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Prayer requests from Global Diaspora Forum participants
Please continue to pray for the Lausanne gathering from June 12-14 in Germany to mark 500 years since the Protestant Reformation. Pray that the mission leaders will “wait for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning” (Psalm 130:6). Ask God to instruct them in how to accelerate and further collaborate towards bringing the good news of Jesus Christ for every person and establishing an evangelical church for every people.
Please keep praying for millions of Muslims to draw closer to the Lord during Ramadan, the month of fasting according to the Islamic calendar. Pray that the Lord will open minds, that they may see “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus” (2 Corinthians 4:4-6). At least one terrorist group has called for increased violence during Ramadan. Ask the Judge of the earth, who is Faithful and True, to “break the arm of the wicked and evildoer” that they might turn towards Him (Psalm 10:15).
Please pray for Messianic Jews from the US and Israel as they build relationships with Israeli Jewish backpackers on the trails in India during June through August. In areas with temples of various Hindu traditions, yoga and meditation centers and other forms of spirituality, conversations about faith and beliefs arise naturally. Just as the traveling Ethiopian received the words of Life from Philip, may nothing prevent Jewish backpackers from rejoicing in Yeshua (Acts 8:26-39). Pray that the Messianic Jews will continue sharing wherever the Lord leads (Acts 8:40).
Lift up the researchers and writers who are currently working on a new publication on the South Asian diaspora, that that it will be evident that each one has been “given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Please ask God’s blessings upon the newly formed International Center for Diaspora Missions, based in Korea. The ICDM aims to promote diaspora and migrant mission within Korea and to advance ministry to the 7 million Koreans living in diaspora, who will then reach out to non-Korean neighbors in at least 176 countries. Please pray that through ICDM, Korean churches will be better equipped for building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12).
People Going: Third Culture Children
The term “diaspora” often refers to those who are living outside their country of origin. However, the term may also be used to include their children (and sometimes grandchildren and other descendants) who may live solely in the country of destination. These “next generations” or “hidden generations” are often not easily categorized; their senses of identity, belonging and being accepted shift between the cultures and languages of their parents’ or grandparents’ country and those of the country they live in. For this reason, they are sometimes referred to as “third culture” children.
Praise God for giving us the right to become children of God (John 1:12). Please pray that any confusion or anger regarding their cultural status will lead third culture children to center their identities in Christ, who is “not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11). Please pray that the Church will be active in meeting the special concerns of third culture children, helping them experience unconditional acceptance and belonging, saved by the same Lord who is Lord of all (Romans 10:12). Ask God to raise up third culture leaders for the Kingdom at the right places and the right times, as He did with Moses, Esther and Timothy (Esther 4:14).
Diaspora Hub: Tapachula
The introduction of coffee farms in the 1800s led to significant Chinese and German populations in Tapachula in the southwestern Mexican state of Chiapas. Today, Tapachula has become a diaspora hub for Central Americans, Africans and Asians. It is just a few miles away from the border with Guatemala, where the Suchiate River which separates the countries is sometimes so shallow that it may be crossed on foot. For many years, millions of people including unaccompanied minors fleeing violence, poverty, extortion and forced gang recruitment in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have made their way to Tapachula. In more recent years, migrants have also included Haitians, Indians, Bangladeshis, Nepalis, Somalis, Ethiopians, Ghanaians and more. Some of these diaspora people try to stay in Mexico while others attempt to reach Canada or the States.
Praise the Lord, the God of all the earth, for His good and perfect plan. Pray that the Central Americans, Africans and Asians in Tapachula will call out to the Lord and witness the His deliverance and redemption. Ask the Lord to extend His mercy and compassion on them and to rescue them and their families from oppression and violence. Pray that Christ-followers in Tapachula will display how precious the lives of these migrants are in God’s eyes (Psalm 72:12-14). Pray that in Tapachula, Christ’s reign and authority in the spiritual realm will be manifested among the nations (Ephesians 1:20-21).
(Information gathered from Jews for Jesus, CBCNews, PBS Newshour and Wikipedia)