The Banten of Indonesia are the focus people group for November, and the Pacific Rim monthly day of prayer and fasting is November 1. Please click on the monthly focus for specific requests for this people.

Stories are powerful ways of connecting with others and reveal needs and insights that help us to pray specifically. Pray that God will use the 2007 Advent Calendar, "And the Angels Rejoiced" among intercessors around the world during this Christmas season. Ask God how you can use this resource in your individual, family, and church life this advent season.

The first ever Pacific Rim summit will be held November 14-16. Participants are coming with a desire to learn and connect with Pacific Rim people groups and workers. Pray that God will grant grace and mercy for travel and final preparations. Pray that each session will be an opportunity to hear Him speak and to clearly discern how He wants each person to connect. Pray that the logistics surrounding audio-visual needs, transportation, meals, materials and coordination will be done in orderly, blessed and effective ways. Ask that God will be magnified in all that is done.

"No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light" Luke 8:16. BL traveled home over the short summer vacation. While she was there, her family was impressed by the change in her life since she has become a believer. Because of the change in her life, her brother accompanied BL back to school, and he is now a seeker of the truth. BL has begun to study how to share her faith using the stories from the Good Book. Each week she shares new truths in the stories that apply to her life. She desires to share these stories with those she meets. Ask that as BL studies the stories and applies them to her own life, she will have opportunities to share them with her brother. Ask that her brother’s heart will be open to the truth and will accept it as his own. Ask that BL will take each opportunity available to her to share the stories with those she meets.

Fair, a 10th grade mild-mannered student, lives in a village. When she started acting strangely, her parents suspected spirit possession. Much money was spent on witch doctors, religious teachers, and a psychiatrist, but Fair did not improve. She had multiple wounds from torture and knife cuts by the witch doctor. Jampa, a believer living in the same village heard about Fair, visited her, and shared with her. Jampa questioned Fair and felt that she was suffering from a mental condition rather than spirit possession. She talked to Fair about prayer. Fair expressed an interest in reading some books. As she reads about the great Healer, pray that Fair will understand the message and will desire new life in Christ, the One who can heal her both physically and spiritually. Pray that through Fair’s healing, others will recognize that it is the Lord who cured her and not the witch doctors. Pray that they will be open to hearing the good news as a result.

In recent months a monk and some of his students began studying the Word. Others expressed an interest in coming to study. Pray that their hearts and the seeds of Truth planted there will be protected. Pray that the Word will be a light to them in their dark world.

Pray for Mam-san and Nor-san, two young mothers meeting with Sharon B. to read the Bible and look for answers to difficulties in their lives. Pray for Nor-san to grow in her faith and to see her husband believe in the healing power of Jesus. Pray for Mam-san to be faithful in meeting weekly and reading the scriptures.

Pray for the Luzon Convention’s Home Mission Board (Philippines) as they follow up on a Strategy Coordinator Training held last August in Manila, Philippines. Now comes the challenging part of setting up coaching-mentoring networks with these newly trained Filipino strategy coordinators (SC) as they put into practice the simple, reproducible Church Planting Movement plans for their focus groups. Pray for Home Mission Director, Fil B, and his local SC Trainers: Benjie V, Derick J, Jimmy F, Alan E, Deo Q, Luis E and Ronald E.

Percentage-wise, more Japanese are connected to the internet than any other nationality. Pray for ways to get the gospel to these people who are continually surfing the web via their cell phones and computers. Pray for God to show us how to use this media tool effectively to get the gospel to all areas of Japan, even to areas where there are no personnel and no Christians.

Pray for the Phuan (Laos and Thailand). The Phuan are intensely Buddhist, and most villages have their own temple. They also hold strong beliefs in the power of mediums and guardian spirits. When successful, they have been known to offer a pig or a chicken in honor of a protecting spirit. The Phuan have no Christian resources in their language. Their once-used script has now become obsolete.

"The quotes from the Bible really caused me to think, and I keep remembering them over and over," said a Japanese lady who received the verses in an e-mail from a missionary. Praise God that He is faithful to use His Word to speak to the heart of this Japanese person who "enjoys learning good things." Pray that she will see that Jesus is the Truth, and pray for her salvation. Pray that she will share these verses with those in her circle of relationships.

Pray for local partners to be discerning and wise in their words and responses to people who are making threats against them. Pray for protection over their lives and families and that the fear of the Lord will fall on those who are stirring up trouble. Pray also for grace to stand firm and hold fast to their faith and to see His deliverance and power demonstrated on their behalf in ways that their communities will stand amazed and believe.

A Buddhist monk was studying the Bible. Suddenly he found himself needing to hide from those looking to harm his life. A haven of refuge was provided for him. He took off his robes and clothed himself in normal clothes and a hat to cover his shaved head. The Lord knows where this monk is no matter where he tries to hide or run for safety. Pray that the words from the Bible will become life to his very soul and that he will experience the freedom that comes in knowing and serving Jesus.

A difficult situation involving the first believer among a people group has great potential for advancing or hindering the advancement of the kingdom work in an area. This person is a catalyst for all that is happening in this strategic place. Pray that truth will be revealed to clear up the false accusations against this person. Pray for clean hands and pure hearts of those involved. Pray for wisdom to be received by those making the decisions regarding this situation.