Prayer requests from Global Diaspora Forum participants
Pray for wisdom for the authors and editors of the diaspora missiology compendium as they process and incorporate feedback from the Forum. Pray for these revisions to be completed within the next few months. Ask God to provide a suitable publisher. Pray for the compendium to prompt more diaspora-related conversations and studies.
Ask the God of all comfort to make Himself known to those affected by the earthquake in Nepal. May the Lord’s hand be upon relief workers. Almost every family in Nepal has someone working abroad; pray for Nepalis longing for their homeland to trust in the Lord. Ask God to provide for the peoples of Nepal as both farming and tourist industries have been greatly impacted.
We thank God that some captives taken by Boko Haram have been rescued. Please continue to pray for the “Chibok” young women and for other victims. Pray for physical, emotional and spiritual healing. A large number of these former captives are pregnant; pray for these mothers and babies to know that the Lord has good plans for them.
Please pray for government leaders who make decisions regarding migration (such as immigration policy, treatment of migrant workers, rights of citizens living abroad, treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, treatment of unaccompanied minors, etc.). Pray that all these leaders may govern with integrity by God’s grace. Pray for those leaders who follow Christ to earnestly seek the Lord’s guidance in these matters and display the favor of the Lord. Pray for churches to be active in ministering to all migrants.
A high quality documentary-drama on the life of St Augustine is being filmed in North Africa by North Africans. Ask God to provide all the funds and resources necessary, including the right professionals to be part of the cast and crew. As the film shows Christ’s impact on Augustine, pray for those involved to draw closer to the Lord. Pray that God will soften the hearts of people across North Africa when the film is released in October or November.
Ask God to raise up more leaders among Chinese living in diaspora. Pray that He will send workers from North America, Hong Kong and Taiwan to help equip Chinese brothers and sisters in Europe and Africa. Pray that He will also stir up Chinese diaspora churches to reach cross-culturally to non-Chinese.
Praise God for the beginning of an international fellowship group for refugees in Lille, France. Pray that many will discover and enjoy the peace of Christ.
Please pray for Wycliffe Global Alliance, SIL International and other organizations involved with Bible translation and distribution as they consider how to help unreached diaspora peoples have access to God’s Word. Pray for these organizations to have wisdom as they develop steps and to effectively cooperate with each other and with local ministries.
Diaspora People Group in Focus: Sindhis
Dozens of different people groups make up the Sindhi people group cluster, with between 24 and 40 million Sindhi speakers worldwide. Most Sindhis live in Pakistan and are from a Muslim background. Shortly after Pakistan’s independence in 1947, many Hindu and Sikh Sindhis moved to India. Smaller numbers of Sindhis are found in places such as United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Kenya and United States.
Praise God for reports that growing numbers of Sindhis are turning to Christ and that Sindhi churches exist in different countries. May the Lord strengthen these brothers and sisters and give them a vision to be agents of reconciliation. Pray for Sindhis to have a hunger for Truth and encounter the Living Word through Bible-based resources. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth more laborers among the Sindhi peoples.
Country of Diaspora: Thailand
In recent weeks, the discovery of mass graves in Thailand has drawn attention to trafficking rings which target Rohingya and other groups attempting to flee from nearby countries such as Burma (Myanmar). Thailand is one of the countries with the largest number of international migrants and also a top tourist destination, with Bangkok being named the world’s most visited city in 2013. Religious freedom and stability in Thailand has allowed a consistent evangelical presence for hundreds of years but the vast majority of Thais still describe the gospel as “unintelligible.”
Praise God for the availability of Bible colleges, seminaries and other leadership training opportunities in Thailand. Pray that Thai churches will express their faith in ways that are distinctly Thai so that the good news of Jesus Christ may be clearly conveyed. Praise God for ministries bringing healing to prostitutes, street children, those with HIV/AIDS and refugees. Pray against spiritual forces of evil which seek to destroy lives and communities. Ask the Spirit of the Lord to bring hope and lasting freedom across Thailand and to Thais living in diaspora.
(Information from Joshua Project, Operation World and Wikipedia)
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