Persist in Prayer – Oct 2024

Remember the poor

All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along.

Galatians 2:10 [NIV]

October 17th is celebrated as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Maybe your social media feed was overflowing with poverty-related announcements, reflections, political analysis and spiritual exhortations! More likely, the day came and went un-noticed.

Though October 17 has slipped by, let’s pause now to reflect on the bigger picture of humanity and our world.

There was great progress in reducing extreme poverty between 1990 and 2014, but since then progress slowed down and then was reversed by the Covid 19 pandemic. Progress at ending poverty is also thwarted by climate change and other environmental problems, and the human and economic devastation of wars. See more information and links on the UN website about ending poverty. And read our post on God’s heart for the poor in scripture, to dig into the wisdom of the Bible about the reality of our world.

We give thanks for the amazing blessings God has given us as the human race.

We confess our horrific history of hoarding and destroying, that leave so many of God’s beloved children in a state of extreme poverty. Lord have mercy on us.

Lord embolden us to care, and to live differently.

Teams in Asia

Indonesia

• Please pray for House of Hope, for all the students and the teachers.
• Praise God for Gusti* who was away for a month for his Bible School graduation, and has now returned to join the team long-term.
• Dila* asks for prayer for the group of teenagers she meets with about once a week. She is grateful for opportunities to help them with homework and also study a Peace Curriculum together.
• Give thanks for the recent visit of the New Zealand family who were previously part of the team – it was a such a blessing to see them again, seven years after they had to leave quite suddenly.

Please join us online on 2nd November to hear more from the Indonesia team, and pray for them with a group of supporters from around the world.

Cambodia

THANKS:

• Carol is thankful for celebrating her 66th birthday with her family and a new Cambodian friend.
• Eunice and Myra are thankful for the recent Zoom meeting with their supporters. It was very encouraging to see this group of friends who have been significant in our journey.
• Eunice and Myra are very appreciative of their Khmer teacher and now friend, Nita, for visiting them at their home and cooking delicious local Khmer food.

PLEASE PRAY FOR:

• Please pray for God’s provision for the team’s financial sustainability as the ministry continues to grow.
• CAROL
  • Continue to pray for my mother and brother’s health.
  • One of the youth at NIA died of tuberculosis. Pray for increased awareness of this disease and for the sick to get the needed help.
• MYRA AND EUNICE
  • Please pray for Myra and Eunice to discover a new balance that helps them recharge from their community work.
  • Please pray for our volunteers, Dyna and Poly, that they may continue to positively and genuinely impact the lives of the kids in the Sen Sok neighbourhood. They are both currently studying, and we are praying that we find financial partners to support them in their daily needs.
  • Please pray for God’s guidance and provision in our Children’s Ministry, especially as we learn about the current difficulties the kids are facing from their families.

India

Thanks and praise:

• Javesh* & Yashna* in Germany had a wonderful time with family recently, and also a positive process with the monastery which will be their home/sending faith community
• The child welfare department is taking action to ensure the future care and education of the three sons of Prem, who has cancer, and possibly only months to live.
• Ruby* & Jacob* had smooth travels and entry to Australia, and are thoroughly enjoying time with family and friends, and less stressful/hectic days

Concerns and needs:

• Pray for Javesh & Yashna as they spend the next month as a retreat for prayer, Bible study, and listening for God’s guidance as they continue to prepare for joining the team in about August 2025
• Continue to pray for Abdullah – when it seemed he would be released from jail within days, suddenly another charge came to light, for which bail is also needed. Pray for a legal pathway to be found (ie without bribes or corrupt dealings) to have him released. He’s been in jail without a trial or conviction for over 2 years.

Philippines

• Praise God that Mani’s father has unexpectedly been released from jail, and is a changed man. The neighbours who know him, hardly recognize him! God seems to have touched him in a deeply significant way. Now please keep him and the whole family in prayer, that he can start and continue the clean honest life he wants.
• Pray for Efren & Becky whose lengthy discernment process about returning to Cambodia has ended with a decision to stay in the Philippines. Pray for them as they continue to mentor the Cambodia team, and nurture the Filipino linking team in Manila. They also hope to expand their role in Family Enrichment Ministry, through Lilok.
• Thank God for Taki and the Likhabi program in Lilok, as they train teenagers and young adults in practical mental health care, so they can support peers through difficult times. One local youth group they trained have received special recognition from the city government, for the work they are doing.
• Finally please pray for a wonderful experience of mutual blessing, for Rose, another Onesimo staff and five young trainees from Onesimo. They are travelling to Switzerland to strengthen relationships with supporters there and tell their stories. Of course this is very exciting for them all, but also full of cultural complexity and details to coordinate.

Answers to Prayer

Join us (and the one leper among ten who were healed) in pausing to give thanks for wonderful answers to prayer:

• [Manila] Helping Bayong livelihood project has finally received its business permit. They are able to run a pop-up store in a mall until Christmas and there are many new orders. This is much needed.
• [India] Our local staff retreat in September was a wonderful two days of learning from a community- based mental health organisation, and enjoying time out of the city visiting the mountains (yes, the beginning of the Himalayas!). Our city is in the plains, and our local staff had never even seen mountains before!

*Names changed