August 30, 2022
Greetings FFICM Prayer Partners!
Rich shared today from Hebrews. Faith is how we live! Not something we exercise once in a while, but something that we live every day. Faith defines our life.
How do we live a life of faith? One of the examples that the writers of Hebrews give is the faith of Abel when he sacrifices the fat from the calf. In faith, Abraham was giving God the best of the best, and the best was the best part of the animal. He didn’t know to sacrifice, he just knew he wanted to please God so he gave God the best of the best.
How can I honor God? I should give him the best. We live by faith, not by sight.
Highlights from this week’s update:
- Pray for the preparations as the church wants to license Peter as a pastor on September 4. Pray for Peter’s calling as a pastor and that this licensing will promote the ministry of FFICM as well.
- Praise for the training in Halaba last week: August 16-20. 86 people heard the gospel and 12 received Christ. Those 12 who received Christ were Muslim.
- Praise: The Nigeria staff had a successful training of trainers last week at the EYN (The Church of the Brethren) headquarters. The president of the church wants to take FFICM to the 7 zones they serve. Pray for doors to open and for this partnership in ministry. Praise for safety as they traveled to and from Jos to the area and for the invitation to continue to partner in ministry.
Ethiopia:
Program Updates
- Praise for the new believer follow-up training in Holleta last week (Aug 22-26). 58 people heard the gospel for the first time and 10 received Christ.
- Praise for the training in Halaba last week: August 16-20. 86 people heard the gospel and 12 received Christ. Those 12 who received Christ were Muslim.
- Pray for the upcoming October Womens trainings. We will be training 50 women in each place.
- The war in the north has started for a third time. Pray for the Ahmara people, the Afar people, and the government. The fighting has been heavy in these areas. The Tigray are continuing to fight in the Ahmara and Afar areas as well.
- Pray for Alemitu has been calling Eskinder asking for follow up materials so that she can continue to follow up with new believers. She would like help and support for her work.
- Pray for wisdom as we work with Eskinder to prepare for travel to the US this Fall. We are planning to have him speak in-person at our November fundraiser event! We are working on figuring out how his time will divide between Oregon, Washington, east coast and possibly some points in between. Pray for wisdom as we hope to purchase his airline tickets in the next week or two.
- Pray for the Hosanna area. The regional church asked for training. They are also asking for the True Gospel Conference next year. Many people in Hosanna are going astray and following different kinds of things so they are calling and requesting the big conference and training for pastors, evangelists, and church members.
- Pray for the 7 different areas that are being trained on a weekly basis where 1205 people are being trained by people that FFICM staff trained.
- Pray that the Lord will provide more staff in Ethiopia. We need more trainers in the country. Pray for the development of the staff. Eskinder is planning to have 1-2 more staff join the team in 2023. Pray for the doors to open and for them to be able to hire staff as well as part time staff.
- Pray for Eskinder’s daughter Anna. They are having trouble finding a school that’s a good fit for her.
- Praise: We purchased the car for the work of the ministry in Ethiopia!!! It is now at the church headquarters office. We are still working on final paperwork, taxes insurance and other details to be able to use it. Pray that all the needed registration and paperwork will be finished this week. Using our own vehicle rather than needing to rent a vehicle will save us up to $1,000 per training! Pray as they are awaiting the final paperwork on the car.
Nigeria:
Nigeria Program Updates
- Pray for preparation for the MBB conference in October. Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom on how this conference can come together. Pray for those they are training to use the MBB materials as they prepare for the conference, and also use the materials now in their communities. The team is traveling this week to find a venue and prepare for the upcoming conference. Please continue to pray for the preparations. The conference is only a month away and does not have much money for the conference. They are working on how to transport people and to get people to come on short notice. We are praying for 400 to attend the conference.
- Praise: The Nigeria staff had a successful training of trainers last week at the EYN (The Church of the Brethren) headquarters. The president of the church wants to take FFICM to the 7 zones they serve. Pray for doors to open and for this partnership in ministry. Praise for safety as they traveled to and from Jos to the area and for the invitation to continue to partner in ministry.
- Praise. for the Training of Trainers two weeks ago in Jos, Nigeria. People came from all over the area to be a part of training, including a 14 year-old boy named Praise whose parents allowed him to attend. Praise has been using the new believer follow-up materials with his friends and has been training others on his own. We are excited to see the impact that he is having with the youth and how God is using him mightily. It was a successful training. Everyone arrived safely at home after training and many already started putting the training into practice. Pray for them as they go out and train others.
- Praise that the teachings have been recorded for the solar audio Bibles. They will be sent out this week. Pray that the Audio Bibles will come together and be able to be returned and used for ministry throughout Nigeria.
- Praise God for the new photocopier in the office in Nigeria. The old one was causing much grief and challenges.
- Pray for the FFICM Nigeria Open House day coming up September 24th, where they will be sharing about the ongoing work of the ministry in Nigeria and working to raise prayer and financial support from within Nigeria. Pray for God to connect the staff with people that they intend to invite. Pray as the team works on inviting people this week, that people will be open and receptive and that they will be able to grow in ministry with partnerships.
- Continue to pray for the Nigeria team to find a good Operations Manager/Office Manager. Pray that God would show them the way forward. Pray for unity of mind and planning with the Nigerian board of trustees and staff as they make this decision.
- Pray: Tensions are rising ahead of the upcoming election in February 2023. Both the Muslims and the Christians are mobilizing their people. There are many concerns and Nigeria needs us to pray for the country. Christians in the north have been told by Muslims that if the Christian candidate wins they will be killed and their houses burned.
- Pray for churches to open up to conduct trainings. Pray for the Nigerian staff as they reach out to churches to partner with.
- Pray for Yusuf who is trying to start his own ministry and wants to partner with FFICM. Pray for wisdom as they look at the way forward and how they can do things together.
Ongoing Muslim Outreach Ministry
- Pray: TV and Radio Ministry — We continue to broadcast the TV and radio episodes that have been recorded to share about what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus, and are specifically made for people coming to Christ from a Muslim background. Continue to pray for the impact of these recordings, and for the FFICM staff as they work to follow-up those who are coming to Christ. The FFICM-Nigeria team is meeting in-person with these converts to support them in their new faith. People continue to call the office every week in response with questions about what is shared and God is impacting many lives.
Prayer for the Nigeria Ministry Team
- Peter Wash, National Director Nigeria
- Pray for his wife’s egg business. Pray for the chickens and that this new business will be able to help support their family. They are waiting to get a light to be able to give the chickens warmth. They cannot get the chickens until they fix the light because it is rainy season. They will probably need to wait until August.
- Pray for daughters who are away, one in University and one in the service in Gombe, about 300 km away, pray that God will keep them safe as they are away.
- Pray for the schools as they have received threats from the Boko Haram recently.
- Pray for his wife who lost her sister to hepatitis recently. As she grieves the loss of her sister she is also afraid as she has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C. In about 2 months the family has lost 4 children and the family is very confused and in pain. Pray that God will be with them, comfort them and that the family will focus on God in this time instead of turning to other ways. The community around them is trying to tell them that they should seek help from the local witch doctor. Pray that God would be glorified through how the family deals with the situation.
- Pray for the preparations as the church wants to license Peter as a pastor on September 4. Pray for Peter’s calling as a pastor and that this licensing will promote the ministry of FFICM as well.
- Samuel Chungwom, Nigeria Lead Trainer
- Pray for Sam as he has gone back to school for a Master’s degree in Missiology while continuing to serve full-time with FFICM in Nigeria. Pray for balance between work, school, and family responsibilities.
- Pray as he is leading 11 teens in new believer follow up. He and his wife are teaching and leading this small group. Pray for one of the boys who has an injury on his hand, pray for healing. Praise that this follow up is going well.
- Mercy Dawah, Nigeria Finance Coordinator
- Pray for safety in the insecurity of the country as well as provision.
- Pray for Mercy’s village as there was an attack by the Muslim Fulani herdsmen where 7-10 people were killed, including several of her relatives. Please continue to pray for peace in Nigeria. Continue to pray for her village who is living in fear as well as bereavement after these attacks.
- Pray for strength and God’s leadership as she was given another leadership role in the church.
- Pray as she is applying for a passport and an Ethiopian Visa.
- Ahmed, Nigeria MBB Trainer
- Pray for his wife (Janet) who is pregnant and due any time now with their fourth child. Pray for a safe end of pregnancy and delivery of the baby in the coming weeks.
- Pray for him as he is connecting with MBB converts this week and preparing for the MBB training.
- Zainab, Nigeria part-time Trainer
- Pray for the new believers, Blessing and Margaret, that she is leading in follow up over the next three months. Pray that “God will keep them safe and that after 3 months, they’ll be rooted in Christ.” Praise that they are responding well and encouraging her with testimonies of how helpful the follow up is to them.
- Pray for protection from the Boko Haram who is threatening attacks
- Praise for a man who thought God had forgotten him. He was discouraged as he began coming to their fellowship time. Last week he was given a job and feels that God has remembered him. This, in addition to being a part of the follow up fellowship has been good for him.
Kenya:
- Pray for upcoming Kenya trainings using the FFICM new believer follow-up training that will be September 8-10 at Isinya in Kajiado and then another training on September 15-17 at Mitaboni in Machakos. Pray for pastor Joel as he coordinates all the logistics for these trainings and prepares to lead these trainings. Pray that God would raise up more workers in Kenya to come alongside pastor Joel.
- Pray: The FFICM materials were printed in Swahili earlier this year, but they were printed in Ethiopia, and only some of the Swahili materials have been brought to Kenya. The rest remain in Ethiopia. Pray for wisdom in getting both the needed Swahili as well as the English materials to Kenya in time for the two upcoming trainings.
- Praise: Kenya has a new president. Pray for him as he takes this new office as well as peace for the country.
- Pray for him to be able to get his visa to travel to the US as a part of the Multnomah class that he, Peter, and Eskinder are a part of.
United States:
Strategic Development and ongoing ministry
- Pray for the grant requests that Jerel is working on preparing to submit in the next few months.
- Pray: Pray for wisdom as FFICM continues to look for a new part-time bookkeeper in the US.
- Pray: International Director of Prayer — We are praying that God will provide a volunteer International Director of Prayer for FFICM. We would love to have someone to take charge and develop this crucial area of ministry even more. Pray that God would raise the right person up for the job.
- Pray for the plans and preparations for the FFICM golf tournament (October 10) in Portland, OR. Sign-ups will start soon for those interested.
- Pray for our team as we are writing new materials for the US audience. Pray that God will give us wisdom and insight for what we can do to help new believers in the US and adapt our materials. Pray for the video series that we are working on for our American teachings.
- Pray for the board as they work on updating our bylaws.
- Praise for the FFICM East Coast Tour that Rich and Jerel did over the past two weeks including meeting with hundreds of people and driving over 3,000 miles. They had many encouraging meetings in church, homes, and coffee shops and were able to strengthen existing relationships and begin new ones.
Ministry Partners
- Carly Powne, US Based International Trainer — www.fficm.org/carly-powne
- Continue to pray for Carly to be at 100% monthly support — We pray that God will continue to bring a full team of prayer and financial partners for Carly so she can focus fully on her role as an International Trainer with FFICM. Praise God for those who have already signed up to be part of her prayer and financial support team. Praise God she is currently at 70% of her needed monthly support. Once she gets up to full support she can increase the number of trainings she is involved with.
- Pray for Lane, her 3 year old cousin who is like a nephew to her. Lane was recently diagnosed with Leukemia. Please pray for Lane as he is an active boy, and a lot has changed in his life in a short time. Please pray for his family as well: Mom, Dad, and 3 sisters.
- Praise for a successful mission weekend at Northern Hills UMC. Carly was able to speak on Sunday and will have the opportunity to share about the ministry of FFICM at various events throughout the weekend. Pray for a good response from those who heard the messages.
- Pray for wisdom on when to travel overseas for an extended period of time, when and where.
- David Moore, Director of Operations
- Pray: Son Andrew had a court hearing again this week on Wednesday and is still in Juvenile Detention. Pray that God turns his heart to Himself. Pray that he makes good choices and moves toward mental, physical, spiritual and emotional health.
- Pray as he is in transit to Indonesia. He will be gone August 29th for two weeks together with kids Hannah and Asher. They will be meeting with pastors from two different denominations that have expressed interested in having FFICM come and doing training with their denominations in Indonesia. They will also be part of the celebration/dedication of the New Testament in the Ambonese language on the island of Ambon where they lived as a family for 7 years when David was still with Wycliffe Bible Translators.
- Rich Gardner, President
- Pray for his family situation.
- Praise for health! Praise for the break and rest that he was able to take last week while sick, and continue pray for complete healing.
- Pray for Rich as he adapts FFICM’s training material into videos for Westerners.
- Pray: Rich’s daughter, Dara Searcy-Gardner, continues to struggle with debilitating asthma. We pray for complete healing.
- Rick Cordell, Adjunct Trainer from US
- Pray: Rick as he has a lot of work to finish before traveling back to Nigeria at the end of August. Pray for God’s blessing on the preparation as it looks and feels overwhelming at this point.
- Pray for Scott, a man Rick has been meeting with for the last year. He is attending a Bible study with Rick this week, pray that he will not be hesitant and that nothing will come in the way of his excitement.
- Pray for Rick as he plans to send out a prayer letter with a financial appeal for his ministry funds this week. Pray that God would provide all that is needed.
- Deborah Sezov, FFICM US Board member
- Pastor Andrew – Pray for healing from non-Hodgkin’s diffuse large B cell lymphoma. Pray that his kidney function would improve and for wisdom for the doctors in whether or not to increase his chemotherapy in order to preserve his kidneys since the CAR T cell therapy is still 5 weeks away. Pray for his wife, 4 year old son, and 2 year old twins.
- Pastor Ellis – Praise God that he has been able to preach despite his 5 broken ribs. Pray for complete healing and no additional complications.
