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The Lord hears and answers. Praise the Lord!
We thank God for the release of A Hybrid World: Diaspora, Hybridity, and Missio Dei, a publication which came out of GDN’s consultation in June 2018. We also thank God that the revised and updated version of Scattered and Gathered: a Global Compendium of Diaspora Missiology be available within a few months. We thank God for each person involved in putting together these resources. Please pray for Kingdom impact on missiology and ministry through these two books.
We also thank God for plans to summarize in Korean the material from Scattered and Gathered in a series of brief videos on YouTube. Please pray for this creative effort, which begins in September, to engage an eager audience.
Prayer requests from Global Diaspora Forum participants
Many missionaries, global mission/ministry training programs and their students have been strongly impacted by COVID-19. Please continue to pray for wisdom, encouragement and creativity for those affected on how to adjust to new and often changing circumstances. Pray for innovation within organizations so they may continue Kingdom work in new ways. Pray for sweet times of fellowship with the Lord for those who have been unexpectedly removed from their labor.
A series of monthly prayer calls focusing on the unreached in North America will begin in late July and continue through December. Please pray that practitioners, intercessors and other church members will learn from each other as they pray together. Pray that the Church will join in God’s plans for moving people to Canada and the United States.
This year’s hajj from July 28 to August 2 will be very different from recent years. Instead of 2 million Muslims from around the world journeying to Mecca, perhaps around a thousand will be allowed to perform the pilgrimage. This group will be made of people already within Saudi Arabia. Diplomats, for instance, may be representing whole nations. Please ask the Lord to show Himself to those who perform the hajj. Pray for the disappointed ones who cannot go to Mecca to learn how they can receive forgiveness.
The online Lausanne Diaspora Virtual Summit on August 26 and 27 will look back on diaspora missiology, particularly since Cape Town 2010, and look forward regarding its future and emerging issues. There will be one global session and two regional/language based sessions each day. Please pray for divine appointments as participants interact with each other. Pray for God’s protection and blessing of the technology and equipment to be used so that cyber and spiritual connections can be made. Pray for fruitful discussions to continue after the summit.
The High Holy Days from Rosh Hashanah (September 18) to Yom Kippur (September 28) are seen by observant Jews as days of repentance. Many Jewish people who recognize Yeshua as the Messiah began to do so during this period from the Feast of Trumpets to the Day of Atonement. Please pray that this year, many practicing and non-practicing Jewish people will hear the Creator calling to them, “Come to me.”
NextMove, WiThee, Korean Migrant Network and Malaysia Diaspora Network plan to collaborate to minister among refugees and migrants in Malaysia. Please pray for humility and effective communication so that this partnership may lead to much lasting fruit.
GDN’s consultation on Africans in diaspora and diasporas in Africa has been postponed until August 2021. Please continue to pray for the organizers as they plan in the midst of uncertainty.
On the Move: Seafarers
We have previously highlighted seafarers as strategic people on the move (Nov. 2014, Dec. 2016), but we are asking for prayer for seafarers now due to the impact of COVID-19. Please visit the prayer section of GDN’s website to see more ways to pray for seafarers.
Ninety percent of world trade is carried out in part by 1.6 million seafarers. These men and women represent almost every nation, but most are from China, Philippines, Indonesia, Russia and Ukraine. The spread of COVID-19, lockdowns and travel restrictions have severely disrupted global shipping. As a result, some seafarers have had their contracts terminated while others have been forced to continue working without their shore leaves. Hundreds of thousands have been forced to remain on their ships, with some being quarantined for more than two weeks without pay. Many are unable to go home or to receive proper medical care.
The Lord is the One who sees and hears. Please pray for each seafarer to know how much the heavenly Father values them and cares for them (see Matthew 6:26). Pray for God’s provision of comfort and supplies for families dealing with prolonged separations or job loss. Pray that governments and businesses will make changes to promote seafarers’ physical, mental and emotional health and to adapt to changing global shipping issues.
People Coming: Antigua and Barbuda
In this entry Antiguans will refer to the people of the country of Antigua and Barbuda.
The Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda consists of two major islands and several smaller ones. Most Antiguans are of West African descent. International migrants make up 28% of the small population of 102,000, one of the largest percentages globally. Most of these are from other Caribbean nations such as Guyana and Jamaica or from the US or UK. Antigua and Barbuda are popular tourist destinations, welcoming visitors from about 180 nations each year.
Praise God that so many Antiguans identify as Christians. Praise God for the freedom of religion within the country. Thank Him for blessing these islands with the wonders of His creation; pray that each person who sets foot in Antigua and Barbuda will encounter the Lord during their stay.
Please pray for Antiguans to seek the Lord as they deal with the impact of COVID-19 on tourism, which is a major part of their economy. Ask God to stir up the spirits of Antiguan Christ-followers for revival. Pray that God will promote brothers and sisters to key positions in government, finance and health care in this season; pray that they would also be able to uproot drug dealing and money laundering. Pray that those who interact with tourists will be led to intercede for them and to share hope and truth when prompted by the Spirit.
(Information gathered from: International Chamber of Shipping, International Maritime Organization, International Transport Workers Federation, Migration Policy Institute, Antigua Hotels and Tourist Association & Operation World)