Change on the Horizon
Yujung Kang ministers among a people group in Asia Pacific. Pray “for wisdom to interpret their culture with the help of the Holy Spirit.” Praise God that it is finally time for the people to learn how to read and write in their language. Pray that the people will be willing to learn literacy; many are resistant to change and are skeptical because until recently the alphabet was not standardized which made learning the written language very challenging. Pray that God would give Yujung wisdom as she contacts people who can help distribute and teach the literacy material. Pray that the people will learn quickly and effectively so they can one day read God’s Word in their heart language.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs3f6jjnZPk (In this video, a man prays to the spirits to cure a sick person. Pray that this people group would turn away from animism and come to know the One True God).
Much to Pray About
Greg and Kadie Ried minister among the Taliabo people of Asia Pacific. There is much to pray about in Taliabo recently, ranging from the environmental to the practical to the spiritual. Pray for rain so people can grow crops in their gardens and pray for protection against giant pythons that have been coming dangerously close to humans. Pray for wisdom for the aviation team as they survey potential airstrip locations. “There is also a new village asking for our church to send [Bible] teachers. Pray for teachers willing to go. Pray that some of these new airstrips will come to fruition and speed the ministry.” Pray for an elder in the church to repent of a sin issue. Finally, as you are reading this, a consultant is in Taliabo checking 500+ newly translated verses; pray for clear thinking.
A Region with Great Need
According to Joshua Project, there are 356 unreached people groups across the five countries that make up the region of Southeast Asia Mainland (SAM). There are currently about 40 individuals from Global Partners serving in this region. Pray for safety and wisdom as they develop relationships with their neighbors, learn the culture and language and share Scripture. Pray for more gospel workers for the SAM region. Pray for the leadership team as they mentor new leaders. Pray for the team as they plan and prepare for two survey trips to unreached people groups in April 2027. Praise God that a few months ago, 40 people were taught chronologically through the Bible — many for the first time — and they were trained how to share God’s Word with unreached people around them.
International Literacy Day
Today, September 8, is International Literacy Day. Teaching literacy — the ability to read, write, use numbers and understand written language — is a vital part of Ethnos360's work. Literacy enables the people to study God’s Word in their heart language and not be reliant on the missionary or someone else to read it for them. Pray for people groups learning to read and write in their heart language today (like the people group we will pray for on Friday). Pray that they will be motivated to learn literacy so they can read for themselves, in the language they know best, what God has to say to them through His Word. Pray for the literacy classes — for faithful attendance and minimal distractions. Pray for patience, wisdom and clear communication for the literacy teachers; for many of them, they have recently graduated from the literacy program themselves and have never taught in a class setting before.
If you want to take a deeper dive into literacy in cross-cultural missions, check out this article from a previous issue of the Ethnos360 magazine: Oh, to Read and Write!
The World Cup as an Evangelism Opportunity
Will and Kelly Tallman minister itinerantly to the Kuman people of Papua New Guinea. The church had a unique outreach opportunity this summer: for several weeks, Will showed highlights from the World Cup on a projector outdoors, and during “halftime,” he and the Bible teachers taught the 150+ attendees Bible lessons from Creation to Christ. “Every night we taught, the crowd became more convinced of their need for a Redeemer. … Village leaders, who were previously hostile to our sharing God's Word, proclaimed this to be the true talk and that everyone needed to come and hear!” During the outreach, over 200 Bibles and Bible comics were sold.* This outreach was a big encouragement to the Kuman church. Will had to return to Ethnos360 Training Center where he teaches, and the Bible teachers are continuing the outreach in Kuman. Pray for wisdom and unity as they teach. Pray that God’s Word will be clear to the listeners and that they will put their trust in the Lord.
*Thanks to donors to the Kuman ministry, these Bibles and Bible comics (containing Bible stories and illustrations), along with evangelism books, are sold at a price affordable to the Kuman people.