April 2004

16 April 2004

Dear Faithful partners

Thank you for continuing to lift the MNK before the throne of grace. I know I say that often, but your willingness to continue in this ministry is impacting the lives of the MNK of West Africa, albeit very slowly and in small ways.

On a personal note, my husband and I will be in the US visiting family and friends from April 23 - May 21. We would appreciate your prayers on our behalf for safety and joy.

As always, if you have suggestions on how we can better communicate the needs of the MNK to you, please let us know. If you have questions, it is our joy to try to answer them for you.

Your sister on the MNK field

MNK Update 16-30 April 2004

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have eternal life. – 1 John 5:11-12

What do you see when you look at this picture? Two men sitting together; one examining a pile of papers; another looking on. A child being held by his grandfather. But take a closer look at the papers.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. – Hebrews 4:12

The man on the right is a marabou (maa’ raa boo). He takes words from the Qur’an, writes them on paper, and fashions them into amulets. The amulets are purchased for protection. New babies are covered in them. Every MNK adult man wears them around his biceps, around his waist. MNK women attach them with safety pins into their hair, and wear them around their chests. These are believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits…from illnesses…from problems within the family. But in reality, these are tools of Satan, pushing the wearer even further away from God…for their security is in the amulet, not in the power of the Living God.

MNK women are particularly vulnerable to the deception of Satan when it comes to amulets, especially for their children. Pray for these mothers to find their security in the love of God and His plan of salvation.

Pray for God’s Word to penetrate the hearts and lives of MNK; pray for the continuing translation and transcription work (Roman script to Arabic script).

16. Friday: Ask God to physically strengthen and spiritually encourage those who were walking from village to village yesterday, today, and are continuing on through tomorrow (April 17).

17. Saturday: Thank God for those MNKs who have encountered these men of God along the road and in villages; pray for hearts, eyes and ears to be opened to the Truth of God!

18. Sunday: Ask God to provide the rest and refreshment each of us needs to live and work in this climate; ask Him to encourage and strengthen us for the work to which He has called us.

19. Monday: Thank God for our families and friends who love, encourage, and support work among the MNK; thank God especially for those who pray for the salvation of the MNK.

20. Tuesday: Ask God to keep the electricity on, the equipment functioning, and the radio station personnel alert to the time, so that the radio broadcast tomorrow, What Adam’s Sin Produced, will be clear to all who are listening.

21. Wednesday: Thank God for the thousands of pieces of Scripture we have available in MNK Roman script; ask God for avenues of distribution within this highly illiterate society.

22. Thursday: Ask God to bless those who are working on the MNK Old Testament Bible translation; ask Him to enable these persons to remain on the field.

23. Friday: Thank God for the pieces of Scripture we have available in MNK Arabic script…this script utilizes the basic Arabic alphabet, so it is automatically more attractive to the MNK.

24. Saturday: Ask God to give us wisdom as we seek ways to distribute Arabic script Scripture to the elders within the community.

25. Sunday: Thank God for those MNK around the world who will gather for worship today; ask God to quicken their hearts with the desire for their countrymen and women to experience salvation.

26. Monday: Continue to ask God to open the ears and tongues of those who desire to share the Gospel in the MNK language; ask Him to empower each of us with supernatural language skills!

27. Tuesday: Thank God for the radio lesson which will air tomorrow, The Wonderful Promise; pray that MNKs will grasp God’s plan in providing a way back into fellowship with Him.

28. Wednesday: Ask God to help us identify at least one MNK woman who is seriously interested in spiritual matters; ask God to dispel the lies this woman has heard from childhood that women cannot know God.

29. Thursday: Thank God for His faithfulness in providing laborers among the MNK; thank Him for their lives, commitment and sacrifice; thank God for those who had birthdays in April

30. Friday: Ask God to encourage and strengthen those MNK believers as they face persecution and daily hardships, from beatings to poisonings to humiliation.

1April 2004

Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my god turns my darkness into light. -- Psalm 18:22

Jesus said, "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light." -- Luke 11:33

We have been so encouraged of late as we have met and worshipped with believers from other ethnic groups. We have seen how God is working in the hearts and lives of these individuals; some have believing spouses; some do not. Some have children; some are still single. Two weeks ago we visited a group of believers two hours from where we live. A lasting picture was imprinted on my mind that day. As the local pastor preached, he had another man interrupting for him into another language. The interpreter's daughter, who was less than 2 years old, was wandering around the building. She walked over to her dad, and without skipping a beat with his translation of God's word, he picked her up and continued preaching. What a joyful sight to see a family in this culture united through the love of Christ!

We continue to pray that MNK families – husband, wife, mother, father, children, aunts, uncles – will lift their voices together in praise to the Light of Life.

Continue to pray for MNKs to hear the Good News.

Continue to pray for our colleagues on furlough, for their encouragement, strength and revitalization.

Continue to pray for the six new missionaries here with us, and those who work in other areas among the MNK.

Thank you for praying for the Prayer Walk last month. While it didn’t go exactly as planned, it was, nevertheless, God-led and inspired, and truly a victory for the Light.

Please let me know if I can assist you in anyway as you intercede on behalf of the MNK and those of us working among them. Your support is precious to us.

Your sister on the MNK field,

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. – 1 John 1:5

What did you do on Sunday, March 21, 2004? Did you gather together with believers for worship? On that cool spring morning, we traveled to another village to fellowship with a small group of local believers. We traveled first by truck, then by dugout canoe, and then by foot, with a high school teacher, a mason, a Korean woman married to an MNK man, a village man, a missionary couple with a small child, and two other missionary men. What do the ten of us have in common? Not one of us is an MNK, but we are all believers who desire to see MNK men, women and children restored to fellowship with God.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. – John 1:5

Many say that the MNK are a hard people, a dark people. But is anything too difficult for God? (Luke 1:37) Someone once asked, “How much darkness is required to extinguish one candle’s light?” Darkness cannot overcome light…it’s impossible.

Those sharing the Gospel here are not MNKs. It is contrary to their ethnic heritage and teaching to associate too closely with those of a different ethnic background…but as children of God, they understand God’s command.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16

As you pray with us over the next 15 days, pray for the Light to shine among the MNK.

1. Thursday: Thank God for the group of believers with whom we could fellowship and share communion that Sunday!

2. Friday: Ask God to embolden the lives and ministries of local believers as they endeavor to let their Light shine!

3. Saturday: Thank God for a local believer who is beginning an evangelical radio broadcast in French on the local FM station tomorrow.

4. Sunday: Ask God to make His word and His way clear through the radio broadcast this morning; ask Him to enable many to hear and understand His way.

5. Monday: Thank God for the Pastor who is a mason by profession; thank God for his family and his personal commitment to God.

6. Tuesday: Ask God to encourage those believers who have not yet married; ask God to strengthen them to remain pure as they seek spouses who are also believers.

7. Wednesday: Thank God for the radio party that happens every Wednesday night in one compound, as a believer joins his neighbors in listening to the Righteous Way radio broadcasts.

8. Thursday: Ask God to give believers courage and wisdom as they share the Gospel with their unbelieving spouses and families; ask God to open their ears, eyes and hearts.

9. Friday: Thank God for the students being influenced by the believing high school teacher; thank God for MNK young people who are being exposed to the Gospel.

10. Saturday: Ask God to keep us focused on our task of bringing Light to the MNK.

11. Sunday: Thank God for His Risen Son! Thank God for those who live in this part of West Africa who know Him personally.

12. Monday: Ask God to keep the wonder of Easter Sunday fresh in our minds and hearts, and close to the tip of our tongues, that we may share the Truth faithfully.

13. Tuesday: Thank God for the moving of the Holy Spirit in this area, bringing believers together for fellowship and mutual encouragement.

14. Wednesday: Ask God to keep the airing of His Word regular; ask God to allow Lesson 7, How Sin Entered the World, to broadcast unhindered and uninterrupted.

15. Thursday: Thank God for the two village churches with local pastors; one is supported, one is a tent-maker; both desire to see their villages come to know Christ!