Praise God for the ministry of Pastor Zechariah Arni, in Haifa, Israel!
Over 160,000 Ethiopian Jews live in Israel, where they often struggle due to language and racial barriers. A small portion of them have accepted Jesus (Yeshua) as the Messiah, or promised one of God. In spite of Israel's background as the birthplace of Christianity, religious discrimination against Christians is widespread. Pastor Zechariah and his congregation minister to these Messianic Ethiopian Jews and reach out to the Jews, Muslims, and secular people of Haifa, Israel, with the love of Jesus!
Prayer Requests:
- Pastor Zechariah to have wisdom leading his congregation.
- For a good team of staff and volunteers.
- Many of the older Ethiopians only speak Amharic, while many of the younger generations only speak Hebrew. Pray for unity!
- For Pastor Zechariah's influence in the Messianic Ethiopian community. Even though he is younger than most of the leaders, God has blessed him with solid Biblical insight and training. Pray that God uses him to steer the leaders away from questionable teachings and into the Word of God.
- For the congregation's many outreaches to the homeless and addicted around them in Haifa.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:9-10
As God brings the Mission Field to our doors, please keep praying for the Afghan refugees who are relocating to Colorado Springs! CWC's Afghan Refugee Team is busy learning about the culture, gathering furniture and food items, and created a beautiful Welcome Basket for them last week. We anticipate their arrival soon!
Please pray for:
- the Afghan families dealing with the trauma of losing their homes, their homeland, and often family members.
- US government officials and refugee agencies as they scramble to help people in desperate situations. Pray for supernatural insights to know how to ease their arrival and settlement.
- good housing and neighbors to be found in spite of the tight Colorado Springs housing market.
- God's timing and match for "our" family to our team.
- our Afghan Refugee Team to depend on the Holy Spirit to learn and grow as we prepare and start relationships with the family. For us to learn cheerfully and humbly as we deal with language and cultural differences. For joy and delight and grace on both sides as we experience differences.
- the new family to learn English and how to navigate American culture quickly.
- God to bless these new friendships and provide opportunities to share the love of Jesus through our actions now, and more specifically as we get to know one another.
Praise God for Michael Parks & his ministry, Frontier Partners, International! They minister to refugees and the needy in war-torn areas of the Middle East and Nepal.
Prayer Requests:
- for wisdom and finances to send a second shipment of wheelchairs to Lebanon. (You may remember that last year they were able to send 1000 wheelchairs that were distributed across the country!)
- for Mike's friend "Ahmed", a church leader in Afghanistan who is desperately trying to escape with his family. They are being hunted by the Taliban and Mike's team has had a lot of interference from various places holding up their evacuation. Please pray for God to hide them from their enemies, and deliver them to safety.
Please remember our missionaries who are far from family over the holidays! Children especially might be feeling the loss of time with grandparents and other relatives and family traditions.
Praise God for all He is doing through Matt & Jonna and their family in a closed country of Central Asia. Matt works through an international school and sports ministry, and the whole family ministers to everyone they come into contact with in their everyday lives.
Prayers & Praises:
- They have been able to host several sporting events this fall. After about 18 months of little to no contact with other schools, they were finally able to compete. This has been a highlight for the community (the student-athletes, parents, and coaches included). It has also allowed them to reconnect with others who are not in the Kingdom yet (referees, ADs, other coaches, and players). Please ask that the athletes will grow to know, love, and become like Jesus.
- In recent weeks, there have been many seekers who have come and heard the Word taught, songs sung, and interacted with the Body of their local international fellowship. Please ask that those who are being drawn to Jesus will come to the fellowship and be drawn into the Kingdom. Please pray against the attacks of the enemy who hates us and wants to keep a tight grip on his captives.
- We have been praying for Raseem, the 5 year old son of one of the local workers. He will start his 4th round of chemotherapy next week. He is eating some and feels decent. His grandmother and main caregiver Dove was able to share the Good News with 2 other women last week at the hospital. Praise the Father that even in this very difficult trial, HE is shining through His children who are holding on to Him through the storm. Please keep Raseem and his grandmother, Dove, in your prayers - for supernatural strength and peace and healing!
- In early January, Matt & Jonna and their team will partner with some local friends to put on a 3-day camp for about 25 kids from a local orphanage. Please ask that the Father will encourage those who are His and that those who are still lost will be drawn to Jesus as they experience the Father and His heart for them.
Noelle Harris (serving with husband Matt and kids Emma, Madeline, Noah, and Charlotte in Gulu, Uganda) shares that last month was filled with Matt's meetings or errands while Noelle kept busy with school and managing the household (and all the neighbor children who end up in their yard every afternoon). Matt has continued overseeing the building of the 2nd Pastors' School so many of you generously supported - see the progress in the picture above!
Prayers & Praises:
- Please continue to pray for Harris family as they miss home and family over the Christmas holidays, especially in light of Noelle's father passing away earlier this year and Matt's family being unable to complete their planned time in Uganda this month.
- Praise God that Noelle was able to share at a women's conference last month! She taught on Ephesians 5:22, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.” Most of the women attending have unbelieving husbands. She taught on humbling yourself in the sight of the Lord, so that He is the one to lift you up. Please pray for Noelle as she grows into her role and calling as a wife and mother. Pray for good fruit that remains from the women who attended the conference, and for them to find ways to put the teachings into practice.
Praise God that one of our Calvary Worship Center School of Ministry students (and also a barista at Pneuma Coffee Shop!), Amy Fearnside, was able to visit Janice Evans in Chornomorsk, Ukraine this month! We thank God for the fellowship of the saints, and that Amy was able to take our love and encouragement to Janice.
Praises & Prayer Requests:
- Tension with Russia – Janice said life feels very much “as normal” in her part of Ukraine, but her friends on the Eastern border are feeling more danger. Please pray for wisdom as Janice prepares a “go bag” and exit strategy in case things heat up more.
- Church – the new church is growing, including older men, which is unusual. In Ukraine, it isn’t culturally normal for the older men to come to hear a younger pastor, so this is a true work of the Spirit! Please pray for wisdom with COVID & COVID regulations.
- Mila – We have been praying for Janice's friend's young daughter, Mila, who has cancer. They have been told Mila has 1 month to live and she is in a lot of pain from the cancer. Please pray for the mom & dad to have wisdom and unity regarding Mila's treatments, and for them to turn to Jesus in their grief and find comfort.
- Moving right before Covid restrictions has made it difficult to grow close to people quickly. Please pray for deeper relationships in Chornomorsk.
We thank God for Jonatán & Teresa Simons, teaching the Bible at a seminary in Colombia since last year.
Prayers & Praises:
- Praise God that Bob & Esperanza Simons, former CWC missionaries, were able to visit their grandchildren last month! It took a 17-hour journey from Northern Colombia, including several buses and a plane.
- Praise God for their church, a wonderful place of worship.
- The university finished their academic year on November 12, and Jon & Teresa feel classes went well even though they moved there with only 2 weeks to prepare. Praise God for the 16 students who graduated! Pray for wisdom on how best to create community during the time of COVID and COVID restrictions. Pray for unity and humility as the university community moves forward. Pray for more professors, especially in New Testament and Missions. Pray for the community as they grieve the departure of two missionary families.
- Jon was raised in Colombia, but it is a new culture for Teresa and their children after years in Australia while Jon finished his doctorate. They finally feel mostly settled in Colombia. Their final boxes arrived, they have Colombian health insurance, the children are enjoying homeschooling, and they have a good Spanish teacher for the children. All the kids have made good friends and were able to participate in a local church's VBS program. Teresa's Spanish is progressing well and she is seeing victory in small areas like a successful phone conversation and going home with a take-away from a sermon. Please continue to pray for their adjustment to Colombia!
- The university has been approved to offer a government-accredited Master's degree in Biblical Interpretation starting in February, 2022.
- Please be praying for them as they stay in Colombia through the holiday season. Pray for Jon as he prepares three Greek classes and a theology class he will teach next year. (Classes resume on February 1, 2022.) Pray for them to develop closer relationships with the people still on campus through the holidays.
Praise God with Eddie & Barbie Broussard, who have been blessed in their lives and ministry supporting The Navigators in many areas of the world this year!
- Eurasia - God has blessed The Navigators in this very challenging area of the world! In Russia and Central Asia, it is illegal to share your faith with anyone in any public place, which makes missions and evangelism difficult. Many cross-cultural missionaries leave discouraged. This year, The Navigators focused on how to receive new missionaries into the region. Areas of training included preparing the hosts and new missionaries in 4 areas: 1) Preparation, 2) Arrival and the 1st 2 weeks, 3) Getting Through the 3-18 Month "Rapids" of adjusting to new ministry and culture, and 4) Settling In and Integrating. They have now received 4 of 8 new missionaries, with 2 more planned in January, 2022, and 2 next summer. Praise God for the wisdom He has given them for these challenging stages of working cross-culturally! Also, please pray for the team to build up a strong staff with the new team members, and for strong ministry teams among nationals in 5 cities in Russia and 1 in Ukraine. Pray for the workers and Christians to be as “wise as serpents and innocent as doves." (Matthew 10:16) when dealing with unjust governments and laws so that the Word of God goes out unhindered, and many come to faith!
- Latin America - God led the team to focus on raising up the next generation of leaders for the future of the work in Latin America. They have identified 30 leaders to join a 2-year leader development process. This first year will center around experiencing community together and learning to recognize how each person contributes to the work. Please pray for unity, inspiration, and encouragement as these leaders grow together! Also, please pray for God to bring new people to love Jesus and grow in maturity in Him all over Mexico, Central, and South America!
- Personally - On November 23, Eddie & Barbie celebrated 25 years of marriage! Also, Eddie is feeling great on his 2 bionic knees after double total knee replacements and rehabilitation this last year. They have resumed traveling a lot this season, so please pray for their safety and God's companionship on their journeys!
Praise God for the continued love and influence of Pastor Jepson and "Mama" Edith Karau in the lives of 24 orphaned teens and young adults from Mathare Valley Slum in Nairobi, Kenya! They are now in the launching phase for many of the children. That can be a difficult time for any young adult, but the tests & trials of launching has been compounded by past traumas and the stresses of COVID lockdowns in Kenya. Please pray:
- for the Karaus to have GREAT peace and wisdom in seeking to meet the needs of each of the diverse children in their care.
- for peace and calm in schools and for an end to destructive behavior after many schools were set on fire by students in the last few months, forcing many to shut down.
- for 1 of the kids who was swept up in one of the school fire incidents. He goes to court on December 23. Kenya is not always known for justice or mercy. Please pray that this child finds both before the end of this year!
- for wisdom as Hope's Promise lays a solid program foundation for Kuza, the new relative-based care expansion. The Mathare Valley Slum families who are selected are already finding support through education and other support, as well as discipleship through Mathare Worship Centre, our sister church in Nairobi. Pray for the continued selection process, and for families to find love and life and the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
- for the new staff member, Bridgitt, as she takes on the role of Director of Kuza, working with our good friend, Pastor Steve Kariithi of Mathare Worship Centre.
- for Christina, a caregiver who continues to struggle with a chronic respiratory illness. Praise God that her current oxygen levels are normal!
- for N, a caregiver facing significant health battles.
Thank God for the presence of His people in His Safe Haven, Gbarnga, Liberia!
His Safe Haven (HSH) recently welcomed in this little guy, Blessing. As is typical for special needs children in Liberia, Blessing had been discarded outside a police station. One of the policewomen brought him to HSH and named him Blessing because it was a blessing that she had found him. He loves attention, food, and music! Praise God that his life was saved through God's people, and pray for Blessing's life to continue to be blessed by God.
Thank God for a month-long visit from Jim & Cyndi Curran, friends of HSH and Calvary Worship Center. We praise God for the beautiful paint jobs Jim & Cyndi have given the foster homes in HSH Village (before and after pics above). Pray for them to encourage HSH and to be encouraged in turn.
"I thank God for such a great privilege Jehovah God gave me through you brother and servant of God Raul Reyes and your team. I am really experiencing a great change in my life and the ministry. So far I have (rescued) five who had decided to take their lives through suicide on family issues. God bless you and I believe that the training will enable me to save more lives." (Apostle Waswa – Nairobi, Kenya)
Praise God for the continuing work of Life Equip Global, which trains pastors and leaders around the world to help women and families experiencing crisis pregnancies! Every week 5 or more Life Advocate classes occur live online with pastors and Christian leaders from many countries in each class. The classes usually last about 15 weeks.
Currently there are 265 Pastors waiting to receive the Life Advocate Training, and 10-20 Pastors are asking to join the training each week. Next year they expect to see national trainers teaching Life Advocate Training in 20 countries in four continents. Please pray for continued fruitfulness, technological blessings, and "faithful men (and women!) who will be able to teach others also." (2 Timothy 2:2).
Check out this wonderful article about CWC partner Starting Over on the Inside -
If you'd like to be a part of what God is doing in Missions through Calvary Worship Center, please email kellyb@cwccs.org or call 719-632-3311!