50 Days of Prayer

Some friends of ours are organizing a Care Calender for prayer while we are gone.  Here is a link to the Care Calendar:

http://www.carecalendar.org/?cid=10418

CALENDAR ID      :   10418

SECURITY CODE :   2698

Below is a list of prayer requests that relate to where we will be for each of our days of travel.  Feel free to email us at eyestosee2009@gmail.com if you would like to be added to our Care Calendar.

28th Dec The day we fly out – Pray for safe travel, sense of direction, and that our trip would be used for God’s glory.  Pray for our health, and that we wouldn’t have any negative reactions or negative side effects to the malaria medication we are taking…  Pray that the Lord would provide a contact for us for our Vietnam portion of the trip.

29th Dec We have a long layover in London and hope to visit Westminster Abbey, where William Wilberforce and David Livingstone are buried.  Pray with us that God would raise up men like William Wilberforce and David Livingstone.  For a little inspiration here’s a quote from the man spend his life fighting for the abolition of the African slave trade and slavery itself and one of my all-time favorite quotes from the famous Scottish missionary and explorer.

The grand object of my parliamentary existence [is the abolition of the slave trade]. . . Before this great cause all others dwindle in my eyes, and I must say that the certainty that I am right here, adds greatly to the complacency with which I exert myself in asserting it. If it please God to honor me so far, may I be the instrument of stopping such a course of wickedness and cruelty as never before disgraced a Christian country.

-William Wilberforce

People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa… away with the word in such a view and with such a thought!  It is emphatically no sacrifice, say rather it is a privilege.  Anxiety, sickness, suffering or danger now and then with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment.  All these are nothing when compared to with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us.  I never made a sacrifice.

-David Livingstone

30th Dec Pray for Uganda, and the missionaries working to help those suffering from poverty and disease…  Pray for the people of Feed His Lambs (http://fhluganda.wordpress.com/), specifically Jesse and Terra Crock, who have followed the Lord’s calling for them to help those in need.  Pray for more people to sponsor children through their Feed His Lambs program.  Pray for all of the FHL staff to have the strength, courage, and wisdom to help provide spiritual and physical needs for the children they meet.  Pray that God’s love would shine through the FHL staff, and that He would be glorified by their work.  Also pray for their health and continued safety.

31st Dec Pray for the Entebbe Women Association’s work in Entebbe, the Integrated Community Environmental Conservation Project (ICE-COP).  This project is meant to protect and conserve the international waters of Lake Victoria through core activities of tree planting, solid waste management, promotion of efficient fish smoking kilns and ecological-sanitation technology.  EWA is also addressing the problems faced by women in Artisanal small scale mining in the Entebbe-Kampala corridor.  90% of the women are crushing stones in the mines, while others are mining sand in the landing sites of Lake Victoria.  The women and children work so hard and earn very little at the end of the day, sometimes less than half a dollar. The work is under very unhealthy and dangerous conditions which have led to the deaths of a number of people and families through the collapsing of pits and stones flying into their eyes.  EWA targets to help improve the livelihood conditions of poor women and their children through Income Generating activities, lobbying for support with protective gear and institutional building.

1st Jan Pray for EWA’s Income Generating Activities; Piggery households are supported with 3 pigs per family, and poultry households are provided with 100 birds per home.  A total of 189 piglets and 3,700 birds have been distributed.  Each of the homes have started harvesting from the activities and the proceeds are used to improve household and family livelihoods.

2nd  Jan Pray for EWA’s Wakiso HIV/AIDS Support Project (WASP).  WASP is an HIV/AIDS action initiative geared towards reducing the prevalence and pain of HIV/AIDS in Wakiso District.  WASP objectives include: to provide economic and educational support to HIV/AIDS affected children and their families; to reduce the psycho-social impact created by HIV/AIDS in child headed, grandmother and people living with HIV/AIDS households in Wakiso District through Home Based Care, Psycho-social Support and a strong referral system; to reduce the occurrence of HIV/AIDS and promote self acceptance among people living with HIV/AIDS through drama, dance HCT promotion and socio-marketing.

3rd Jan Sudan - In early 2003, two loosely allied rebel groups began a rebellion in Darfur, Sudan calling for the redress of social and economic grievances and demanding greater political power. Sudanese authorities saw the rebellion as a threat to the viability of the entire country, fearing other neglected regions would similarly rise up and demand larger degrees of autonomy. Thus, the government decided to respond by carrying out a deliberate policy of extermination against the African tribal peoples of Darfur, Sudan from which the rebels are drawn.  A large Arab militia known as the Janjaweed has been the main group employed by the government to implement this policy of genocide in Sudan. They are armed by the government and sent into various African villages where they proceed to kill civilians of all ages, burn down houses, destroy crops and livestock, carry out mass executions, target vital infrastructure, and commit wide-scale rape. Reports coming out of the region speak regularly of such brutal acts as men being chained together and thrown into burning huts, women being raped in front of their loved ones, and children being kidnapped from their families. To date, over 400,000 people have died as a result of the Sudan genocide campaign and 2.5 million have been internally displaced.  We will be traveling to a town called Yei in South Sudan, and although there are many miles between Yei and Darfur, many fear that the recent conflict between North and South Sudan (primarily over oil) could soon turn into the “next Darfur” if the international community doesn’t step in.  Please pray the safety of those in Darfur and South Sudan, and for the government leaders in Sudan – for their salvation, and that they would put an end to all of the killing of innocent women, men and children.  Pray for the refugees who have been forced to flee their homes, that the Lord would protect them and bring them to safety.

4th Jan Harvesters Reaching the Nations; please pray for the missionaries serving on the Harvesters Compound.  Pray that many would come to know the Lord through their work in Yei, Sudan.  And pray for the orphans living on the Harvesters Compound, that they would be raised up to be godly men and women.  Pray for the continued provision of crops and animals that the Harvesters staff are able to grow and keep to provide food for the orphans.

5th Jan Please pray for Dennis and Lillian Klepp, and the sacrifices they have made in order to follow God’s call to leave America and live in Sudan.  Pray that their work there on the Harvesters compound would bring glory to God, and that the Lord would continue to bless them and the orphans, and continue to provide the resources necessary to keep the orphanage, school, clinic and church running.  Pray for more missionaries to be raised up to join the Harvesters team.

6th Jan Pray for safe travel from Sudan to Uganda.

Please also pray for the Sudanese refugees that have resettled throughout Africa and the rest of the world.  Pray for the church in America to embrace those God brings into our cities and neighborhoods.  Pray for their healing and the eventual restoration of their country.  Pray that as many are displaced from their homeland they would come to know the Lord and aspire to a better land…for the city God has prepared for them in heaven.

7th Jan Pray for Eri, our friend’s Compassion International sponsored child.  Pray that God would grow him up to be a godly man, and to be a strong leader in his community.  Pray that he would be a good example for Christ to those around him, and that God would protect him and his family.  Pray that He would be encouraged by our visit and the cards and gifts sent by his sponsor, Chris.

Please pray for the work of Compassion International throughout the world.

Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults.  Founded by the Rev. Everett Swanson in 1952, Compassion began providing Korean War orphans with food, shelter, education and health care, as well as Christian training.  Today, Compassion helps more than 1 million children in 25 countries.

Finally, please pray to be men and women of passion like the current president of Compassion International.

Every human being needs a cause in life, a passion.  If you don’t have some thing in your life that can make your heart pound, that can move you either to tears of joy or tears of sorrow in about 30 seconds, then my friend you are not fully alive.  Life if too precious to go on in such a half awake condition.

-Dr. Wess Stafford, President of Compassion International

8th Jan Pray for EWA’s Rukungiri Children HIV/AIDS Project (RCAP).  This project started in 2004 to support children whose parents died of HIV/AIDS with scholastic materials and vocational skills training.  The project helped to instill hope among 120 orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs) in primary schools and 60 out of school OVCs with vocational training, and supported 50 households of people living with HIV/AIDS with grants to initiate income generating activities.  The project also extended psycho-social support, life skills education to 180 households and intiated 4 apiary projects for women living with HIV/AIDS.  Pray for their music, dance and drama sessions – that many would continue to be impacted by the performances, and encouraged to be tested for HIV/AIDS.  Pray that the Lord would provide the finances necessary to continue the Voluntary Counseling and Testing outreach.

9th Jan South Africa; pray for continued healing of HIV/AIDS…

10th Jan Pray for Ryan, an American missionary to Cape Town, and his ministry for children living on the streets.  With the upcoming 2010 Soccer World Cup Series, there is looming pressure for South Africa to “clean up the streets”.  Please pray that the focus would be on the best interests of their children rather than that of business and tourism.

11th Jan Pray for Steven and his wife as they minister to the peoples of South Africa and Zimbabwe.

12th Jan Pray for more missionaries to South Africa like Michele Cantrell.

But what about our children?  Isn’t their safety and future success more important than our fruitfulness or fulfilment?  Yes, our children are our first and foremost disciples.  Their safety is our responsibility.  But their souls are our biggest concern.  Do we want to teach them to run away from trouble or to run to the battle?  Do we want to teach them that life is all about how much stuff you can accumulate and how comfortable you can be, or that life is about serving others, building Christ’s church, and giving up your life to find it?  “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s shall save it.  For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? (Mk 8:34-36).

I want my children to follow the examples of people like Jim Elliot who said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”  As I think of protecting my children, I need to remember that there are other dangers beside physical ones.  I would rather that they lose their lives than their souls.  As they follow God and seek first His kingdom, He will provide for their needs (Matt. 6:33, Mark 10:29-31, Phil. 4:19).  If they have a strong Christian character and work ethic they will not usually have trouble providing for their family wherever they live (Proverbs 10:4).   I choose to stay because I don’t want to rob myself or my children of crowns that they can lay at the feet of our risen Lord.

Jan 13 Praise God for the money raised for the provisions we will be bringing into Zimbabwe.  Please pray that we make it across the border without incident (that Blanca’s camera or laptop will not be confiscated)

Once one of Africa’s most prosperous nations, Zimbabwe has seen its economy almost completely collapse under Mugabe. Elections held last March were widely denounced for murderous attacks on the opposition, and Mugabe reluctantly joined a power-sharing government designed by international mediators. But negotiations on the distribution of Cabinet positions have deadlocked.

At least a quarter of Zimbabwe’s population has fled the country and many of those who remain are surviving on leaves and roots. Hundreds have died in a cholera outbreak, with thousands of deaths likely going unreported due to the collapse of the health system.

14th Jan Please pray for the economic situation facing Zimbabwe.

The inflation rate of 231,000,000% means that prices change by the hour, making it almost impossible for businesses to make any plans. Many have collapsed.  Only an estimated 20% of adults have a job – others struggle to make ends meet by informal work such as selling vegetables on the roadside.  There are shortages of many goods, and it is predicted that half the population will need food aid by the end of the year.

15th Jan Please pray for an end to the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe.

news from the BBC website on December 18th

The death toll from Zimbabwe’s cholera epidemic has reached 1,123, with suspected cases now at 20,896, the UN said Friday, as a health expert returning from the site said the situation was “worsening” in some places.  The easily preventable disease has spread because of the collapse of health services and water sanitation in Zimbabwe.  The UN World Health Organization has said the total number of cases could reach 60,000 unless the epidemic is stopped.  Oxfam spokesman Jon Slater said on Thursday food shortages would only worsen as crops are not grown amid the epidemic.

“That puts people in increased risk of cholera because people who are hungry are more likely to catch the disease because their body is weaker and because they are forced to scavenge for food and have to collect it from dirty places,” he said.

just in case you’re not familar with cholera this is from the CDC website

Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but sometimes it can be severe. Approximately one in 20 infected persons has severe disease characterized by profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, and leg cramps. In these persons, rapid loss of body fluids leads to dehydration and shock. Without treatment, death can occur within hours.

16th Jan Please pray for God’s continued provision for John and Orpah Chinyowa and the children at the Musha Wevana Children’s Home in Marondera, Zimbabwe.  Please visit the Servlife website if you would like to get involved in sponsoring a child like Moline.

Molline has had a difficult life and is thankful to be living at Musha Wevana. Her father died and her new stepfather did not want her, so Molline’s mother tried to drown her. Out of guilt, her mother committed suicide, and Molline was brought to the safety of the home.

http://www.servlife.org/wp/index.php/content/caring-for-and-rescuing-children-at-risk-in-zimbabwe-sponsorships-available/

17th Jan Please pray for the nation of Turkey

18th Jan Praise God that the Kurds are no longer being persecuted (as far as we know…), and pray for the continued restoration of Northern Iraq

19th Jan Pray for the believers facing persecution in Iraq

20th Jan Pray for President Obama, and wisdom in leading the war in Iraq.  Pray for the safety of our troops overseas, and for smooth transition as troops pull out of Iraq.

21st Jan Pray for the Preemptive Love Coalition (Buy Shoes Save Lives), and for successful heart surgeries for the Iraqi children.

Aras, 12 years old

Aras should have had surgery as an infant, and thanks to your thoughtful buying practices and great compassion Aras was able to get that surgery he needed. This surgery was co-sponsored by The Preemptive Love Coalition and other private donors with PLC paying over 68% of the $7,000 base. Aras is expected to lead a normal life now with his mended heart! He returned to Iraq February 2008 and is making a remarkable recovery. His family are so thankful for our part in helping save their son’s life.

22nd Jan Pray for the Kurdish shoemakers who work to make the shoes for the Buy Shoes Save Lives campaign, and pray for more businessmen to promote fair trade throughout the world.

In general parlance “Fair Trade” is known as a set of principles that involves paying fair wages to workers, the freedom for producers to organize themselves into unions, not employing children as a labor force, and ensuring that working conditions are not endangering the people who work. “Fair Trade” is the idea that commerce should actually benefit (or even develop) the communities of those who work and at least “do no harm.”

We (PLC) actively create opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers and give them access to international markets so as to build their capacity for success long after we’ve left the scene. Not all of our shoe makers are economically disadvantaged, but most of them do have at least two jobs in order to make ends meet. It’s important to us that we pay a fair price for each pair of shoes.

We mean for our name – The Preemptive Love Coalition – to convey our concern for the well-being of these people – both their children and the producers who make our very existence possible. Klash and Kids Klash are not made in anonymous factories or sweat shops. We do not have relationships with grizzly foremen to the exclusion of the actual labor force. We meet with the shoemakers themselves, know their names, know their families, eat lunch with them and treat them with as much respect as we desire for ourselves.

So, in a word, “YES – Klash and Kids Klash are fair trade!”

23rd Jan Pray for the continued safety of those living and working in Iraq

24th Jan Pray for the 2,190 un-reached people groups in India; pray for the people group that Mica and Brian are reaching out to

25th Jan Pray for the church we will be attending, and that the Gospel would spread throughout India

26th Jan Over 600 million people in India live in deep poverty, and 300 million live below the bread line.  Please pray for the elimination of poverty, and for the continued growth of the Indian economy.  Pray for the health and safety of those living in poverty throughout India.

27th Jan Pray with us as we prayer walk through Hindu temples; pray that eyes would be opened to the falsehood of this religion.

Hinduism is the world’s third largest religious system. At its widest, a Hindu is one who lives in or identifies with India and its culture. As a religion, it is a pluralistic network of religious beliefs and systems ranging from the philosophical (self-realization), to Vedic (rituals and good works) to village Hinduism (idolatry, occultism, animism). It absorbs elements of any religion it encounters, and is widely perceived as a religion of tolerance and peace. Its global influence is significant through such movements as Hare Krishna, New Age, etc. Many concepts of Hinduism have become part of 21st century post-modern culture – yoga, gurus, karma, reincarnation and transcendental meditation. How can we pray?

a) Hinduism has emotional appeal, yet in their search after fulfilment and purpose Hindus still long for a true communion with the Creator that only Jesus can give. Pray that Christians may so demonstrate true spirituality and the life of Christ indwelling that many will find their desires met in Him.

b) The Hindu caste system is a major unresolved issue. Constitutional equality and the legal banning of discrimination together with affirmative action favouring the underprivileged in education and government jobs have only partly addressed the problems. The rising demands by Dalits for their constitutional rights and a share in the land and wealth of the country, and by tribals for protection of their ancestral lands are often met by obstruction, intimidation and repression. Pray that:

i) the government may handle wisely the realities of casteism and the impoverishment of a large percentage of the population.

ii) the Christian response may be both biblical and Christ-like. Over 70% of all Christians are of Dalit and tribal communities, and the average Hindu associates the gospel with the underclasses of their society.

iii) the churches in their outreach may be sensitive to the caste networks and facilitate people movements to Christ but in their fellowship may work towards the elimination of the dividing walls of society.

28th Jan Pray for the children of India

Children in crisis – no country can rival India’s need. Of India’s nearly 400m under 18, 70m+ are child labourers, 10m are bonded labourers (a form of slavery to pay off family debts), 13m are homeless, 2m are street children without families. There is widespread child abuse, and there is a deficit of 40m girls because of female foeticide – over 20,000 ultrasound clinics thrive on this illegal practice. There are 575,000 child prostitutes and there is a massive trade in Bangladeshi and Nepali girls sold into prostitution. Pray that these desperate needs may be addressed through loving Christian ministries.

29th Jan Pray for those suffering from disease and illness

Leprosy sufferers number 1.5m, 63% of the world’s total. Christian agencies, in particular TLM and their 2,000 workers in 50 centres, minister to them.

The blind. India’s 10m blind represent over a quarter of the world’s total. Few have learned the Braille script, nor are there many materials in Braille in Indian languages. The Torch Trust for the Blind is committed to producing the whole Bible in Braille in the 12 major languages of India. At present there are some books in nine languages, but none have the whole Bible. Other agencies with ministry to blind people are Mission to the Blind and India Fellowship for Physically Handicapped. Compass Braille is an agency specializing in producing Braille Scriptures in Indian languages by means of computer.

AIDS has spread rapidly and is worst in Mumbai (3% of population), Maharashtra and Karnataka (2.4%), Tamil Nadu (1.8%) and NE India. Many fear that by 2000 there will be 10m carrying the virus, or 1% of the population of India. By 2020 there could be 200m carrying HIV – if present trends continue unchecked. This could become a catastrophe for India and only now are the authorities and Christian churches and agencies beginning to address the need for effective preventive and care ministries and also the need to minister to drug addicts – a major source of infection. A massive mobilization is needed.

30th Jan Pray for the Karen refugees within Thailand’s border who will need to relocate soon

31st Jan Pray for the vision and objective of the Cambodian Hope Organisation (CHO)

Objectives

To strengthen the quality of life of disadvantaged rural people and at risk and poor children: to achieve improved status in society and cultivate hope for the future by assisting them to develop into a strong, self-reliant, independent communities. This will be done by improving protection, food security, health, skills, livelihoods and the spiritual lives of targeted children, youths and adults in order to improve their quality of life.

CHO has identified the top four needs in the community of Poipet as being:

1. income generation

2. school education

3. knowledge about HIV/AIDS, primary health care and social issues

4. child trafficking and labor prevention.

The following projects address these needs and hence will be a priority in CHO’s development plan.

1. Income generation opportunities

• Agriculture

• Micro-enterprise

• Vocational training

2. School education

• Formal education

• Non-formal education

3. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS, primary health and social issues

• HIV/AIDS/ healthcare/ social issues (child labour, trafficking, domestic violence)

4. Trafficking/Child Labor

• Safe haven centre

Church planting and spreading the gospel in communities will continue to be a priority and will be integrated across all projects.

1st Feb Pray for the freedom of the children who have been forced into the human trafficking industry

Poipet is located on the long border between Thailand and Cambodia. Border trade provides business and job opportunities that attract people from all parts of Cambodia. Many of Poipet’s inhabitants formerly lived in the refugee camps that used to populate the border.

The largest single source of employment is day labour, with eight to ten thousand people crossing the border each day to transport goods back from Thailand. Working conditions and wages are poor for labourers and most are required to pay a bribe to conduct trade.

The city of Poipet lies in the shadows of ten super-casinos. Though these casinos provide some employment, most Cambodians have a insufficent level of education or cannot afford to pay the necessary money to secure a job there. As a result, the casinos provide little economic benefit to the area, for additionally, casino supplies are imported from Thailand.

The influx of tourists and gamblers, as a result of the casinos and Poipet’s location as a border crossing en route to Siem Riep, has encouraged the sex industry to flourish.

These factors- coupled with the lack of quality, inexpensive education and skills training in Cambodia- have allowed child trafficking to take a stronghold in Poipet. Poor families are at high risk of being lured into sending their children to work in Thailand where they are prime targets to traffickers.

Socio-economic metrics

- 6.8 members to the average household

- 21.9% of households are female-headed

- 63% adult literacy

- 82.2% of 6-12 year olds attend school, declining to 52.7% of 13-18 year olds and dropping dramatically to 1.6% of 19-24 year olds.

- 1.7% of under 18’s are disabled. This figure is 6.6% for 19-35 year olds, and rises further to 17.1% for those over 36.

2nd Feb Pray for CHO’s goals to plant churches along the Thailand border, and for their leadership training programs and women’s ministry

CHO aims to share the gospel through all of its programs, though also specifically aims to grow the local church. In the next six years, CHO aims to have sixty churches along the long border with Thailand, equipping these churches through the training of church leaders.

The church planting scheme focuses initially on villages in the O’Chrouv and Malai districts, as these have particularly been affected by the war between 1979 and 1998. As a result, these districts have a high level of issues such as child trafficking and are populated by many people who have not heard the gospel . Thus the need for Christianity here is great.

CHO also runs workshops for existing church leaders in order to increase their scriptural knowledge as well as holding monthly meetings for all pastors in the O’Chrouv and Malai districts, in order to unify and strengthen the churches. Each Christmas, all the churches join together and each church takes it in turn to host the celebrations.

Cambodian women are often heads of households and are largely more receptive to the gospel. Thus women’s ministry is a priority, to equip and enthuse women of God, so as to reach men. CHO also has a thriving children’s and youth ministry; every church has a Sunday school in which Biblical stories, Christian beliefs and morals are taught and a youth group is run in Poipet. This is in order to give children strong foundations in the Christian faith.

3rd Feb Pray for Cambodia

4th Feb

9th Feb Pray that we would make good use of our time in New Zealand; Pray for Blanca as she edits her photos from the trip, and pray for Liz to be able to process her experiences and write

10th Feb Pray for the financial provision of missionaries and organizations that we met throughout our trip

11th Feb Pray that people who read the blog would be affected, and choose to do whatever God has laid on their hearts

12th Feb Pray for rest and refreshment, and for an encouraging with our friends, Hannah and Richard

13th Feb Pray for direction for Blanca and Liz for the future

14th Feb Pray more contacts for us to meet with to share about our trip; pray that God would prepare and open their hearts to take action and help those around the world

15th Feb Pray for us as we deal with reverse culture shock, and re-entry issues; pray for wisdom in how to share our experiences with people in America