FAITH COMES BY HEARING FAMILY
Praise God! To date, no staff or immediate family members have been hit with COVID-19.
Pray for the three candidates who have been offered a position and look forward to starting once we are able to come back to the office.
Pray that the social media initiatives will reach the right audience. We are reaching out to people, in several languages, through social media. People have asked for prayers as they need hope about their future at this time. Please pray that our apps and Gospel Films will be able to meet people’s need for peace and comfort.
AFRICA
Pray for many of our partners in Africa who have asked for prayers of protection and financial provision. They don’t have adequate healthcare networks or the safety nets (insurance, unemployment benefits, etc.) that many of us possess. It is a very difficult situation for these brothers and sisters.
SOUTH ASIA
Pray for a partner from the foothills of the Himalayas, that his church members would be saved from starvation as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. They are unable to work, hence there is no food to feed their families. Pray that neighboring churches who have food would be willing to share.
Pray that as ministry needs grow in South Asia, God would raise up coordinators in the field who have a heart for their own people.
As a result of the pandemic, several translation teams have encountered government shutdowns and are waiting to resume their work. Pray for their daily needs to be met during this time.
A remote tribe in S. Asia needs audio Scripture. Pray for the translation to be completed and for the recording to be completed in late 2020.
Pray for new partnerships to grow and bless the people in the field. Pray for partners who have a passion for the lost to join our efforts to get God’s Word to every person.
MENA/EURASIA
A handful of countries have hosted online Gospel Film showings during the Easter holiday. Pray for those who have watched the films and for our partners to have the opportunity to follow up.
Long-term, a number of countries in this region will be hit hard by the economic impact of COVID-19. Tens of millions of people are day-wage earners, meaning that at any time, they may not be able to secure a job. Please pray for provisions, and that they would turn to God in this time of testing.
AMERICAS
Sensitive Country: Pray that the Gospel Film initiative will launch soon and encounter no further delays due to health restrictions in this country. In the meantime, pray for the use of Gospel Films during these days of social distancing. Pray for the technology to work so that many people may be able to access the film and engage with the Gospel in a brand-new and unique way.
Brazil: Pray for the new team of agents working diligently with social media campaigns using the Gospel Films and discussion questions. Pray for the people who are engaging and for the church leaders as they are exposed to this vital tool for ministry.
Chile: Pray for our field coordinator, who is experiencing respiratory difficulties and poor health. It does not appear to be related to the coronavirus. Pray for his full recovery and for wisdom on whether or not go get the testing done.
PACIFIC/OCEANIA
Philippines:
Praise God for the completion of the Tagbanwa Calamian recording despite COVID-19 precautions and restrictions across the region.
Praise God for a successful implementation of the Tagalog Gospel Film launch—hundreds more churches, schools, and families are engaging with the Gospel through film.
Praise God for home Bible listening groups and Gospel Films watching groups during nationwide mandated quarantine.
Praise God for our partner posting Tagalog and English Gospel Film clips of Jesus’ parables on Facebook daily during quarantine.
Pray for re-evaluation and adjusting recording schedules due to COVID-19 precautions throughout Philippines and Southeast Asia.
Pray for impacted partners, churches, and ministries during these unprecedented times.
Papua New Guinea: Pray for the Garuya recording, on hold because of COVID-19.
Hawaii: Pray for the Hawai’i Pidgin recording project that is currently stalled due to the virus.
Indonesia:
Pray for one of the five recording teams still working on the Sentani recording in Papua Indonesia. They are at 90%, but the airports recently closed because of COVID-19. Please pray that the team will complete the recording without any problems and that a door will be opened for them to return home.
Pray for the other four recording teams between projects and at home on account of the virus. They hope to be able to begin their next projects in May, but it remains uncertain whether or not the country will open for travel by that time.
LANGUAGE RECORDING
Please continue to pray for the diligent work of our translation partners, recording teams (50), and studio workers to make Scripture available for those who need to know that God speaks their language.
COVID-19 has postponed or interrupted at least 10 new recording projects. Four recording teams in the Philippines and in India were unable to return home due to country-wide travel restrictions. At least two of them were able to complete their projects, despite the quarantines. Please pray for these teams and their families who have had to endure absences longer than they had planned during this very stressful health crisis. Pray for the Lord’s mercy and intervention to overcome every challenge, so that the vital work of Scripture recordings can continue to reach a world increasingly in need of words of hope.
