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The Lord hears and answers. Praise the Lord!
Thank you for praying for the Refugee Highway Partnership European Roundtable in February. A common message among about 150 leaders was the desire to collaborate more with the national churches. Please pray for Christ’s love to be displayed among these partnerships (John 17:23).
Praise God for the life of Rev. Dr. Billy Graham. May the Lord show us how to imitate his faith so that his legacy may continue to bring honor to Christ (Hebrews 13:7).
Prayer requests for Hybridity, Diaspora and Missio Dei Consultation
Please lift up the working consultation on Hybridity, Diaspora and Missio Dei, June 19-22 in Manila. Ask the Lord to gather the participants He has prepared and to supply the finances and visas for each one. Pray for wisdom and focus for each of the presenters as they prepare. Pray for clarity and energy for MP, AM and JU as they organize the event and prepare logistical arrangements. Ask the Creator to watch over the comings and goings of all those attending. May the Holy Spirit’s presence be evident and honored throughout the gathering. Please pray for the Lord’s refining of the material presented so that a helpful book may be published by 2019. Pray that this consultation will glorify the Lord in more ways than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20-21).
Prayer requests from Global Diaspora Forum participants
A summit is planned between North and South Korea on April 27, the third meeting between state leaders since the 1953 armistice. Pray for each leader to acknowledge that “kingship belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 22:28). Ask the King to bring lasting peace.
The 8th Lausanne International Researchers’ Conference will be in Nairobi from April 30 to May 4. Ask God to give wisdom and creativity to researchers to overcome the challenges of researching diaspora-related topics. Pray that the Church’s response to research will demonstrate faith and obedience (Numbers 14:6-9).
A major evangelism conference Amplify 2018 will be June 26-28 near Chicago and will also be the Lausanne North American Regional Gathering. About 58 million international migrants live in the US and Canada; the conference includes a diaspora track featuring several GDN leaders. Please pray for the removal of ungodly attitudes among Christ-followers and of strongholds hindering the spread of the knowledge of God to every people group in North America (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
Please pray for hearts to be moved to supply a Kingdom-centered language center near the border between Cambodia and Thailand with workers and visas, equipment, furnishings and other financial needs (Exodus 35:29).
Facing severe shortages of food, medicine and other necessities, millions of Venezuelans have been emigrating to neighboring countries like Colombia. Pray that many will personally experience Jesus as “the bread of life” and “the resurrection and the life” (John 6:35, 11:25).
On the waters of the Tonle Sap River and Lake in Cambodia, somewhere between 400,000 to 1 million ethnic Vietnamese live on boats in hundreds of floating villages. These “nonimmigrant foreigners” are effectively stateless people, not allowed to attend public schools, own property, etc. May the Lord reveal Himself as the God who sees them (Genesis 16:13).
Please continue to pray for GDN leaders as they raise awareness within and equip the Church regarding diaspora peoples and issues through classes, articles, consultations and conferences. Pray that these interactions will help prepare the way for all flesh to see God’s salvation (see Luke 3:3-14).
Ask God to assemble a team of diaspora-focused prayer mobilizers to serve the Lord together for the building up of the Church (Romans 12:4-7).
On the Move: Displaced Middle Easterners
Millions of Middle Easterners have left their homes due to violent conflicts. Most are internally displaced persons, meaning they have fled to another part of the same country, but a significant number are refugees or asylum-seekers who have crossed national borders to try to find safety. Close to 12 million Syrians, over 3 million Iraqis and 2 million Yemenis have been on the move.
As people flee, some are questioning the teachings of the Qu’ran, having lost hope in government and religious leaders. Some have been shown love and compassion with practical assistance from Christ-followers along the way. Others have been healed after receiving prayer in the name of Jesus. Many are learning about Isa and starting to follow Him. What was meant for evil, God is using to bring about the rescue of many lives!
(Read Psalm 139) Praise the Lord who knows each displaced Middle Easterner’s thoughts, ways and words. Pray that each one will know with every step the joy of His presence and the comfort of His sustaining hand. Pray for wickedness and violence in the land to be replaced by righteousness and peacemaking.
Strategic Gathering: One Belt One Road
“One Belt One Road” is China’s ambitious plan to restore the Silk Road, centuries-old trading routes over land and by sea. The idea includes building infrastructure mostly related to transport and energy across over 60 nations in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe. In light of China’s new regulations on religious activities, let us pray into the different opportunities for gospel exchange God may be providing through One Belt One Road.
Praise the Lord, who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Pray for diplomats, engineers, laborers and the many others who will be involved in this project – both Chinese and those of the many nations along the routes. Ask the Spirit to send Christ-followers to share the good news with those who do not yet know Jesus, as with Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-29). Pray that those who love Jesus will grow in understanding, enjoy fellowship with each other and be eager share what they learn, like Cleopas and his companion (Luke 24:27, 35). Pray that those who are persecuting the Body will encounter the Living God, repent and be filled with the Spirit, like Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:1-22).
(Information gathered from Migration Policy Institute, NY Times, UNHCR, Quartz.com)