June 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)

Wednesday, June 1, 2005 – Today is Teresa Boll’s birthday. Pray for her as she and Don serve the people in and around Ouallam. Pray for wisdom, insight and discernment as she boldly presents the Gospel. We praise God for her life, her testimony and the love she shares with all she meets.

Thursday, June 2, 2005 - ANSWER: For some time we have asked you to pray that God would send "laborers" to Niger to assist us with our goal of spreading the gospel and planting churches among the Zerma. We are delighted that one couple, Shad and Melissa, and three single women, Brooke, Brandy, and Kanesa, have responded to requests for two-year assignments and will be arriving later this year. We are also excited that several volunteers have answered requests for one to four week assignments and will be arriving over the next several months. Pray for Ryan, who will assist us with some surveys relating to media work; Liz, a graphic artist who will help us develop various materials, Kim, who will be assisting the Bolls in developing storying materials and other ministries; and Andrea, who will be helping us to develop some ideas using drama.

Friday, June 3, 2005 - Thank the Lord for volunteers! This month Kim (Rhoades) and Teresa will be very busy - and their work will depend on the rains. As we pray for rain so the people can plant, cultivate and harvest their crops - the rains also will determine what Teresa and Kim will do. Plans are to have a "Mini-VBS" in several locations - but the crops are being planted with all the family participating. Pray that the gospel will get out and the kids will hear and know Jesus, that they will be protected as they go out to the fields to work and that there is time and energy to do both! (Don will be in Niamey helping out in the office)

Saturday, June 4, 2005 - Pray for Don as he will be helping out in the office in the absence of Mark and Deanna. Pray for wisdom and patience as there are several missionary units now in Niger and many coming in the near future.

Sunday, June 5, 2005 - Pray for Ibro, a national believer, as he is going through many difficulties. Pray that he would sense God’s spirit and direction.

Monday, June 6, 2005 -The Zerma team will be meeting today. Pray for them as they share, pray together and make decisions. Pray that strategies will become real as we seek God's plans for the team. Thank the Lord for the sweet fellowship we have as a team.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005 – Praise the Lord for growing pains! As more people come to Wednesday Kid's Klub in Ouallam the church is full! There is usually between 30 - 75 people there, and some of them are not KIDS! Praise the Lord that older youth and even moms are coming to hear the word. Pray that they would be not just hear-ers, but they would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Wednesday, June 8, 2005 - Much prayer walking will take place this month in the village of Ouallam. Pray for Kim and the Bolls as they pray that the strongholds of Satan will be taken down and that Jesus will become real- at the Mosques, at the schools, at the hospital, at the market and in several homes. Pray for safety and for Jesus to protect our every step. Depending on the rain - Ben and Jason may be able to come and pray on June 7 & 8.

Thursday, June 9, 2005 - ANSWER: We know that many of you have been praying for rain this year. We have already had some good rains even though it's still early for rainy season to start. Please continue to pray that God would send adequate rainfall this year that will result in abundant crops. Pray also for the many people who are hungry right now as their food supplies have run out, and for us to have wisdom in knowing how to help meet these types of physical needs.

Friday, June 10, 2005 - Pray that Kim and Teresa will be able to get to the villages that God has determined. They are hoping to do a well-baby clinic, weigh babies and give vitamins to the mothers and babies. Pray for safe trips and roads that are not washed out because of the rains. Pray that they won't get stuck out there!!!

Saturday, June 11, 2005 – Sahel Academy Graduation is today-Jeremy Ledlow will be graduating from High School. What an exciting time of life with one chapter closing and a new one beginning! Pray for Jeremy as he transitions to the states, to college life and new friends. Pray that he will remain strong in his faith and that God will direct his every decision. Pray for Deanna and Mark as this can often be harder on the parents when they have to leave a child in the states and return to the field.

Sunday, June 12, 2005 - After a Storying workshop in Kanda with 12 people coming from 5 villages, there was a need for the Christians to know more about the stories - so the Bolls shared the Bible stories and taught Christians in 5 different villages, believers and non-believers came to the study... pray for the Christians as they will be taking the stories out to various villages - pray that the gospel and the love of Jesus will go before them and that the Holy Spirit will help them. Many of them are non-readers, but can sure tell a good story!

Monday, June 13, 2005 – Pray for safe travel for The Ledlows as they leave for the states today. Pray for Stephanie as she returns with her parents to complete her senior year at Sahel Academy. Pray for a refreshing time for them in the states and for quality family time before they say good-bye to Jeremy.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005 – ANSWER: Thank you Lord for sending Volunteers. As Jason Dunn will be leaving today and Kim Rhoades will be leaving on the 22nd of this month, thank the Lord for sending them to serve here this summer. Pray that their lives will not be the same, that they will know what He has in store for their future, and that the lives of the people that they touched while they were in Niger will NEVER be the same.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005 - Paul was one of the oldest known Christians in Ouallam. He recently died while visiting family in another country. Pray for his family, several of whom are not known Christians and ask God to encourage the others who are.

Thursday, June 16, 2005 - Much visiting and encouraging is planned for the month. As Teresa and Kim will be going to various homes to visit and encourage the Christians, as well as the ones that are showing much interest in Christ, pray that they will be able to share the love of Jesus in a way that is understood and that Jesus would become real in many lives.

Friday, June 17, 2005 – Baker & Gail Hill return to Niamey from time in the states and Canada. They are the Strategy Facilitators for our mission here in Niamey. Pray for them to have a smooth re-entry to life here and for a renewed love for the people. Pray also for safe travel and the arrival of their luggage.

Saturday, June 18, 2005 – Rainy season provides us some "down time" when roads are difficult to travel. The time can be used to work on and prepare more books, charts, tapes, etc for the next year. Pray for Teresa and Kim as prepare these resources for future classes. Pray for wisdom to know what type of resources are needed - and for the availability of those resources in the local market (remember Ouallam-Mart is not Wal-Mart!).

Sunday, June 19, 2005 - As you celebrate Father's Day today, pray for the Zerma men. Pray that they would seek God. Pray that Zerma Christian men would be wonderful examples of Jesus' transforming power as they go about their daily lives and their roles as husbands, fathers, sons, and friends.

Monday, June 20, 2005 – ANSWER: Praise the Lord that more interest has been shown in the Niger Pepper project as you have prayed. Continue to pray that this interest will develop into what God has in mind for the Zerma people and others in Niger.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005 – Ben and a couple local believers are meeting with a few of the leaders from the major religion here every Tuesday. They discuss the Quran and the Bible. Pray for this time to be seasoned with grace and love and for God’s Spirit to convict and transform lives.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - Pray for "M", a boy who truly desires to know about Jesus and who He is. He is a part of the storying group Cindy and Kimberly are leading. Pray that distractions will be minimized.

Thursday, June 23, 2005 - ANSWER: In February we asked you to pray for the Bolls to have the opportunity to share Christ more fully through mobile center work in at least some of the villages where they delivered 600 fruit trees to be planted in 10 different villages. Praise the Lord-one of those villages have said we could come and bring the “mobile center.” We hope to make contact again soon with this village but the actual work will not begin until after rainy season. Pray that the other 9 villages will open up for ministry.

Friday, June 24, 2005 - Shad and Melissa Black will be joining our team as indigenous music catalysts. Among other things, they'll be helping Zerma believers and churches develop Christian music and songs for worship, discipleship, and evangelism using Zerma lyrics and music styles. They are due to attend orientation in Virginia this summer and should arrive in Niger in August. Pray for them and their son Hezekiah, as they prepare to leave family and friends and familiar things behind. Pray that God would work among the Zerma to prepare a place for their ministry among them.

Saturday, June 25, 2005 - Pray for "A", one of the Cain's neighbors. He prays at a mosque just down the road so Phil often has opportunity to greet him and sometimes carry on a conversation. Although "A" is a strong Muslim, he is not hostile to Christianity--pray that God would work in his life and that Phil would have more opportunities to share the Word with him.

Sunday, June 26, 2005 - Pray for Brooke Hooten, Brandy Nelson, and Kanesa Snow, three women who have answered requests for a two-year assignment as church planters/disciplers among the Zerma. They will be attending orientation later this summer and should arrive in Niger near the end of October. Pray for their preparation, both physical and spiritual, and even emotional, as they leave friends and family and prepare to enter a country and culture much different from their own.

Monday, June 27, 2005 - We had mentioned in last months prayer guide that Rick Leavitt would be returning to work with us here in Niger. We regret to say that Rick will not be returning to Niger as he feels led to stay in the U.S. at this time. We ask that you pray for him as he pursues God's calling in the Phoenix area. We also ask you to pray for those whose lives he touched during his time here, that God would continue to work in them bringing them to salvation.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005 - Thank you for praying for Caroline's and Caleb's homeschool year. Pray for the timely arrival of curriculum materials for the 2005-2006 school year.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005 - The end of June, the Zerma Team will be leaving Niger and traveling to a spiritual advance to be held in Ghana. Pray for all as they travel, that God would provide safe trips - and that much will be learned and experienced during the advance for all those that will be participating.

Thursday, June 30, 2005 - Today is Hezekiah Black's birthday. He is one year old. Pray for his health and the adjustments he'll be making in the next few months in preparing to come to Africa with his parents.

“To Jesus, prayer was not a hasty add-on, but a joyous necessity.” Spiritual Leadership by Sanders

Thank you for joining us around the throne this month.
The Zerma Team