April 2006

"…Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6

Saturday, April 1, 2006 – Pray for student missionary Eddie Martin who is working with the Zerma team this month researching and gathering information about churches by interviewing pastors and church leaders. Pray for good health, good contacts, and opportunities to share the gospel with the lost he encounters in the course of his research. Pray that he would be able to adjust to the heat during the hottest months of the year.

Sunday, April 2, 2006 - Volunteers Pete and Martha LeQuieu finished their 2 weeks of work here in February and returned home to 3rd Baptist Church in Malvern, Arkansas. Pray that they will be able to share some of what God has done in their lives here with their church family and learn better how to pray and help win the Zerma people to Christ.

Monday, April 3, 2006 – ANSWER: Thank you for praying for Melissa and Shad Black as they awaited the arrival of their baby. She was due March 25, but made a surprise arrival on March 3. The Blacks were scheduled to travel to Burkina Faso to deliver the baby there since the baby was in a breached position and a C-Section was a possibility. However, babies do not always follow our schedule. Melissa delivered Miriam Lynn in Niamey. She weighed in at 5lbs. 9oz. She was breached and Melissa delivered her naturally. Both are doing great and big brother Hezekiah is adjusting to his little sister.

Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - Pray for Teresa Bolls as she teaches the ladies in the neighborhood of Zongo. These classes will be taught March 27-31 and April 3-7, 2006. Pray that the ladies who will attend the classes put into practice the things they are learning and teach it to others.

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 – Melissa and Shad had a naming ceremony for Miriam on March 11, which is the custom here. All that came heard a Christian band playing and a short sermon on raising our children and teaching them the ways of the Lord. Pray that God continues to give the Blacks opportunities to share His word and His love with their friends.

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - It is so awesome to see fellow believers take the lead in sharing God's word! Pray that we will continue to let others take hold and tell the Bible Stories. Don is now going with some men who go out and tell the Bible stories. Pray as Don is listening to the stories and encouraging them. Pray that the ones telling the stories will see that they need to prepare and spend time with the Lord. Pray that these men would be able to study and understand. Pray for Don as some days he is gone from the house up to 12 hours driving about 100 miles on bush roads and helping with 3 or 4 different Bible Study groups.

Friday, April 7, 2006 - Please pray for ‘O’ and her husband. She has begun to follow Jesus and her husband has been away for a year. Please pray that when he comes back, he too will follow Jesus and support his wife's decision!

Saturday, April 8, 2006 – ANSWER: Thank God for the five new believers in Kollo. Pray that they would grow strong and learn how to follow Christ. May they gain Biblical knowledge and a passion for spreading the Gospel.

Sunday, April 9, 2006 - Please pray for Kanesa and Brandy as they adjust to the heat. Please pray that they will have energy each day and not become weary from the heat.

Monday, April 10, 2006 – Pray for Teresa Bolls as she teaches the ladies from the neighborhood of Koira Tegui. Ask God to open their hearts to His word. These classes will be taught April 10-14, 17-21, 2006. Pray for special friendships to develop between the Bolls and these ladies so they can more freely share the Gospel.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - Thanks for your prayers for Atta. He and Phil continue to meet on Mondays with some of his friends if they're not working. Pray for Atta as he shares his testimony and his faith with family and friends--that God would give him the words to say and a boldness to say them.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - Please note - Zerma volunteer requests are no longer at www.imb.org/going but is now http://going.imb.org/volunteer.asp. Please pray that God would guide those that need to come here to that site. If you don't have computer access, please don't let that stop you in contacting us. Our mailing address is: Mission Baptiste Meridionale, Attention: Phil Cain, B.P. 10038, Niamey, Niger Republic, West Africa.

Thursday, April 13, 2006 - We've mentioned before that throughout this year the International Mission Board will have an emphasis on the West Africa region. Pray for the many volunteers who are already making plans to join us in Niger this year and next, that they would be used mightily of God and for His glory.

Friday, April 14, 2006 – Pray for Mark Ledlow as he serves as business facilitator and shares the gospel with his employees. Pray that the men Mark is discipling will fear God and allow Him to transform their lives.

Saturday, April 15, 2006 - Please pray for Kanesa and Brandy as they look for women of peace that they can start outreach groups with, and please pray that those groups will ultimately turn into churches.

Sunday, April 16, 2006 – ANSWER: When we (Bolls) first began working in Niger we had those that prayed for us, but not as specifically as you now pray. We can really feel the difference. God is working! We had someone tell us that they felt led to pray for the local leaders in Ouallam on Wednesday. On Thursday there was a big meeting with all the local leaders and Teresa. She was able to share the expectations of the IMB in our work here and was blessed in every way. Not only were requirements acceptable, but we were encouraged to share our faith! Each place the Ouallam Sanitation and Hygiene project is taken, there will be a class taught on health/hygiene, nutrition, etc - and the complete "storying" from creation to the ascension of Jesus. After the meeting there was much rejoicing and many tears. Thank you for praying SPECIFICALLY for the Zerma and the work among them.

Monday, April 17, 2006 - The scriptures reveal that God often rose up unlikely leaders to accomplish His purposes on earth. The Zerma need spiritual leadership-ask God to raise up men and women of integrity and righteousness to lead this generation to know and follow Him.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 – ANSWER: Thank God for Oumou, a woman of peace for Kanesa and Brandy, who is helping them to learn language and culture, as well as protects them from things they don’t understand completely. Pray that God would use her mightily in His work.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - The Hunger Project "Ouallam Sanitation and Hygiene" was approved in February and funded. Please pray for guidance in where we should do this work. There are about 1000 households and we, along with the local leaders will have to choose who will get 100 of these latrines.

Thursday, April 20, 2006 – Thank you for praying for Bill Bray and the team of guys that were coming to Niger to make a video of the Zerma People. God had other plans and they were not able to come. We pray that God will open the door for this project at a later time.

Friday, April 21, 2006 - Praise God today that He is at work among the Zerma, His word is going forth and we know it will not return to Him empty. Praise God that He is at work among the missionaries, guiding our footsteps and transforming us into the image Christ. Praise God that He is at work among YOU, our prayer supporters, listening to and answering your prayers.

Saturday, April 22, 2006 - Pray for Fati, as she studies the Bible with Cindy and Hassi every Saturday morning. Pray that her head knowledge will become heart knowledge, that she will allow Christ to help her overcome her fears and will surrender her life to Christ. Pray also for her mom, sister and friends to join us in studying God’s word.

Sunday, April 23, 2006 – Pray for the Blacks as they continue to learn about Zerma music styles and encourage Zerma believers to use their instruments and language to praise God.

Monday, April 24, 2006 – Deanna Ledlow went to states for a brief time in March as she had a relative pass away. Pray for Deanna as she serves as Guesthouse Coordinator and Financial Facilitator. Pray for Stephanie as she completes her senior year here at Sahel academy and for Jeremy as he is living and working in Arizona.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - - Please pray for Kanesa and Brandy to have a vision for the ministry that God has for them, individually as well as together, in Kollo and surrounding villages, as their language study is officially completed now. Praise God that Brandy and Kanesa both scored a 3 on their language evaluation. Five is the top score.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - During our work here we are in contact with several important leaders on a regular basis. Even though most are Muslim, they freely allow us to work among the Zerma people with our witness for Christ. Pray for these leaders and thank God for their willingness to let us work.

Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Those of you who've been receiving this letter for some time know that this is the time of year when the gardening season is winding down and food supplies from last year's harvest are either dwindling or completely gone. Pray for the hungry, that their nutritional needs would be met, and pray for those who are spiritually hungry, that they would find eternal life.

Friday, April 28, 2006 – Pray that God will direct Ben and Cindy as they begin initiating new relationships in Niamey and start new small groups that will study God’s Word. Pray that God directs us to those that are open to the Gospel.

Saturday, April 29, 2006 - Pray for the approximate 100 households that will receive help from the Hunger Project Ouallam Sanitation and Hygiene. Pray that in each of these 100 homes that the gospel is clearly represented and that many will hear and receive the "Good News" of Christ.

Sunday, April 30, 2006 - A few days ago Hadiza came to talk with Teresa. After the visit Teresa prayed for her "In Jesus' name." Because Teresa prayed for her in this way, Hadiza asked her to come to her house and teach about Jesus. Once before, they had studied but classes were not finished because of many that had to leave for rainy season. At the first study there were many new people. Pray for wisdom and strength for these classes. They are meeting in the hottest part of the day since many have to work during the morning and evening hours. Pray that they would understand and that they would accept Jesus as their PERSONAL Savior.