Monday, August 10, 2015

Prayers Around the World


We can reach our world, if we will. The greatest lack today is not people or funds. The greatest need is prayer. — Wesley Duewel 


I wrote in my journal, "My jar of tears won't be very full, unless God counts the heart tears." Tears don't form in my eyes often, but my heart sheds them frequently -- especially when I think of those around the world and in our own country in need.  




The needs are heartbreaking. One in nine people are hungry -- that's seven hundred and ninety-five million hungry people. Two million women and children are forced into sex trade each year. One hundred million are homeless and one billion have inadequate housing. Eight hundred thousand suicides are committed every year. 17% of adults and 122 million youth are illiterate. 2.5 million people die from alcohol-related deaths. 750 million people lack access to clean water.




Even more heartbreaking is the statistic that 1,629 billion people have never heard the Gospel. 66,000 people die each day having had no access to the Gospel – statistics I can barely wrap my head around.

Yet, there are people across the globe dedicated to changing the statistics. They are missionaries -- 400,000 Evangelical missionaries sent out each year.




This week let's pray extra for our missionaries. I have a friend leaving for Ghana Wednesday. She has written a phonics program using items in their culture. It's hard to teach them "A is for Apple" when they've never seen an apple. "M is for mango" is more understandable." I'd love for you to add Chris to your prayer list.

Christians in other countries are awakening to America’s needs for missionaries. 100 million Americans are unchurched. Korea is recruiting and sending hundreds of vibrant young Christians to bring the Gospel here. A number of Christian Mexicans minister on the U.S. side of the border, and born again former Hindus are reaching Indians for Christ in North America.

I also have a nephew who serves on a Native American Reservation. He and his wife fight against alcoholism and suicides -- a battle that on the surface seems slow and disappointing. Their love for the people is deep. Pray for Jordan and Kayla as they labor faithfully!

Do you have a missionary you pray for? Leave their name and the country where they labor so we can pray for them this week. You can leave your missionary's name in the comments, or on Facebook publically or in private messenger. 




Come back each day and pray through the list. Bottle some tears for the unreached around the world. Ask God to burn Vicky Beeching’s words on your heart...

Break our hearts
With the things that break Yours.
Wake us up to see through Your eyes.
Break our hearts
With the things that break Yours.
And send us out to shine in the darkness. 


It's time to move outside our comfort zone
To see beyond our churches and our homes;
To change the way we think and how we spend,
Until we look like Jesus again

Here I am, send me
To be Your hands and feet.
Here I am, send me; I will go.


 

14 comments:

Shannon Wallace said...

Thank you, Pamela. You just always have a way with words. I'd like to ask for prayer for Christians living on military bases in Japan. For a hedge of protection from the the enemy. That we can remain strong despite the darkness of this country. And that the Lord would strengthen us so we can share Jesus with the beautiful and kind people of Japan. :)

Denise said...

amen, missionaries are precious to my heart. please pray for the sawyers, missionaries in Africa.

Marja Verschoor-Meijers said...

Prayer is the engine that keeps everything running, I believe so too. We have many people we pray for as we travel around and visit missionaries to encourage them. We have even started a non-profit organisation in order to encourage workers in the field.

Melanie B. said...

Our church supports several missionaries and their families, within South Africa and in other countries. We have a missions week coming up in October.

I served with a family in SE Asia for a couple of years, in an area very resistant to the gospel. I think it's so important to keep our missionaries lifted up in prayer.

Godly Homemaker (Andrea) said...

our church prays for the missionaries all over the world

Marissa Writes said...

I get so much comfort from knowing that God counts our tears and hears our hearts... they are two aspects of my life that are hidden from the world, but leave scars that I carry every day.

Thanks for sharing these images, they are gorgeous!

Marissa

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Jelli said...

I am a missionary with YWAM in Heredia, Costa Rica. Can I put my family on the prayer list? If anyone is interested in knowing more about our ministry (a soccer ministry to addicts and alcoholic teens and work with youth in the slums) they can sign up for email updates here: http://eepurl.com/bfK7b1.

Hope this isn't too imposing. If so, I understand if you feel the need to delete.

Sharon said...

Heart tears - what a lovely way of portraying those *inside* griefs we bear. I think I have an apothecary full of those.

Yes, there are so many things in this world that break my heart - close-to-me things, and global things. I pray for God to do the things that I can't to bring healing, and I pray for God to give me the insight and courage to do the things I can.

GOD BLESS!

aspiritofsimplicity said...

There are so many problems in the world. My prayer is that we can all join together to truly help those who are in need.

Roxanne Foster said...

This is a perfect reminder and example as to how often we forget that this world isn't just about us. We should constantly be praying for our brothers and sisters around the world, doing the good work. Thank you for the reminder.

Unknown said...

I love the song at the end and the line that says :break my heart for what breaks yours".
A great reminder of the needs that are out there beyond our own!
Cathy

Unknown said...

This is a beautiful reminder. Missionaries make so many sacrifices and need our prayer support. As someone who grew up overseas I can't tell you how important praying for missionary families can be. They're regular people who struggle with every day issues just like anyone else. The difference is they're in a new culture, speaking a new language, facing similar trials & tribulations, and trying to reach others for the Gospel. I love the song/poem at the end by Vicky Beeching.

Unknown said...

God has been teaching me a lot about prayer recently - that sometimes even I pray very hard, my circumstances don't change, but maybe I have changed!

Unknown said...

This is beautiful. I've always loved the words from Hosanna -- "open up my eyes to the things unseen, show me how to love like You... break my heart with what breaks Your."