Sharing Burdens in Prayer: Friday

Today, we lift up Francophone Africa, Eurasia and MENA. 

Francophone Africa  

Please pray that the governments in this region will take appropriate action to handle the pandemic and care for their citizens. Ask God to help students cope with the new realities of their context and continue to share the gospel. Pray that board members of national movements will take strategic decisions that strengthen the ministry. Ask that the regional team will have clarity of the appropriate way to support national movements, especially staff. 

Pray that national movements will find creative ways to respond to the issues caused by the pandemic to their ministry. Pray that they will be bold enough to engage with existing and potential partners for continuous support to their work despite the crisis.  

Eurasia 

Pray for members of movements who have been arrested for standing for truth and justice under oppressive regimes. Pray for a renewal in this part of the world, that persecution and coercion will cease, and peace and justice will prevail. Pray for pioneering projects in new places, that God will grow new groups even in places where there is extreme opposition. Pray also for spiritual refreshment for staff and students who are weary from the pandemic. Pray for students whose academic plans have been shifted or disrupted during this time. 

Prayer points: 

Moldova: Pray for Extreme-Camp in August where students will invite their non-Christian friends to spend a week in nature to study the gospel together. 

Formación: Pray for students who participated in Formación, that they will be motivated to get involved as missionaries in their places of study. 

Middle East and North Africa 

In a region of the world where there is often much religious persecution, we ask you to pray for the security of staff members in North Africa and the Gulf. Pray that movements might find the best approach to bring the gospel to students of different backgrounds. Pray that church leaders could understand the importance of student movements and become more involved. Praise God that the regional team has been able to use online tools to stay in touch with movement leaders. Pray for safety during their in-person events, happening later this year. Please also pray for those who are grieving the death of a beloved regional staff member. And please pray for peace in this region of the world.  

Prayer points:  

Lebanon: Praise God for how he has used the movement to serve those affected by the Beirut explosion. Thank him for those students who have come to follow Jesus after this tragedy. Please pray for those who are still dealing with trauma. 

Publishing house: Pray for a publishing house which will provide a new generation of Arabic-speakers with books and resources for the Christian faith.  

This week we are quieting our hearts in prayer and lament, crying out to God over the difficult circumstances that have challenged us, bereaved us, and discouraged us over the past eighteen months. The pandemic has brought loss of life, financial instability, isolation, and disrupted plans. Circumstances like wars, natural disasters, explosions, and oppression have also added to our common grief. This week we are walking the valleys together, supporting each other and acknowledging the pain of many in our fellowship.