August prayer letter

NICODEMUS PRAYER TEAM

AUGUST 2010

In doing some re-vamping their website, the InJesus mailing group that sends out our prayer letter lost our complete mailing list.  For that reason, our prayer letter did not go out last month.  We have been working to reconstruct the list, but because for the past few years they were not sending us the drop/add list, we do not have a completely up-to-date list.  If you know of any church or individuals who were on the list but don’t receive this letter, please ask them to communicate with us.  If you do not wish to be on this list, just notify us and we will remove you.  We are so thankful for our prayer support network and hate to lose any contacts that wish to be on the list.

Sunday, August 1: As we start a new month let’s join together to pray for the 100 Nicodemus people to come to know God in a personal way, pray that they would come to His saving knowledge. It is great to be back in touch with you and know that you are praying each day for specific requests.  Let’s thank God for allowing us to get back in touch.

Monday, August 2: David and Mayarí have settled into their home in Baton Rouge and have begun their English classes.  Through the class, Mayarí made a contact that has led to their first Bible study group.  The boys finished up their home school program in July and will be testing for their placement in the school there.  Pray for all of them as they continue their adjustment to a new culture and their language learning.  Pray for the boys as they begin school and for David and Mayarí as they make contacts and try to plant a Hispanic church in Baton Rouge.

Tuesday, August 3: George had a good trip through Central America in June meeting with the logistic coordinators whom he supervises.  One of the logistic coordinators returned to the USA last month for some medical treatment.  While she is away, George will have to oversee the logistic responsibilities there, too.  Three families leave Guatemala in these days for stateside assignment.  Pray for George as he meets with them to arrange for details for their house care while they are away.  Pray for him as he has a very heavy work schedule.  Even when he is home, the phone is constantly ringing with people needing information or help in a certain situation.

Wednesday, August 4: Jeff and Noemi Macumber and their two children, Kaila and Josiah, arrived in Costa Rica at the end of July to being Spanish language study.  They will there until December 2011.  Then they will arrive in Guatemala and Jeff will take some of George’s responsibilities in the mission office.  Pray for the Macumbers and their adjustment to a new life and culture.

Thursday, August 5: The Hardemans have much to be thankful for.  Their daughter Lynna, her husband Robert and son John were able to come to Guatemala for a visit.  Robert was only here for about 10 days, but Lynna and John stayed for a month, leaving August 5.  Robert began a full-time job last month after over two years with only part time work.  Their daughter Rebecca, also, began a full-time job for which we are thankful.  Pray for them as they adjust to the new job.

Friday, August 6: Carol and Helen have planned to do an afternoon Crown group, but no one came last month when the introductory meeting was held though several had expressed interest.  Pray for God to guide them as they seek His will about having another meeting and if we need to change the hour.

Saturday, August 7:  Sharon Cook will be leading a card class today at Impacto Biblico.  A luncheon will precede the class. Pray for the ladies who will be in attendance.  Pray that they would have a desire to return to church tomorrow.

Sunday, August 8: George will be traveling to Bogotá, Colombia for a meeting of the LC’s (Logistic Coordinators) in all of Latin America.  Pray for his safe travel and for a good meeting as the LC’s compare their experiences and seek ways to work more effectively and efficiently within the new program.

Monday, August 9: Janet Hervey, who before worked in the office with George for about 10 years, will be in Guatemala August 9 for about two weeks.  Pray for her as she meets with different missionaries to help them with the new accounting procedures and has an opportunity to visit many of her Guatemalan friends.  She is also under a heavy work schedule down in Chile.  Pray for her as she visits

Tuesday, August 10: Helen needs to prepare and teach a seminar on witnessing to Catholics as part of her final assignment for the seminary class.  Pray for her as she does the preparation and tries to find time to get a group together for the 5-session seminar.

Wednesday, August 11: The Wednesday afternoon group at Richard and Sharon Cook’s house are finishing up their study of “The Purpose Driven Life” and they hope to study “The Gospel of the Rosary”.  As many of the Guatemalans come from Catholic backgrounds pray that their hearts would be open to evangelical ways of thinking which might be different from their usual way of thinking.  Pray that they would desire to have a personal relationship with God.

Thursday, August 12: While Lynna was here, she had a drop-in at the Hardemans’ for some of her friends that went to school with her at the Inter-American School in Quetzaltenango.  A couple of them expressed interest in doing the Crown study in English.  If they are serious about this, pray that Helen and Carol will be able to get a couple more people involved and be able to get the books promptly from the USA.  

Friday, August 13: Manuel has an excellent opportunity to travel to Israel later this month.  Pray for him in his travels and pray for Siomara and Samuel as they are here in Guatemala.  Join them in praising God for this opportunity which He has allowed them.  Pray for him in his travels and his studies in Israel.

Saturday, August 14: In mid-August Ellis Leagans's mother Ruby Leagans (in North Carolina) will move from her home to an assisted living care facility if all goes as currently planned.  All three of her sons plan to be there to facilitate the move.

Sunday, August 15:  Today is a day which commemorates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in body and soul, up to heaven.

Pray for the leaders in the country of Guatemala.  Pray for the people whose history is rich in Catholicism.  Pray that the Guatemalans would come to understand a personal relationship by faith in Jesus Christ.

Monday, August 16:  The students at the Baptist Seminary are finishing up their second term of study and will be beginning their third study.  Pray that the students would finish well and that they and the professors would have a time of rest before beginning again in September.  As Richard Cook coordinates activities and teaches at the seminary, pray that he would have the strength that he needs.  Pray that they would all have the preparation time which they need in their studies.

Tuesday, August 17:  The missionaries will be traveling today to attend a prayer retreat. Two families from Honduras will be traveling to Guatemala to attend. Pray that they would have safety in their travels and that they would have a time of renewal and refreshment in God’s word and in fellowship with others.

Wednesday, August 18:  Pray that Carol Wilkinson would be able to have a good working relationship with Rafael and Ennio at the Valley University.  Praise God for the contacts He has given her there and for the potential teams which will come to share with the students.  Also for activities which she will offer the students.

Thursday, August 19:  Ellis and Judy Leagans recently returned to Guatemala from their stateside time.  Pray for them as they readjust to the Guatemalan culture and also as Ellis has accepted a new job position, pray for him as he learns what the job entails and all that goes along with that.

Friday, August 20: Manuel continues to challenge the Impacto Biblico Church to begin moving toward being a cell church.  He needs to get sermon plans and outlines done far enough ahead of time so that cell group materials can be done.  Pray for him to have time in his already full schedule to be able to work on this and for Helen as she helps with the cell group materials.

Saturday, August 21:  Pray for the members/regular attendees of Impacto Biblico.  Pray that they would invite their friends and neighbors to go with them to church tomorrow.  Continue to pray for leaders to step up to leadership positions in the church.   

Sunday, August 22: The Monday night group that meets at the Hardemans’ has moved into the New Testament part of the chronological storying series.  Many interesting questions have come up.  We talked about John the Baptist’s sermon calling for repentance to prepare for the kingdom of heaven and that the Pharisees, in spite of being very religious and strict in keeping the commandments, fell far short of achieving God’s approval by their works.  “Oh no,” said one of the women, “we’re washed up.”  But then we looked at Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Pray for these dear people that they will understand how salvation by grace through faith is God’s plan and that they will accept His free gift, making Him Lord of their lives.

Monday, August 23: Pray for decisions relating to the Monday and Wednesday night groups at the Hardemans’.  Without Ana Myriam and Judith (who will be helping Sharon with the Crown group Wednesday nights, that only leaves three people who will be regular attendees.  They have mentioned combining the groups if we can find a suitable evening and time.  On the other hand, Helen has challenged them to invite other people to join the group as we begin the new study.

Tuesday, August 24: Pray for Manuel and Siomara and their leadership in Impacto Biblico.  Pray that they would feel a strong sense of God’s presence and encouragement today as many people are praying specifically for them. 

Wednesday, August 25:  A Crown Financial study group is being lead by Sharon Cook on Wednesday evenings.  Pray for the group of ladies who have joined together to learn more about budgeting, saving, and other financial issues from a Biblical perspective.  Pray that their mind and heart would be open to new ideas that they might be hearing from these studies.

Thursday, August 26:  The Mom’s group meets on Thursdays at Jennifer Hammond’s house.  Continue to pray for them as they desire to raise their children in Christian homes.  Pray that others would come and join the group.

Friday, August 27: Ana Myriam of the Wednesday group at the Hardemans’ has had to drop out.  There has been a lot of drug-related crime in her neighborhood and she is fearful of coming home to an empty home alone after 9 at night.  We would like to get her involved in the Wednesday afternoon group that Sharon leads in Zone 15 which is nearer her house.  Pray that this would work out. Also pray for that the governmental leaders as they look for ways to combat crime.

Saturday, August 28:  Adam and Jennifer Hammond are continuing to enjoy the neighborhood in which they live.  Continue to pray that they would have divine opportunities to share God’s love with their neighbors.  Praise God for the friendships which Arabella has with the neighborhood children.

Sunday, August 29:  Pray that Carol would know how to reach out to her neighbors in her apartment complex whether it is through Bible studies, English tutoring, or whatever way in which God has planned.

Monday, August 30: Richard Cook and other professors from the Baptist Seminary will be traveling to Honduras in September to teach classes at the extension center there.  As they make plans for travel and teaching pray that they would have wisdom and guidance in their preparation. Pray for the students who will be in Honduras, pray that they would have a desire to learn and study.

Tuesday, August 31:  As of this writing the IMB has not named a president to replace Jerry Rankin who recently retired.  Clyde Meador will be the interim president.  Continue to pray for the search committee who will be looking for the person that God has to fill this position.  Pray that this person would be open to accepting the presidential position.