Requests from Around the Rim: May 2007
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Join in our monthly day of prayer and fasting on May 3 for the Blue-collar Workers of Jeju-do, South Korea. Although ethnically Korean, the 500,000 blue-collar workers of Jeju people have their own distinctive idea of the spirit world, folk religion, social culture, and linguistic dialect. The Jeju native farmers, fishermen and especially the haenyo women divers would much prefer to be left alone. Native Shamanism mixed with cultural Buddhism holds at least 98% of these islanders in utter darkness. God has brought two Jeju families that had left home to study as youth back to their homeland with a vision for reaching their families and friends. Pray that believers will be strengthened in the midst of great strongholds around them and have a deeper burden and compassion to share Christ with the lost. Pray that thousands of Koreans on Jeju will enter the Kingdom this year.

Pray for the first ever Pacific Rim Summit this November in Columbus, Ohio to provide leaders an opportunity to learn about unreached and unengaged people groups and how the Father is at work. The theme is "Take it to the Rim." Twenty-five personnel will be leading sessions and seminars. Ask God to anoint this time for all participants and to bless the plans being made now. Contact Bonita at for further information.

Discouragement is a battle that all of us fight at one time or another. Discouragement comes to those whose support falters. Discouragement comes to those whose plans don’t proceed as planned. Discouragement comes when the harvest doesn’t seem equal to the seeds that were planted. Discouragement is one of Satan’s number one strategies in defeating missionaries. Psalm 121:1,2 say, "I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth." Pray for renewed encouragement to be experienced by each missionary and believer in PacRim.

A national partner was sharing in a group about Jesus when a couple of men stood up with outspoken protests and arguments. The believer knew more from their religious book than they did, and God received a victory. After continuing to ask questions for several days, the two guys repented, believed, and ask to be baptized! Pray that believers everywhere will not be afraid to take opportunities to share; that they will know the truth; and that they will communicate the truth wisely.

The number of believers arrested for their faith increases. Ask that they will wait upon the Lord and will experience His encouragement and strength as they hope in Him alone. Ask for opportunities to share their faith with their captors and with other inmates. Pray that they will experience His grace in these trials.

Helen, a factory worker, returned to her last frontier country where she shared her new faith in Christ and led nine of her family and friends to the Lord. Pray that their weekly worship and Bible study times will equip and encourage them to boldly share with others.

R, a Kanda University student, faces the reality that he is the only Christian on his entire university campus. As IMB Tokyo team members train him to reach his friends for Christ, ask God to protect his faith, provide sufficient strength and grace for each day, and use him to be the catalyst for revival on his campus.

Often the Philippines is viewed as a "Christian" nation, yet millions still have not believed in Jesus. Remote areas and few messengers to go to difficult places are two factors. During April and May, Nehemiah teams will be ministering among these people groups: Hiagonon, Eskaya, Kamayo, Mandaya, eastern Subanen, and Tau-Mara as well as Dinagat Island, Siquijor Island, and Dapitan City. Pray students will join the teams and trust God to supply their needs. Pray for local leadership to prepare and follow-up carefully in each area. Pray for changed lives of team members and for "persons of peace" to be found.