Dear Prayer Partners, Thank you for your faithful partnership as we enter a new year! We are grateful to God for continuing to lead us towards ever greater impact. We also grieve with the Nigerian families who have been devastated by the kidnappings, which have become increasingly lethal. Please join us in prayer for God’s protection and for God to establish justice in Nigeria.
May the Lord grant you and your families peace as you trust God’s presence and grace in your lives.
Nigeria:
- Pray for the ongoing plans for the MBB and HBB 2021 conferences. The committee is meeting for the MBB conference tomorrow. The FFICM Nigeria director Peter Wash has traveled to a neighboring state for that meeting.
- Thank God for this past weekend. The Anglican church is interested in being trained by us in how to follow-up new believers
- Praise God for Zainab! She continues to do follow-up with women in Nigeria. She is praying that God will give her 500 women who are believers in 2021 that she can take through our follow-up materials and provide vocational training for them as well.
- Pray for safety and protection from kidnappers. The kidnappings have increased in Nigeria. In Kaduna state, a friend of a pastor friend of Zainab’s was kidnapped and the family did not pay the ransom so his organs were sold for the money and his corpse was given back to the family. Pray for peace and safety. Pray that the kidnappings will stop in Nigeria.
- Pray for the FFICM Nigeria office as they prepare to move into their new office. We praise God for his provision of this larger office for them as they continue to expand their work in 2021.
Ethiopia:
- Pray for Eskinder and the ministry in Ethiopia.
- Pray that God would stop the spread of coronavirus there.
- Keep praying for peace in Ethiopia and North Sudan. The Ethiopia government seems to be handling the situation well, but the situation is complex.
- Next week they are starting a training in Ethiopia if the coronavirus in that area isn’t too bad. The people are eager to be trained.
- Eskinder’s son Nathan is preparing to go to university tomorrow. Pray that he does well in university.
- Pray for wisdom as Eskinder looks for a vehicle for our work there in Ethiopia. We praise God that almost all the funds that we thought would be needed have come in. Once a vehicle is identified we will know the exact cost.
- Genet church denomination is asking FFICM to train their pastors and other leaders. Pray for wisdom as we work to respond to the many requests for training from different churches and church leaders in Ethiopia.
USA:
- Rick Cordell goes to Nigeria two weeks from today. Pray for safety for his travel. He will be in Nigeria for four months.
- Rick’s eye surgery went well. Please continue to pray for his healing post-surgery.
- Praise God for the financial support that Rick Cordell received over the Christmas holiday.
- Mission Connexion 2021 will be this weekend (the 15th in the evening and 16th all day)! Missionary speakers will share on significant topics. FFICM will be leading the workshop track on discipleship basics.
http://missionconnexion.com/mc2021/ https://missionconnexion.com/mc2021/exhibitor/ffic/
- David started his third class in his Master’s degree today! Pray that he would know how to manage his time well with classes, work with the office, and family.
- Pray for wisdom and direction for the young couple from the Portland area who are considering joining FFICM as International Trainers. Pray that God would also raise up others so we can continue to expand our impact for God’s Kingdom.
- Pray for Rich’s plans to visit Ethiopia in February for two weeks.
- David’s mother-in-law is going to have back surgery next week. Pray that all goes well and that the healing would be quick. She has had debilitating pain that often keeps her in bed all day.
- Continue praying for healing for our US Communications Director Dara Searcy-Gardner and for our former Communications intern Mercy McVicker as they both struggle with ongoing, debilitating health issues.
