Janice Evans serves in a new Calvary Chapel church plant in Chornomorsk, Ukraine. There she blesses her team with her language skills in Ukrainian and Russian, as well as reaching out to neighbors and building up the new church.
Praise God for:
- Janice and her team's faithfulness to go to a new city to spread the Gospel. Most Ukrainians would say they are Russian Orthodox Christians, but there are no Bible-teaching churches in this area, and many need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Janna, a 75 year old lady who has been showing Janice around town. Janna says, "I need to know God." She has been reading 3 chapters of the Bible a day.
Please pray for:
- A unified team with good communication. It's a new team, and there are always stresses with getting to know one another and learning a new place and mission.
- New friendships for Janice. She left many friends behind when she moved from Mukachevo after years of ministry. Pray for patience in developing friendships.
- A good, inexpensive place to meet. They thought they found an ideal place, but the owner refused after learning they are a church. (Many in Ukraine believe any Christians other than Russian Orthodox are a cult.) They were also offered a pole dancing studio, but are hoping to avoid that!
We are ALL called to missions – whether it’s to pray, send, or go (or all 3)!
If God is calling you to step out in faith and GO, please come to our 2020 Mission Trip Info Meeting on Sunday, February 16, at 2 pm in the Westside Loft!
In 2020, we are sending teams to:
• Assist with further construction on Pastor Pepe’s church in Juarez, Mexico! Tuesday-Saturday, May 5-9.
• Provide a Car Clinic (repairs, maintenance, and training) for Mexican pastors in October.
• Serve children with special needs and their caregivers, plus assist with a Medical Clinic evangelistic outreach at His Safe Haven Village in Northern Liberia in November!
Praise God for:
- Eddie & Barbie Broussard of Navigators, and a great International Executive Team meeting last month. The leaders had a wonderful time studying the Word, praying, and preparing for future ministry. Thank you for praying!
- God pouring out blessings on Eddie & Barbie's travel budget for 2020. They travel frequently to encourage Navigator leaders in Eurasia & Latin America. In many places, this is the only way to talk freely about Jesus and the work because of oppressive Communist, secular, or Muslim governments. Their travel budget for this year will be over $44,000, which God has provided through gifts from individuals like you!
Prayer Requests:
- Eddie's annual "Soul Care Retreat" February 9-13, when he meets with a small group of men for rest and encouragement and accountability.
- February 20-23, when Eddie will attend and minister at a Men's Invitational Conference in Wichita Falls, Kansas.
Praise God:
- Linda's faithfulness in sharing the Gospel in Lamorlaye, France. Pray for her encouragement and strength. Europe has sometimes been referred to as the "graveyard for missionaries" because cynicism and secularism keep people from responding to the Gospel.
Prayer requests:
Linda has been ministering to Gerald for months. He was separated from his family & living on the street. He has been learning the Bible, and is seeing God answer his prayers! Please pray for Gerald to continue to grow, and for Linda and the church to know how to continue to help him.
Praise God:
For Bob Simons and the Monday night class of pastors & church leaders starting a Bible Interpretation class in Vicente Guerrero, Mexico. In the picture above, they are holding textbooks your donations helped provide.
Please pray for:
- The Mexican pastors and leaders to continue to study and come to class faithfully.
- Safe travels for Bob as he goes to Mexico by bus every other week to provide the teaching.
Praise God for:
His Safe Haven's care for abandoned and special needs children in Liberia. His Safe Haven provides housing, food, education, medical care, and therapy in a loving home environment.
They believe that every beautiful soul was created by the same hands who shaped everything in the universe. How much more remarkable is it that this Creator uniquely formed every joyful smile on the children's faces because He knew they have a purpose and place in this world. Not one person is forgotten, a mistake, or unseen in God’s eyes - no disability can keep Him from loving.
Please pray for:
- Please pray all of the children at His Safe Haven are sponsored. They have had an influx of children recently and monthly sponsorships are needed.
- There are unsafe, barbaric tribal rituals which occur in rural Liberia. Pray for the physical and spiritual safety of the workers and divine protection over His Safe Haven's community
- Pray Psalm 139:14 over the staff and children. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."
Praise God for Marie & Nolan Schockey, who took over 500 Christmas Stockings for their 11 programs over the Mexican border. Each stocking held small gifts and food for the children in their outreach programs.
Praise God for the good work He continues to do in Nairobi, Kenya, through Hope's Promise Sanctuary of Hope homes and Mathare Worship Centre.
Please keep praying for Geoffrey and Janet from Hope's Promise Sanctuary of Hope in Nairobi, Kenya. They received their exam results and attended a career fair to help them evaluate next steps. Pray for them to hear the Good Shepherd’s voice leading them into the hope and future He has designed for them.
Also please continue to pray for provision of high schools for Michael, Laban, and Faith as Mama Karau continues to search for the best placement for each one.
Please pray for God to move supernaturally to give approval for the building plans for Project Nuru, the new church building Mathare Worship Centre plans to erect. They have been battling bureaucracy & corruption for many years to get approval. Please pray for God to move the kings' hearts in the proper time!
Praise God for:
Carlos & Yolanda Casco, who teach Inductive Bible Study & marriage seminars all over Latin America.
Please pray as they carry out their heavy schedule of ministry:
- February 3-14 - teaching Inductive Bible Study (IBS) to students at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Antigua, Guatemala
- February 15-25- teaching IBS to 2 groups of pastors & leaders in San Salvador, El Salvavador
- February 22 - holding an 8-hour seminar for married couples where they'll teach through the 8 chapters of the Song of Solomon
Praise God!
We prayed a few months ago for "Danny" & his wife, "Allie", who were talking to Matt & Jonna about Jesus in a Central Asian country closed to the Gospel. Matt & Jonna have been sharing the Good News and reading together and spending time together. They have met several believing friends, but had been unwilling to visit the local fellowship (church). "Danny" finally went this month, and another local friend "just happened" to be sharing his testimony, and another local friend shared a clear presentation of the Gospel.
Please pray:
- that "Danny" will receive what he heard, "...not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God." I Thessalonians 2:13
- that he will repent and in turn lead his immediate family, relatives, co-workers, and teammates to Jesus.
- that he will lead his wife away from the false teachings she currently believes.
Matt & Noelle, serving in Northern Uganda, shared a little about their missionary Christmas: "Last year we did nothing American to celebrate Christmas besides cinnamon rolls for breakfast and reading the story of Christ’s birth in Luke. The day passed slowly and ended up being kind of miserable because we didn’t sleep at all that night, hearing the disco’s throbbing music and the public showing of movie after movie, as loudly as if they were inside our bedrooms, all through the night. This year we decided to be a little more traditional and put up a few lights and decorations, do a gift exchange with the kids, and invite some dear friends, 3 single ladies, over for dinner since their families had traveled for the holiday to different villages. It was not quite a white Christmas or a comfy cozy one, but it was restful and fun for all of us. And the disco got rained out, which was an answer to prayer for us (both for sleep, but also for the sake of our community and discouraging them from celebrating in ungodly ways)."
Please pray:
- For ALL of our missionaries who celebrate birthdays and holidays far from home and family. Pray for God to fill up the holes left by missing family and friends and traditions.
- For Matt & Noelle, as they suffered a miscarriage last month with medical complications afterward. Noelle recovered well physically and emotionally, but please continue to pray for them and their children as they process this loss.