Sep. 11th, 2006

Surprising Places

"You will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the path, walk in it.'" - Isaiah 30:21

PRAISE:
We rejoice in the very encouraging doctor’s report for the young child of a key tentmaking family in the AP*. They shared their concern with many of their Muslim friends who are also amazed at the care the Christians receive from God.

PETITION:
Please pray for a struggling local believer. He has many family problems but remains firm in his faith.

Pray that the many, many Jesus videos/DVDs and other Christian literature collected by Arabian Peninsula Arabs on holiday in Europe and Malaysia will get through the security check points in their countries and into their homes where hopefully many family members will watch/read the material.

Pray for the re-establishment of friendships after the summer holiday. Pray particularly for a single person who has become an intricate part of a group of seeking Muslims. Pray for wisdom, insight, keen ears and the right words at the right times.

Lift up the single MBB+ living in an apartment on her own for a short period. She has close relationship with many Arab Christian workers and is under their protection as she starts out in the everyday work world.

Pray for God’s comfort and grace for a long-term worker from the AP* as he goes through some difficult medical treatment for cancer.

TESTIMONY:
Heidi is an expatriate living in one of the most restricted countries of the Arabian Peninsula. She, her husband and their children have lived in this country for about 4 years. They can speak some Arabic – enough to win an endearing smile from the local Muslims who enjoy hearing their precious language spoken by non-natives.

Heidi and the women in the worker group, spend a significant number of hours per week in prayer for their Muslim hosts. They pray for divine appointments – those rare but so special meetings that one just knows could only be orchestrated by God alone.

Just this past summer, when many of the local and expatriate families were out of the country on holiday (to escape the 50 C/123 F summer heat), Heidi was in a shopping center browsing for a blouse for her daughter. As she looked at the options in red, light blue, stripped pink and gentle orange, a woman approached her from the next aisle. This woman was a National Muslim woman. She was fully dressed in a black abaya with a tightly wrapped hijab around her head. She had glasses on and a veil that went from the top of her nose and hung gracefully below her chin. Heidi was guessing that she was middle aged like herself – perhaps a mother of 5 – 7 children, probably the first wife of her husband. In the few seconds that Heidi made her assessment about this mysterious woman who was approaching her, she sent up a quick prayer asking God to give her love and wisdom. The national woman asked Heidi if she would follow her to a secluded part of the large store. Once there, the woman asked directly ‘would you be my friend?’ She followed up her question with a brief explanation that she felt very lonely and wanted a friend that she could share and trust that the things she shared wouldn’t be cast about the extended family far and wide. Heidi met with her many times in the next few weeks. It didn’t take long for the conversation to involve spiritual things – most Muslims are very God conscious. Their conversations out God, life, children, marriage, eternity, sin, joy and sadness soon turned into a Bible study. In a matter of weeks, Heidi’s new friend was ready to begin a new life in Jesus. A few other tentmaking women have become key parts of Heidi’s friend’s life. She enjoys her times with the Christians and finds fulfillment in studying the Bible and subtly sharing the Good News with her children. Praise God for his work in her life! It is the prayers of the Christian church world wide that moves God’s hand to create divine appointments that change the face of eternity.

* AP = Arabian Peninsula
+ MBB = Muslim Backround Believer

<>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Praying Thru the Arabian Peninsula
www.pray-ap.info
USA #: 800-376-5876 (Eastern Time)
Encouraging & equipping believers & churches everywhere to pray with a heart filled with the "Seed-of-Laughter" for those at the heart who know "God-Hears" so that biblical church planting movements will spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond for the Lord's glory.

====
To learn how you can support this & other work in the Middle East, visit:
http://www.srginc.org

Or write MertH.:
ptap@srginc.org

Or:
PTAP
c/o Strategic Resource Group
P.O. Box 1809
Easton, MD 21601
USA

Sep. 9th, 2005

In God There is No Boundary

Mission Focus #399

"In God there is no East or West, in Him no South or North"

Pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina which represent many ethnic groups. Pray that people from around the world will lift their eyes up to God and know that "help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and Earth!"

Here are a few (of many) responses from people affected by or helping Hurricane Katrina’s victims:

Mamon, "I knew we would be all right. I knew! Even when I was walking through the water, I knew me and my family was going to all right. Thank God for your kindness and care!"

Another woman said, "We were in hell. You came and we were in heaven."

New Orleans was the home for 30,000 Vietnamese people. Sister Ngyyen, one of 50 Vietnamese Dominican nuns in Texas stated, "This has been an opportunity for us to serve our Vietnamese people. The hurricane has reawaken wartime memories for many of them. God is working and we see hope in their eyes."

Prayer is being answered through the efforts of many people among whom are Christians from all denominations, Jews and Muslims. All working together. Added to this power are people from around the world, some coming in person, some with financial help and all expressing their concerns for this disaster! The following is a list of only a few of these countries: Australia, China, El Salvador, Hungary, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Jordan, Kuwait, Philippines, Azerbaijan, Australia, Britain, France and Germany. May this tragedy which seems like "hell" to many work out for good to them who will turn their eyes to God.

Pray for the many Christians who, as evacuees themselves, are now living in shelters, arenas or in temporary housing around the nation. Let them be shining lights of mercy, grace, leadership, peace and truth. Let the words they speak and every action they commit be mirror reflections of the heart of their Savior. Pray that the media and journalists will give accurate reports that might help draw people to God. Pray that the world will learn to trust God and have faith that He will give the answers needed to difficult problems through those who trust Him!

<><
Pat and David Depew
dpdepew -at earthlink duh- net

February 2007

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