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This site features information for teachers and parents about the WMU® missions organization, Adults on Mission.
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Pray Now for Muslim Women around the World Pray for Muslim Women
SOUTH ASIA: Whoever God May Be “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13, HCSB). Z is a young Middle Eastern woman currently living in South Asia. She fled from persecution in her country because she did not always adhere to their strict Islamic beliefs. Soon after that move, Z began praying to God, “whoever he may be,” asking Him to show Himself to her. Almost immediately, God led three international Christians into her life and they became close friends. Z said that one of the first things she noticed that was different about them was the way they treated each other and loved each other. One of the friends gave Z her personal Bible as a gift. Z recognized it as a special book, especially for her friend to entrust it into her care. However, since that time (about two years ago), Z has begun following a mix of Islamic and Hindu beliefs that she says is the only way she can explain this world. Now Z has new Christian friends, and they are trying to help her understand the Bible. Z said recently, “I really, really believe that God is answering my prayer and introducing me to Jesus.” Praise God for what He is doing in this young woman’s heart. Pray that she will grow in her understanding of the Word, and will see how God is revealing Himself to her through the Word and His followers. PACIFIC RIM: Wisdom from the Father Pray for women in neighborhoods in Indonesia who are meeting together for a young mothers’ group. They come, seeking wisdom concerning parenting and a time of fellowship with other women. Ask that they will receive wisdom from the heavenly Father and that the group will soon desire to know the One who shares stories of wisdom, while desiring them to come and sit at His feet. LAST FRONTIER: Miracle of Life A missionary in Senegal writes: “Since I have known Y, she has longed to have children and has tried to conceive since the day she was married. Each month left her filled with disappointment, fearing that she might never bear children. A few months ago, a friend told her about a fertility specialist in a nearby city, so she went there to see if he could help her. After many tests, both she and her husband were cleared of any obvious problems, but the doctor gave her a prescription. When she told me what he said, I asked her if I could pray for her in the name of Jesus. Although she is a Muslim woman, she said yes, and so I did. The wait began. Just a few weeks later, she phoned me with the news ‘You’re going to be a grandmother!’ As I cried tears of joy, I reminded her that I had prayed in the name of Jesus and that now He has given her a baby! She said, ‘I know; God is good!’ I have been praying for Y for almost six years. Please pray that this little miracle of life will lead both her and her husband to eternal life in Jesus!” NORTHERN AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST: Ultra-conservative Life Pray for newlywed couple R and M. The husband is requiring his new wife to live an ultra-conservative life, with little contact outside their home. R and M, Levantine Sunni Arabs, heard the truth about God’s love and assurance of salvation last month. Pray for them to experience the blessing of freedom in Jesus Christ. Fear No Evil N gave birth to a very tiny baby. She doesn’t know if the baby is premature or not, how much she weighs, or any other details about the birth. A midwife (one of her relatives) came just in time to help her with the painful delivery. Despite her extreme fatigue, she should be ready to receive the many guests who will come to congratulate her on her baby girl. If it had been a baby boy, there would have been many more guests. She is staying with her mother. The father of the baby is not allowed to be near her or his daughter for a period of 40 days. Giving birth is very risky for Beja women and their babies due to their circumcision and poor health care, knowledge and hygiene. The extended family is elated if the baby is a boy, and less joyful if it is a girl. Many fear that the evil spirits will attack their vulnerable ones, and so protect them by binding a piece of rope around their waist to ward of the evil spirits. They also often tie the umbilical cord (once it has fallen off) to a string and wrap that around their waist. Please pray for Beja mothers and daughters to believe in Christ as their Savior, experiencing the new birth spoken of in Scripture. Among the 2–3 million Beja, there are only a handful of believers. As far as is known, there are no women among them. CENTRAL ASIA: Wicked Stepmother You were first asked to pray for E in March 2007. Last fall, she went up north to stay with relatives for a month to get away from her situation in Post-Soviet Central Asia (she had been stolen by her now husband to be his bride, and her new family treated her poorly). Since then, she has returned and is living again with her unbelieving husband. For any Uighur woman, the relationship with her mother-in-law is anything but loving. In most cases, the mother-in-law acts like the “wicked stepmother,” requiring her daughter-in-law to do every imaginable type of work, from cooking to taking care of any other children in the home, and many times resorting to beating her. However, E’s mother-in-law has pushed it one step further. Upon hearing of E’s pregnancy, she immediately demanded that E have an abortion. “You already have a child to take care of (E’s husband’s 4-year-old brother),” the mother-in-law insisted. E, though, believes in the sanctity of life and thus will keep the child. Continue to pray for E to have wisdom in dealing with her new in-laws, asking that love will shine forth from her as she relates to them, and that the Father will both protect the pregnancy and use it for His glory! CENTRAL, EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA: Love Gone Wrong The view of Nairobi and the breeze through the window, mingled with the cooking of the noon meal, was stirring the missionary’s senses. RA continued to cook their lunch but smiled sweetly while pouring out her story. This Bohra woman is married to RK, who is Ismaili. RA mentioned that this was her second marriage. RA and RK are from previous marriages that turned horribly wrong. RA had married for love the first time. There was no need for a dowry to go to the husband’s side. Well into the marriage, the in-laws discovered that RA was connected to a tycoon on the coast of Kenya. Thinking he was her father, they refused to understand that he was only RA’s uncle. While the husband was away, the in-laws visited RA. They poured kerosene on her as they burned her. This happened while she was seven months pregnant. The marriage failed, the baby was born, and the husband gained custody. The story of love gone wrong hit the missionary’s heart. RA now lives in Nairobi. Her face shows no scars. RA then showed the missionary her stomach and arms; the scars were awful. RA announced as the woman left, “You came here a visitor, but you leave as my sister. This is your home now.” Please pray for RA and RK to have dreams and visions of Jesus speaking truth to them. Please pray for them both to find Him as the only way to heal the scars in the heart. EAST ASIA: From Despair to New Life K, a new sister from a minority group in Urumqi, China, tried to commit suicide last month. Pray that the Father will work in this situation with her and her family. Also remember C, a mature believer who is working with her. Ask the Father to give C wisdom in how to guide this young woman. WEST AFRICA: Too Tired to Hear A missionary working among the Hausa of West Africa shares: “As I was reviewing the stories on the chronological Bible storying cloth with my friend A., she started falling asleep. I had to smile and think about how tired she must be—chasing after her children all day, walking to the market, washing clothes by hand, and fixing all the meals. I shared with her the story of how Hannah had prayed for many years for the Lord to send her a child. As I finished, I told her that I love that story because it shows that the Lord truly does listen to the prayers of women. This concept is so far from many of our Muslim friends who have never heard that God loves women. My friend A. just smiled a weary smile. Please join me in praying that she will come to believe this truth.”
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