Fear not, little Flock!
It often takes spiritual stability and courage for God's flock in Islamic culture to come out to openly testify for the Lord or meet other Christians for fellowship. Recently, the Lord entrusted a little flock in this kind of environment into the hands of our team to nurse and nurture.
The team sees it as God's move to turn it into a boat for catching fishes. "We need God to help us prepare the nets and also to show us where and how to throw the nets," said our brother. They need the prayers of Christians that God will protect the flock from the prying eyes of wicked men who do not have faith.
Inbrief, 2005
Building Bridges
In Al Maghrib, people are being saved through remarkable experiences. At the end of June, last year, the team was in Spain for a Regional conference. It afforded them the opportunity to meet with fellow workers and compare notes on strategies to reach this core Islamic belt.
U has continued to share with student groups as the need arises. He and his family are still on intensive language training. They are beginning to understand some basic concepts and can communicate a little. In school their first son is going through instructions in 3 major languages to be able to fit into the school system. These are Arab, French, and English. Please pray for their annual renewal of their resident permit without any problem or complication. Pray also for their ministry and personal needs.
CAPRO WebNews 2002
A Mission Possible
Through persistent labour in prayers, God is softening this hard land. In a hilly small town where our team is visiting with the "Cornelius family," there is testimony of changed lives. An Arab couple testified to having great peace in their hearts now that was never there before. The man gave our brother all the freedom to share the good news with their two children. The other two are in Europe , one teaching in a university and the other studying in another. The prayer is that they too will join the flock.
Another sister has joined the flock... Pray concerning the plan to make cassettes and CDs of the available Scriptures in the local dialect for these, especially the illiterate ones. The team has only one man among the flock. The others are sisters. They are asking for prayers, that the Lord will draw more men to the flock.
Prayers are needed for members of the flock who are afflicted in their bodies. One sister is suffering from fribromalgia while a brother is suffering from a skin ailment that keeps itching.
Festus Ndukwe, 2006
Language learning
There is a sense of urgency in the team to pursue the language. It is an equipment they must have to break forth in the land. They are in a very high spirits and covet the prayers of Christians to make the learning rapid. They cannot afford to wait any longer- the openings for ministry are there, but for the language! A few have requested for The Book.
"Nonetheless, we are expecting greater things from the Lord. We know they will surely come. However, before they come, there needs to be abundant sowing: in prayers, in language, in building relationships and the sowing of the word. All of these are often difficult, and do not yield results as fast as we tend to desire. But one thing is certain, if we continue, we shall reap lasting results and that is exactly what we are committed to".
Way Forward
Since October 2000, our team had been seeking the face of the Lord on the way forward for this work in this land. The Lord's Word was clear and unmistakable: For Islam to crack, the Church must pray.
While funds are needed because of the expensive nature of the project, the team is however requesting for an even greater release of spiritual force to break down the strongholds. The team believes that the more the Church takes up her priestly role of intercession, the more this sick world will see the glory of the Lord, and many, will be healed and saved.
In view of this, the ministry is therefore on the move to raise at least 52 churches, one church to fast and pray for a week for a year for this work.
In addition to the above, the team seeks to get multiples of 366 believers who will each take up a day on his/her own to fast and pray for the land within the year 2004.
Pastors and elders of assemblies are encouraged to contact the ministry both at the Ibadan and Lagos offices for more information and action on this. The churches and individuals that have volunteered to fast and pray will receive from these offices prayer worksheets and strategy for implementation.
From Inbrief, 2003
In the Face of Odds
The work among this people seems like an unbreakable hard rock. But God once again assured our team that His promises can smash them.
The Lord gave the team renewed prayer burdens for their neighborhood and some other neighborhoods close by. As they prayed within those weeks, they were led to prophetically drive some of those words and promises He gave them into the soil and to throw some into the waters of the chief city of the land. They need prayer that the creative power of the Holy Spirit will follow those words to execute them.
Few, whom the team have come into contact and sharing the Faith with, have come to the point of acceptance, that 'all have sinned'. But the problem is taking the step.
There is a kind of spiritual blanket that covers both the minds of the people and the land upon which they dwell. This blanket is thick and dark.It is time for this thick blanket to be torn and taken away from the heavenly places. If any substantial and lasting work must be done among this people, the Church must muster all her spiritual weapons to enforce the Lord's victory over these lands and release these captives from their captor who holds them through their ignorance.
Paying the Price
It is in view of this that the team is asking the Lord to raise churches, fellowship groups and individuals to intercede for their land throughout the coming year. The churches are expected to adopt one week in the year 2004, to fast and pray for the land, and individuals to take just a day apart from the days of the week their local church will be fasting and praying. Interested Christians are expected to choose their date and communicate to either Ibadan or Lagos office of CAPRO so that they will know what days, weeks, or months are yet to be filled.
The greatest need, however, is to find brethren who will volunteer to coordinate the year 2004 long program in the different cities and states. This is because, being on the field, they will find it practically impossible to come home or where you are to do this mobilization.
They believe it is time to bring down the spiritual strongholds through the consistent, concerted and co-operate intercession of the saints. Their fear is that if they miss this season, they may not be able to maximize the next season. "We do acknowledge that we can never do this all alone; we cannot fly solo in this great task. This is why we are calling on you to join us. All our efforts will amount to nothing if we do not obtain a breakthrough in the spiritual realm first. But if we do, then we will thereby make way for the glorious light of our God to penetrate the hearts of men".
Language Pursuit
"When we try listening to programs or news on the TV or radio and do not understand the majority of the expressions used, one cries out.Oh Lord, for how long! There is a threshold we must cross in this pursuit of language. Please pray that we will keep up the pursuit of both the Standard and the dialectal aspect of the language".
Inbrief, 2004
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