February 2004

Sunday, Feb 1, 2004 -- Praise the Lord for the safe arrival of the Bolls - and the way that the Lord affirmed their return to Niger in a special way, with the cancelled flight to Atlanta redirected to Cincinnati providing a fellow missionary with the IMB to minister to them, encourage them by talking and through the talking both felt that "call" to return to Niger working with the Zerma. It was special to have many Zerma friends come by welcoming them home - again affirming their "call". Thanks to the many of you that prayed for safe travels and a peace about returning. God waited till they got to Cincinnati, but He called them back!

Monday, Feb 2, 2004 -- This will be another month of transitions for the Zerma team; Rick (Leavitt) will be leaving our team and the Bolls are back. Pray for decisions that need to be made concerning the strategy of reaching the Zerma people - that they would hear the Good News, that Jesus loves each one of them and died for them, and that it would be real and personal to each one.

Tuesday, Feb 3, 2004 -- Please pray for Charity's friend in Goudel, named Ramatou. She has shown interest in hearing Bible stories...Praise God! Pray that she will understand them well and Charity will be effective in communicating them to her.

Wednesday, Feb 4, 2004 -- Pray for Zorkaleeri, a child in Waru. His legs have many small sores on them from an undetermined illness.

Thursday, Feb 5, 2004 -- One of the privileges we have as Christians is to know Jesus as a friend. Abraham was called the "friend of God." Yet many Muslims view their relationship with God as that of a slave to a master. Pray that the Zerma would come to know Jesus as their true friend--one who is always there, always available, always listening, never rejecting those who follow him.

Friday, Feb 6, 2004 -- Please pray for Tombokoy (Faith's night guard and a Fulani Christian) as he goes and shares the gospel with more than 7 villages. Pray he will know the words to say when the time comes.

Saturday, Feb 7, 2004 -- In human terms, the hope of seeing hundreds of churches established among the Zerma seems pretty impossible. Yet God's desire is for the Zerma, and every other people group, to worship and bring glory to Him. Pray that as God accomplishes his purposes, we would be faithful to the task he's given us in evangelism, discipling, planting churches, etc.

Sunday, Feb 8, 2004 --pray for the Zarma people around the Torodi area. there is currently only 2 Zarma Christians there. The harvest is plenty but the workers are few.

Monday, Feb 9, 2004 -- Please pray for the pepper project. Don, James and Ibro are trying
to schedule calendars so that James can come to Niger to continue to work on the logistics of the peppers. Pray for a safe flight and productive meetings.

Tuesday, Feb 10, 2004 -- Charity and her family were able to distribute around 140 blankets that her church sent in the village of Waru during her family's visit! People were so excited and constantly letting us know how grateful they were! Pray that people's hearts were touched and that in upcoming visits, people would ask the reason for this kindness. This would allow a chance to share the basis for our love!

Wednesday,Feb 11, 2004 -- We are called to be persistent in our prayers, so persist with us as we pray that those who have heard the gospel through witness, radio, audio cassettes, the Jesus film, etc will invite Jesus into their hearts as Savior and Lord.

Thursday, Feb 12, 2004 -- Pray for Moussa who is doing all the translating for the radio lessons. He stays busy helping with office work and translates during free moments. Pray that he will have time to continue at a steady pace so that the lessons can be put on cassettes quickly for many to hear!

Friday, Feb 13, 2004 -- Please pray for the many decisions that Don and Teresa will have to
make concerning what villages God wants them to minister to this next term. Pray that the Bolls will be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and go where He wants them to go.

Saturday, Feb 14, 2004 -- We don't have to remind you that there are many in Niger who will go to bed hungry tonight. Pray that God would provide for the physical needs of the Zerma--especially the nutritional needs of the children.

Sunday, Feb 15, 2004 -- Pray for all of those involved in getting the radio lessons called "The Way of Righteousness" translated, typed, corrected, tested and produced. Several people are working together, including other missionary organizations.

Monday, Feb 16, 2004 -- Pray for volunteer teams that will be coming:one in June and one in
August. Pray that all goes well as they prepare to come here and serve the Lord.

Tuesday, Feb 17, 2004 -- Pray for Mark and Deanna Ledlow as they continue settling into the new house. Pray that Deanna will be encouraged by friends and neighbors, and that the Bible study times will be blessed by God. "Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." Mark 4:8

Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004 -- Faith has begun to go to surrounding villages. Pray that the Lord has already started to soften the hearts of the people as they hear the gospel for the first time.

Thursday, Feb 19, 2004 -- This is the time of year when many young Zerma men travel to other countries looking for work. Pray that even far from home, they will encounter true believers who could point them toward Christ.

Friday, Feb 20, 2004 -- This is harmatan season - this means the dust blocks the sun. Therefore, it is cooler, but it is very dusty. Many people get sick during this season - either from the dust or the cooler weather. Pray for those that are sick, that the Lord will bring healing and show Himself to them in a very real way.

Saturday, Feb 21, 2004 -- Continue to pray for Ibro and Rachida. Among his peers, Ibro is often the sole Christian and the pressure to conform is always lurking about. Picture Ibro at a meeting with 30 other men. The Muslim call to prayer begins and all 30 men file out, leaving Ibro sitting alone. Nobody says anything out loud, but the disapproval or disdain is obvious. Pray for Ibro and Rachida's faith to be strengthened daily, pray for Christian friends and peers who could be an encouragement and support for them.

Sunday, Feb 22, 2004 -- Pray that the Zerma would come to know Jesus as one who is real and one who can meet their deepest needs--the one who heals, the one who provides, the one who gives hope, the one who saves.

Monday, Feb 23, 2004 -- "Yet the news about (Jesus Christ) spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sickness." Luke 5:15 Pray the people of Niger will be so overwhelmed with the awesomeness of God that they tell their friends and neighbors about what He has done. Pray for Him to reveal Himself in supernatural ways.

Tuesday, Feb 24, 2004 -- Pray for the Christians in Torodi. More and more people are coming to the Lord. Pray that they will stand strong in the face of persecution. Pray that they will understand the scripture in Matthew. 6:25.."Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?"

Wednesday, Feb 25, 2004 Please pray for the many that are in the midst of dry garden season -- which is cold season here. Many are hand watering their gardens then have to walk many miles to bring their produce to the market. It is cold here (60-85F.) and they get wet pulling the water out of the wells and walking with it in a bucket, either on their heads or two buckets looped over a long stick. Many get colds or worse. Please pray for their health and praise the Lord that they have some income during this time of year.

Thursday, Feb 26, 2004 -- Pray today for all our missionaries in Niger. They struggle to fulfill many duties and have things in their way we can only imagine: government red tape, visiting mission teams, planting churches, hungry neighbors, training the Zerma Christians, attempting to feed their own families with unfamiliar ingredients, hygiene concerns.

Friday, Feb 27, 2004 -- Pray that new believers would learn to depend on God for their needs--the physical as well as the spiritual. Pray they would come to know that our God "can supply all our needs through His riches in Christ Jesus."

Saturday, Feb 28, 2004 -- Pray for the Zerma team and Zerma people while cooking, serving, and eating! Invite someone over tonight to share in your Nigerian meal. Your family will receive a blessing.

Nigerian Stew:
Water
1 diced onion
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. thyme
2-3 bouillon cubes
Meat: chicken, goat, sheep, beef, or turkey depending on availability

Boil in water until meat is tender (it's quite tough in Niger). While the meat is boiling, prepare the sauce:

Sauté one diced onion in 1/2 cup oil.
Add diced tomatoes and more onions
Pressed garlic
Small can of tomato paste
and stock from the meat

Add some more curry, thyme, and bouillon cubes.

In frying pan, fry the meat which has been boiled and then add meat to the sauce; cook for a few minutes. Serve over rice, noodles, macaroni, or couscous.

Sunday, Feb. 29, 2004 -- "Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:8 Pray the Ledlows will be encouraged every sunrise, and that the Lord will direct their paths as they trust Him every day.