Prayer Calendar by Global Mission - 2nd Quarter 2009

© Komar..| Dreamstime.com

DEARFRIEND

P

Gary Krause Adventist Mission Director

o p e n i n g

Prayer Journal Inside

In Christ,

PRAYERCALENDAR

12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904

astor Eric B. Hare was just 21 years old when, in 1915, he and his wife, Agnes, left Australia for Burma—also known as Myanmar.

They served there nearly 20 years as missionaries among the Karen people. His unique stories of life as a missionary have delighted generations of young Adventists, and given them a fresh vision of frontline mission.

How would missionaries such as Pastor Hare feel if they could see the impact of their work? I’m sure Pastor Hare would be stunned by the generations of Karen believers who have remained faithful Adventists. He would be shocked to see the beautiful Eric B. Hare Memorial School built in the area where he worked, and several other schools, funded by an American family who first caught their vision for the international mission work of the church through his stories.

I visited Burma for the first time about 15 years ago. Back then, all visitors were required to exchange a large amount of hard currency into local money. Tourists were few. And there were just a handful of Seventh-day Adventist church members. I remember for the first time seeing the Shwedagon Pagoda, a mighty Buddhist symbol, soaring above the capital city, Rangoon.

I’ve met Global Mission pioneers in Burma who, on a small stipend and facing huge challenges, have planted new Adventist congregations in new areas. I’ve visited their small house “churches” where the Word of God is opened each week. I’ve met pastors who have spent decades in prison for their faith. And I’ve met boy and girls, men and women who met Jesus through the pioneers and now have peace through faith in a God of grace and love far more powerful than evil spirits.

Burma lies within the heart of the 10/40 Window. Within a 3,000 mile radius of Rangoon, 60 percent of the world’s population live. They’re the world’s poorest people, and most have never even heard the name of Jesus.

Thank you for caring. Thank you for your prayerful financial support of Global Mission’s efforts to build God’s kingdom in the most challenging parts of the world.

d o o r s

t h r o u g h

2Q

p r a y e r O9

By Wilson Kuki

By Chub Saruen

By Gueu Alphonse

“N

A

“Y

o you can’t come and hold an evangelism series in our village!”

After seven years as a Global Mission pioneer in the Solomon Islands I was used to these kinds of responses from village chiefs. I often run into obstacles when I try to start working in a new village. What surprised me was this village chief’s follow up statement. “But you can come help us rebuild our church roof.”

I readily accepted the offer. Last fall I led a small group of 20 youth on a six-day mission trip to rebuild the village’s church roof. Every morning and evening we gathered outside our guesthouse to worship, sing, and pray together.

Each day villagers stopped by to see what we were doing and in the process worshiped with us.

As the week progressed we made friends. On Sabbath we planned a worship service hoping a few villagers might show up. Instead, more than 40 people came. We told Bible stories from the picture rolls we had brought and sang and sang.

The people loved it.

I hope to hold a formal evangelistic series in this village one day; for now I pray that our little kindness goes a long way towards building a bridge to this community.

To contribute to Global Mission work in South Pacific countries, such as the Solomon Islands, please support Fund #6900.

A P R I L

solomon Islands Please pray for Global Mission work in South Pacific countries. This region of the world remains a challenge with totally unreached island nations—such as Nauru and Tokelau—to highly secular cities—like Sydney, Australia.

P R A Y E R J O U R N A L

s a Global Mission pioneer in Cambodia I face many challenges. Most people have never heard of Jesus Christ. Fellow Global Mission pioneer Prom Peng and I struggled for 18 months in Bang Krayat to start a congregation. Eventually we had some 25 people meeting with us each week for Bible study and prayer. The mission even helped us build a temporary church in the village from bamboo and thatch. We were grateful to the Lord for His blessings. It seemed that everything was going our way.

Then everything changed. The Cambodian government opened up an area of land for settlement by poor people who wished to apply. All of the people with whom we’d been studying the Bible left our group and moved more than 60 miles away (100 km) to this new plot of land. Our temporary church now sits empty each week.

Prom and I have set out again to find new people to worship with us. My greatest concern, though, is for those who left. They were new Adventists who, like young seedlings, need the tender care of a church family to help them grow. They have no one to help them stay true to their newfound faith. Please pray for our work in Cambodia and for those who moved away.

To contribute to Global Mission work in Asian countries, such as Cambodia, please support Fund #5240.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

P ro v id ed fo r y o u r u s e d u r i ng d a i l y d e v ot i ons.

M A Y

cambodia Worldwide there is one Seventh-day Adventist for every 450 people; but it’s far different in Asia. In Cambodia there is one Adventist for every 2,602 people. In Laos there’s not one ordained Adventist pastor for the country’s six million people. And in Japan the church is struggling to survive with low baptisms and an aging church population.

P R A Y E R J O U R N A L

ou mean Saturday is the Lord’s day?”

As a building technician I get calls for work on Saturday. After weeks of attending an evangelistic series in my hometown of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, I was accepting Jesus as my savior. But I wasn’t ready for the commitment of the Sabbath. So I prayed, “Lord, if you want me to take every Saturday off for you, please show me this truly is your day.”

The following Saturday I received a call from an important client. I jumped on my motorbike and was on my way to meet him when my motorbike broke down. I I fixed it and and resumed my journey. A few miles later it broke down again. This time I had to find a mechanic to fix it. By the time I got to my appointment the client was gone.

Frustrated and angry, I was wondering what to do next when I received a call from another client. I jumped on my bike, and headed to meet him. I had traveled only a half-mile when I had another breakdown. I quickly found a mechanic to fix the problem. This continued till I finally made it to the building, but the client had already left again. Then I remembered my prayer and said: “So, Lord, this is your day of worship.”

My motorbike broke down five times that day. Now I am convinced; I am not going to work anymore on Saturday.

To contribute to Global Mission work in African countries, such as Côte d’Ivoire, please support Fund #5220.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24 31

25

26

27

28

29

30

Provi d ed for y ou r u se d u ri ng da i l y d evoti ons.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

J U N E

CÔTE D’IVOIRE The Adventist Church has grown throughout many parts of Africa. Yet major challenges still remain, especially in the north. Religious, social, and ethnic persecution makes church growth difficult in some areas. Please pray for the Global Mission pioneers who are taking Jesus’ love to all of Africa.

P R AY E R J O U R N A L

Provi d ed for yo ur use durin g daily devo tio n s.