October prayer requests

THE NICODEMUS PROJECT, GUATEMALA CITY
OCTOBER 2011

In her book, A Journey into Prayer, Evelyn Christenson gives a good reminder about praying for others.  She says, “On our prayer chain lists are many whom we have never met, but God knows who they are and where they are.  He knows their needs.  All we do is pray our requests-we don’t pray answers-and with the mighty arm of His power, God reaches down to anyone anywhere on Planet Earth with His answers.”  As you pray this month remember that God is a God who knows everything about who you are praying for.  Even if we forget the names or we don’t know the names of specific people we can rest assured that God does.

Saturday, October 1:  Thank you for praying for the Guatemalan elections.  Thankfully it was a calm day.  Many residents voted in the election, which was good. However no candidate received the majority of votes needed to become President of Guatemala.  Thus a run off election will be held on November 6 between the two candidates who received the largest amounts of votes.  Continue to pray for the election process.

Sunday, October 2: Matthew 19:14 says, “Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  This week Children’s Day will be celebrated in Guatemala.  There will be lots of activities for children in churches, restaurants, schools and other places.  Pray that this week many children would come to know the love of God.  Pray for Carol’s church and Impacto Biblico as they have activities for the children.

Monday, October 3: Helen has finished one week of intensive seminary studies and is doing the second week October 3-7.  Pray for her as she does the post-course assignments and as she continues to write the Hebrews study guide sheets for the cell groups.  

Tuesday, October 4: Tonight Carol will be attending her monthly book club meeting.  The book this month is about a lady who was held hostage in South America for 6 years. The book included some references to God and having a relationship with God based on the prayer life of the hostage, which increased during her captivity.  Pray that Carol would have opportunities to share with the ladies about the one true God and how they can have a personal relationship with Him.

Wednesday, October 5: Please continue to pray for Manuel and Siomara’s family.  Her dad did have a heart attack and suffered some damage to his heart.  While in the Social Security hospital (where patients are in big wards), he had the opportunity to lead worship services and see several men accept the Lord or be reconciled to Him.  Manuel’s mom has improved but they are still concerned for the swelling in one of her legs and for her kidney function.

Thursday, October 6: Thank you for praying for George Hardeman’s father.  He completed his physical therapy and went to an assisted living situation for the time being.  He will have a doctor’s appointment on the 13^th of this month to evaluate his progress.  Pray that the right decisions will be made at that time about his future care. 

Friday, October 7: Ellis Leagans appreciates the prayer support for various trips in September.  These included visits with personnel in Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica, and a meeting in Honduras, as well as his and Judy's (George and Helen Hardeman too) getting to be in Managua for a farewell event for Amy Johnson as she prepares to transfer to Mexico.   Ellis starts October with a week in Lima, Perú, for an Americas Urban Cluster meeting.  This will be followed by a ten-day multi-purpose trip for both Ellis and Judy to the US.  Then the last week of the month Ellis and George expect to go to San Salvador, El Salvador, for a meeting concerning some IMB property there.

Saturday, October 8: Praise God that one of the university students went with Carol to church on a recent Sunday night.  The student told Carol that she enjoyed it and wants to go again.  Pray that G would have the desire to attend church tomorrow and that it would work for her to be able to go to church as she works around transportation issues and family activities.

Sunday, October 9: Please pray for Judith.  She is in the Wednesday cell group and the Impacto Biblico, but has had to miss a lot recently because of work, a trip to Italy, and her mom’s health.  Though she has accepted the Lord, she is having some serious conflicts about returning to her Catholic roots.  She is confused and wants to meet with Helen to talk and pray.  Pray for wisdom for Helen and Sharon as they talk with her.  Pray that she will be able to get back into the church and cell group and take the time to do the studies.

Monday, October 10: Carol Wilkinson has been invited to attend the Campus Crusade devotional meeting time this morning at their office.  Pray for their time together.  Pray that they would find ways to help each other in the university ministries.  Praise God that Campus Crusade has given Carol Bibles to give to some of the university students. 

Tuesday, October 11: Helen met with three Catholic women in Zone 14 last month who plan to study The Gospel in the Rosary.  She provided them with the study guides for the first five lessons.  Pray that she will be invited to meet with them again and that the study will lead them into a deeper understanding of grace through faith and that Jesus made the complete and final sacrifice for us with no need for intermediaries.

Wednesday, October 12: On October 13 and 14, George will be in a meeting in Guatemala with his supervisor and the Lead Logistics Coordinator for South America to review the budget for all of the Latin American countries for 2012.  They have been notified of the amount available for the Americas, which isn’t enough to meet all of the needs.  Pray for those meeting to make wise decisions in the distribution of the resources available. 

Thursday, October 13:  Thank you for praying for Richard Cook’s recent travels to El Salvador. There, he met with national leadership who are working on a project to begin a program of theological education.  They are going to see if they can work out a partnership with the Guatemala Baptist Seminary to help them train their own professors to teach in their new program.  Pray for the partnership between these two countries.  Pray for Richard as he advises them as how to partner together.

Friday, October 14: Judy Leagans plans and coordinates the congregational music for Impacto Bíblico.  Preparation has begun also by  those who will form a choir for a presentation of Christmas music on December 18.  Please pray for all of the members of Impacto who participate in the music, including guitarists Fredy Guzmán and José Guzmán.

Saturday, October 15: George and Helen had a profitable trip to Nicaragua.  Continue to pray for the logistic needs there as there are still properties and vehicles to be sold. Pray for them as they plan a trip through Central America in November to meet with the Logistics Coordinators.  Pray for them as they work out the dates and for good plane connections.

Sunday, October 16: Pray today for Ellis and Judy Leagans.  Pray that they would have wisdom in decisions that they might be making.  Pray that they would feel the strong sense of many people praying for them throughout the world.  Pray for their families in the US.

Monday, October 17: Continue to pray for all of the cell groups, those who lead them and the cell members.  Pray that God’s Word will speak to their hearts revealing doctrinal errors that are very ingrained and leading them into truth.  Pray that each one will have the boldness to turn from the error and follow God’s truth.

Tuesday, October 18:  Pray today for Jeff and Noemi Macumber and family.  Continue to pray for their transition to Guatemala.  Josiah and Kaila are doing good with their transition to school in Guatemala.  Pray that they would be able to get their house in order and all that goes along with moving to a new country.

Wednesday, October 19: Amy Johnson will be leaving Nicaragua at the end of this month for a stateside assignment before her transfer to Mexico.  Pray for her as she packs up her belonging for the move.  Pray that she would have a fulfilling time in the States.  Pray that she would be renewed for her new assignment in a different type of ministry.

Thursday, October 20: Richard Cook also travelled to Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to meet with national leaders to make plans for the next stage of the partnership between them and the Guatemala Seminary.  They expect to have several students from Honduras begin their masters courses next year, followed by even more in 2013.  Praise God for the partnership.  Continue to pray for Richard and others as they work to promote this partnership.

Friday, October 21: Pray today for Manuel and Siomara and their family.  As you have seen from prayer requests they have had a difficult few months with sickness in their families and other things.  Pray that they would find their strength in God and they would be empowered by the verse “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”  Pray for Manuel and his job.  Continue to pray for the health of Samuel.  Pray for Siomara as she takes care of her family and parents.

Saturday, October 22: Please pray for Stan and Lynn Stepleton who were in the deaf ministry with the IMB for many years.  They were in El Salvador for a while before transferring to Mexico.  Last month, they had to leave their field of service and return permanently to the States.  Pray for them as they adjust to this sudden change.  Remember them as they seek the Lord’s will for their lives and for a new ministry.  Thank the Lord for their faithfulness all of these years.

Sunday, October 23: Pray for Sharon Cook as she looks for more opportunities to use her craft skills in outreach in the community.  Also pray that she would have opportunities for small groups.  Pray for the groups she is leading.  Pray that the group members would have a continuing desire to learn and study more about the Bible.

Monday, October 24: Pray today for George and Helen Hardeman.  Continue to pray for George as he has many things going on at the office.  Pray for Helen as she leads the small groups.  Pray for their children who are in Guatemala and the US. 

Tuesday, October 25:  Jeff and Noemi Macumber will be moved in their house this month and have begun their mentoring program.  Pray for them as they set up their house that it will go smoothly.  Pray for them as they continue the process of getting to know the country and the work here.  Ellis, Helen and Mark are serving as their mentors.  They will be meeting as a group today.

Wednesday, October 26: Today George will be traveling to El Salvador with Ellis Leagans to discuss a matter with the national leaders.  Pray for safety in travel and for a good meeting.  Thank the Lord for the work that has been done in that country over the years.

Thursday, October 27: Richard Cook asks that you would pray that the Lord will provide direction and that we will all follow it, as the plans are developed in these relationships with the seminary partnerships.  Pray for the resources that are needed -- both human and economic -- as Richard and others develop and provide theological education to the pastors and other leaders.

Friday, October 28:  Pray today for Richard and Sharon Cook.  Pray for their family.  Pray for safety in their travels in Guatemala City.  Praise God that through the power of prayer they can know that many people are praying for them today specifically as well as throughout the month.

Saturday, October 29: Pray for the salvation of the Nicodemus people.  Romans 5:11 says “so now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God-all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.”  Pray that the Nicodemus people would look to the Lord Jesus Christ for their friendship. 

Sunday, October 30: Pray today for Carol Wilkinson.  Pray for her as she works with several different groups about potential mission trips for next summer.  Pray for her as she prepares for the two university students who will arrive in February.  Pray that she would have open doors of opportunity at the universities and pray that she would have wisdom as to how to use these doors of opportunity.

Monday, October 31:  Tomorrow is All Saints Day.  In Guatemala, it is celebrated with unique traditions such as giant kites that are flown in the cemeteries of Santiago Sacatepequez and Sumpango near Antigua Guatemala. Many Guatemalans feast on a traditional food known as fiambre.  Pray that through the activities of tomorrow many people would have their eyes open to having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

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