May 2008 Pacific Rim Prayer Emphasis:
The Bicol Region of the Philippines

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them.” Isaiah 9:2, NASB.

Pray for the Bicol region, the largest unreached area in the Philippines. The Bicol region is one of 16 Filipino regions occupying the Bicol peninsula at the southern end of Luzon. This region also includes portions of some neighboring islands. At the latest census, the population in Bicol was 4.8 million. Less than 2% of this population has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Seven major languages are spoken in the six provinces of the Bicol region. The provinces are Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon. Agriculture, fishing, jewelry and tourism are the major livelihoods in these provinces. Most of the people follow a mixture of folk Catholicism and animistic beliefs. In addition, a large semi-nomadic tribal group called the Agta lives in this area.

In 2007 the Luzon Convention of Southern Baptist Churches adopted this region for ministry and outreach. The name of this emphasis is Uswag Bicol. Uswag is a Bicolano word that means “moving forward.” Twenty-one Bicolano pastors recently received training in Church Planting Movement (CPM) methodology that was developed and conducted by Filipino Baptist leaders. This June, twenty-year IMB missionary veterans will begin to focus their work on this region. They will join IMB workers who are currently engaging the Agta people.

Together with IMB personnel, God is bringing together a large number of Filipino workers focused on this region. Join us in praying for a bountiful harvest.

Pray that:

The 21 local leaders who received CPM training will have wisdom and diligence to implement what they have learned in their local ministries.

Multiple, rapidly reproducing churches will be established in each of the six provinces of the Bicol region by the end of 2008.

Workers will experience strength, insight, accuracy and good health as they share chronological Bible stories with the Agta.

The veteran couple will have a smooth transition into a new field of service this June. Ask that God will grant them wisdom, vision and passion for this task.

Local believers will be reenergized and refocused to reach their communities with the Gospel.

People from all over Bicol will be prepared by the Holy Spirit to respond to the Gospel when it is presented to them.

The resolve of the Luzon Convention will result in many mission teams of Filipino believers working in Bicol to help the Gospel “move forward” or Uswag Bicol!

Pacific Rim is a region of the International Mission Board, SBC.

Download other requests from Around the Rim.
Download the May Pacific Rim Prayer Calendar.