April 2004

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." (Col. 4:2).

Thursday, April 1 -- Pray for Aissa, a lady in Waru who expressed great interest in hearing God's Word. Pray that she will continue to have an open mind and that God would also be working in her heart to soften it to respond. Pray that what she has already learned will not be forgotten, but instead, be constantly in her thoughts.

Friday, April 2 --- Pray for Stephanie Ledlow today. She has been sick several times since her return to Niger, with strep throat and other things, and she has suffered a twisted ankle. Pray for her protection.

Saturday, April 3 -- " Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance." (Ex. 34: 9). Pray for the Zerma people, that they will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord. Although they are an incredibly wicked people (as are all people who do not Know God), pray that the Lord's mercy will come before judgment and that He will call out a people who will praise Him for all eternity.

Sunday, April 4 -- In March, you prayed for Harouna who had fallen out of a tree. He is a little better. Please pray for his continued healing and strength for him to rely on God's provisions for his life and the witness that he shows to those around him. He is the only known Christian for a very large area of the Zerma people.

Monday, April 5 -- Pray for volunteers who may come this summer or fall. Pray that God would work out details for them to come and that they would be able to encourage and minister to the Zerma people and the missionaries working among them.

Tuesday, April 6 -- This is the hottest month of the year as temperatures reach over the100 mark for days on end. It is hard on man, plants, animals even vehicles. Zerma people are somewhat accustomed to the heat but still suffer.

Wednesday April 7 --Pray for unity among the Zerma team and all the missionaries working in Niger. Satan desires greatly to disunite us in order that others cannot see our love for Jesus, for Jesus has said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35) Pray for our love and devotion to one another as the body of Christ. "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1)

Thursday, April 8 -- "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." (Philemon :6) Pray for the believers here in Torodi, that they will be active in sharing their faith. As of now, Tombokoy goes to seven different villages to share the gospel with his people, but he can not do it alone. Pray that other believers will get the global vision and the sense of urgency to share their faith with others.

Friday, April 9 -- The electricity is turned off for hours at a time in Niger. Pray for our missionaries as they learn to live without electricity for hours at a time, and that they will be protected from the heat of summer during this time.

Saturday, April 10 -- Thank you for your prayers for the Mobile Center that the Bolls are taking to Issa Tchalla Mondollo. Participation has been great and there were several seeds of the gospel planted, the Bible stories were heard, the Jesus video was played (will be) - as well as several classes of hygiene, health, safety, nutrition and sewing. Pray that this village will remember for years what they learned - but mostly that God's Word was understood and Jesus became real to each of them.

Sunday, April 11 -- By the time you read this, a Bible in the Arabic language will be given to a Moslem teacher who said he would like to have it. Pray for God's word to come alive in his life as he reads so that his heart would be convinced of the truth of Christ as Lord and Savior. Pray that this teacher would have an encounter with the living Lord today!

Monday, April 12 -- Spend some time today praying for Jeremy Ledlow. He is growing both physically and spiritually -- pray that God would protect him during stressful times, and that God would direct Jeremy to the perfect college as he is choosing and deciding what to do for his future.

Tuesday, April 13 -- "For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise, he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. " (1 Chron. 16:25,26) There have been several other "religions" come through Torodi lately, and has caused a lot of confusion as to what is true. This has created many opportunities to share the Truth with the locals, but please pray that they will not be misled and follow these false religions

Wednesday, April 14 -- Pray for the ladies in the village of Waru. A few of them said they'd like to hear about God and His truth, so pray that there will be lots of opportunities to share with them. Pray especially for Aissa and Mariama. May God open their ears and hearts to His Truth.

Thursday, April 15 -- Six years ago Hadjara was a student in more than one of Teresa's classes. A close friendship developed and there was much discussion on God and prayer. Hadjara asked Teresa to pray for her to find a husband and God was so gracious and provided a really good mate. They have had children but now Hadjara's husband died in February and Hadjara will have to move back to Ouallam with her family. Very likely her children will be taken to live with her husband's family as is the custom among the Zerma. Please pray for Hadjara and for Teresa as she ministers to her.

Friday, April 16 -- "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be the glory." (Ps. 115:1) Pray that God would be glorified in all that happens in Niger, and that the people would see that it is God working, not the work of the missionaries.

Saturday, April 17 -- "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ, so that with one heart and mouth, you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 15:5,6) Please continue to pray for the missionaries here, that they will grow in unity and love for one another. It is easy in our passion to be spent for the lost, but it is quite another story for our brothers and sisters in Christ. May this not be so, and may we love each other more deeply, so that they will know us by our love for one another.

Sunday, April 18 -- Pray that workers will be raised up from around the world to assist our missionaries in Niger. Perhaps God is moving in your heart to devote a few weeks to short-term mission work...to surrender to full-time missions in the field...or to be one of those who stay behind and assist by making the needs known in your home church. "The fields are white unto harvest, but the workers are few..."

Monday, April 19 -- February you prayed for the Niger pepper project. The day you prayed Don visited a village where there was thought to be no seeds, plants or interest to grow them for miles around. To our surprise about 200 plants were found ready to be transplanted and a new gas engine powered water pump had just been bought by the chief for his gardening. The pump and plants are very rare items in this part of the country. PTL

Tuesday, April 20 -- "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." (Lk.3:11) It is very hard to not become hard-hearted here to the needs of the people. Poverty, physical and spiritual, is everywhere and it is hard to tell what is a true need and someone just trying to "pull one over on ya". Please pray that my heart will be softened and I will not carry the burden of trying to defend myself all the time, but will trust that vengeance is the Lord's. Pray that I will just rest and love the people and obey his commands concerning the poor.

Wednesday, April 21 -- Please pray for Albass, the 8 year old child that Zongo has been caring for since his mother died when he was 3 weeks old. Zongo can no longer see so she can not care for him as she could - now Albass is trying to learn how to cook, sweep, carry water etc to care for Zongo. Please pray for them as Zongo is feeling she should move out - and this leaves an unsure future for Albass.

Thursday, April 22 -- "Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample down our foes. I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory, but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever." (Ps. 44:5-8) (From Faith) -- I have 8 more months until my term is up, and the task before me seems overwhelming at times. The enemy seems HUGE at times, much like the giants of the Promise Land, but may I not trust in myself, but trust that the Lord is big enough to accomplish every good work he has predestined for me to do. Pray that God will do a mighty work among the Zerma and that the enemy will be defeated in this land.

Friday, April 23 -- Pray for Charity and her friend Joni (on the Hausa team) as they leave today for vacation. Pray for safe traveling. Pray too that this time will be one of refreshment and that upon returning, they will have renewed purpose and strength for the tasks God has for them in Niger.

Saturday, April 24 -- Pray for a little boy that Aisa took our missionaries to -- he was very ill and close to dying, when God answered the prayers of many and he was able to sleep and begin to get well (after 6 nights of no sleep). Praise God that he was healed, that his parents saw the mighty power of God at work and that the faith of our missionaries was redoubled!

Sunday, April 25 -- Continue to pray for Ali and his family. Though not Christian, his family is being persecuted for having "white, Christian friends." Pray that through this, God would turn their strong Muslim beliefs into strong Christian beliefs and that one day they will find their strength in Christ alone.

Monday, April 26 -- Pray that God would lead to the establishment of three new churches in Niamey during 2004.

Tuesday, April 27 -- Please continue to pray for Zongo, a lady that has recently become blinded by cataracts. Her 5 year old granddaughter, Fati has been staying with her but has recently began to "run away" because her friends and family is across town - thus leaving Zongo alone in her home. Pray for a solution - Zongo is wanting to go out to a more remote village so her sister can watch after her and fix her meals.

Wednesday, April 28 -- Pray for perseverance on the part of those who minister among the Zerma. They are --like all of us -- tempted to give up, frustrated at the lack of progress, and homesick for familiar things. Pray that they will remain focused on our Lord and Savior.

Thursday, April 29 -- Pray for the government leaders of Niger, that God would grant them wisdom and discernment and that they would govern with integrity and compassion. Thank God that Niger is a country that continues to respect religious freedom.

Friday, April 30 -- Pray that our missionaries will receive encouragement today -- through music, a hug from a co-laborer, or an email from home. God knows what each one of them needs. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways....As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isa. 55:8, 9