PL2010-11, 16-Mar-10
Tuesday, 16th March 2010 | No: PL2010-11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 'Day' and 'Country' designations below refer to the respective right-hand page(s) in the 2010 edition of the Points for Prayer Handbook, which contains useful background information to these prayer requests.
Click on these links for further information on Countries, Partners and People.
Days 12 to 14 – KENYA
Gary and Mary Reid are busy in Olkinyiei. The recent drought in the area has hit hard and they are seeing many malnourished children.
Prayer Points –
- Pray for all those in need. Especially for Lanken (the little girl who is almost three years old, but is only the size of a three to four month year old. Remember Lanken and her mother; both are unwell at present.
- Give thanks and pray for all those who attend their Bible study. The last time they met, 57 people came.
- Pray that many Masaai people will be saved and grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord.
Stephen and Angelina Cowan send the following prayer points from Tuum:
- Pray for preparations for the first wedding at Tuum which will follow Biblical principles on 10th April. This is a great opportunity to teach the values of Christian marriage to people who have no idea of its significance. After the service, six couples will have their unions blessed. Rev David Leadisimo, visiting Tuum after an absence of 12 years, has been shocked at the cultural entrenchment Time and the gospel bring change, not education alone.
- Pray for the monthly Bible teaching time which will take place in Tuum next week. Pray too for the outreach which will follow the teaching, which this month will take place in Seren.
- Pray for the plans and preparation needed to place Julius and Wanijuku in Seren after the wedding. There is an urgent need for water repair at Seren as the primary school has no water to cook food and the pipe needs to be extended to Julius place.
Days 16 to 19 – MALAWI
Part of Neil Kennedy's duties is directing the Blantyre Child Protection Team - a new interdisciplinary team dealing with child protection in Blantyre. After 12 months of hard work, they are nearly at the point where Police and Community Child Protection Workers have the resources (vehicles, phones, fuel) to visit families, where the child has been a victim of a sexual assault.
- Please pray that the final pieces of the jigsaw would come together in a timely fashion, that the team would see the benefits of working together, and that as a result of their activities children are freed from the trauma of ongoing sexual abuse.
Day 24 – NEPAL
Joe and Janet Campbell are due to facilitate the sixth session of the marriage course this coming Friday.
Prayer Points –
- Praise God that couples have been able to come and are finding the sessions helpful.
- Give thanks that the challenge of provision of electricity has diminished with the different load shedding schedule of 12 hours a day. On the evening they meet, they now have mains electricity to run the DVD!
- Pray for politicians who now only have 70 days left to complete the New Constitution and some difficult issues still to be resolved.
- Pray for staff in UMN as restructuring continues to meet Government requirements.
Day 25 – THAILAND
Following recent street protests in Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, by opposition 'red shirt' demonstrators, Thailand's Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, has rejected their demand for him to resign and call elections. Tens of thousands of protesters have called for an immediate dissolution of the House of Representatives and for fresh elections to be held.
At the heart of the protest is that Mr Abhisit allegedly came to power over a year ago without a popular mandate in his own favour. This week's protests, like earlier demonstrations against the Prime Minister's continuance in office, have been organised by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.
This opposition front consists of a diverse mix of interest groups, who support former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr Thaksin was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 and is now living in self-imposed exile.
Referring to the protestors' 24-hour ultimatum for the dissolution of the House of Representatives, Mr Abhisit has said that all the coalition partners in the government agree that this could not be done. The reality is that there's impasse between the government and the protestors. As a consequence, tensions are rising along with the fear that violence may follow.
Rev Sayam Muangsak, General Secretary of the Church of Christ in Thailand, our partner church, writes:
“As you will be aware Thailand has been faced with some very tense political situations leading up to and following the military coup in September 2006. Our society is presently marked by divisions and mistrust of one group against another.
People display their allegiances by wearing different coloured shirts and lambasting each other in the media. As I write the capital, Bangkok, has been hit by a wave of demonstrations over this last weekend by the 'red-shirt' faction, supporters of the former Prime minister Taksin Shinawatra and opponents of the present government and the so-called 'elite' whom they allege have illegitimately installed the present regime. At the moment the government and the red-shirts have reached an impasse and the tension is escalating."
- Please pray that people will remain calm and a peaceful and just solution will be found to the present conflict.
- Pray also for long term reconciliation, that the Thai nation will once again be united for the common good.
Day 26 – MISSION INVOLVEMENT
‘Seize the moment!’ is the theme for this Spring’s ‘Celebration of Global Mission’ event taking place on Tuesday, 23rd March in Banbridge Road, Dromore Presbyterian Church (7.45 pm – 9.30 pm). The speakers will be Ron & Hilary McCartney (Pakistan), Derek & Jane French (Spain) and Maurice & Helen Kennedy(Malawi).
Prayer Points –
- For all those involved in preparing for each evening.
- That as publicity for these events reaches congregations many will be encouraged to attend.
OTT – Overseas Teams Training!
Saturday, 18 April 2010 in Hillhall Presbyterian Church Halls, near Lisburn
Who for? – Recommended as essential training and preparation for all members of Board, Presbytery or Congregational teams, as well as any individuals, who are planning to engage in short-term mission projects overseas in the next year.
Programme? – A range of ‘topical’ issues will be covered, each dealt with in the overseas context, including the Biblical basis for mission; culture shock; spiritual and team well-being; health issues; and personal security, child protection and health and safety for those involved in practical work.
Closing date? – Bookings must be with the office by no later than Wednesday, 14th April 2010.
Cost? – The cost of the Training Day is £5 (£2.50 for students) this includes tea or coffee and handouts. All participants should bring a packed lunch them.
Information Leaflets including booking forms for these training days can be obtained from the Mission Overseas Office (Tel: 028 9032 2284) or online at: www.pcimissionoverseas.org/events/.
Prayerline is also available as a recorded message, normally in a shortened version. |
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