ENGLISH — Words of Hope is making the Easter devotionals from the daily devotional available as a free downloadable resource. This resource is being advertised widely. Pray with us that new people would discover this devotional set, and that they would be challenged to grow in their faith as a result. The series is titled, “Looking to Jesus,” something we should all remember to do during this season of Lent, and all year long!
IRAN — Pray for attendees of the most recent Iranian Discipleship Conference. Pray for the Iranians as they settle back into life in their home country, once again facing daily challenges and obstacles to living out their faith. Pray too for the North Americans who got to go along on the trip. Pray that they would become advocates for the ministry so that more Iranians can be discipled in this way in the future.
INDONESIA — Give thanks that Nias language ministry has been going well. Devotionals have been translated into Nias and videos have been made as well. Nias church pastors are helping to translate the daily devotionals, which are then broadcast on our partner radio stations in the region. There are many Nias language speakers who do not speak Indonesian, so it is important to translate the material for them.
NEPAL — We are thankful for the successful completion of two pastoral formation training programs. A total of 24 individuals participated in the training. The participants are being trained to become future church leaders. There is a great need for more pastors in Nepal. Pray that God would work through these trainings to equip and call those who should serve in this capacity in the coming years.
TURKEY — President Jon recently had the opportunity to meet with a representative from the Bible Correspondence Course in Turkey. Let’s pray for this group’s significant one-on-one ministry in the region. They follow up with individuals who have requested copies of the Bible. After making a new contact and spending some time relating with the people, the organization invites the people to attend a church nearby.
INDIA — Harassment of believers is becoming common in some parts of India, but Words of Hope team members are still finding ways to share the gospel. One community development worker is now meeting seekers in places that are not church buildings so that suspicions will not be aroused. He recently met with three sisters, and at the end felt called to give them his Bible. The sisters have been praying for a Bible for some time now. Thanks be to God!
SOUTH SUDAN — Houses of some of our radio listeners have been destroyed in recent flooding. These homes were small huts made of clay with sticks and hay for a thatched roof. Pray for these dear brothers and sisters. Life in South Sudan is hard on many levels, and people have suffered a lot. Pray for provision and protection, and that God would be at work even in the chaos they are experiencing.
ENGLISH — We recently received a phone call from a devotional reader who is using our devotional, and wanted another copy to give to the homeless ministry she is involved in. She is a new believer, and plans to soon venture through the Bible with Words of Hope’s Read the Bible in a Year materials as well. We are so thankful for encouraging stories like this one, and we pray that this woman will continue to grow in her faith and bless others with her witness.
BHUTAN — Our director for ministry in Bhutan says, “We will continue to produce good messages with sound doctrine and relevant topics because we have been receiving positive feedback from our audiences. Some of them are thanking us personally by sending text or voice messages. We were so thrilled to see when one of our listeners shared our Facebook Words of Hope messages link in the WeChat group she belongs to.”
UGANDA — The Words of Hope Uganda team continues to lead live Sunday worship services that are streamed on YouTube and other social media platforms. People tune in from Australia, South Sudan, the United States, and Dubai. The same service is also aired on up to three national Ugandan television stations and on radio stations as well. Pray that these services will be a blessing to many people.
NIGER — Our team leader in Niger reports that their radio and television stations organized many events to celebrate Christmas at the end of the year. Because of these activities, they received lots of great questions from Muslim neighbors. Many of the questions centered on the birth of Jesus Christ and why Christians believe he is the Savior. Praise God for these opportunities to bear witness to the truth.
ALBANIA — A lot of time and energy has gone into the devotional writing project in Albania recently. A little over a year ago, there was a training held for Albanian devotional writers. Now there is an active project underway! For the first time ever five church leaders from diverse backgrounds in Albania are writing for the Albanian devotional. Interaction and support for these indigenous writers on social media is exciting to see!