Tuesday, April 24, 2012

40/40 Begins Again


40/40 started this past Thursday so I'm sorry for taking so long to get this prayer guide on my blog.  What can I say, it has been a little busy around here.  Please feel free to print this out and pray for this incredible program for new missionaries coming to Africa.

Month long prayer guide for 40/40

April 19th:  Arrival Day- Pray for safe travel for all participants and staff.  Pray for a quick adjustment to their new surroundings.  We will have 36 adults and 24 children plus kitchen staff, nannies, and helpers.  Because this is such a big group we are splitting housing during the Lusaka time between the Seminary Conference rooms and our Baptist Guest House.  This will make for very long days for those staying at the gh.  They will leave at 6:45am each morning and will return back to the gh around 7:30pm.  Pray for good nights of rest and strength for each day.  Pray everyone will get along well and have fun throughout the month.

April 20th:  Today the participants are learning about health issues and how they will do their DFA’s (Daily Field Assignments).  Pray they will listen and follow instructions. Pray that everyone will remain healthy during the whole month.  Pray for all staff to be able to help meet the needs of all the participants and children with good attitudes.  Pray the staff will sleep well each night and have endurance throughout the program.
Today is the first day of school for the mk’s.  Sometimes the first couple of days can be hard on the children being away from their parents throughout the day.  Pray for the children and staff to get to know one another well and that the separation from parents will not be bad.

April 21st: Today will be the participants first day out with their Zambian Helpers to observe people in markets and compounds throughout Lusaka.  Pray for a lasting friendship among the participants and their  helpers.  Pray for safety as they go out.  Pray that parents will not worry about their children while they are away from them during the mornings.  Pray for all the mk’s to have a fun time with their teachers and all the other mk’s.  Pray that the mk’s will take advantage of this learning opportunity for themselves as well.    

April 22nd:  Pray that as we worship together today that God would speak to us through His Word.  Pray for a relaxing afternoon and that families could spend some fun time together.

April 23rd: Each participant will go out today into Lusaka and begin to ask simple questions of the Zambians.  Pray that they would be bold and unafraid to engage the Zambian people. 

April 24th:  What is a missionary?  This is the question that the participants will be asking people in the streets, markets, and compounds of Lusaka today.  Pray for time each day to process the information that they learn as they go out.  The participants will also be eating lunch out with their helpers.  Pray that no one will get sick.  The mk’s will be going to a taxidermist today to learn about that process.  They may get to see some live baby Zebra as well!

April 25th:  The DFA for today has to do with medicine and health.  Pray for participants as they go out today to be conscience of the hardships of the African people.  Pray for good health among all the participants, staff, children, and helpers. 
MK’s will visit a local market.  Pray for them as they practice their bargaining skills.


April 26th:  Death and Funerals will be today’s topic.  Things are done quite differently in Africa compared to the way they are done in the states.  Pray for open  minds and that each person would learn how they should handle these kinds of situations when they are faced with them in their country.  Pray they will be a blessing to those who are hurting.  Mk’s will be going to visit a Zambian family today.  Pray they will have good manners and that they will learn more of how African’s live in a urban setting.
April 27th:  Participants will stay in class today and learn about T4T(training 4 trainers), sharing their testimony, and sharing the gospel among an oral people(using Creation to Christ).  Pray they would be able to learn these tools quickly so they will be able to go out and share the gospel tomorrow.  Pray that God would begin to prepare the hearts of those who will hear His Good News tomorrow.
Islam is spreading all across Africa.  The participants will have a session today regarding Islam.  Pray they will learn how to effectively engage people in this religion.


April 28th:  Pray for boldness as the participants go out and share Creation to Christ (the gospel) with people in Lusaka.  Pray that many will come to know the Lord.  Pray for the follow- up later on by a national and that they can be connected to a local Baptist church. 
Their study of Islam will be continued today.  Please pray for those who follow this religion to know the TRUTH.
Pray for mk’s as they travel to the crocodile farm to learn all they can about snakes and crocodiles.  Pray for a relaxing fun day as well for  them.

April 29th:  Participants along with their children will go to church today with their helpers and eat lunch at the church.  Church can go a lot longer than it does in America and it will be in a foreign language that they will not understand.  This can be especially hard on children.  Pray that families will be able to worship the Lord and learn about church in Africa.  Pray for good health among everyone.

April 30th:  Participants will be in class all day learning about the Spirit world.  This can kind of be a heavy day.  Pray for time to process all that they learn today.  Pray for everyone as they pack up and prepare to leave Lusaka tomorrow and head to bush camp.

May 1st:  Moving Day-Today everyone will leave Lusaka on a big bus and travel east to Petauke about 5 hours away.  Pray for good health.  Pray for safety as we travel.  Pray for quick adjustment to living in tents in the bush.  Pray for good attitudes among everyone.

May 2nd:  Participants will stay in camp today and continue to learn how to live in our new setting in addition to learning what to expect in the coming days.  Pray for good health.  Pray for mk’s to enjoy their new setting.  There is a lot more space to run and play.  Pray mk’s will stay caught up with their school work and enjoy life in the bush.

May 3rd:  Today participants will go into the Petauke boma and meet government officials and talk about leadership.  Pray for wisdom among all government officials in Zambia. Pray that the participants would learn how to go through the proper channels when they reach their own place of service.

May 4th:  Men will go to meet the local chief and women will have a tea with the District Commissioners wife and the Chiefs wife.  Pray for this to be a real learning time of how it is important to meet these people in their own ministry areas.  In the afternoon the participants will be learning about some survival helps on the mission field.

May 5th:  Participants will meet up with a new Zambian Helper for the rest of their time here in Petauke.  Pray for good friendships to develop among the helper and participant.  Pray for participants as they go out and talk to people about medicine and the spirit world today.  Some may even be able to talk to a witchdoctor.  Pray their eyes will be opened to the evil that pervades Africa.   

May 6th:  Today participants will go to non-Baptist churches in Petauke such as: Zion, Pentecostal, Catholic, Jehovah’s Witness, etc. so they can see how other denominations have church in Africa and so they can see the spiritual confusion that exists among so many groups and cults.  This can be a long day especially for the kids. Pray for patience and endurance.  Pray for good health for all participants, children, staff, and helpers.

May 7th:  Participants will be learning about the Life cycle (childhood, youth, and adulthood) today as they go out with their helpers.  Pray for understanding and wisdom as they process all of this.  Most DFA’s are very similar to what they did during their time in Lusaka.  Pray that as they go out into Petauke whether in the boma or the village that they will be able to compare how things differ once you get out of the city and into a more rural area.  Preparation for the homestays will begin today.  Please pray that as we take this time to prepare and answer questions that the participants will not be afraid but will look at this as a learning experience and embrace it.

May 8th:  Participants will go out and share their testimonies today.  Pray for boldness and effective sharing.  Pray that people will come to know Jesus as a result of this time.  Pray for the mk’s this week as they go on several field trips-to a rural market, a village, and a farm.

May 9th:  Today Mark Hatfield will be with us to talk about Disaster Relief and Community Development.  Pray that the participants will begin to see ways that they can meet physical needs along with spiritual needs in their place of service.

May 10th:  This is wrap up day at camp and saying good-bye to helpers.  Today is also preparation day for the participants Homestay.  Pray that all participants and children would be excited about this opportunity to go and live with a Zambian family for a few days.  Pray that they will not be nervous and that they would embrace these next few days.

May 11th-14th:  Everyone packs up and goes to their Zambian home.  Pray for good cultural learning, good health, and opportunities to practice everything they have learned during 40/40, pray for understanding as they try to communicate with one another, pray for good nights of sleep, and pray for strength as they work alongside their new Zambian family for a few days.   Pray for the participants as they walk along side these Zambian families whether they are eating, cooking, sleeping, or working  in the field.
The camp is coming down!  Pray for the camp staff as they begin to take down all the tents over the next couple of days. 

May 13th:  Participants will go to a Baptist church with their host family today.  Pray for good experiences.

May 14th:  Participants come back to camp early in the morning and then we all travel by bus to Ibis Gardens about 6-7 hours away.  Pray for safety as they travel and for good health.  This will begin our last phase of 40/40.  Pray they will be able to shower and get settled into this nice lodge and enjoy the next few days.  Pray they will have time to process all that they learned during their Homestay. 

May 14th-18th: Participants will learn PILAT, a way of learning language, during the mornings.  Pray they will get excited about learning language and be ready to start when they get back to their countries.  Pray for Linda Allen as she comes to lead in this time.    In the afternoons the participants will enjoy some free time.  Also, they will be able to debrief their 40/40 experience on one of these afternoons.  Pray the mk’s will have a great time at this lodge swimming and playing. 

May 18th -Everyone travels home!  Pray for safety as they travel.  Pray for rest for everyone especially all the staff!   Pray that the participants will now take all that they learned during 40/40 and go apply it to their place of service.  Pray for them as they adjust to living in their new countries and as they learn a new language.


General prayer requests:
1-That we would all grow closer to Jesus each day.
2-Good Health
3-Good Attitudes
4-We would be teachable
5-Safe travel/safety
6-Endurance
7-Good sleep at night
8-Babies and small children would do well with their nannies and teachers

Thank you for lifting us all up during this month!

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