. . . always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

1 Monday – Thinking of the above verse and the Zerma Team’s commitment to prayer and your commitment to pray for us, we are reminded that much of the work we do is done covered greatly through prayer. We thank you so much for lifting us and the work to the Lord – Daily.

2 Tuesday – Garden seed selling and most garden produce is coming to an end. Peas and a few other plants may bear but for the most part garden season is over. Grain field preparation has begun and from now until rainy season, when grain starts to mature about October, most Zerma people will be living on last season’s harvest. Pray that present food will last long enough.

3 Wednesday – Being sick or injured is no fun no matter where one lives, but added complications makes things more serious. Many times we ask you to pray for us and for our health, and we thank you that you are praying and will continue to pray for our health and ministries.

4 Thursday – In December Kimberly had an infection that “got worse”. When antibiotics did not help it became more serious. With the work that Kimberly does sharing at the Welcome Clubs, being a mother, wife and all that goes on with living, then having to stay off her foot taking injections regularly, then having the infection travel from the bottom of her foot to her shin we really prayed! Thank you for praying for our health!

5 Friday – In January Teresa caught a cold but continued teaching AIDS/Health classes a little longer – until her then bronchial/pneumonia cancelled the classes. After 20 days of antibiotics the lungs were clear, but the cartilage around the lungs was inflamed – called Tietze syndrome, which could last 6-12 weeks. Please continue to pray for all of the Zerma team as we battle not just health issues but Satan who does not want us sharing the Good News of Christ.

6 Saturday – Please continue to pray for all of the Zerma team as we continue to work on our communication skills which is not only the language but the culture and interacting with the Zerma people as well.

7 Sunday – There are many needs in Niger, Pray that God would give us wisdom and discernment in knowing how to help people, especially those that request financial assistance.

8 Monday – Today is Mark Ledlow’s birthday. Pray for him as he and Deanna are in the US now welcoming and “spoiling” their newly arrived very small granddaughters – twins Abbey & Haley! Pray for ALL. Praise the Lord for their safe arrival and for the special family time. Pray for continued health for the babies.

9 Tuesday – Pray for the five kids’ clubs meeting each week with Kimberly. Pray Luke 9:48 over the clubs. Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” Based on this verse the Kids’ Clubs have a new name – Fo nda kaya? Fada (Welcome Club).

10 Wednesday – Please continue to pray for the 3 new baptized believers who attended a “storying conference” January. Ask God to encourage them and bring to mind clearly the stories that were studied.

11 Thursday – Pray for the Bible studies that Cindy is helping to facilitate. Ask God to open eyes, ears and hearts to receive and understand His Word.

12 Friday – Pray for the newest Welcome Club meeting on Friday evenings. Pray for Kimberly and clarity in communicating the story of Ruth with the tween and teen Zerma girls. Pray for them to know their kinsman-redeemer in Christ.

13 Saturday – Pray Acts 3:6 for the Zerma team. “Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’” Daily we are faced with the many physical needs of people. Pray for us to always be ready to share the love of Jesus with others, to have a story from God’s Word ready to share at the right time and to boldly declare what we have – a hope, peace, and future in Jesus Christ, with the Zerma people we have contact with.

14 Sunday – Pray for Pastor Ama and his family to be strengthened and encouraged daily as they lead the church in Goudel.

15 Monday – Pray for the neighborhood of Bobel. Ask God to pour out His Spirit on that neighborhood and give many visions and dreams of Him.

16 Tuesday – Today is Phil Cain’s birthday. Pray that he would be renewed by the Spirit today, that God would strengthen and equip him to accomplish His purposes for the Zerma people.

17 Wednesday – Praise the Lord that Ramatou has grown in her faith and boldness to share at the Ouallam Church. During Teresa’s absence she has really taken ownership of presenting the stories and sharing the gospel. Pray that she continues.

18 Thursday – One of the ways we can demonstrate our faith in Christ is by our love for God, for one another, and for the lost. As Paul prayed for the Philippians in Phil. 1:9-11, we ask that you pray the same for us: that our love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment and that we will be filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ.

19 Friday – It is difficult to see Christian leaders leave their villages and the “work” that they have done for the Lord – but it is exciting to see others take the lead and be even bolder! Thank you for praying that the gospel to be shared. PTL that the wife of a “new leader” has accepted Christ and wants baptism as well as more studies. Pray for the Bolls as they go to encourage and disciple them.

20 Saturday – Please pray for the many folks that are leaving their villages in search of money and food. It is a very difficult situation for both the ones leaving and the ones staying. Many years it is the men that leave – this year it seems to be entire families.

21 Sunday – Please pray for volunteers considering or planning a trip to Niger to help in making Christ known to the Zerma people. Pray for good decisions and the application process to go smoothly with the many things needed done before, during and after leaving Niger.

22 Monday – Communicating the truths of Scripture in a different language and culture can be challenging. Pray that we would be effective communicators of the gospel; sharing God’s Word in such a way that those who hear it understand it and know how to respond.

23 Tuesday – We continue to do follow-up work on the Latrine Project in Ouallam finished about 2 years ago. Pray for these contacts we have at almost 100 homes. Some of the Latrines already need repair which gives us more opportunity to provide a Christian presence and witness.

24 Wednesday – Thank you for your prayers for the villages of “S” and “C”. The response has been good, the groups are learning God’s Word, and others have expressed an interest in joining us. Pray that these men and women would give their hearts to Christ, growing in their faith, and share that faith with others. Pray that God would grant them courage and steadfastness as they face rejection and persecution among their peers.

25 Thursday – Pray that Teresa & Don will be able to present the AIDS/Health classes, and that they will be able to return to many of the villages because of the villager’s interest in knowing more about the Love of the Lord.

26 Friday - Please pray for Mark and Deanna as they prepare to return to Niger. Pray for the “byes” they will go through to their kids and the new granddaughters. Also pray for the new parents, Jeremy and Heidie as they will be caring more for their new “bundles of joy” now that Grandparents are leaving.

27 Saturday – Well, we are really entering HOT season now! Many of you have experienced some cold weather while we were experiencing our cold season of 100F/70F. Now that we are in hot season it will be more difficult to work in the heat. Pray for those that are already working in their fields in preparation for the rains in a few months.

28 Sunday – Many times it is with a hurting heart as we listen to the Islam call to prayer, the sing-song type Arabic. Don had taken an Arabic Bible for a Muslim leader to the village of “K” but there was a death in another village. The Bible was there, and another Muslim leader was there. Don handed him the Bible and he began to read it in the sing-song type Arabic – but this time it was more like music to the ears. He wanted to keep the Word. Pray that as he reads it that he will understand the true message.

29 Monday - Over the past couple months we have passed out many cassettes containing stories from the Bible sermons and gospel presentations. Pray that God would use these cassettes to draw people to Himself. Pray that they would also be used to help believers grow in their faith.

30 Tuesday – Several years ago Phil taught some Bible stories in a village East of Ouallam. A few months ago a religious leader, Boubacar was in a bad motorcycle accident and Teresa went to pray for him & suggested hot & cold compresses for pain along with other suggestions. He has been asking that Teresa come to teach the AIDS/Health and other studies in his village – Pray for the Bolls, this may open doors to many other villages in the East. (Bolls have been working mostly in the southern villages)

31 Wednesday – Pray that Zerma Christians would catch a vision for reaching their people with the Good News. Pray for boldness and confidence for them and that they would be ready always to "give an answer for the hope that is within them."

Thank you so much for your continued prayers. We love and appreciate you! The Zerma Team