Prayer Calendar by Global Mission - 1st Quarter 2008

n Cuba last week I talked with a retired Adventist pastor who had been one of the top leaders in the early years of Fidel Castro’s revolution.

Pastor Raul Alvarez’s story is too long to tell here, but let me mention his first encounter with an Adventist.

Driving down a road with two bodyguards, he stopped to pick up a hitchhiker, who noticed a dead pig in the back.

“What are you going to do with that?”

“Eat it.”

“You shouldn’t eat pig, it’s unclean.”

“If you were a pig, I’d eat you,” retorted Alvarez.

Now, many years later, Pastor Alvarez and I were traveling with a group to dedicate a “House of Light”—a house church built by Adventist supporting ministry Maranatha Volunteers International. Officials had finally given permission for the construction, right in the heartland of communism, where the revolution first took root.

Our bus arrived two hours late, but we still had to walk through crowds of waiting people. After the ribbon cutting, we entered a huge living room/church. People crammed into every seat. Others pressed together, standing in the middle and side aisles. We estimated 500 people had gathered to celebrate. A lot of people for a pastor’s living room!

As I looked out into the people’s faces, I saw joy and excitement. At last they had a place to worship their Lord. At last they had a lighthouse in their community.

Sometimes we underestimate the impact our involvement in mission has on the lives of millions of less fortunate people around the world. Thank you so much for your continuing prayers, mission offerings, and financial support for Global Mission around the world.

In Christ,

Gary Krause Adventist Mission director

P RAY E R R E Q U E ST S Global Mission has set up study centers around the world. These study centers explore new ways to build bridges of understanding with major world religions in order to more effectively share Jesus’ love with all people groups.

Please keep these centers in your prayers as they continue their work. For more information visit: www.Global-Mission.org/StudyCenters/

12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904

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he world is filled with hurting people who need the touch of a Global Mission pioneer. In a village just outside New Delhi, India, Global Mission pioneer Manoj Kumar realized his neighbors didn’t need to hear the Gospel; they needed to see it.

You see the matriarch of one family was dying of cancer. After months of watching her slowly slip away from them, the family was consumed with grief.

Manoj comforted the family with messages of hope from scripture and prayed openly for the family. For several weeks, Manoj spent time helping the family.

When the woman eventually passed away, Manoj helped make all the funeral arrangements. The family was so grateful for the weeks of selfless love that Manoj had shown them that they felt there must be something to his faith. They sat and listened to Manoj as he shared with them about a loving God who has a plan for their lives. Today they are members of the Adventist Church. Please pray for this family as they are now taking their newfound faith to others who need to find peace, God’s peace.

To support Global Mission work in Southern Asian countries such as India, support Fund #7200.

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INDIA India’s immense diversity is a great challenge to mission. In this country of one billion people, there are more than 4,600 distinct people groups and some 1,600 identified languages. Please pray for Global Mission pioneers as they strive to share the Gospel with every tongue, tribe and people group in India.

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little faith can go a long way. When two Global Mission pioneers in Gambia reached out into their own community last year, asking people to study the Bible with them, they expected people to be hesitant. Just 10 years ago fewer than 500 Adventists lived in Gambia. Even today there are only three organized churches and one ordained pastor in the whole country. Things are changing, however.

As the pioneers went door-to-door, people listened to their message. They asked questions. They completed the Bible lessons. Excited with the results, the pioneers went to the district leaders and asked for an area-wide evangelistic series. Surprised with the pioneers’ success, the leaders went to see for themselves. A few months later, at the conclusion of the evangelistic series, some 60 people were baptized.

Global Mission’s work is important in Gambia. The church membership has doubled since 1997. Many of these new believers worship in small groups started

by Global Mission. Thank you for your prayerful support.

To support Global Mission work in West-Central African countries such as Gambia, support Fund #7400.

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Located in West-Central Africa, Gambia is the smallest nation in Africa. Adventists can share their faith openly, but only 9 percent of the population is Christian. Please pray for the Adventist Church’s frontline workers in Gambia who are stepping out in faith to bring hope to this country.

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ikhail* and Shavkat* love the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Their love of the church has cost them dearly, but they don’t mind.

In Uzbekistan many cities only allow religious services in recognized churches, which are registered with the government. This makes it very difficult for congregations which meet in homes, such as Mikhail and Shavkat’s, to function. They haven’t been allowed to build a registered church. Over the past year several of these so-called house churches, including two Adventist ones, have been closed for “illegally proselytizing” to local residents.

One Sabbath last September two men in plain clothes walked into Mikhail and Shavkat’s house church and identified themselves as government agents from the Department of Antiterrorism. As a result of the visit, Mikhail and Shavkat were each fined 80,000 soum — nearly half a month’s salary — for “unduly organizing and holding worships.” Two church members were fined as well, but not nearly as much. Please keep these two pioneers in your prayers. *names changed To support Global Mission work in Euro-Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, support Fund # 6200.

Source: Adventist News Network

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Uzbekistan is among the least reached countries in the world. In this Central Asian country only one out of every 19,600 people is a Seventh-day Adventist. Please pray for Adventist Churches and frontline workers who face daily challenges spreading God’s love in Uzbekistan.

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