October 2005

"Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV)

Saturday, October 1, 2005 – Answer: Praise the Lord for the rains! In Ouallam and the surrounding villages, the rains were really good and hopefully there will be a harvest this year after two years of not having one. The grasshoppers came last year in October – so please continue to pray that the Lord protects their food.

Sunday, October 2, 2005 – Deanna and Mark Ledlow are working to locate housing and coordinate the arrival of 8 new units (families and singles) that will be arriving in Niger by December. Ask God to work out contracts for housing and for the logistics to fall into place. We praise God that he is calling many more laborers to the harvest field here.

Monday, October 3, 2005 - Continue to pray for Kanesa and Brandy as they finish up their time of training and orientation in Virginia before joining us here in Niger. They have learned much, pray that this time of preparation will serve them well as they begin their ministries among the Zerma.

Tuesday, October 4, 2005 - Pray for the volunteers that are being requested. We have one request for November for a gardener to come and help Zerma families improve their gardens. Ask God to call out the Gardener that has a desire to share the hope of Christ while using his/her gifts and talents.

Wednesday, October 5, 2005 – Pray that God would open the eyes and the hearts of those who are spiritually blind. Pray that He would reveal Himself to the Zerma, and make His word known and understood to them.

Thursday, October 6, 2005 - September 7th, two ladies came to the Ouallam Church, listened to the story and enjoyed the songs. After the service, they brought Issifou to the Boll’s house. Issifou’s mother died September 6th, he is 2 months old and in very poor health. Teresa gave him some formula (the goats that usually supply milk are all dried up!) Pray for Issifou and Hawa and Fati who will be taking care of him. By the way, both Fati and Hawa asked if they could come again to church!

Friday, October 7, 2005 –Answer: We appreciate your prayers for the Sustars and the Cains as they homeschool their children. Our kids love learning and we are grateful to have the resources to educate them. Pray for strength, stamina, and patience for Cindy and Kimberly as they deal with the challenges of homeschooling, maintaining the home, and ministry.

Saturday, October 8, 2005 - Pray for “Samaritan’s Purse” as they are working in various villages in Ouallam and Filingue areas with famine relief. Pray for those that are being ministered to; the pregnant mothers and the babies, 0-5 years, that are hurting the most.

Sunday, October 9, 2005 - Pray for the government of Niger, that its leaders would make wise decisions. Pray that the president and other officials would come to know Christ personally.

Monday, October 10, 2005 – Pray that Melissa Black’s pregnancy goes well and that she and the baby will both be healthy.

Tuesday, October 11, 2005 – The Bolls have requested specific volunteers to come and work in Ouallam in January and February – pray that those being requested will be able to come.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005 – Pray for continued hunger to study the Word of God and the desire to obey it for the ten men that Amadou is studying with in Goudel.

Thursday, October 13, 2005 – Today is Cindy Sustar’s birthday. Pray that God will open the door for her to build relationships with Zerma women that God is drawing to Himself. Pray also for vision and direction in working with the children and teenagers in Niamey.

Friday, October 14, 2005 – Answer: Thank you for praying for the Blacks as they began Zarma language study. Language study is going well and they are now able to greet and carry on simple conversations.

Saturday, October 15, 2005 - Pray for the people to be able to begin gardening this month. Last year they did 2-3 crops from the gardens because of not having a millet harvest and the grasshoppers that destroyed the crops. Pray that they will see that they can do extra gardening and have more food and money.

Sunday, October 16, 2005 – Ask God to give us favor among the people of Niger as Tim comes to take photos for use in promoting work here among the Zerma.

Monday, October 17, 2005 – Rachel Sustar turns 7 today. Praise God for her energy and her passion. Pray that she will continue to have a tender heart for the people here that do not have a relationship with Christ.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005 – Ask God to give Ben clear direction of how to equip Amadou for pastoring the Goudel church with a vision for multiplying into a movement of new churches being planted.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005 – Pray that the leaders of Niger will choose to follow Jesus as they see churches in Niger respond to this famine.

Thursday, October 20, 2005 - Pray that Teresa will be able to do the health clinic through Samaritan’s Purse feeding stations. Samaritan’s Purse is in agreement for her to do this. Pray that it will happen!

Friday, October 21, 2005 –Answer: Thank you for praying for the culture and living adjustment for Shad, Melissa and Hezekiah Black. They are now in their house and it feels like home.

Saturday, October 22, 2005 – Pray for protection, from the enemy, for Amadou’s family as they work to restart the church in Goudel.

Sunday, October 23, 2005 - Praise the Lord for the Churches in the States that help our ministry so much. Thank you to the churches that helped to support Kim Rhoades during her volunteer time here and that are continuing to help our ministry. Kim used some of the money to purchase large pictures that depict the stories – Creation to Resurrection – with detailed pictures and stories in between. This will add so much to the stories that the Bolls share.

Monday, October 24, 2005 - Pray that God will raise up spiritual leaders among the Zerma who will demonstrate by word and deed what it means to follow Christ.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005 – Pray that Kyle, a friend from America, would have time to spend with us and catch a vision for the city of Niamey and the people of Niger that he can share with his church.

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 – Pray that the pastors of all the evangelical churches(74) in Niamey would be united with a new vision to see Niger reached with the gospel and their roles in this effort.

Thursday, October 27, 2005 - Brandy and Kanesa will be leaving the U.S. today, bound for Niamey. Pray that they would have safe travel. Pray that their families would have a peace about their daughters being in Africa for the next two years.

Friday, October 28, 2005 - Brandy and Kanesa will be arriving in Niamey today - pray that they would adjust quickly to the climate and culture.

Saturday, October 29, 2005 - Praise the Lord that three of the women that were in the Discipleship Class were faithful during the Bolls’ absence. They continued to meet on Wednesdays and Sundays and teach the Bible Stories to all that came. Please continue to pray for them: Roukailla, Ramatou and Zongo.

Sunday, October 30, 2005 – Praise God today for His faithfulness, His mercy and His grace. We praise him for working in the hearts of the Zerma people and calling them to Himself. What a mighty God we serve.

Monday, October 31, 2005 - Today is Halloween. What images does that bring to mind? Fall harvest, kids trick or treating, etc. Here witches and witch doctors are a very real thing. They are consulted daily by the Zerma people to obtain cures from illnesses, to rid themselves of a curse or to place a curse on someone. Pray that God will reveal himself to these witchdoctors and that they will turn to Christ allowing him to transform their lives.