Quarterly Day of Prayer & Fasting

Transcription

1 Quarterly Day of Prayer & Fasting August 3, 2016

2 Table of Contents Devotion 2 Testimonies 3 Praises and Prayer Requests from Africa 6 Praises and Prayer Requests from Americas and 15 Caribbean Praises and Prayer Requests from Eurasia 22 Praises and Prayer Requests from the Affiliate Offices 30 and Partner Ministries 1

3 The Surpassing Peace of God Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV) Children are one of the most overlooked and oppressed segments of our global population and are the largest unreached people group. The majority of the world s child population have never heard this verse that Paul wrote to the Philippian church for their comfort and edification. Too many children live in deep poverty, abuse, sickness and neglect. We are not to be overwhelmed by these facts but are to make our requests known to God because He responds to the prayers of His saints. George Barna states that, "Ministry to children is the single most strategic ministry in God's kingdom. (Barna, George. Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions. 2003). This is why we are mobilizing prayer for Operation Christmas Child. This is why we seek and fervently ask our Creator to make a way for more shoeboxes. Our prayer is that the heart of a child would be open to this once in a lifetime Gospel Opportunity that they would know the peace of God that passes understanding. We desire to see an increase in prayer so children s hearts are impacted. More unified focused prayer means that more children will come to know the kindness, love and acceptance that our Lord is ready to pour out. 2

4 Testimonies Australia We are hosting a major packing party in Clayton (a suburb of Melbourne) and have recently appointed an Area Coordinator there - our aim is 500 shoeboxes from the event. Some statistics were recently released showing Clayton is the most multi-cultural city in Australia, with over 100 nationalities represented. We can see the hand of God preparing the way for us. It s exciting that a city where so many new Australians have been welcomed and found safety are now giving back to children around the world. Bahamas Chloe of Grand Bahama Island was always different from the other kids in her youth group. She tried singing in the children s choir, dance ministry, etc., but no matter what she tried she just didn t seem to fit. In 2014 she was a recipient of the Greatest Gift and graduated from The Greatest Journey discipleship program. This year she became one of the first recipients on that island to become a TGJ Teacher. She has grown in her faith and is now impacting the lives of others through this great program. Belarus The children of the church prepared a presentation about the birth of Christ for all of the children attending outreach events this year. The children were very happy with the program and the parents, especially those who were in the church for the first time, were very grateful. Many children received items in their shoeboxes that they had long dreamed about. One boy had dreamed of a little dinosaur and received a whole set of figures in his gift box. Another child received a scale with a built-in calculator. One dreamed of a flashlight, one of a doll with clothes and each child had their own joy. Bolivia Due to the OCC program, we have been able to develop RLTs in Bolivia. These teams are made up of pastors and leaders from different churches, who are determined to work in unity for the children of our country. These team members have put aside their denominational differences and, over time, have grown into a family, united in working together and united through prayer in both the good times and hard times. This is only possible because of the unity that Christ has called us to- unity in serving Him with our lives as He has called us. The result of this unity has spilled over into many of the churches in these regions and they are now working together as a body of Christ with one key objective. We are also hearing testimonies from these churches that many children, along with their families, are starting to attend churches. We are beginning to see the fruit of this ministry as children start a new life in Christ! Burkina Faso During distributions in 2003, two children received Jesus as their Savior. Today they are members of the RLTs of Kaya and Tenkodogo. Glory to God! Costa Rica In the San Jose School of Heredia most of the children come from dysfunctional homes. During a TGJ class, one of them was moved by the Holy Spirit and gave his life to Jesus. He is now extremely interested in learning more about Jesus. 3

5 Ecuador In the past year, the presence of OCC has been a great blessing, especially as our country has passed through one of its hardest moments in decades with the earthquake on April 16 th of this year. As a result, children have been left without parents, homes, and food. In receiving a shoebox, they have accepted Christ and have been able to smile and feel loved. Seeing the smiles on their faces has been moving and we ve seen the blessing of the ministry in a tangible way, like never before. Thank you OCC for being present in our country and around the world in the most difficult moments. El Salvador Johana, a 13 year old girl, had always wanted a doll of her own and when she opened her shoebox she found one! She began to cry, thanking God for the gift she had received. Honduras During a prayer meeting, a woman stood up to testify about her and her husband, who are pastors of a church: We have suffered much in ministry and have been removed from churches due to false witness, but God has held up our heads and the people talking about us confessed the truth. Nevertheless, the church suffered much and only a few people remained. We started a prayer and fasting chain for people to return to the church. We were surprised to see that children quickly started coming to the church. We had no idea how to start a church with children, so during a week of fasting we prayed to God for an answer. One day, a pastor invited us to a Samaritan s Purse meeting and when I heard what it was all about, I knew it was the answer from God. Now, after having more than 15 children we will be opening a Sunday school for 30 more children with the discipleship program from Samaritan s Purse. Nancy is a 12 year-old girl, who lives in the Valle de Angeles. She is behind in school; her family says she has learning disabilities, which go back generations to her great-grandparents. Neither she nor her mom know how to read and she always seemed to be very depressed. Her teacher, a former TGJ student, decided to take on the challenge of enrolling her in the discipleship program. At first, Nancy was very introverted and always tried to hide behind family members. Little by little, she became more independent: greeting people, walking more upright, and becoming more joyful. When TGJ started, she did not allow photos to be take of her, but now, she poses for photos. Thanks to God and the discipleship program, she learned to read a little and she understood the lessons. During the graduation, she walked all by herself to receive her diploma. Praise God for working in her life and making an eternal difference. Lithuania I want to thank you for yesterday's children festival. It was a great experience and a special Christmas miracle to our family! My son Pius is three year s old and has Asperger syndrome. Christmas and all of its events are a big challenge for him as he is afraid of large groups, loud sounds, strangers, and new places. We had tried to conquer his fears of group events and had attended a festival at his school. Unfortunately, we had to leave the festival quickly because Pius got frustrated immediately. When we attended the OCC distribution it was the first time we had seen Pius happy and calm for an entire event. He was not afraid of people and was very excited when he received a shoebox! Thanks to your event our hope to rise above Aspergers came alive! Please, keep doing what you do! Mexico A girl, Yamileth, began coming to church by herself. Her parents were separated. Her paternal grandmother is a Christian, but attends church in another community. She likes the worship music, so 4

6 came to the church alone to listen to it. During this time, she attended an OCC distribution and received Christ. While attending TGJ classes, she began to have problems with her heart. The teacher and the other TGJ students prayed for her. When her mom took her for additional exams, the doctors told them her heart was okay. God healed her! Yamileth continues to excel in TGJ and brings her neighbors to the classes so they can learn about the God who heals. Paraguay We are thankful that through OCC we can reach many schools, Christian and non-christian, with the opportunity to know Christ and to share his love with students, teachers, and parents. In Cerrito Chaco, an indigenous community, a mother came up to us, thanking us in her native language. She said that she was so thankful for the gifts her children received. She said that we were God s angels, arriving in a very special moment in her life and for her family. Peru Deep in the jungle in Iquitos, there is a region where you will find a vast number of ethnicities and indigenous languages. By God s grace and mercy, we have a RLT that has taken up the calling to reach these people groups. This team has to travel for many hours, often for days, to reach these communities with the Gospel. One of these communities, Puca-Urco, is a community that is almost lost to the known world. It is almost a 48 hour drive from Lima. Can you imagine traveling that distance!? This is where the RLT traveled with OCC shoeboxes. When the children received the shoeboxes, it was the very first gift they had ever received. For the first time, many of them received Jesus as their Savior. A church has been planted in this area and the families are very thankful to God for the program of OCC because no one has ever taken an interest in their community before. God is all-wise and we give Him all the glory, forever! Slovakia We visited a girl named Elisk. When she open her shoebox, she gave a shout and ran to her father, telling him, I can go fishing with you! She had found a camouflage jacket in her box. It was the exact jacket she had long dreamed of- one just like her father s. Only God can do that. Suriname Moene s mother died with HIV and her doctor figured out that both she and her little sister also have HIV. No one from her family wanted to take care of the girls because they were afraid of this sickness, so they sent them to an orphanage. One week there was a distribution at that orphanage, during which Moene and her little sister accepted Jesus in their lives for the very first time. They were so happy with the gift box and loved every single item in it! Both of them enrolled in TGJ and received their certificate and Bible last month! Tanzania Mr. Onesmo shared that his son, Michael, loved to do mechanical jobs with bigger tools. After opening his box Michael found a full set of mechanical tools and was so happy to receive them. Joshua loved playing with toy cars and imitating vehicle noises. When he opened his box he found a set of cars and he was very excited to receive them. 5

7 Trinidad and Tobago We held a time of prayer and fasting the day before the distributions and children were really blessed by the shoeboxes and answered prayers. At Faith Life Ministries a child told me that she needed transparency tape and she got it. My daughter changed schools, but hadn t started writing in the school yet even though she wanted to; lo and behold she got a book to practice writing in her gift box. At this distribution we shared about the best gift of all (knowing Jesus as one's Lord and Saviour) and around 50 children gave their hearts to Jesus! Uruguay In the city of Salto there was a neighborhood that didn t have an established church, so the TGJ teachers had been holding classes in a poor facility. Two months into the program, the owner of the building asked the TGJ teachers to leave, so the teachers moved their classes to the sidewalk. When the neighbors saw the children sitting on the ground they began to bring out chairs for the children and teachers. After seeing the situation, the neighborhood association decided to donate a vacant lot upon which the parents, many of whom were unbelievers, built a chapel for the children and teachers to use. RECA- Sensitive Country After the distribution of the shoeboxes, we began to hold TGJ classes for a group of eight children. By the end of the program, five of the children had accepted Jesus as their Savior. We also organized classes in areas that are much more restricted. In such restricted areas, conventional methods of evangelism are ineffective and potentially dangerous. This is why OCC is such a great tool for us. Through the distributions, God opens the doors to schools, orphanages, etc. Even though we can t directly share the Gospel, we are able to teach about obedience, respect, and other values. We also do various activities at these organizations and are therefore able to build friendships with the children, teachers, principals, and parents. This allows us to invite the children to the summer camp where we can more freely share the Gospel. These gifts not only make the children happy, but they also provide items that their families don t always have access to. Above all, the OCC gifts are a very good tool for communicating the Gospel. We are grateful to everyone who collects the gifts, and those who help to send and receive them. Praises and Prayer Requests from Africa Angola Praise God for the encouragement from coming together as an NLT to plan for the next 3 years. Please pray that God will lead the team in the growth they have prayerfully planned for. Please pray for the leadership team as they prepare to build the first srlt. Please pray for the ongoing TGJ classes and for the family and friends of these children to hear the Gospel through the graduation ceremonies. Benin Praise God for putting the new NLT in place and the work this past season. Praise God for the roll out of all the operations, including vision casting for OCC, the selection and training of Ministry Partners, the training of Trainers, and the distribution of gift boxes to the children. 6

8 Pray for the selection and formation of RLTs in several regions of the country. Pray God will touch the volunteers. Pray they will be tenacious, dedicated, and very engaged in OCC. Pray for the success of the coming season. Botswana Praise God for 10 TGJ training events and 340 teachers trained this season. Praise God for the full srlt team in Palapye. Praise God for the encouragement from coming together as an NLT to plan for the next 3 years. Please pray that God will lead the team in the growth they have prayerfully planned for. Pray the NLT will continue to work together in unity to reach towards the goals of the strategic planning document. Pray for the key logistics partners to be encouraged and continue to serve OCC well in the coming season. Burkina Faso Praise God for the selection and training of the RLTs in Kaya, Tenkodogo, and Houndé. Pray God will give the teams wisdom to be able to meet the challenges of witnessing to Muslim children. Pray for the collection of Ministry Partner reports. Pray for the development of program activities for Burundi Praise God the outreach events were successful and ran very well in all the regions of the country. Praise God for using OCC to encourage unity among Christian denominations in Burundi. Praise God more churches are working together for the great commission. Praise God the security situation in Bujumbura is improving each day. Praise God for answering the people s prayers. Cameroon Praise God for sustaining the volunteers during the distribution season. Praise God for delivering the volunteers from numerous obstacles and accidents during the season. Praise God for the impact The Greatest Journey courses have had on the lives of the children, families, and areas of Cameroon. Pray the children who have received the gift boxes and trainings will become accomplished disciples of Christ. 7

9 Pray God will manifest Himself before the authorities for the exoneration process, transactions, and transport in country. Pray God manifests Himself during the iconnect Conference this month and the nconnect Conference in September. Pray these conferences will have a great impact in the lives of the volunteers who carry out the project. Central African Republic Praise God for the successful importation. Pray God will draw many children to Himself through The Greatest Journey. Pray for unity in the local church. Chad Praise God for peace and security. Praise God for the calm of the post-electoral period and the contribution of the churches in prayer. Praise God for the successful season of OCC in Chad. Pray for unity in the Chadian churches. Pray for the health of the teams and their families, as well as their protection. Pray for the team as they deal with an incident at a warehouse that was damaged. Pray God will intervene in order to absorb this loss. Democratic Republic of Congo Praise God for the customs clearance of the boxes and for the assistance of the logistics team at OCC headquarters. Praise God for the leadership teams, particularly the RLTs who share the vision of OCC with many districts and territories. Praise God for the MPs and their support of OCC. Pray for peace and security in the DRC, especially in areas that are holding elections. Pray God will protect His people. Pray for the children who have started TGJ classes. Pray all of the discipleship activities will go well and will be effective in bringing children to Christ. Pray God will guide the leadership teams in the development of all the OCC activities so that many children will be saved. Equatorial Guinea Praise God for the successful distribution on the island of Annobon. 8

10 Praise God for the many children who have graduated from TGJ. Pray for the visa approvals for the iconnect in Ghana. Pray for the many TGJ teachers. Pray they would be encouraged and finish the season strong. Gabon Praise God for TGJ and for the classes that have been carried out without any incidents. Pray this month s elections will go well. Pray God will bless and protect all of those going to the iconnect Conference this year. Ghana Praise God for the successful importation of many gift boxes. Pray for the upcoming meetings to further the OCC project. Pray for those affected by flooding in many regions. Guinea Praise God for the Ebola victims who continue to receive TGJ lessons in their villages. Praise God for the brave teachers who selflessly teach the children of Guinea. Pray God will continue to bring healing upon the land. Pray that the team has a great experience in Ghana. Guinea-Bissau Praise God for the successful clearing of the containers. Praise God for the Ministry Partners who have a heart for sharing Christ s love with their communities. Pray for the new shipment of Gospel Opportunities that will be arriving soon. Pray for the NLT. Pray that the Lord will lead in the new assignments. Kenya Praise God for a wonderful OCC season this year with 90,000 children having an opportunity to hear the Gospel. Praise God for the great reports that are coming through as more children continue to graduate from TGJ. Praise God for opening more doors for the team to reach more children with the Gospel. Praise God many children have given their lives to Jesus. Pray the team is able to obtain the tax exemption for the gift boxes this coming season. 9

11 Pray for the political situation in the country as it prepares for general presidential elections in Pray for the children and their families who have gone through TGJ and are now following and serving Jesus. Lesotho Praise God for OCC and the impact it has on the children becoming involved in church services through TGJ. Praise Him that even their parents are able to attend the lessons and feel encouraged by it. Please pray for the TGJ classes that are now finishing. Pray the family and friends of these children will hear the Gospel through the many graduation ceremonies. Pray all of the OCC volunteers in Lesotho will keep faithfully serving the Lord against all odds. Liberia Praise the Lord for the successful TGJ classes. Pray for the future development of the OCC project. Pray it will bless many for God s glory. Pray for unity among the local churches. Madagascar Praise God for the TGJ survey among 200 children in the Region of Vatomandry. Praise God for a very successful importation this year. Praise God for the opportunity the RLTs had to distribute gifts in dangerous areas and for protecting them while they served there. Pray for peace and stability throughout the country. Pray the children who will be involved in TGJ will offer their lives to Jesus. Pray for the TGJ teachers and the others who are responsible for the program. Pray for the recruitment and selection of a new National Coordinator. Malawi Praise God for the three new NLT members who have been selected. Pray for the ongoing TGJ classes. Pray the friends and families of these children will hear the Gospel through the graduation ceremonies. Pray for the NLT. Pray for grace and unity as they pursue the vision for OCC. Mali Praise God for the peace that He gives to the Malian. Praise God for the faith of the children after the distribution of the gift boxes. 10

12 Pray for the children s end of school exams. Pray for peace in the north of the country. Pray for unity in the Malian churches. Mauritius Praise God for His protection on the NLT members and their faithfulness in spite of their busy agenda. Pray for the team as they seek to grow and develop at the national level. Pray God will provide volunteers who are called to serve on the team. Namibia Praise God for the broadcast trip which took place in Walvis Bay and around Windhoek. Praise God for the encouragement from coming together as an NLT to plan for the next 3 years. Please pray that God would lead the team in the growth they have prayerfully planned for. Praise God for the unity of the NLT. Pray for a new NLT Resource Coordinator. Pray for the team as they prepare to build the first srlt in the country. Please pray for protection and good health for all of the volunteers and their families. Niger Praise God for His work among the local church. Pray God will be glorified through the church. Pray many children will become disciples through TGJ. Nigeria Praise God for sustaining the Church of Christ in Nigeria in spite of all the activities of the terrorist groups around them. Praise God for traveling mercies and successes in all OCC activities. Praise God for the unity of purpose between the NLT, RLTs, MPs, and church leaders nationwide. Pray for God's intervention in the federal government s extremely strict policy of exoneration on materials for charitable organizations, which has seriously affected the obtainment of OCC s waiver. Pray God will carry the team through all the proposed travels and activities for the rest of this year. Pray He will prevent every plan of the Muslim leaders to turn Nigeria into an Islamic Country. 11

13 Pray for good health and availability of funds for all of OCC s programs this year and beyond. Republic of Congo Pray for political and economic stability and a good relationship between the church and the government. Pray for the conversion of the country s leaders to Christianity. Pray for the unity of the body of Christ in the Congo. Pray that the administrative facilities will clear the two containers. Pray the teams achieve their internal and external goals. Pray for the selection of new MPs. Rwanda Praise God for the positive meeting with the customs Commissioner and that even though he couldn t promise any reduction, he did promise all possible support and appreciated the ministry. Pray that the MPs and volunteers will serve as trustworthy servants. Pray that customs will facilitate the clearing of shipments so that this ministry can be effective in reaching out to children. Senegal Praise God for the successful trip of the Canadian Ambassador team. Pray God will continue to work in the hearts of the participants. Praise God for the opportunity to minister in Muslim villages. Pray the children will be impacted by TGJ and that their lives will be changed. Pray for the children who have decided to follow Christ. Pray they will be bold in their walk and share the love of Christ with their families. Seychelles Praise God for the newly recruited members of the NLT. Praise God for the support of SP/OCC staff and IFRs. Praise God for the TGJ classes happening across the islands and for the teachers giving their time to lead them. Pray more prayer partners will be involved in the Global Day of Prayer. Pray the Church of Pentecost will be able to have a consistent location to host their TGJ classes. Pray the La Digue TGJ students will have discipline and a renewed commitment to follow and serve the Lord. 12

14 Sierra Leone Praise God the team is able to attend the iconnect in Ghana. Pray for good flights and traveling mercies. Praise God for the great MPs who are committed to making the light of Christ shine in their communities. Pray for the children who have made decisions for Christ. Pray they will continue to grow in their faith. Pray for the children of Sierra Leone who are still recovering from the dramatic experience of Ebola in their communities and families. South Africa Praise God for the safe arrival of the final three containers to South Africa. Please pray for the outreach events for these 3 containers to reach out to the least reached and the unreached people groups in South Africa. Praise God for the growth of OCC s ministry in Mpumalanga Province. Pray the NLT and srlts continue to work together as a team to meet the in-here and the out-there goals and to be good stewards and disciples to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. South Sudan Praise God for the exoneration that has been granted to OCC to bring the gift boxes into the country. Praise God for a successful season this year. Pray for the western Equatorial region. Pray that God will provide a solution for the problem of displacement in that area. Pray that the people of Magwi will understand the vision of OCC. Pray God will restore the peace and that people will be able to love one another and not kill each other. Swaziland Praise God OCC s partnership with churches has had a great spiritual impact in Swaziland. Praise Him that many pastors have now developed good relationships with Sunday school teachers and are seeing the value of investing in children. Praise God the TGJ lessons have brought more light into the Sunday school classes. Praise God for the new Resource Coordinator and for a full NLT. Pray for the TGJ classes now finishing and for the family and friends of these children to hear the Gospel through the many graduation ceremonies. Pray the teachers will continue with classes and discipleship after the TGJ students graduate. 13

15 Tanzania Praise God for the completion of the TGJ classes. Praise Him that more children have received Christ and for the increase in evangelists, children s teachers, and church members. Praise Him for the non- Christians who have become believers through this ministry. Praise God the new Tanzania government tax policies have reversed and that religious organizations will continue to be tax exempt. Praise God for a successful distribution season in which many children got the items they needed the most, including clothing in the right size, school supplies, shoes, and school bags. Togo Praise God for the creation of the Maritime RLT and srlt. Praise God for His wonders through TGJ this year. Pray the new RLTs and srlts will fully understand the OCC vision and fully engage themselves in their tasks. Pray the NLT will accomplish its goals for this season. Pray for the MPs and their good will to support OCC through monetary donations and materials in order to accomplish the ministry s objectives. Uganda Praise God for using prayer meetings among various groups to spread the word about OCC. Praise God for the MPs who have joined together with others in their regions to pray for the release of the boxes. Praise God for using OCC to give the volunteers the opportunity to preach in churches across the country. Pray the MPs won t lose trust in the team because of the delay in receiving shoeboxes this season. Pray for God s favor in releasing the boxes that haven t cleared customs. Pray for the provision of a new consignee who will be a trustworthy partner. Pray for peace between the ruling political party and its opposition. Zambia Praise God for the successful Vision trip in Lusaka and the 1,500 children who were reached with the Gospel. Praise God for another great TGJ season. Pray the logistic meetings with the key partners will improve the process for next season. Pray for the NLT as their Logistic Coordinator just passed away. 14

16 Zimbabwe Praise God for the selection of new NLT members and the completion of the NLT. Praise God for the three years strategic plan laid out by the NLT and for the encouragement that this was. Pray that God will be the team s foundation and lead them in the growth they have prayerfully planned for. Pray for grace, unity, and focus for the NLT as they pursue God s vision for OCC this year and the years to come. Pray for good alignment of all the Regional and Provincial Teams to the NLT and OCC. WCA- Sensitive Country Pray for the recruitment of a new NLT. WCA- Sensitive Country Praise God for sustaining the team. Pray for favor among the locals. Pray for unity among the local church. Praises and Prayer Requests from Americas and Caribbean Argentina Praise God for healing the National Discipleship Coordinator. Praise God for volunteers who are involved with OCC in Argentina Pray for the trainings of teachers in the northern part of Buenos Aires and for the children who will be discipled as a result. Pray for the upcoming nconnect event in Buenos Aires. Aruba Pray the team will receive full exoneration for their first container. Pray God will provide willing workers for the vacant positions on the team. Pray the team is able to connect with the MPs and the parents, so that they can successfully reach the children. Bahamas Praise God the NLT made contact with Exuma Island and were able to establish a RLT there. Praise Him for the children on Exuma who were impacted through the distributions and TGJ Program. 15

17 Pray the Ministry Partner s outreach event strategy (Friend to Friend, Focused Outreach, and Broad Outreach) will awaken a renewed passion in the hearts of Christians in the Bahamas to become active in evangelism during the 2016/2017 season of OCC. Barbados Praise God for the speedy recovery of the girls who were involved in an auto accident on their way to TGJ class. Praise Him that they have returned to the class and are actively involved again. Praise God for blessing the boy who prayed for a football after his was lost and received one in his box. Praise God for the mother who expressed a desire to be part of the team because her child received a gift and a TGG booklet, which she insisted be read to her every evening. Pray for the salvation of the young people in Barbados. Pray for both a spiritual and economic revival in the country. Pray God grants the NLT strength and wisdom as they seek to create dynamic children s ministries. Belize Praise God for the growth in a Baptist church that started with an OCC outreach event last month and recently baptized 25 adults. Pray for peace in Belize and for the safety of its people as the country has high rates of murder and HIV/AIDS. Pray the Gospel will make a difference in the lives of the children in Belize. Bolivia Praise God for OCC s ministry in Bolivia through Build a Box. Praise God for the many children who have given their hearts to the Lord through TGJ. Pray for the RLTs in Bolivia. Pray they are strengthened, especially as they are facing spiritual warfare and attacks from the enemy, including robberies, sickness, attacks on their families, and loss of jobs. Pray the children who have started TGJ will give their lives to the Lord. Pray for the pastors and church leaders that apply to be part of the ministry of Samaritan s Purse and OCC. Pray they will support the vision and mission of OCC and continue to develop servant leaders. Chile Praise God for the formation of the first Regional team and for the work that is being done in the cities of Viña del Mar and Valparaiso. Praise God for all the team learned at the recent iconnect and for the opportunity to renew their strength and fellowship with others there. 16

18 Pray for the health of the National Coordinator who is coping with cancer that has spread throughout his body. Pray for his entire family. Colombia Praise God for the growth of the OCC ministry in Colombia. Praise God for each child who is being discipled and for each TGJ teacher. Praise God for the prayer networks that are lifting up the children of Colombia before the Lord. Pray for the graduation events as the children complete their TGJ classes. Pray the events encourage the children to continue following Jesus and to stay connected to church. Pray the reports from each region will be completed and turned in on time. Pray for the upcoming nconnect where the NLT will meet to train with all of the RLTs. Costa Rica Praise God for the exoneration of the containers. Praise God for all of the children reached through TGJ this year. Pray for the TGJ classes that are beginning in public schools. Pray the classes will continue to run well and have excellent results. Pray for the formation of an RLT in Heredia. Pray God gives the NLT wisdom in their work with the RLT. Ecuador Praise God for a good ending to the season. Praise God for the children reached through evangelism and discipleship. Praise God for the presence of OCC in Ecuador. Praise Him it is a great blessing and allows the teams to reach many children and families for Christ. Pray for those affected by the earthquake in Ecuador. Pray for the recruiting of remaining team members in various RLTs. Pray for the beginning of a new season of trainings and distributions. El Salvador Praise God for allowing the team to train the MPs without any difficulties. Pray for the new season, which will begin in October. 17

19 Pray for God s provision for TGJ. Pray God grants the team wisdom as they reach out to the public schools. Pray for all the volunteers and for the protection of the RLTs as they train MPs. Grenada Praise God for the new discipleship and outreach program in Carriacou. Praise God for a successful distribution program this season. Praise God for new MPs and their willingness to see the discipleship program move forward. Pray for the new MPs and TGJ teachers. Pray for a successful discipleship program in new areas and islands reached. Pray for the young disciples that will be graduating this season. Guatemala Praise God for allowing the team to participate in their first iconnect. Praise God for the experiences the team enjoyed at the iconnect. Praise God for the lives and service of the Canadian staff. Pray God will guide the team in the process of selecting more NLT members. Pray for the unity of Christ s body worldwide. Pray for God s guidance as the team plans for the first container. Guyana Praise God for the successful implementation of TGJ in difficult areas in the Rupununi region and the results from the program there. Praise God for the establishment of 5 RLTs and the increased capacity to spread the Gospel. Praise God for the success of the first nconnect in Guyana. Pray God provides the right people to serve in the vacant positions on the leadership teams. Pray for the health of the team members. Haiti Praise God for the visas the NLT members received for the Spain iconnect conference. Praise God for all the graduations that are currently taking place. 18

20 Pray for the new members of the NLT and that they would be well equipped to face the challenges of the country. Pray for the election process. Pray God will bring a president who fears Him into power. Honduras Praise God because He is great, His mercy is forever, and He will always care for those who seek after Him with sincere hearts. Praise God for answering prayers through the prayer network. Praise God for each member of the RLTs who have been dedicated and worked hard to finish this past season. Pray for the integrity of the churches; pray each church that partners with OCC during this new season will understand the vision and work according to the established guidelines. Pray for the new season. Pray God will provide prayer warriors with a calling and willingness to pray for the children participating in the OCC program. Pray every child who hasn t been reached will hear the message of salvation. Pray for unity among the RLTs and the churches of Honduras. Jamaica Pray God intervenes in Jamaica as crime and violence seem to be on the rise. Pray for favor as the team tries to find storage facilities for the OCC materials. Pray the ministry of OCC will advance this year. Pray for the cooperation of the MPs in achieving OCC s goals this year. Pray for the success of the upcoming nconnect. Pray God provides more volunteers to join the teams. Mexico Praise God for giving the NLT the opportunity to attend iconnect with eight strategic leadership team members. Praise God for the special time the NLT had with volunteers from 81 countries around the world. Praise Him for the impact, spiritual edification, fellowship, and affirmation of the vision of OCC / Samaritan's Purse the team experienced at the conference. Praise God that after almost a year of transition for the NLT in Mexico, they have successfully integrated members of the NLT with the help and guidance of a Regional Coordinator with CNCA. Pray for God s guidance in the restructuring of several Regional Leadership Teams in Mexico. Pray the restructuring is completed in the best way possible. Pray the team reaches their goal of having 33 RLTs to cover the entire country. 19

21 Pray the nconnect, which was held from July 27 30, has a lasting impact on the leadership teams. Pray for continued fellowship and spiritual edification as the teams prepare for the 2016/2017 season. Nicaragua Pray for the vision casting meetings and the recruitment of a new NLT. Pray for wisdom throughout the interview process with the applicants. Panama Praise God for opening doors for prayer groups in the indigenous communities. Praise God for motivating pastors to encourage their churches to get in the habit of praying for children. Praise God for the new church that was planted in the province of Herrera as a result of a shoebox distribution in February. Pray God will pour out His mercy and forgiveness to Panama and free it from the AH1N1 virus that is attacking the country and has already killed 22 people, including some children. Pray for divine healing. Pray God will continue to add members to the prayer teams in each region until the goal of a prayer team in each local church is achieved. Pray for all the preparation for the nconnect in August in Panama. Pray God will pour out His Holy Spirit and His power to each person who will attend. Pray they will feel his presence in a tangible, supernatural way, resulting in miracles in their lives. Paraguay Praise God for the ability to use this ministry to reach children and families in need with the Gospel. Praise God for the volunteer leaders serving on the RLTs and the growth of the ministry in this country. Praise God for the gentlemen who has been serving as the National Coordinator. Pray the Lord blesses his life and ministry as he moves on to other places of service. Pray for the children who are participating in TGJ classes and the teachers who are leading them. Pray the children will continue learning about the Bible and about God. Pray the teachers will continue to teach with patience and faithfulness to God s word. Pray for wisdom as the team begins to recruit and interview candidates for the role of National Coordinator. Pray that God reveals the person He has prepared for this position of leadership. Pray for wisdom in the management of the NLT and for unity within the group. Pray for the nconnect that is coming in October and that the RLTs will continue growing in their leadership skills. Peru Praise God for the opportunity to serve Him and bless the children and families in Peru through the ministry of OCC. Praise God for allowing the team to reach new frontiers/regions. Praise him for opening doors in Tumbes, Pucallpa, Ica, and Apurímac. 20

22 Praise God for the opportunity to reach more Native Communities this year, particularly in areas that are difficult to access where, in many cases, the people have never heard of the love of Jesus. Praise God for the international broadcast team that visited Peru. Praise God for their extraordinary work in capturing the stories so that other countries can be blessed to know how the Lord is working in Peru. Pray for the unreached frontiers of the Native Communities scattered in different regions of Peru, particularly in Iquitos, Amazonas, and the central jungles of Peru. Pray for the missionaries and for the RLTs who are working hard for the Gospel, discipling, and praying for unreached children and families. Pray for the nconnect event that is coming up in September. Pray it will be a time of strategic planning, but also a time where the RLTs will be encouraged and ministered to. Saint Lucia Praise God TGJ has run smoothly for the first year and for the children who have been enrolled in Sunday school programs as a result. Praise God for favor with customs and for the exoneration from the government. Praise God for favor with the MPs and for their good input to the ministry. Pray for the provision of storage for the shoeboxes and materials. Pray more MPs will join OCC. Pray for consistency for the NLT as they recruit and select RLTs. Saint Vincent Pray God will raise up more regional church mobilizers. Pray for the unity of church leadership in Saint Vincent. Pray for a strong leadership team. Suriname Praise God for the hard working and enthusiastic MPs who worked with OCC this last season. Praise God more TGJ teachers were trained this year and more children enrolled in TGJ. Praise God for opening doors to a new district, for leading the team to a new RLT Coordinator there, and for the more than 1,500 children enrolled in TGJ in that district. Pray for a growing and active prayer network. Pray for strong leadership teams and for God to call the right people to serve on these teams. 21

23 Pray for the nconnect which will be held October Pray the meeting will be a time of effective training and empowerment for the next season. Trinidad and Tobago Praise God for answering the teams prayer for a warehouse to store the container. Pray for the finalization of the documents needed to secure the space. Pray the MPs will see the vision of OCC, pray before each distribution, and then be able to share how God answers their prayers for the children. Uruguay Praise God for His faithfulness as the team celebrates 15 years of ministry. Praise God for the achievement of the goal of having one RLT for every region in Uruguay. Pray for the recruitment and selection of a Prayer Coordinator for the NLT. Pray for the impact of OCC on society and for new churches to be established. Venezuela Praise God for the prayer support the team has received from the worldwide OCC family. Praise God for those who pray on the children s behalf. Pray God will guide the political leaders in Venezuela and bring about a peaceful resolution for the country. Pray God will bring light into the hearts of the children, their families, and the volunteers serving through OCC. Pray for the MPs and their future participation in the ministry. Praises and Prayer Requests from Eurasia Belarus Pray for the strengthening and renewal of those who take part in the OCC project. Pray God will send new laborers to join in the ministry. Pray for interdenominational cooperation. Pray for the hearts of the children who were at the distribution events, of those who have been in TGJ classes, and for their parents. Pray that they will start to attend Sunday schools and summer Bible schools. Pray the children, along with their parents, will start to follow Christ and will join the church Pray that there will be no obstacles for TGJ classes or Christmas events as it is forbidden to celebrate Christmas in certain areas. 22

24 Bosnia-Herzegovina Praise God the MPs were able to use the shoeboxes they received to share the Good News during the Orthodox Easter in May. Praise God for using the MPs throughout the year as they work with children. Pray for all of the children involved in the MPs ministries, especially with those that joined these ministries through the shoeboxes and TGJ. Pray for the new members of the NLT and RLTs. Bulgaria Praise God for opening doors through OCC for sharing the Gospel and building bridges with the Muslim population in the south of the country. Pray for safety, sensitivity to the Lord's leading, and wisdom for the ministry partners from that region. Pray that as Jesus is lifted, the people will be drawn to Him, and they will understand their need of accepting Him. Praise God for the formation of the first RLT. Praise Him for using this team to inspire more churches to participate in the project and experience the blessing and the joy of reaching children and their parents with the Gospel. Pray for God's guidance, as the NLT develops another regional team during the upcoming OCC season. Pray the Lord will show them the people He has called and appointed. Pray the MPs continue to have the opportunity to share the Gospel and help the children grow in their knowledge and faith in God. Pray for the children who have graduated from TGJ and will be attending Christian summer camps. Georgia Pray OCC will restart in Georgia in the future. Pray God will lead in the process of selecting a new NLT. Pray the Lord will touch the hearts of the right people to serve on the team. Lithuania Praise God for His faithfulness during the OCC season. Praise Him for the outreach events, the children who have made decisions for Christ, the brave and patient volunteers, and TGJ teachers. Praise God for developing the national prayer network and for every prayer partner around the world. Pray God brings the right people to fill the vacant positions on the NLT and RLTs. Pray for the upcoming OCC season. Pray God will guide the team and give them wisdom and strength. Pray for the pastors of the evangelical churches. Pray they will understand the importance and urgency reaching out to the youth and will give themselves to this service. Macedonia Praise God the National Team is growing. Praise Him for the two new members. Praise God for all the children who finished TGJ classes this year. 23

25 Praise God for all the blessings He is pouring out on the ministry in Macedonia and world wide. Pray for the children participating in all the post TGJ activities. Pray for the new team members as they grasp the vision of OCC. Pray for God s guidance and wisdom as the team plans for the coming season. Moldova Praise God for the teams that were formed this year. Praise Him there is now a team in each region and the ministry will be more effective. Praise God the local churches now have a better understanding of presentations and programs for children. Praise God for the newly formed RLTs and that each of them will remain dedicated to the mission of OCC. Pray for the children who have heard the Gospel through OCC and the follow-up work with them. Mongolia Praise God for the financial support that made OCC possible in Mongolia. Praise God for using this ministry as a great example of how Christian people can serve others for the sake of the Gospel. Praise Him for using it to bless the local churches. Pray the children enrolled in TGJ will finish the program well. Pray the NLT will be well equipped to support the srlts and other teams as they minister in their local areas. Pray for the trips the NLT will be taking to the regions this season. Nepal Pray for the distributions as they will be conducted during the monsoon season due to the delay with the tax exemption. Pray for the consignee of Nepal as the government has begun to scrutinize them as a result of accusations by the majority religion. Poland Praise God for the TGJ classes that have been held in Poland. Praise Him for the children and families who were brought to Jesus Christ. Praise God for the new MPs, for the coming conferences, and the recruiting of Regional Coordinators. Pray God will provide a new vision for OCC in Poland. Pray that He will open the hearts of more children and their families. 24

26 Pray for wisdom as the team prepares for the nconnect in Sobieszowo. Romania Praise God for the new Church Mobilization Coordinator on the NLT. Praise God for the children who graduated from TGJ this year. Pray all of these children will become active church members. Praise God for the all the opportunities the team had to share the Gospel with children through OCC. Praise God for the new team in Transylvania. Pray for the formation of more RLTs. Pray God will provide someone to serve as Regional Coordinator for the Moldova area. Serbia Praise God for OCC. Praise Him for the donors, coordinators, volunteers, and truck drivers involved in the ministry. Pray God will bless everyone involved in OCC and for the love they show in giving gifts to the children of Serbia. Pray God will bless the children who receive the shoeboxes and their parents. Pray they will accept God and follow Him. Praise God for the many children in Serbia who are somewhat familiar with Bible stories and Christianity even though they don t attend church. Pray the team and other believers are able to teach the children how to apply that knowledge to their everyday lives. Praise God for the new NLT members. Pray for them as they begin to serve in their new roles. Pray the people from the new Roma house group that formed after the distributions will be blessed. Pray God will help leadership start new educational programs for this group. Pray OCC will reach more children in the coming season. Slovakia Praise God for the past season and all the children who were able to hear the Gospel. Praise God for the dedicated hearts of the MPs who have served well beyond their means. Pray for the children in Slovakia. Pray God will protect them and transforms their lives. Pray for the ministry partners; pray God will open the doors to all the places they wish to go. Pray for the new OCC season in Slovakia. Pray many MPs and children will join in TGJ. Pray for new volunteers to fill the vacant positions on the NLT and srlts. Ukraine Praise God for the new RLTs that have been recruited and selected this spring. 25