. Pray for safety and good connections on the many flights to and from and within the country; for good health and strength for full days of travel and activity; for the hearts of the team members to be open to what God will teach and show them and those with whom they have the privilege of meeting and spending time in fellowship.

Facing difficulties

Pray for Martha, ReachGlobal personnel in Costa Rica, who is undergoing treatment for cancer and is experiencing problems with blood clots around her neck. The blood thinner medications are causing further complications so pray that would clear up, and for the side effects on her body from the next chemo treatments on September 8th, 20th and 21st, to be lessened. Pray that as Martha experiences these discouraging times during her treatment that her faith and trust in Christ would give her strength and peace.

MK 's tragic accident

Pray for Cameron, son of Carl and Kathy, ReachGlobal personnel in Asia. Cameron had a serious accident while riding on a scooter and hit a curb. The accident caused a deep gash in his thigh that cut into the muscle. Carl and Cameron were visiting a work in a creative access area so Carl made the decision to have the surgery on Cameron’s leg done in the town where the accident happened. One complication is that the doctor wants to keep Cameron in the hospital for a week. Carl would like to get home in a few days. Please be in prayer for Cameron that he will receive the best medical care so his leg heals without complications. The biggest concern is infection so Cameron is on antibiotics. Pray that God would give comfort and peace to the family during this difficult time.

Hosting Cross-cultural Outreach

Pray for Steve and Joan, ReachGlobal U.S.-based staff in Indiana, serving as hospitality hosts for the International English Class, which is entering its sixth year on September 7. Pray for Steve and Joan as their role as host will give them more time to interact with newcomers, especially those in the Turkish community. They are thankful for the leadership God has raised up and how this ministry is motivating so many in their church for cross-cultural outreach.

Partnership Building

Pray for Tom and Dora, ReachGlobal personnel in the Czech Republic, currently on home assignment. One of their main focuses during their time in the U.S. is to find partners in ministry who would pray, give, or serve in order to expand the kingdom of God among the Roma in the Czech Republic. Please pray that the Lord would lead in this as Tom and Dora schedule church and individual visits and Czech Desserts (an informal time in a person’s home to have dessert and share the ministry). 

Divine appointments during Ramadan

Pray for divine appointments for Dave and Patsy, ReachGlobal personnel in Cameroon, to share God’s truth with their neighbors who are preoccupied with Ramadan. Pray for those who are truly seeking God, that He would reveal Himself to them in extraordinary ways.

Sharing ministry in Venezuela

Pray for Ernest and Effie, ReachGlobal personnel in Venezuela, as they travel to their supporting churches in California and Nevada this month to share about their ministry. Pray for safe travels and that the congregations would be encouraged to hear how their prayer and support is bearing fruit. Praise God for Latinos who have been trained and are ready to move ahead in missions. Pray for Lyd, from Mexico, who needs her visa in order to begin ministry with a ReachGlobal team in France in October. Pray that the ongoing seeds sown will germinate and bear full fruit.

Recovering from bike accident

Pray for Bill, ReachGlobal staff in China, who severely injured his elbow in a bicycle accident. The doctors performed surgery immediately inserting two screws and some wire to put the elbow back together. Pray for Bill as he will need to make several visits to the hospital for changing bandages, taking out staples, and then finally removing the screws after six to twelve months. Pray for rapid healing and that he will be diligent with the exercises to make sure his arm function returns like it should.

Staff team retreat

Pray for Carrie, Tara, Dave and Cathrin, the Innsbruck City Team, as they meet for a couple days to reflect on both their ministry as a team and as individuals. They will be praying, listening and planning their ministry for the coming year as well as celebrating what God has done among them this past year. 

Answered prayer for baby

Two weeks ago Tony and Laurie, ReachGlobal personnel in Asia, were mentally and emotionally grieving the loss of their baby Laurie is carrying when God stepped in. Praise the Lord for hearing the prayers of many and moving in a miraculous way. After 10 days in the hospital, Laurie is back home and on complete bed rest. Pray for her as she disciplines herself to rest and wrestles with feelings of helplessness and discouragement. Pray for Tony and their two daughters that God would give them patience and grace as they take on extra responsibilities during the months left until the baby is born. Pray for God’s healing hand and Divine purpose for their baby boy.

Departing for the field

Pray for David, Tina, and their four children who are departing the U.S. to join the Birmingham City Team. They have their support and God has supplied housing near schools and transportation for them.  Pray for safe travel, the needed furnishings for their apartment, a smooth process getting the children registered in schools, and their swift and easy adaption to the culture.

Car accident

Wednesday evening (Aug. 25) Oksana, wife of David who is ReachGloblal staff with EFCA EQUIP, was in a car accident.  A driver broadsided her car. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was with her, and was treated and released.  Pray for Oksana who is still in the hospital under observation as there was bruising to one of her kidneys. Praising the Lord that it appears there are no major injuries. Please pray for Oksana and the family. This possibly could affect their planned trip to Ukraine in September.

School year begins at HOPAC

Pray for the new elementary principal, new secondary principal, and new director at Haven of Peace Academy (HOPAC) in Tanzania. Praise God for the new administration He has brought to HOPAC and the evidence so far that they are godly, visionary and gifted. School started yesterday and there is still an urgent need for an upper-level English teacher. There is a person interested but she still needs to get her visa and her support before she can fill this position. Ask the Lord to work out His perfect will in this situation for this teacher and for HOPAC. 

Establishing grace groups in DR

Pray for Clyde and Rebecca, ReachGlobal Latin America area staff, ministering and encouraging the church plants in the Dominican Republic. Rebecca is supervising and helping to develop leaders for the grace group ministry “Corazones Abiertos.” Clyde is focusing on discipling pastors and male lay leaders in the churches and helps develop a partnership program for Ministrios Bendiciones.

Flooding in Pakistan

Monsoon rains have resulted in the worst flooding in Pakistan’s history, impacting 20 million people. The floods have washed away food stored until next harvest; has flooded/ruined crops in the field; has ruined seed for next planting season this fall; and has fields inundated to impact ability to plant. It has also washed away homes and flooded cities. Pray for the rains to stop and disease to be held at bay; and for the love of Christ to be evident. EFCA Crisis Response has been in contact with a partner missionary who is associated with a local ministry work in Punjab, Pakistan. Funds have been sent to supply tents for displaced victims. Crisis Response has started to initiate contacts with other partner ministries and relief organizations.

Teams in Haiti

Ask the Lord to work through the teams going to Haiti and for His Spirit to be revealed through their demonstrations of compassion. Pray for Mark, ReachGlobal staff with EFCA TouchGlobal, as he works with local church partners and the EFCA Crisis Response Team in Haiti August 21-28. Pray for Daryl and Carol, ReachGlobal personnel, serving in Haiti August 26 to September 11, and Jessica and Jason, EFCA national office staff, in Haiti August 26-Sept. 4. Praise Him for the ongoing preparations that are being made to establish a multi-national missionary team for that country.

Pastors' wives fellowship

Pray for Arlys, ReachGlobal staff in the Philippines, who is in Manila for a Pastors' Wives Fellowship August 19-24. Pray for safe travels and that there won’t be a typhoon in Manila while she is there. Then following this conference, Arlys flies to Davao to another Pastors' Wives Fellowship August 27-31. Pray that she can meet individually with the pastors' wives to be an encouragement to them.

Strategic meetings Congo

Kevin and Jim, ReachGlobal Africa leaders, leave for Congo today for two weeks. Pray for the Lord to anoint this trip with His provision of clarity, timing of events, coordination of making contacts with the right people, and to extend His blessing through the interaction that takes place as they meet with Congolese leadership.

Praying for answers to health issue

Pray for Eileen, daughter of Ernest and Effie, ReachGlobal staff in Venezuela, who is experiencing constant pain in her feet, legs, arms, and hands making it difficult for her to walk or move. The preliminary findings from two MRIs, blood tests and doctor visits have revealed that everything is normal. Pray for patience and comfort for Eileen and her husband, Paul as they wait for results from other tests including a third MRI. Ask God to give the doctors wisdom to discover the cause so they can treat Eileen effectively. Pray for ongoing stamina, sleep, and that they will be able to rest in the Lord.

Health concern

Pray for Jim, ReachGlobal staff in Thailand, who had to return to the U.S. for possible back surgery. After an MRI and consulting with his doctor about options for treatment, Jim can forego surgery at this time. Pray that the treatment of nerve block injections, physical therapy, and two other medications is successful and limits the incidents of pain. Also pray for Vicki that God would give her strength as she deals with the stress of this situation with Jim’s health. Ask the Lord to give them wisdom in making decisions concerning the areas they work in when they return to Thailand. They have been very hands on with Harvest Home and the short-term constructions teams helping with this project.

Ramadan

Pray for the Muslim peoples during this month of Ramadan that began August 11. Pray that they will be able to hear the truth of the gospel during this spiritual season. Pray that the male spiritual leaders will hear of the love of Jesus and willingly teach others to follow Him. Pray that the men studying the holy books would have their eyes opened to the glory of God in the face of Christ.

English camps in Austria

Pray for the ReachGlobal personnel in Austria during the next two weeks of Outreach English Camp. Pray that the staff would continue in unity, that they would have good health and energy, and that many who hear about Jesus would decide to give their life to Him. Ask God to show the staff how they can effectively challenge the Austrian believers to be encouraged in their faith and rooted in Christ.

Appointment with government authorities

Jim, ReachGlobal staff in France, is the liaison with the French government authorities and the missionaries on issues regarding taxes, social security, visas for new staff, etc. A major current issue is a significant retroactive tax bill that Michael and Emilie, ReachGlobal staff in France, received earlier this year. Pray for Jim who will be accompanying Michael to Paris later this month to an appointment with an international tax lawyer. Please pray for a positive resolution for the French tax situation. It has significant potential implications for all staff in France, and indeed all of Europe.

Basketball, Friendships, Gospel

God has opened doors through the sport of basketball for a couple serving in a creative access country in Asia. "M" has been playing pickup games at the city park where college students and guys in their twenties gather to play every night. Recently, they asked "M" if he would train the provincial basketball team for the upcoming national tournament so six days a week they have been practicing for the regional tournament being held August 9-17. This ReachGlobal couple have made very good friendships with the players and the girlfriends and wives who come to watch. Please pray for their new friends as they get to know them and have opportunities to share their faith.

Upcoming surgeries

Pray for the health issues Tom and Kristie, ReachGlobal staff in Bosnia, are currently experiencing. Tom is undergoing surgery for a basal cell carcinoma on August 10. Kristie had her first cataract surgery on August 2, which went well and will undergo her second cataract surgery on August 16. Please pray for good outcomes to these surgeries and for God’s healing hand on them as they recover.

Bookstore ministry

Pray for Lois, ReachGlobal personnel serving in Russia, and Gennady, the Christian bookstore manager in Kursk. Ask God to bless his travels and appointments with a number of Christian bookstore managers in the U.S. Pray for Lois and Gennady as they share about this bookstore ministry on August 8 at the Evangelical Free Church in Grand Island, NE, and at the Hershey Evangelical Free Church in Pennsylvania on August 15.

Urgent Prayer Need

Pray for Laurie, ReachGlobal staff member in Pacific Asia, who is pregnant and was taken to the hospital this morning because her water broke and there was concern that she was having a miscarriage. Her husband, Tony, reports that, “The baby is still alive, there’s still a heartbeat, and enough amniotic fluid left for the baby to move around. Laurie will be in the hospital for the next five days with catheter, an IV, and medicine to help strengthen the wall of the uterus.” Pray for God’s strength and peace as they have a long road ahead of them. Pray that the baby will stay healthy and strong to the end of term.

Supplies headed for CAR

Continue to pray that the 40-foot container with 38,000 pounds of supplies will soon leave Douala for Gamboula in the Central African Republic. Pray the custom officials will be friendly and won’t need to inspect all 411 pieces in detail. Pray for our colleagues at the destination site who will be manually unloading all the supplies that have been wedged into the container.

Seeds of the gospel planted

Pray that God will continue the good work He began through the ministry of the short-term team from United EFC in Seattle. Bob, ReachGlobal staff in Japan, says, “Good seeds of the gospel were spread and planted.” Praise God that 12 people from the neighborhood accompanied the team on a bus tour and the Buddhist priest who was their bus driver. This opened the opportunity for Bob and Joan to further establish relationships with neighbors. Pray that these friendships will continue to grow and that neighbors will give their hearts to Jesus.

Break-ins at ETF

Within the last month there have been break-ins at the ETF (Evangelical Theological Seminary) in Belgium, resulting in five projectors and some laptops being stolen. The latest thievery was with a Sport Quest group meeting at the ETF for their training time before spreading out all over Belgium to lead different sport outreach events. Six young men came in and stole the bed mattresses, wallets, cell phones, and other items from the Americans, Moldavians and Belgians staying in the building. Pray with Phil and Cindy, ReachGlobal personnel in Belgium, for God’s protection over the school as it has become a “high target” for break-ins.

Visa renewal

Pray for one of our ReachGlobal staff in a creative access country in Europe who is going to the local police station tomorrow to apply for a residence permit renewal. Within the past 16 days there have been some higher officials trying to change the policy to not grant such residence permits. Appeals have been made by various embassies, but it is presently unclear whether the policy has been changed or not. Pray that he would be granted a renewal for his residence permit so he doesn’t have to leave the country.

Building offer falls through

The more the school board of the Christian International School of Prague (CISP) negotiated with the city officials, the more it became apparent they would not be able to afford the building they wanted for the school. The city officials were adding too much to CISP’s original offer for them to be able to manage the expense. Thank the Lord for His goodness in protecting CISP from over-committing the school financially; pray for wisdom for the school board and provision for space for this coming year; pray that whether CISP builds, buys or rents, that the Lord would show them what direction to move in.

Short-term teams teaching English

Pray for Linda, EFCA CONNECT team member, who is in California July 31 to August 2, training a short-term team to teach English in Indonesia. Ask for the anointing of the Holy Spririt on her as she teaches on spiritual warfare this evening.

Pray for God's blessing on the team that begins English classes in Macau on August 2. Pray for Ron, Linda's husband, as he prepares presentations for his short-term ministry in Ukraine.

Teaching in Venezuela

Pray for Ernest, ReachGlobal staff in Venezuela, as he conducts 10 hours of seminars on The Biblical Role of the Christian Woman in the Family and the Church Today to a national group of churches, pastors and leaders in eastern Venezuela July 29-31. Pray for grace to navigate this assigned topic.

Training Tools in Congo

Pray for Rachel M, who is in Congo, working with “Kids Around the World” to train the GlobalFingerprints supervisors on the use of flannel graph as a training tool. Ask God for translation and communication to be effective and for Him to use this powerfully in the lives of the children being sponsored.

English Outreach Classes

Pray for the U.S. team leaving for Macau today to conduct English classes. Pray that the students will come with open hearts to hear the gospel. Pray for a spirit of unity and good will between the Chinese short-term missionaries from the Evangelical Free Church in Hong Kong who are joining the U.S. team as language assistants. Pray for Linda, ReachGlobal staff with EFCA CONNECT, as she develops a website of resources for ReachGlobal personnel who teach English as part of their ministry outreach.

Construction Team in Mongolia

Pray for a team from the U.S. arriving in Mongolia this week for construction work on a building ReachGlobal personnel and nationals use for ministry. Pray that the Lord will give safe travels and protection from work injuries for this team. Ask the Lord to cause Truth to grow in the hearts of people in the community so that a mature body of believers will be established there.

Leadership Retreat in Japan

Pray for Howard and Marilynn, ReachGlobal staff in Japan, and the English Department Leadership Team meeting for a day retreat Saturday, July 24 (6:00 p.m. Friday evening in the U.S. CT). The focus of this retreat is to address the “big-picture” matters of mission, vision, and values of the English Department Musashino Chapel Center in Tokyo.


Ask God to make this retreat a meaningful team building time and that the Holy Spirit would move in the hearts and minds of the leadership to maintain His unity. Pray that a clear statement of mission and vision for the MCC English Department would emerge from the discussions as well as a clear statement of guiding principles for ministry. Pray that commitment to specific ministry initiatives would be made by our leadership team.

House Church in Asia

ReachGlobal personnel serving in a creative access area of Asia have been asked by some Christian national friends to start a gathering in their apartment on Sundays for worship and fellowship. Pray that the nationals will take responsibility for preparing and leading it, with our ReachGlobal personnel coaching in the background. Pray that God would show them the way forward with this idea. Pray that the needs of these believers for life in the body of Christ would be fully met.

English Camp in Czech

Pray for John and Judy, ReachGlobal staff in the Czech Republic, as they welcome a team today from Trinity EFC in Lakeville, MN, teaching at an English camp. Pray for hearts to be changed as 60% of those attending the camp do not have a saving knowledge of Christ. Ask God to bless and encourage this ministry team as they have opportunities in their teaching to share the gospel.

Leadership Training in Uganda and Liberia

Pray for Kevin, ReachGlobal Africa International Leader, who is leaving today for Uganda and Liberia. Kevin is meeting with key leaders from our national partner in southern Sudan to train them to lead the churches in their movement to establish their own missional values and the next steps to ministry expansion in Sudan. Also Kevin will be conducting foundational Community Health Evangelism (CHE) training in micro-enterprise for developing Seed Banks in multiple communities that have been devastated by famine. Pray that God will use Kevin to help equip these men to be equippers of leaders all across southern Sudan.


While in Liberia, Kevin will be meeting with the leaders of five “like minded” church movements to help them think through the foundational missional values that will enable them to establish collaborative ministry together. Ask God to give Kevin wisdom to guide these leaders through this process of prayer, study of the Scriptures, and sharing together their dreams for ministry in Liberia.

Connecting with personnel in Ukraine

Pray for Jim, ReachGlobal area leader for Eastern Europe, his wife Liz, and daughter, Marina leaving July 20, to be in Kyiv for the next six weeks. Pray for safety in travel and safe arrival of the humanitarian aid and missionary supplies they are bringing. Pray for the planning and fellowship meetings with the ReachGlobal Kyiv City Team; connecting with ministry partners in various spheres of service; and wisdom in their use of time and capacity while in Ukraine.

Update on Martha

Pray for Martha, ReachGlobal staff in Costa Rica, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Pray for peace for Martha as she meets today with a doctor specializing in chemotherapy. As Martha also has a CT scan on July 23 and a brain scan on July 28, pray that the results would show that there is no spread of cancer to other parts of her body. Pray for wisdom as the doctors make decisions for future treatment based on these tests.

Departing for the Field

Pray for Brian and Susan, ReachGlobal candidates, who have raised their support and are leaving for Peru to join the ReachGlobal team in Lima. Pray that God will go before them as they travel. Pray for God’s grace and peace as they transition to life in Lima.

VBS in Mexico

Pray for Clyde and Rebecca, ReachGlobal staff in Latin America, as they work with the short-term team from Holdrege NE conducting Vacation Bible School in Maravillas, Mexico July 15-22. Pray for safety and that God would use the witness of the team as well as all the activities to extend His kingdom.

Danger in Uganda

Pray for Stephanie, daughter of John and Irene, ReachGlobal staff in England, who is a member of a team in Kampala, Uganda for the month of July with Tearfund, a UK-based Christian relief agency. Three bombs went off targeting non-Uganda crowds gathered to watch the World Cup final on July 12. Praise God that the team was not affected, although one exploded in an adjacent district from where the team is. Please pray for the families of those who lost loved ones. Pray for continued protection for Stephanie and the team. Pray for them as they process this, along with all the other things they have been experiencing. Pray for wisdom for Tearfund and their Ugandan partners, COBAP, as they make decisions regarding the team and the needs around them.

Teaching the Gospel in Tanzania

Pray for Betty, ReachGlobal staff in Tanzania, as she teaches each Sunday this month on how the gospel not only ministers to the spiritual needs of a person but also ministers to the whole person. Ask God to guide her as she prepares the material; that her Swahili will not only be understandable but correct; and that the church will begin to move forward in reaching out to the community in holistic ways.

Personnel Teams Conference

Pray for the ReachGlobal Personnel Teams Conference being held at Trinity EFC in Lakeville, MN, July 12-13. This is a time for the ENGAGE, EQUIP, ENHANCE, and Personnel Teams to get together to encourage one another and to understand more about what each of the teams do and the challenges in their ministry. Pray for those who will lead seminars, the times of prayer and worship and for the cross-team collaboration as we serve RG staff around the world.

Meetings in Japan

Pray for Tom, ReachGlobal staff on the Asia Division Lead Team, who will be traveling to Japan for a meeting with the nationals of the EFC of Japan and a ReachGlobal city team July 10-18. Pray for trust to be developed and for Tom to have discernment, wisdom and vision in this first visit.

Pastors' Wives Fellowship in Cebu

Pray for Arlys, ReachGlobal staff in the Philippines, who is speaking at the Pastor’s Wives Fellowship in Cebu on July 10. As Arlys prepares her message, ask God to direct her words and thoughts to what He would have her share. Pray for wisdom as to what articles she should give to the women and that they will be encouraged by the fellowship. Pray that the four pastors’ wives who have had babies in the last six months will attend. Arlys is planning to have a session so other wives can share tips or encouragement about raising children with these young mothers.

Ministry Team in Bosnia

Pray for Larry and Jill, ReachGlobal staff in Bosnia, preparing to host a team from Liberty Bible Church in Indiana July 9-19. The major focus will be prayer walks throughout the city and particularly praying for establishing more house churches. Pray that the team will be productive, for relationships to be renewed and established, and for a clear vision of the work here to be carried home by the team members.

Puppy is evangelism tool

Joyce, ReachGlobal staff in the United Kingdom, walks her dog in a park near her home and had an encounter with three young Muslim women who walk in the park for exercise and stopped to pet Joyce’s dog. Joyce took this opportunity to have a conversation with them about Islam and Christianity. Pray for Joyce and these women as they plan to meet together again. Ask God to give Joyce sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading and the words He wants Joyce to say.

Leadership training in Asia

Pray for summer leadership training sessions taking place in several sensitive countries of Asia. Ask for safety on challenging roads, for physical health and for strong faith and endurance to stand up to spiritual battles they encounter.

Update on urgent health concern

Update from Martha, ReachGlobal staff in Costa Rica, with the MRI results that she has reviewed with a surgeon. “The good news is I have a fairly small lump on the right side that seems to be in an early stage. However it is an invasive cancer, and we will not know if it has spread until the surgeon removes some lymph nodes at the time of the operation to remove the cancer. Another new development is that the MRI shows a suspicious spot on my left side, so I have a biopsy for that scheduled for Tuesday, June 29. Please pray for decisions we need to make on the surgery and plans for treatment.”

Sharing the Gospel

Pray for Todd, ReachGlobal staff in the United Kingdom, who is meeting right now with a man who believes Islam is the true religion. Please pray for God’s guidance in this new relationship. Todd believes he likes to inquire of Christians about their faith in order to build strength in his own. Pray that this will be the beginning of a stronger relationship/friendship, that will lead to his leaving his current beliefs and growing in love with Jesus as the truth of his life.

Men's Gathering in CAC

Pray for the Muslim/Christian men’s gatherings in a creative access city where ReachGlobal staff minister. The Lord has provided Christian speakers for all the meetings planned into January. Pray for the gathering of almost two dozen men on June 28, as they discuss the topic of “Principles of Friendship and Neighborhood Responsibility.” Please pray for the Christian speaker as he delivers his presentation, for Muslim men to come with open hearts, for good conversations about the Lord, and for ongoing relationships with a purpose.

Czech Summit

Pray for the Czech Summit Conference this weekend at Kingwood Bible Church in Houston, TX. The Prague City Team is conducting a conference, Together we can do it better, on partnership in missions in the Czech Republic. Pray for wisdom and direction as they explore and put into motion how partnership with fellow Christians and churches will help reach non-believers in this country in Europe.

CAC visa renewal

Pray for the young ReachGlobal family working in a creative access country still waiting in a neighboring country for their visa renewal. Ask God to give them patience and to have favor in the eyes of the government officials handling their paperwork.

Update on Shiloh

Shiloh came home yesterday afternoon with a temporary immobilizing cast up to her shoulder. She is on pain killers that causes slurred speech and constant drowsiness. Pray for Sarah, David and Shiloh as they meet with a pediatric plastic surgeon today. The doctors are saying that it may be up to a year before the full extent of the recovery is known. Pray for God’s healing and complete restoration of Shiloh’s hand.


“I have been sharing the dozens of notes and phone calls from EFCA colleagues with my daughter, Sarah. Thanks so much to all of you for praying and taking the time to write and call.”—Denny

Urgent Prayer: Hip Surgery Repeated

Bruce, ReachGlobal staff in Macau, had hip replacement surgery on June 18, and is now experiencing complications. His previously fractured thigh bone was not strong enough to receive the implant and has refractured, so that the new hip implant is sliding down into and around in his bone.


Pray for Bruce as he undergoes this surgery again, with additional procedures to strengthen and stabilize the hip and thigh. There are risks involved, especially infection. Please pray for skill and wisdom on the part of the surgeon and for protection from infection or further breakage.

Pray for Bruce and Mary emotionally as well. The health issue is stressful but also pray for them as they need to delegate most of their ministry duties with Merciful Love Family Fellowship to the core group members.

Urgent prayer need

Pray for ReachGlobal Associate Director Denny’s two year old granddaughter, Shiloh, who put her left hand down into a paper shredder. She underwent three hours of reconstructive micro-surgery yesterday at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis where her middle finger and ring finger were badly mangled with a crushed bone at the tip of her ring finger. She is sedated and resting with more surgery scheduled once the swelling goes down. Please pray for healing and wisdom for the doctors and nurses caring for her. Ask God to give her mom and dad comfort and peace in Him. Pray for grandparents Denny and Pat taking care of Shiloh's older sister and two brothers for the immediate future.