UGANDA — Pray that God would be at work to restore hope in the hearts of young people in Uganda. Our producers report that many young people are falling into addictions. Parents, too, are anxious and depressed as they watch their children suffer. The Words of Hope team is now providing teaching about the dangers of drug abuse. Special youth services with food are being organized where the Words of Hope team can interact with the young people directly.
ALBANIA — The Christian community in Albania is dealing with the sad and shocking news that a well-known church pastor there has committed suicide. The pastor was married and had three children. Please join us in praying especially for his wife, two sons, and daughter. Also pray for his church, and for all those who knew him, that their faith would not waiver, and that God would comfort them.
INDONESIA — Pray for the community of Sumba, Indonesia, as they are facing the devastating impact of locust pests destroying their crops. Pray that God would intervene in this situation so that there will not be a famine in the area. We also pray for those in positions of power in Indonesia, that they would act swiftly to provide assistance as it is needed. May the people of Sumba experience God’s strength and resilience during this time.
BHUTAN — The Bhutanese government has issued new rules regarding religious gatherings. Such gatherings are no longer allowed unless prior approval has been granted. Our leader in the region reports that most Christians will not be able to apply for the permissions at all. He fears that it will now be almost impossible to hold public worship services. Please pray for the believers in Bhutan as they face these new restrictions.
ENGLISH — The third quarter of the Words of Hope daily devotional booklet is now being mailed out to subscribers. Included in this issue is a selection of Scripture meditations written by Words of Hope Uganda team members. We give thanks for the collaboration that exists between our ministry fields, and pray that the messages from Uganda would encourage the hearts of North American Christians in the coming months.
TURKEY — We praise the Lord that messages of truth and hope continue to be broadcast across Turkey. Our partners there continue to air programming 24/7. Their broadcasts have not been negatively impacted by the earthquakes in the region. We are grateful for their report: “Thank God neither our antenna, buildings nor anyone we know in Mardin has been greatly physically affected by the earthquakes that shook the area.”
NIGER — We are thankful for the good progress being made on building a new literacy center in Niger. The goal of the literacy center is to help children and share the gospel. The broadcast signal is strong in the region, and the goal is to eventually establish a church in the area as people begin to engage with literacy training and respond to the gospel. Pray that many will come to know Christ through these efforts.
NEPAL — The Words of Hope team in Nepal was able to connect with a number of local churches outside of their current network during their recent mission trip. Many of these churches are located along the border with India where the population is more hostile to the gospel. One of the pastors in the region was accused and threatened publically by the locals during an evangelism program. Pray for strength and encouragement for these Christians.
INDIA — Pray with us for a new outreach program in India to provide financial assistance for underprivileged school children so that their families are able to pay the necessary school fees. Ten children have already benefited from this financial aid. Support is offered when the families receive the bills. Receipt of payment to the school is required by our team to make sure the funds are being used as intended.
SOUTH SUDAN — Sudanese refugees are fleeing the country to escape the fighting that has erupted there. More than 40,000 people have now crossed into South Sudan in the past month. But South Sudan is ill-equipped to support these refugees. In fact, South Sudan continues to be wracked with violence as well. Pray for all the innocent people suffering in the midst of these wars.
IRAN — We give thanks for some exciting new Persian ministry developments. Work is now underway for a Persian Bible app. Our team is also planning to create a podcast app for all Persian audio programs. These apps will be available on Android and IOS. As these apps are developed, we hope that they pave the way for similar apps to be produced in other Words of Hope ministry languages.
NEPAL — Our team in Nepal was recently able to organize a Worship Renewal Conference in partnership with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. This conference was attended by over 200 pastors and worship leaders from across Nepal. The theme for the conference was “Laying Foundations for Christian Worship in Nepali Churches.” Participant evaluations received so far have been very positive and encouraging.