pray

We know that our ministry in Ayorou would not have been possible without your prayers.  We are so grateful for praying people.  And so to our prayer warriors, please take these requests.

Karma is a village we just re-entered last year.  Many have come to faith in this village and we've begun meeting there on a weekly basis.  However, this village, more than any of our other current work, sums up the statement 'where God is at work, so is the enemy.'  Let it be noted that this is widely known as one of the darkest villages in all Niger. There is a deep tie to the demonic in this village and a demon possessed man even threatened to stone our team one day (holding a very large rock he was pretty convincing). 

I went to this village Sunday hoping to meet with a group of believers and especially two men who recently prayed to receive Christ.  I took a national partner with me who has been a part of the work there.  When we arrived, no one was waiting so we decided to walk through the market and try to find Henry* who is the most faithful to come.  It seemed we couldn't walk 50 feet without the national partner pointing out someone and saying "you see him, he prayed to receive Christ a few months ago."  And yet, person after person either refused to even greet us (an unthinkable act in this hospitable country) or make up some lame excuse about why he has not been coming.  One guy even stopped dead in his tracks when he saw us and turned to run the other way!

We returned back to our truck discouraged and ready to head home when we found Henry waiting for us smiling as he always does.  We spent some time praying for these men and Henry explained to us that the level of persecution has been raised over the past few months.  People are too scared to be associated with the Christians for fear of the consequences.  One guy even told Henry that if he came to his house again to invite him for our Bible study he would beat him up!

Yet Henry has remained strong in his faith.  Even though it appears he is the only one in his entire village who is following Jesus, even though all the persecution is now directly on him, even though his wife, his wife's parents, his own parents curse him now, he has stayed strong.

So pray for Karma and pray for Henry.  Whatever level of disappointment we feel in the people of Karma, his is ten times that.  He so desperately wants a true brother in the faith to walk with him.  Pray for this former stronghold of Satan that as it slowly slips away from his grasp through the powerful name of Jesus, he does not relinquish control without a fight.

Also pray for David* of Ayorou.  David is a young man who prayed to receive Christ in 2008.  He has remained very faithful and is always eager to learn more.  He is the only believer in his entire family.  I have seen him on every visit to Ayorou until this past one.  I asked about him and I heard that a family member came from Niamey to physically remove him from Ayorou and send him to a Koranic school in Tillaberri.  Our hearts break at the thought of David being forced to recite the Koran all day long and go into the streets to beg for money.  Please pray for David to remain strong.

Finally, pray for our country.  It is increasingly an unsafe place.  It seems that the areas of greatest need and lostness are the areas that are becoming closed to our access.  Our Brazilian partners had to move from their village because of security concerns.  The entire country of Mali (where so many Songhai live) is completely closed.  The area of work for one of our partnering churches has just this week (2 weeks before their trip) become more hostile.

This is a long post just to say please pray for the Songhai.  God is moving in their hearts, they are responding to the Gospel like never before.  Areas where Satan has had full reign for literally centuries are being plucked right out of his hands.  The powerful name of Jesus is going forward but there is a real fight, a real battle going on.  Thank you for your prayers.


*names changed for security reasons