April 2002

Greetings. Once again we would like to thank you for your prayers for the Zerma people and those that are working with them. Much thanks for the Arizona folks that came to Pray and do construction work.

Many things have happened this month and April will be a very packed month as well. We really thank you for lifting these prayers up daily.

Another personal note from Teresa. As I have been in the States these past 5 weeks I have been able to be in contact with many of our prayer folks. Thank all of you for your support and for your prayers. I have been amazed at how many of you are very involved in our work by your prayers, the comments, questions and remarks about different areas of our work. We are convinced that Prayer is our most important work, and we appreciate how you are helping us in this area. Not all of us are over in Niger working directly with the Zerma people, but there are so many working on their knees praying for the work and for the people daily. May God bless each of you.

I am enclosing a "Thirty Days of Prayer for the Zerma" This was designed by Phil and will be translated and distributed to other countries for Prayer support. You might want to use it in your daily devotions.

Also you will find a little write-up about the Zerma. Hoping that you will be more knowledgeable about the Zerma and our work in Niger during your prayer time.

APRIL PRAYER REQUESTS:

Monday 1 April - Pray for Phil, Kimberly, Caroline, and Caleb as they will be traveling and attending a month long conference in Abidjan. This conference will benefit the Zerma team as we learn how to do strategic planning, Phil will be able to be invited to recruit help while on Stateside Assignment. Pray for the many different methods they will learn this month. Pray for open minds, rest and a time to work through all the information they will be learning.

Tuesday 2 April - Pray for the requests for the two year short-term missionaries that will be living in the bush in various villages. Pray for us as we plan for this, pray for the villages where people will be placed, and pray that God would even now be calling forth men and women to come and live in these villages.

Wednesday 3 April - Please continue to pray for the five women that accepted Christ in January. Halima, Ramatou, Medina, Zenaba, and Ay Nya. Pray for Teresa to be able to have the opportunities to disciple with these women.

Thursday 4 April - Pray for Don as he will be finalizing some things before James Brown comes for the harvest of the Peppers. Pray for the farmers as they continue to work in their fields with these peppers. Pray that the farmers will be excited and be able to make a good income from this project.

Friday 5 April - Pray for the Zerma team as we plan strategies for 2003 - strategies that will make creative and wise use of resources to enable us to reach the Zerma people with the Gospel, and plant churches that will in turn plant other churches.

Saturday 6 April - Please pray for the AZ volunteers as they remember - reflect on the various things they experienced in Niger. Pray for the people that were spoken to, prayed for, and for those that were missed. Thank the Lord for volunteers and for the power of prayer.

Sunday 7 April - Pray for a busy day, a time when we will be worshiping using various methods. Thank the Lord for the freedom to worship HIM, and for all those that are worshiping Him today.

Monday 8 April - Pray for Deanna as she continues her Bible Study. Pray for Ayssa, Maymouna, Zelika, Saley, Hamsatu, and Fati. Pray for them to see and understand the truths and that the women would be available to listen to the truth, and would accept this truth in the form of a Savior and Friend.

Tuesday 9 April - Please pray for Caroline who will be attending some sort of Home Schooling classes while her parents are taking classes in Abidjan. Pray for Caleb as he will be staying with a sitter during the days. Continue to pray for Kimberly and Phil as they attend classes.

Wednesday 10 April - Pray for the Zerma pastors and lay leaders. Pray that they would have a real burden for sharing Jesus with their families and friends. Pray for the many trials they experience because of their faith - and the tests they go through because of their faith. Pray especially for Pastor Moussa and his wife Kadija, Pray for Ibro and his wife Rachida. Pray for the various lay leaders, Soumeyla, Zakary, Tokeyo, Balarbre, Gado, Harouna, Alhassane, Moussa, Alzuma, Moumouni, and the many others that are trying to share a loving God through the way they communicate love to others.

Thursday 11 April - Pray for the young men who have completed the new-members class Phil has been teaching at the Ouallam Church. Pray that they would be humble and teachable as they continue on in their walk with the Lord. Pray that they would live and model the principles they've learned and that they would teach others what they know.

Friday 12 April - Pray for the missionaries ability to speak and understand Zerma. Pray that we would discover bridges that would help us build better relationships and better communicate the truths of scripture.

Saturday 13 April - Pray for us as we show the Jesus film in various villages. Pray that it would have a lasting impact, even after we leave the villages. Pray that through viewing this film that people would truly understand who Jesus is.

Sunday 14 April - Pray for Moussa as he is teaching Literacy and Bible Study. Pray for good communication skills, learning skills, and openness to Jesus as their true Lord and Savior.

Monday 15 April - Pray for our relationships with each other on the Zerma team, that we would remain united in purpose and spirit. Pray that we would continue to maintain open and honest communication with each other. Pray that God would give us wisdom as we plan and evaluate our ministries and ways we can reach the Zerma people with the gospel.

Tuesday 16 April - Pray that God would raise up pastors and other leaders from among Zerma believers. Pray that God would mold them into men and women of integrity and vision.

Wednesday 17 April - Pray that God would give Zerma Christians a burden for reaching the lost and a vision for seeing a church in every village.

Thursday 18 April - Pray for James as he travels to Niger today. Pray for his time here as he helps the farmers get the peppers to harvest, grind it up and send it off.

Friday 19 April - Pray for the family of Zaku - he was the only Christian in Karafalley. He died in early March. Pray that people in Karafalley might be touched through his death.

Saturday 20 April - April is HOT SEASON! There will be lots less activity, agriculture or any other. Pray for the people and their hunger as food becomes more scarce as well as expensive in the next few months. Pray for those that will be in their fields preparing for rainy season in a few months.

Sunday 21 April - Pray for the various projects we do in hopes of finding an avenue we can share the gospel: wells, gardens, community center, checking out music, storying or preaching cassettes, showing the Jesus video, weighing babies, ministering through various health ministries, storying, listening, giving food, water, financial aid, rides, the pepper project, and other things God might show us in Ministering to others.

Monday 22 April - Pray for the Ledlows as they will be doing final planning for their Stateside Assignment in 2 short months. Many plans have to be worked out both in Niger as well in the US. Pray for the different churches and places they will speak - that God would call people out to join the Zerma team in some way.....be it prayer or to come and work in Niger.

Tuesday 23 April - Pray for the Muslim religious leaders, that God would reveal the way of righteousness to them, and that they would have the courage to follow the One who is the way, the truth, and the life.

Wednesday 24 April - Pray for the various children's classes that are being taught and for those that have been taught, and for those that are to be taught. Pray that the children will have trust in the true Savior, and like a mustard seed that their faith would grow and become strong.

Thursday 25 April - As the Zerma Muslims prostrate themselves in prayer at the mosque, pray that God would convict them of their lostness and that they would seek the truth.

Friday 26 April - Pray that the Zerma Christians would make prayer a priority in their personal lives. pray that the Zerma Christians would resist the evil one and stand firm in their faith. Pray that their lives would be characterized by power and love and discipline.

Saturday 27 April - As Americans and people of other countries consider work among the Zerma people, pray that they find a peace about their decision and courage to pursue it.

Sunday 28 April - As "April flowers bring you May flowers" remember this is the hottest month of the year here. Even the ones who live here suffer the extreme heat of over 100 degrees day after day. Not to mention the stress put on animals and end of the season garden crops.

Monday 29 April - Pray for Moussa, the only Christian in his village named Kaoura which numbers about 800 people.

Tuesday 30 April - Pray for Alhassan as he oversees the Christian radio broadcasts from the small FM station located about 5 miles from his home.