Pray

Pray for participants who have recently returned from Encounter and Interface trips. These trips are an opportunity for participants to leave the comforts of their homes to experience realities of cross-cultural missions and to spend a short time learning and serving alongside missionaries with a heart for reaching the unreached. Praise the Lord for the amazing things He did during these short-term trips this summer. Pray that the participants would return from their trips motivated to serve the Lord in missions. Pray that they would be passionate in encouraging others to be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. Pray that God would direct and equip them to serve Him.

Learn more about Encounter.

Learn more about Interface.

Kirk and Yolanda serve in Guinea, West Africa. “Pray for W. He is a blind man who lives in a village some seven miles from ours. … Praise the Lord for working in W’s heart. He voiced a strong conviction that the Bible shows the way of salvation, and he wants more of his people to hear the message. Sadly, the dominant religion here imposes strong social sanctions against those who show interest in studying the Bible, so pray that W would be undeterred and continue to be excited about God’s Word.

“I would like to be able to spend more time traveling to various villages to share the Word with those who, like W, are interested. But the Bible translation and other work here make it difficult to find the time. Pray I can find a good balance. We have been in the village without missionary co-workers for many years. Pray for more laborers to join us in the work.”

Praise the Lord for the ways He is working in students’ hearts through Wayumi Expedition. “Wayumi Expedition is a summer camp and a summer mission trip, all rolled into one. At our campus in Pennsylvania, your students will discover how they can be a part of reaching isolated people groups who have never heard the gospel.” Pray for students who have just returned and students who are currently finishing out the last Expedition experience of 2024. Pray that these high schoolers’ eyes would be open to the lost world and that they would be encouraged to serve the Lord with their lives.

Learn more about Wayumi Expedition.

Chad and Janeene Mankins, serving itinerantly, minister among the Tobo people of Papua New Guinea (PNG). In May, Chad travelled to PNG to work on translation with Tobo translation workers Ambox, Nailen, Saku and Kopok. A consultant checked the translation of the book of Luke, and Chad and Ambox were able to work through some of the book of Matthew. "I left the USA for PNG in early May with 72% of the Tobo New Testament completed. And I returned to the USA in mid-May with 87% complete!” Praise the Lord for the quick progress made in the Tobo translation. Praise Him that the Tobo people are closer to having the complete New Testament printed in their language.

Pray for missionaries returning to their passport countries for home assignment this summer. Many missionaries utilize home assignment as a time to catch up with family, friends, churches and supporters; attend to medical and dental needs; travel; raise financial support; and take care of other things that cannot be taken care of while on the field. Pray that they would not get overwhelmed by the busyness of home assignment but would be able to return to the field encouraged and renewed. Pray for missionaries facing reverse culture shock. Pray for the missionaries' children as they adjust to an unfamiliar environment.

Pray for missionaries serving in complex contexts including regions that are “closed off” to God’s Word and are hostile to Christianity. Just within this year, many new missionaries with Ethnos360 and Global Partners are entering these regions to begin building relationships and establishing rapport with their neighbors, laying the groundwork to share the gospel with these unreached people. Pray that God would grant these missionaries the creativity, the platform and the resources to live and work in complex contexts. Pray that He would comfort them as they are away from their passport countries and often isolated from their friends, families and churches.

Dan and Judy Burke minister among the Chimane people of Bolivia. Twenty-seven families showed up for a discipleship course last month (class 7A) along with the Bible teachers and their families. Many of the women shared about how they were initially opposed to Christianity but came to accept the gospel after their believing husbands taught them truth from God’s Word. Pray that through the discipleship courses, the Chimane believers would grow in their relationships with the Lord, with their spouses and with their children. Pray that the Burkes would “take one day at a time and not get overwhelmed with the bigger picture.”

Jordan and Rachel Keefe minister among a people group in Colombia. This is the eighth year that the Keefes have ministered alone among this people group without co-workers to share the ministry and practical responsibilities. “For the last two years a Colombian couple, Daniel and Carolina Ferrucho, who were trained for cross-cultural missions by our organization have wanted to become our co-workers,” but circumstances with their home church have prevented them from being able to join the Keefes as a team.

Pray that if it is God’s will, He would make a way for the Ferruchos to join the Keefes in ministry. “Pray that we would not be discouraged or disheartened. … And most of all, pray that God would raise up laborers for His harvest [with] faithful churches to send them, and that some of those laborers would come help us.”

Derek and Chantal Chen minister among the Tanguat people of Papua New Guinea. “[Recently] the church started hearing teaching from the Gospel of Mark for the first time. … One of the biggest challenges in church right now is forming the believers’ identities in Christ … Please pray for God’s Spirit to work in the people’s hearts as they learn from His Word! Since starting the new series on Mark, we thought it would be a great time to reach out to the most underrepresented demographic in our church: young men in their teens and 20s. … Pray that God would draw them to Himself and that they would see their need for a Savior!”

Aaron and Amy, along with co-workers Guy and Keyla, minister among the G people of West Africa. Because of a recent event involving the village where they live and a neighboring village, Bible lessons were put on break for three weeks. Recently, Aaron and Guy were able to start teaching again. “We taught on the Ten Commandments, and the lesson was well followed. A couple times the whole group got really quiet. I believe it was because they realized that they will not be able to make themselves acceptable to God by simply being better than others.”

Pray that the weather and the situation with the neighboring village would not prevent the Bible lessons from continuing. Pray that God would be working in the hearts of the G people.

Rhett and Stacie Stous minister among the Kovol people of Papua New Guinea. Two years ago, they began establishing an alphabet in the Kovol language. They have been able to involve the Kovol people in this process, hoping the people will take ownership in their literacy. Praise the Lord, this project is now finished.

Pray for wisdom for Rhett as he processes language data in the USA. Pray that this time of diligent preparation will help the team “be able to present the gospel in a way that is thought provoking and compelling, not vague and able to be blended with their preexisting beliefs.”

Gary and Esther Smith serve in support roles in Papua New Guinea. They formerly ministered among the Dinangat people and were recently able to go back for a visit. They learned that a “former outreach church group” has started an outreach in a different Dinangat village. A windstorm had driven the church out of their homes and to this new village, and the believers began sharing God’s Message with these new friends. The Smiths are encouraged that the church “just saw the need and went for it.”

Praise God for the way He orchestrated this interaction. Pray that many in this village would hear the gospel and believe.

Ron and Michelle Jennings minister among the Higaunon people of the Philippines. Recently, the Jennings were encouraged to hear that the church had organized a seminar for the teenage children of their Bible teachers. The Jennings were also encouraged by the ladies of the Higaunon church who “have been putting money aside every week, as much as they can afford.” The ladies used this money to surprise a church leader with a motorbike that will aid in church ministry in remote locations.

Praise the Lord that the Higaunon church is taking initiative in caring for each other and for others. Pray that God would continue to bless the church through their obedience to Him.

Doug Schermerhorn, now retired, ministered among the Emberá people of Panama and continues to be involved in developing teaching materials. “I have regular contact with some of the Emberá believers in Panama. My good friend Limber made a two-week evangelistic trip to Colombia and reports that there was much interest in hearing the gospel. He left some of the new Kulumi [audio] players there. Pray that as people listen to the message, they would trust Christ for salvation. Limber hopes to return to Colombia in November to teach for a longer period. … Pray that we would know if and how many more Kulumi audio players could be used effectively there.”

Jared and Carol Kresge serve in aviation in Asia Pacific. A new airstrip has been built in village K, a new outreach area among the Saluan people. “This is one of the highs of missionary aviation: seeing local missionaries initiate work on a new airstrip to enable them to reach other people groups more efficiently with the gospel.” Before the team built this new airstrip, the nearest airstrip to village K was an arduous 18-mile hike. Now they can fly there in less than 10 minutes. The Kresges are “thankful to be a part of such a significant step in the furtherance of the gospel among unreached people” and ask that we “take a moment to pray for the message of God's grace to go forward without hindrance among the people of village K.”

Jezekiel and Anna Van Der Decker serve in Papua New Guinea. “Team formation has been one of our constant prayer requests over the past couple of years since first moving to Papua New Guinea – that God would give clarity and direction in forming a church planting team with other missionaries. Praise the Lord for answering prayers! We are so blessed that God is leading us to form a church planting team with the Doerr family (with four kids) from the US and the Islamaj family (with two kids) from Germany! Please pray for unity and direction as we trust the Lord with many upcoming decisions as a team.” Pray for the team as they make decisions and preparations to live among a people group in a remote location. Pray that they would trust the Lord to provide for their needs. Pray for unity among the team.

Matt and Debi Zook minister among the Lolo and Kokola people of Mozambique. “The Lolo team … is preparing for a consultant check of 2 Chronicles in July. The Kokola team … is preparing for a consultant check of the rest Numbers in August.” Pray that these checks will bring the Bible translations closer to completion.

“Debi keeps busy running the homeschool in the mornings, faithfully meeting with women each weekday afternoon, and teaching Bible lessons to children each Saturday morning. Pray for good fruit in all her endeavors.” On weekdays, the team teaches literacy classes and classes for Bible readers. “Pray with us for the salvation of the students.”

Colton and Tanja Twigg serve in Paraguay. “We … continue to serve out in our church plant [through our local church]. Most Sundays, it is the children who are the faithful ones and average anywhere from 10 to 20 kids per week. We are so thankful to the Lord for these lives we get to reach for Him. Please pray for the hearts of these children as they hear the gospel presented to them, that they come to saving faith in Christ. Please pray that we would see more interest from their parents. Pray that the Holy Spirit would stir these parents to come and hear the gospel as well.”

Cole and Hannah Hinderager minster among the Northern Isnag people of the Philippines. Earlier this month, they began walking through the Bible chronologically with the Northern Isnag people. Lessons take place three times a week and will continue from June through September. “Pray for many neighbors to attend … [and be] committed to hearing God’s whole story. Pray for the clear gospel to be understood. Pray for Cole as he teaches in Isnag. Pray for us both as we spend time with our friends gauging what’s being understood and clarifying misunderstandings. Pray for our kids to see God’s power at work. Pray God’s name is glorified."

Bobby and Sandy Jank minister among the Yanomamö people of Latin America. Earlier this month, we prayed for the Yanomamö people as they are experiencing hunger due to a food shortage. Please continue to pray. If the funds can be raised, the fuel obtained and the necessary permissions granted, a national pilot can fly food into the village. “This time of scarcity should be coming to an end in five or six months as some of the more hardy crops will bounce back with all the rain. And after that, the things they planted this year should take over. So even just this one flight could make this whole situation much better.”

To give towards this pressing need, use theGive where most needed page. Designate the funds “for Yanomamo Church Plant Project YANOPROY - SADI Latin America.”