January 2001

We want to thank you very much for being a faithful pray-er for the Zerma Team for the past year.  We have felt your prayers very much.  I would like to give you an update for the year 2000, so hopefully for the next prayer letter I will have that info for you.

Sometimes it seems to be difficult for me to get the prayer letters as early as I think I have to in order for many of you to copy and get in the church bulletins or mailed.  I am sending this prayer letter without dates.  If I am unable to get the prayer letter to you in time sometimes, please continue to pray for us.  For the most part, we make great efforts to get this sent, but there are times that the email system does not work, or for some reason we might not be able to get to Niamey.  Please be patient and please, please
keep praying.

Ramadan has started - this is the time that Muslims do a 30 day fast. Please pray that they would see visions, dream dreams, and come to know a real - loving God.

As I am sending this on 7 Dec, 2000. I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas from the entire Zerma Team.  We love you and  appreciate you so much.  Happy Holidays

Prayer Requests:
January is a very busy month during gardening season.  Pray that gardens will produce much, especially in regions where millet harvest was not good.

Even though the cool temperatures of January may only dip to the upper 50's at night, it is a time of much sickness.  The cold dry air brings on much respiratory problems.

Pray for Don Bolls as he distributes garden seed and seeds of the gospel.  Praise the Lord that Mark Ledlow and family had a safe trip and got to visit much family even though it was a sad occasion that brought them together with the untimely death of his brother.

Pray that God would continue to lead us to "men of Peace" in the villages we enter, who will serve as conduits for the spread of the Gospel.  Praise God for those we are working with now, men like Alhassan, Moumouni and Zakou. Pray they would have a far-reaching influence in the areas where they live.

Pray for Don, Teresa and Phil as we are opening a new community center in the market of Ouallam.  We are hoping this new community center will be more centrally located and attract more people.  We will continue to have the other center in hopes to continue to teach various classes, offer religious as well as literacy and school helps.  The center that will be in the market will only be opened on market days (Wednesday).

As we have led many people through studies and shared stories from the Bible, it has become evident that "obedience" has not kept pace with "knowledge".  Pray that the Christians we work with would be "doers" of the Word and not merely hearers only.

Crystal Pope is coming to Niger Jan 10, and will help the Zerma team to work though some "team" teaching. Please pray for us as we meet the 11-12th. Pray for Crystal's time in Niger.

Pray that Don Bolls might find a village that could really use a hunger relief project of gardening, water wells, health and nutrition.

Devout Muslims around the world have spent the last month fasting.  Pray they would come to see that their works are meaningless apart from the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Pray for Phil and Teresa as we continue to work through the paper work to get the "team" here in February.  Dr. Braswell, Tracy, Tina and Pandy are planning to come to minister to many through ministering through an eye clinic.  Hopefully Phil, Don and Teresa will be able to get the paperwork done, line up the patients that will have cataract surgery.  Pray for the "team" as they prepare the medical supplies, glasses, visas, passports, etc for the trip.

Pray for us as we really miss family and loved ones during the holiday season.

Tom Ferguson and Brian Taylor, missionary colleagues from Togo will be joining the Zerma team this month to conduct music workshops.  These workshops will result in the Zerma Christians being able to write and compose indigenous Christian music for worship services.  Past experiences have shown this to be an effective evangelism tool. as music is often used as a communication medium.  Pray this would be a fruitful time, and that the believers would actively participate.

Pray for wisdom as we deal with many that show little or false interest in the gospel and much interest in money, material and status gained by association with us.

Pray for Teresa and Don as they weigh babies in Kwadabio Kwaara.  Pray that the mothers will do what is being taught, and that the babies will continue to grow in health and wisdom and come to know God in a real way.