Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Mission Overseas - PL2009-48, 02-Dec-09

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PL2009-48, 02-Dec-09

The 'Day' and 'Country' designations below refer to the respective right-hand page(s) in the 2009 edition of the Points forPrayer Handbook, which contains useful background information to these prayer requests.

Click on these links for further information on Countries, Partners and People.

Day 4 - SPAIN

Derek and Jane French are greatly encouraged by the ways things have been going with the GBU Groups in San Sebastian and Vitoria and send the following praise and prayer points:-

GBU Group in San Sebastian:

• Praise God for the new group started up this semester. There are currently about 10 students attending and they are all very keen.
  
  
• Pray for Alex, a first year student who is largely responsible for this group. Thank God for him and pray that the group would be an encouragement to him in his walk with Christ.
  
  
• Pray that the group will be a strong witness for Christ in the University of San Sebastian.
  
  
• As they study Christianity Explored, pray that it will serve in grounding them in their faith, and for those that don't know Christ already, that through the course they would come to faith in God.

GBU Group in Vitoria:

• Give thanks that this group is going from strength to strength.
  
  
• Pray for the ten students in this group, four of whom are not Christians. Pray that they would come to know Christ through the studies.
  
  
• Give thanks for Rosalina, a key student who heads up the group there.

Every four years, GBU hosts a large conference for all involved in GBU, called 'Forum'. This year the theme is 'God's Mission' and the main speaker is Chris Wright.

• Pray that the conference would be a rich time of learning, encouragement and fellowship for all who attend.

Day 10 - SUDAN

It is feared that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement,between parties in the North and South of Sudan, which was signed in 2005 after more than two decades of civil war (1983 - 2004), may soon collapse due to contentions over the referendum law, the demarcation of the 1st January 1956 borders and recent violence perpetrated by armed groups.

This is a critical time in the peace process especially as national elections are less than five months away and there's just over a year to go to the Referendum on Southern Self-determination. There are fears that Sudan could descend into civil war once more.

There is also a severe threat of famine in Southern Sudan, due to the failure of rains in various parts of the country earlier this year.

Prayer Points -

• For the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to hold, for compromises to be reached and for real peace for the people of Sudan.
  
  
• For an end to the continued violence in the Darfur region in western Sudan and for all those who continue to be affected by it.
  
  
• For all those in the country who face food shortages, that they will get all the food they need in good time.

Days 12 to 14 - KENYA

Tuum - Stephen Cowan sends the following prayer requests:

• Give thanks that there were no raids in Tuum this week (although there was one on the South Horr side). The government will soon start to recover illegal weapons. Pray for cooperation and equal justice during this operation which can often lead to one side giving up their weapons and the other side refusing.
  
  
• Continue to pray for preparations for the Youth Camps (12th to 22nd December) and the December Mission being run by members of the Kabete Campus Christian Union. A student from Tuum is with the team in Nairobi to orientate them and share what has been planned so far.
  
  
• Pray for all the logistical plans to be put in place, as some of the locations to be visited have limited water and washing for the three days of outreach.
  
  
• Stephen Cowan will travel to Nairobi next week to visit the doctor, buy supplies for the new vehicle build and youth camps and pick up Caragh, who will finish the school term on 11th December.
  
  
• Pray for Stephen Hillen from Magheramason Presbyterian Church, who is working alongside Stephen Cowan for a month, working particularly, in the garage and at youth camps. Pray that he will have a good time of growth during his time in Tuum.

KENYANS in the UK - A number of families in the Kibathi's church are travelling back to Kenya to be with their loved ones over Christmas. Some of these families have lost loved ones recently.

Ms Esther Mwangi has lost her sister; David, together with his wife, Joyce, have lost their brother; and Margaret has lost her father. Esther and Joyce are travelling to Kenya for the burial, but unfortunately it is not possible for Margaret to travel.

An elderly Kenyan lady who resides in London has gone to the courts after a minor operation on one of her legs went wrong. She is now unable to walk and has to rely upon pain killers all the time. The doctors have refused to take responsibility.

Prayer Points -

• For all those travelling that they will have a safe journey and that their time with other family members will be refreshing.
  
  
• For the families that have lost their loved ones that God will be a source of strength.
  
  
• For Margaret who won't be able to travel for her father's funeral.
  
  
• For the elderly lady that God will heal her and give her peace, with or without, winning the court case.

Days 16 to 19 - MALAWI

Victoria Chihana and Helen Quinn are visiting the Women's Empowerment Groups in each of the congregations in NjuyuPresbytery today (2nd) and tomorrow (3rd) December. This is the first visit to these groups since they were trained and given loans in June.

• Pray that groups will have made a good beginning and the women and their families will be able to benefit through their small businesses.

Neil Kennedy writes, "Please pray for a resolution to the fuel crisis which has gripped Malawi. Life for many is grinding to a halt as there's been no regular petrol or diesel supply for over two weeks now. The queues at the filling stations are huge! One of our friends waited over 24 hours for the tanker to come, only to be told the fuel it contained was contaminated! Life for those without vehicles has got harder too - as prices for all imported or transported goods go up."

• Please pray that the Malawian government will be given the wisdom it needs and act with integrity to manage the situation.

Day 24 - NEPAL

Nepali families are tight knit and very concerned about maintaining harmony to earn good karma and to become a Christian is viewed as a violation of family and communal harmony. New believers may therefore experience rejection, persecution or pressure to return to their old ways and values.

• Pray for the many new believers in Nepal, mostly living within Hindu families, that they will be faithful and effective witnesses among their friends and family. Pray that those alienated by their families would find caring and close relationships in the Church.

This Sunday coming (6th), Janet Campbell will begin three days of teaching Nepali woman in Trauma Awareness and ListeningSkills as part of a YWCA programme of support to single woman. Also as part of her pastoral care work within UMN, Janet is working with a small group planning the UMN Expatriate Retreat for late February 2010, at which Rev Dr Trevor Morrowwill be the speaker.

• Pray that the trauma and listening skills programme at the YWCA in Kathmandu will be useful and a blessing to all the women who attend.

Joe Campbell, along with the Technical Advisory Teamin UMN, is working on strategic plans for his area of work (peace-building) for the next number of years. All of these plans will then be submitted to the Nepal Government for approval in May 2010. Based on the plans, the Government will then agree with UMN the number of visas for expatriates for the next five years. Grenville Hopkinson is overseeing this all-encompassing strategic planning process within UMN.

• Pray for God's guidance for the UMN leadership team in shaping and agreeing UMN's Strategic Plan for 2010-15.
  
  
• Pray that the plans will be made with insight and wisdom from God, approved by the Nepal government in due course, and a great blessing to the people of Nepal in the future.

Day 28 - INDONESIA

Elsye McCroskery's father suffered a stroke last Sunday (29th October).

• Pray for healing for Elsye's father; and peace and strength for Elsye and the whole family at this difficult time.

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