Bridge of Prayer
October-November 2014
Dear MWB Prayer Partner, You will find our daily prayer guide below. Bridge of Prayer is published every 2 months. Thank you for praying for us and the people we are helping. Only with your prayers and our God’s gracious intervention is lasting good achieved. – Mission Without Borders NZ
Thanks: Please join with us in thanking God for the following:
The economic crisis in Ukraine means that State Homes (orphanages) are seriously under-funded this year. MWB Ukraine planned for only 700 children going to camps this year, but Homes directors were so delighted to be able to send the children that we had 945 Ukrainian children attend our camps this year! Harald Hem (Norway, currently our Int. Field Director) has agreed to take over the role as Chief Executive of the Mission from Harry Graham when Harry retires in 2015. We have been in the field for 54 years now. The international leaders gathered in Greenwich, London in September, for our two-yearly Conference. One key thing we realise is that rather than short-term projects or aid MWB is distinctive for its foundation on solid long-term relationships – with local churches, local authorities, supporters, sponsors, and so on. This is how we work together to “reach people for Christ” in Eastern Europe.
October 1-2 Ukraine
To date in the war in eastern Ukraine some 3000 have lost their lives (including 1000 civilians) and about 3000 have been wounded. These casualties touch many Ukrainians personally, including our local staff, especially when they are from nearby towns or villages. Please continue to pray for our staff who continue to work under tremendous uncertainty and stress among stressed families and others in dire need of material and emotional support.
3-4 Ukraine
October is when Parliamentary elections will take place (the first after the over-throw of Yanukovich’s Presidency in February this year). Please pray for those standing for government leadership in Ukraine, that those elected might be honest, self-less and wise in their decision making.
5-6 Bulgaria
Also on these dates, elections take place in Bulgaria where the political situation is unstable. Bulgaria is the poorest in the EU. Please pray for God-fearing leaders and those with integrity to come into office and advance the interests of their country above their own.
7-8 Ukraine
Ordinary people are suffering hardship, with gas prices up 70% this year already and rising; and electricity prices up 30%. Government family benefit payments have dried up. People are anxious as autumn arrives and many are already trying to stockpile firewood for the winter. Pray for the government of Ukraine and for those responsible for allocating aid and resources that they may have great wisdom and forge good relations with those nations reaching out to help.
9-10 Ukraine
Gifts in Kind (aid such as food, clothing, bedding, shoes etc.) is very important at this time. Please pray for efficient and timely releases of the container shipments as they arrive at the border and for wisdom for our staff as they seek to make best use of limited resources in the face of ever greater needs.
11-12 Bosnia
Please pray for this nation as general and Presidential elections take place on 12 October. Change is sorely wanted, and protests and riots have taken place even this year.
13-14 Moldova
Pray for Anatolie Kirilov who leads our MWB Moldova office and his staff of 73 full and part-time workers plus many volunteers. Anatolie is a former State Home child himself and has a real heart for the disadvantaged children in his nation. Of all the children who go through State Homes in Moldova, only 1 in 10 does well, the others falling prey to human trafficking, drug addiction, crime and imprisonment, suicide. Please pray for God to raise up more workers in this poor nation who will reach out with his message of redeeming love to those that will otherwise struggle or even die, especially the teens aged 14-18.
15-16 Moldova
Please pray for the new group of students at Ghidighici Farm training centre near Chisinau where young people are learning horticulture, auto-mechanics, pig-farming and agricultural skills with State-approved certificates offered at the end of the courses.
17-18 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Please pray for Dalibor Kojiç and his staff in the MWB Bosnia office. Dalibor is trialling several “microenterprise” projects with sponsored families, such as rearing and selling goats. Please pray for the success of these projects so that we can develop them further in other communities where we work.
19-20 Bulgaria
Pray for the two F2F (family) Coordinators Ventislav and Emil. Pray also for sponsors for the 47 families who need sponsors so that the Coordinators’ work can become established in their communities.
21-22 Bulgaria
Please pray for our F2F family work among the poor Muslim communities where we have the support of local authorities. Pray that the families will be touched by the love of God and come to an understanding of Jesus the Son of God.
23-24 Romania
Please pray for Jimmy Macavei and his 35 staff in the MWB Romania office. Pray also for the elderly that they are reaching out to in run-down State “Seniors’ Homes” where many end up who do not have families or the means to live in better facilities. These people represent an institutionalised group that in Romanian society are normally ignored and counted as worthless but who are dear to God’s heart.
25-26 Romania
Please pray for the people attending the soup kitchen at Hunedoara, where our partner is a large Pentecostal church that reaches the poorest in the area. Since the soup kitchen was established around 2009, a good number of those helped have made Christian commitments and been baptised.
27-28 Romania
Please pray for more volunteers to come forward who will help us in our work with various outreaches, and also for the StreetMercy work among the homeless in Craiova and for the leaders, Ionuƫ and his wife.
29-30 Albania
Please pray for Monika Qerimi and her 10 dedicated staff. Pray for their families and their health.
31 All field countries
This is the time of preparing for Christmas-related outreaches, including the Christmas Love parcels for families (please pray for a generous response from all our supporters to our appeal in October-November); puppet shows and plays with a Christmas theme for children and adults in orphanages and community centres.
November 1-2 Ukraine
Christmas Love project: The boxes of staple foods and Christmas treats will have even greater importance this year as all Ukrainians face higher living costs and great uncertainties. Please pray for the team of volunteers who will help our staff pack several thousands of the special gift boxes, and for those distributing them, and for those who receive them, that they may receive more than just food and treats, but also the Peace of God in the person of Jesus, who is the real meaning of Christmas.
3-4 Romania
Please pray for the government of Romania and in particular that the Presidential elections this month will occur peacefully, without unjust interference or violent protest, and that a good national leader will emerge.
5-6 Bulgaria
Pray for the ongoing work in the prisons and that more volunteers and partner churches will awaken to the possibilities of this mission field and come forward to help.
7-8 Moldova
Please pray for more local churches in Moldova to see the possibilities that partnering with MWB offer them in Christian outreach and ministry to their own people; and that these churches will be open to expanding their vision to reach their communities with practical help and the Gospel.
9-10 Ukraine
Mykola (Director MWBU) reports that churches are gathering to pray together and conflicts between Christian denominations and groups have all but ceased. Young people gather in town squares to pray for their country and for the war to cease. Pray for the churches and church leaders that we work with that they might be a light in their communities, and continue to reach out to those in the eastern regions affected by the war.
11-12 International
Pray for the right person to come forward to take the role of International Field Director when Harald Hem (Norway) becomes CEO of the Mission and his position becomes vacant.
13-14
Our work is based on God’s provision through his faithful people. Please pray for the 11 fund-raising and supporting countries like NZ and for our work in New Zealand that God will call more new supporters to join in our work.
15-16 Bosnia
Please pray for the new Coordinator Nermin, an ex-Muslim, who is an evangelist, seeing great growth in the number of enrolled families in our sponsorship programme, and enjoying the favour of the Mayor.
17-18 Moldova
Please pray for good relations with local authorities who will endorse and support MWB Moldova’s work among the socially dis-advantaged. This is especially important with State Homes/schools at present.
19-20 Albania
Please pray for the outreaches at the Lapraka and Berat soup kitchens where around 80 people are fed each day (budgeted for only 60!). Please pray for the expansion of the soup kitchen work to other partner churches so that even more people can be reached.
21-22 Bulgaria
Pray for Sarkis, and the volunteers who staff the StreetMercy project that they will be protected from violence from the alcoholics, mentally ill and others who often seek to disrupt the daily distributions of food etc. MWB is the only Christian NGO working with the homeless in Bulgaria.
23-24 Albania
485 children attended MWB Summer Camp in Albania in June. Churches want to reach children even more. Pray for strong and wise initiatives from churches like Nehemia (working among gypsy children).
25-26 Albania
Pray for the effectiveness of the Si Jeni newspaper (“How are you?”) which continues to be used as a tool to promote the Gospel to inquirers among up to 15,000+ readers.
27-28 Bosnia
Dalibor, the Bosnia and Herzegovina director, wants to expand the F2F programme to include a community possibly in the Tuzla region (where there were floods this year). Pray for doors to be opened!
29-30 Moldova
Pray for the expansion of the work into State Homes in Russian-speaking Transnistria, which have been open to practical help from MWB this year.♦