Requests from Around the Rim: July 1-15, 2006
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Indonesian earthquake relief efforts continue.  Thus far, temporary housing, emergency medical care, and food have been provided to thousands. This has only been possible through a combined cooperative effort of national believers, volunteers, workers and you.  Ask that from this disaster and the ensuing volcano God would raise up a thriving body of followers willing to go to the ends of the earth for Him.  Ask that many would come to faith in Christ as they hear, see and experience firsthand the love of Christ.

Five of the men that were recently released from the hard labor prison camp in the Wa State have arrived home safely.  They report that the authorities have threatened to burn down all the church buildings that they burned over two years ago.  They threatened the lives of these men, stating that if they came back to "propogate the Christian religion," then they would be arrested, their heads would be shaved, their arms and legs would be shackled, and they would be thrown into prison for a long time.  They have issued arrest warrants for the top three Wa Baptist leaders.  These men consider it a great privilege to have suffered for the name of Christ, and they are fearless against these threats.  With boldness, they indicated that they would continue to do the Lord's work!  Please continue to pray for the four men that are still imprisoned and ask for a quick release.

As a result of training, local believers among a people group on the Island of Sulawesi became bold in sharing their faith. From their witness came forth a handful of new believers. Pray that these new believers would be bold in the Spirit to share the Good News with their families.

Baptist Vision is a three-day missions emphasis retreat conducted in July by the Korean WMU. Pray that the participants, all college women, will make commitments to mission service and many will volunteer for a 2007 summer mission trip to the Philippines in partnership between the Korean Mobilization Team and the Philippines Nehemiah Teams to reach Unreached People Groups. Pray that hundreds of college students will practice the prayerwalking lessons they learned from David W. during the recent seminar.

The Eskaya of Bohol Island, Philippines consists of only 3,000 people with no known baptized believers. In May the Nehemiah Team visited and found a local government official who is willing to open his home for a worker to live with him and share with his purok (small part of a town). One young man from the Nehemiah Team is considering this great opportunity, but this is still very questionable. Pray that God would thrust out harvesters into this harvest field and open the eyes of the Eskaya to His Truth. Pray that God would bind Satan from this area entrenched with many strongholds. Pray for the few, mostly youth, who have said they are interested and that persecution will not turn them away from Christ.

Join workers in Tokyo, Japan in praising God for several open hearts to the Gospel. A family demonstrated new spiritual openness and hunger. Three men seem closer than ever to trusting Christ. One busy lady finally committed to study the Bible. A temple employee, who just received a Bible, is asking questions about spiritual things. Ask that God would save each one this month.

A Japanese student studying in Arkansas has become a believer and desires to reach other Japanese in the US and Japan. During the summer break, she is returning to Japan to be discipled in her own language. Pray for her to have opportunities to witness and lead others to faith in Christ this summer while in Osaka, Japan and also as she returns to college in the US this fall.