Presbyterian Church in Ireland - Mission Overseas - PL2010-25, 23-Jun-10

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PL2010-25, 23-Jun-10

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 13 to 15 – KENYA

For quite some time now, Gary and Mary Reid, and those involved with them in the Acacia Grove Mission, have been facing increased opposition from the Laibons, the tribal leaders of the Maasai people amongst whom they live and work. However, following a meeting with the Laibons last Saturday (19th), at which there was much straight talking, all the Laibons except one and some of their sons, came to the Mission on Monday of this week (21st) to meet again with Gary and Mary.

In a most amazing answer to much fervent prayer, they came with totally changed attitudes and a desire to cooperate rather than oppose. They said they wanted to live alongside the Reids in harmony and peace, making it clear that they recognised the Reids had done them no harm but only good. They wanted the Reids to know that they could cross any of the Laibons’ lands at any time without hindrance. They also apologised for some of the things they had said and done, bringing gifts to indicate their sincerity. It was the most amazing meeting and before it had ended, Gary had the opportunity to clearly explain the gospel message to all who were there!

Prayer Points:-

• Give thanks for the Lord’s great faithfulness and this answer to prayer in bringing about such a dramatic breakthrough and change of attitude amongst the Laibons. Pray that this will indeed lead to good and strong relations developing between, on the one hand, the Laibons and their communities in and around Olkinyiei, and on the other hand, the Reids and those involved with them in the Acacia Grove Mission. 
  
  
• Pray that God by His Spirit will continue to open up the minds and hearts of the Laibons and their families, and that the seeds of God’s Word that have been sown will bring much fruit, bringing many to the put their trust in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour.
  
  
• Continue to pray for Gary’s health; his chest has been painful again and the bad cough has returned.  
  
  
• Pray for safety in travel as Gary and Mary drive to Nairobi this weekend, and that they will be able to get a good rest and sound sleep. 

The Cowans’ satellite telephone is working again after being out of commission for over three months.

Stephen writes, “Living here (Tuum) continues to bring its unique challenges in a society where the Word of God has had nothing to do with the previous set of standards. Yet we do see the impact ofGod’s Word in individuals’ lives as the HolySpirit convicts. Last week, a young man who had been on the leadership course came to tell me he had made a mistake. He confessed to taking a second wife, a 12 year old girl. Such issues are challenged at the monthly seminar which is on this week inTuum.”

The team from the university that visited Tuum last December have decided to return again this year, so that there can be continuity to their mission work.  

Tuum Girls’ Secondary School (TGSS) has some students registered for the Form-4 exams, but unfortunately many of the girls have left due to pregnancy, which occurs during holiday times.  

Prayer Points:-

• Give thanks that the problem with the Cowans’ phone has been fixed. 
  
  
• Pray for courage for some of the women and families who seek to live for Jesus. 
  
  
• Pray that the university team’s desire to help can be channelled in the right direction as they plan to return in December 2010 and go back to places they’ve been to before, such as Seren.
  
  
• Pray that the staff at TGSS will provide good role models to the students, even during times of discouragement. Remember the head teacher, who is back at the school, but is still feeling pain as a result of an accident last December.
  
  
• The YWAM discipleship course ends this Friday. Pray that the girl from the Tuum area who was on the course will be guided by God as she makes decisions about her future.  Pray too for the staff member at YWAM from South Horr who is interested in ministry among children as he attends a course on children's ministry in Mombasa.
  
  

Edwin and Anne Kibathi continue to be busy with their work ministering to the newly planted PCEA congregation for East African expatriates living in London. The congregation celebrated Father’s Day last Sunday and many visitors came.

Prayer Points:-

• Thank God for fathers and pray that they will seek wisdom from God in family life. 
  
  
• Pray for Mrs Kaburu, a church member, who has been unwell for some time and is back in hospital again. 
  
  
• Remember the young people who are taking their exams. Pray that they will do well.
  
  
• Mrs Muchiri, the National Guild organiser in Kenya, will be visiting the UK next week and expects to meet Kenyan ladies residing in the UK. Pray that she will have a safe journey and that her visit will be an encouragement and blessing to all who meet her.
  
  
• Edwin’s grandmother has passed away and the funeral is taking place today, Wednesday (23rd). Give thanks for her life. Pray that the burial ceremony will bring honour and glory to God, and be a blessing to all who attend. Pray that God would comfort Edwin and his family who are in London at this time of loss and distanced from the wider family circle. 
  

Days 16 to 19 – MALAWI

This Sunday (27th), in their home congregation of Harmony Hill Presbyterian Church (near Lisburn), Volker and JinHyeog Glissman are to be commissioned, by the Presbytery of Dromore, for missionary service in Malawi under the auspices of the Board of Mission Overseas. The service commences at 7.00 pm.

Volker has been invited to take up the role of Executive Director of Theological Education by Extension in Malawi (TEEM).  Volker is excited about reaching out to villages with lay-leadership training in Theology, while in time JinHyeog hopes to develop a music ministry in rural church settings. The Glissmans have three young children and the family are booked to leave for Zomba, in Southern Malawi on 13th July.  

Prayer Points:-

• For God’s blessing on the Glissman family at the commissioning service on Sunday.
  
  
• For a smooth transition for each of them and as a family; as they pack up and say farewell to family and friends, and as they prepare to go to a new country and culture. 

Maurice and Helen Kennedy returned to Malawi in early June to continue their work with the Madziabango Project. The project is going well and when the painting of the school is completed, together with the teacher’s houses and the harvest gathered in, they will have a thanksgiving service. 

Since returning to Malawi, Maurice and Helen have been very busy. A team from Athletes in Action was with them for a couple of weeks engaged in outreach through a Soccer Camp and, this Saturday (25th), they are looking forward to the arrival of a team of 10 adults from Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church, which will work alongside them, undertaking refurbishment and community development work. The Ballygilbert team is due home again on 10th July. The Kennedys are also expecting two teams in early July, one from the Board of Mission Overseas and one from Howth and Malahide congregations. 

Give thanks:-

• For a wonderful reunion with Neil, Sara, Ben and Grace Kennedy.
  
  
• That the team from Athletes in Action made such a good impact. 
  
  
• That Blantyre Synod and its Development and Health Commission are progressing well and a source of wonderful encouragement.

Prayer Points:-

• For the follow-up to the Soccer Camp, and for the three teams arriving shortly that they will make good ongoing relationships and have safe travel. 
  
  
• For Neil, Sara, Ben and Grace as they leave Malawi on 3rd July to travel back to Northern Ireland, arriving around a week later. 

Day 24 – NEPAL

The decision has been made for Nepal to have a federal system of government. This will involve new boundaries being drawn and regional governments being set up to manage these new identities. It will be some time before it is decided how many regional governments will be established and where the boundary lines are drawn. With the mix of cultures and geography, added to different faiths and ethnic identities, there are increasing tensions between faith and political groups, especially along Nepal’s long border with India, a region known as the Terai.

In February this year, Joe Campbell led a group of nine Nepalese local leaders from five different faiths on a visit to Gujarat in India, where there has been serious interfaith tensions in recent years. Members of that same group, drawn from three different parts of Nepal, will come together next week, from 28th June to 1st July in Sunsari District in the Far East of the country on the border with India. Each will bring one other person from their faith group. Joe will again facilitate this interaction for some 22 people for training and planning.

Janet Campbell is in Dhulikhel this week (about an hour’s drive from Kathmandu) spending time with Patricia Drummond, from Fitzroy Presbyterian Church, who for the past year has been working as a Physiotherapy tutor in the local hospital. Patricia is due to complete her service in Nepal very soon and expects to return to Belfast in late July.

This Sunday (27th), Joe and Janet will lead a day-long workshop with the leadership of a church just outside Kathmandu. The leaders and their wives will share in a marriage enrichment programme.

Prayer Points:-

• Pray for good relationships between the various cultures and faith groups in Nepal. Pray that the gathering next week involving local leaders from Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Christian and Kirat faiths will build strong and trusting relationships between people who will be able to act together locally as mediators to defuse tensions and build a strong and harmonious society.
  
  
• Give thanks for Patricia Drummond’s work in Dhulikhel over this past year and pray that UMN will be able to find a suitable replacement for her.
  
  
• Pray for Christian marriages in Nepal that they will be strong, protected by God and that they will be an example to the wider church and society. 
  
  
• Pray for this coming Sunday’s programme that Janet and Joe are leading that the couples attending will be blessed and through them their wider family as well.

Days 27 to 29 – INDONESIA

This week Barry McCroskery is in Dompo, on the island of Sumbawa, taking part in a week-long Training of Trainers Workshop. Barry is one of five staff from the Synod presenting material for local ministers. The context for ministry in Sumbawa is quite different as Christians represent a very small proportion of the population and experience different challenges. Given this, it is very significant that the island’s governor has accepted an invitation to attend the opening of the event.  

Prayer Points:-

• Give thanks for the official welcome extended to GMIT’s Training of Trainers Workshop through the Governor of Dompo.
  
  
• Pray for God’s blessing on the workshop sessionsand that as a resultlocal ministers will be better equipped, strengthened, renewed and encouraged in their personal walk with God and in their ministry.
  
  
• Give thanks that Barry was able to get his visa renewed in Singapore a couple of weeks ago. He is stillawaiting the completionin Kupang of the processing of his new, longer-term visa application. Pray that all will go smoothly and that it will not be too long before his extended visa is issued.

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