Blog Update and Prayer Requests

I’ve been pretty busy lately with house hunting, Greek homework, and other activities, that I’ve gone on an unofficial hiatus with my blog here. I have a few posts attempting to work their way out of my mind and onto the computer, but expect less regularity with my posts than you’ve seen before.


Today I have two recent prayer requests coming out of Colombia. Even with the less frequent posting, I’ve been able to set time aside to pray for Colombia each week.

PA OF COLOMBIA (pah). In the village of SJ live approximately 80 families. These families have traditionally followed a mix of their traditional religion and the teachings of the Catholic Church. To be open to anything different means rejection by their families and neighbors and leaves them vulnerable to open persecution. National missionaries H and D have begun to visit families in this village, which is 10 kilometers from their home base. A visiting team from a Baptist church led English classes and activity times with the children in this village last year (and will return in June). This has given H and D reasons to visit and to follow up in some of the homes in this area. D is now leading a Bible-study time with the children who are inviting their friends to come and hear the Bible stories, and H is leading an adult study. People are inviting their friends to come. Pray as the Word of God is shared, asking that those hearing the Word will respond with conviction and firmness to the Gospel message. Pray for those who are already believers--F, L, J and E--asking that they will remain strong in their faith despite opposition and that they will respond to what God is asking them to do. Pray for their ability to share with others and to be spiritual leaders in their community.

AR OF COLOMBIA (ahr). Z was born prematurely in his home in N. He was very sick. Doctors said that he had a heart defect, but that with time, the hole should heal itself if he gained weight and made progress in his general health. His mother listened to the doctors and agreed to follow doctors' orders, but she also took Z home and had the local spiritual leaders perform rituals and incantations over the baby to heal him and restore him to health. Two months later, Z was in the hospital again with renal failure. He was in critical condition, and while they waited for him to be transferred to another town where he could receive specialized treatment, he died. His mother is distraught and struggles with her baby's death. The national missionary couple, J and A, have visited with Z's mother and grandmother. Both of these women are now saying that they don't believe in the power of the religious leaders any more. The door is open to share about the true, all-powerful God. Pray for Y and I to open their hearts and lives to God. They are open to listening but have already asked, "What do I do with the spiritual leaders in my community?" They will suffer persecution, rejection and perhaps more if they decide to reject the traditional beliefs and follow Christ. Pray!