We know that most of the believers in the Arabian Peninsula are first generation believers. Islam is so strong here that this is not surprising. However, there is a second generation of believers too! Though very small in number, they do exist. Please pray for them. Pray specifically for the teenage son of one local mother. He became a believer through his mother. She has asked us to pray for his studies, that he would be a good student in school who is disciplined and focused. And also, pray that he would be a faithful witness to Christ to other high students through his life and his words. Pray for protection since persecution is inevitable when other students find out about his faith. Pray that the Lord would bless him and cover him with favor as with a shield (Psalm 5:12).
Also, pray for his mother who feels attacked by the evil one. She is trying to help "Jennifer" whom has been highlighted in our prayer emails the past few months. Now this believer feels that the evil of black magic from Jennifer's life is affecting her. Therefore, she has started fasting. Pray that the Lord would protect this believer from all evil. Continue to pray for Jennifer who is still searching for answers. Pray that the Lord would mightily use this believer to minister effectively to Jennifer.
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Update on October 28 Prayer Request
Thank you everyone for praying on October 28. The ladies did have their meeting praise God, and amid loud shouts and prayers to God for and with the local woman suffering from black magic and who also saw a vision of Jesus, there came some breakthroughs. First, according to their report, a demon spoke through the woman saying "I know you are the Messiah" and similar sayings. This kind of confession of demons is seen in the gospels as well. Second, the ladies were able to share more scriptures with her and she came to the conclusion that Jesus is the only way to heaven. However, he is still just a prophet and nothing more. But by the end of their time, she wanted to meet with them again to study the Bible in order to learn more about what we believe. So thank God for progress! Let's continue to pray for her, that the gospel seeds sown in her life will grow and result in a life completely submitted to Christ.
Many believers in Jesus have been hired to work as teachers, tutors, and nannies throughout the Arabian Peninsula. Please pray for their witness to be worthy of Christ, and that the LORD will confirm the truth shared through their lives, actions, and words. May their testimony cause their students, co-workers, admin, and sponsors to "see their good works and glorify their Father in Heaven." And may that connection cause many Muslims to come to Christ.
The wife and teen-aged daughters of a Muslims leader's family were forbidden to leave their house, which is very decrepit and filthy. Many young orphan boys sleep in the home, learn the Quran, and eventually "go to the war". When a Christian woman visited the ladies of the house one day, one of the teen girls took her by the wrist and would not let her go. Although she could not speak the Christian's language, her pleading eyes and iron grip seemed a clear call for help. Please pray for these dear women and for the many others who are held captive, sometimes by their own families.
A bright teenaged girl from a respected family in the village had wonderful hopes for her future. Her industrious mother encouraged dreams of college for her daughters as well as her sons. Tragically, the girl became pregnant and all her dreams were dashed. Because the shame of incest cannot even be hinted at, the girl herself was blamed in order to "protect the honor" of the rest of the family. She now bears the stigma, consequences and shame for the crime committed against her. Please pray for this dear girl and so many like her in similar straights. Ask the LORD to meet them where they are and to give them a hope & a future in Him for eternity.
Update on the October 28 Woman
For many Muslims, it is a long journey to faith with many ups and downs along the way. On October 28, we shared about a local woman who is a victim of black magic and who also saw a vision of a red cross on the wall of her bedroom. Praise God that Christian women continue to meet with her and minister to her needs. This woman, whom we will call "Jennifer" from now on, is currently suffering from much fear and anxiety due to the black magic in her life. She is calling upon God in the name of Jesus but also continues to read the Quran to find any relief from its power. The core problem is that her family practices black magic in the home. Strange things happen. For example, last week, she found her maid completely naked and dazed in her home. Needless to say, this shocked Jennifer. She also suffers from physical ailments which she believes come from this evil. She lives in fear and paranoia believing that people and demons are after her. She is desperate and needs our prayers. Ultimately, she needs Jesus Christ to save her from her sins and regenerate her in the Holy Spirit. Then and only then, will the demons leave her forever. So please continue to pray with us for her and her family's salvation. Pray that Jesus would free all of them from the tyranny of this evil. Pray that the Son of God would destroy the works of the devil in their lives (1 John 3:8) and pray that she would read the Bible and be released and have no more fear but only the love and peace of God in her heart.
Praise Reports
Praise God for saving two, Muslim South Asian men recently! There are millions of South Asians in the Arabian Peninsula and God is moving among them as well.
The first one is from Bangladesh. He has been attending an expat church for three to four months now. He has made a profession of faith, but is afraid of what his mother and father will say when they find out. Please pray for him and his parents. Pray that he will be strong in the faith and will love his parents into the Kingdom despite any opposition.
The second man is from India. He has been a seeker and has had ties with members of an expat church who have been sharing with him. He has also made a profession of faith and immediately asked these believers to share with his father and three brothers. His father is an imam (an Islamic leader). The believers traveled a long distance to meet his family and in due time, the father and three brothers came to faith too! So praise God that He is working through entire families. Because the father is an imam, there will certainly be challenges ahead (2 Timothy 3:12).
Pray that the Lord would keep these new believers strong and vitally connected with Him and other believers so that they do not revert back to Islam. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon. Pray that they would continue in what they have learned and be discipled well in a community of believers that love and support them (2 Timothy 3:14).
Youth of Yemen
Pray for the young men of Yemen. Some, even as young as 15 years old have joined the militant religious gangs, fighting alongside of them. They should be in high school but their schools were destroyed or are used to house displaced people. Pray that the teenagers will return to their families. Pray against the temptation that young men face to join these groups. Pray for peace in this.
Battle Against Witchcraft
Please pray for a local friend who has been a victim of witchcraft for the past year. She has been tormented by another woman who has cast spells on her and her children. Now we have learned that a member of her own family has been practicing black magic in the home with frightening results. In addition, her involvement with believers has angered this family member and has caused this person to perform more black magic specifically against her and against the believers. They went to her home and prayed out loud to Jesus. She felt peace afterwards
This is a spiritual battle that rages on. Please pray for this friend's protection and ultimately her salvation in Jesus Christ, the only Power that can truly rescue her from darkness. And pray against the spiritual forces of darkness in her life. Pray that the Lord would have mercy and transfer her from the Kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of His beloved Son.
A Prayer Warrior
Ms C is a devoted Christian and prayer warrior. Recently, a believer was coming within her client-server role and she was asked to give some special attention to them by other believers that recognize her opportunity. She along with other members of her small fellowship are dedicating hours in praying for the locals. Ms C is going out of her way to take good care for a fellow believer, and prays for them in their time of need. Ms C shared that over her years she has met 2 other believers, who revealed their faith to her. Ms C came to the region initially in order to provide for her family financially, but has since found that God has placed her in a unique position to influence others. The small fellowship she has been a part of has been a great encouragement to others in prayer reaching out to the locals. Please pray that more of the community of believers will also hear the call to bring God's Kingdom in their respective spheres of influence and that different communities will come together in unity and harmony for the Kingdom.
Black magic is a reality on the Arabian Peninsula. Although orthodox Islam forbids magic of any kind, local women still resort to it in order to gain power and influence in societies where they have little power. Those who practice magic seek different things such as getting pregnant, harming a woman whom she is jealous of, and seeking favor for their children. Currently, in one city which is in the heartland of black magic in this Arabian Peninsula country, there is a local woman who has been casting curses on believers. She goes to witchdoctors and has used amulets to cast these curses most likely due to the witchdoctor's advice. In short, she has caused work-related and relational chaos for these believers. Most recently, she has been inviting these believers to several different parties to "celebrate" them. However, they suspect that she is doing something evil to the food and wanting them to eat it. Some of them got sick from her food before and it seems like she is using food as an "innocent" weapon against them.
Pray that these believers would stand firm, taking up the shield of faith with which they can extinguish the flaming darts of the evil one (Eph 6:16). Pray that the Son of God would come and destroy the works of the devil in this woman as He promised (1 John 3:8). Pray for the believers, that no harm would come to them and that they would be a strong witness for Jesus Christ. Pray that God would have mercy on her soul, deliver her from all evil, and give her true faith in Jesus Christ alone. May the truth of Christ set her free! (John 8:32)
Testimony
This week one of our friends was approached with a request for a Bible. As this book is forbidden in the country but readily available for download, the person was guided on how to get a Bible App. She read large portions of the NT that very night and had all kinds of questions! She was able to discuss in her heart language with a second friend who spoke better Arabic. "Whatsapp" turns out to be a great resource for guiding her through her questions in the context of relationship. Please stand with us in prayer that this woman will recognize the authority of the Bible and respond to His call of love to follow Him even if this would mean being persecuted.
