Praying across the Time Zones

GMT -8:00 Judith is visiting friends in California during November while she waits on God for His next plan for her life. God has been amazingly good in providing her with work, friends, a church and a place to live in Brussels during the six years since she graduated from St Andrews. Now she senses change and needs prayer as she says goodbye to that life and looks forwad to something new.

GMT 0:00 Peter and Anna in Lisbon, Portugal continue to be amazed by God's grace at work, enjoy His presence daily, and are overwhelmed by His goodness. Pray that many friends and neighbours might come to share in their amazement.

GMT +5:30 Sharon and Rohit are exploring different options for future work while they continue to live in Bangalore close by Rohit's parents. Depending on which options open up, life might take them to Delhi or Mumbai, or outside of India. Pray for guidance and direction.

GMT +10:00 Colin is thoroughly enjoying life on the farm in New South Wales! The total change from academic work of University life has been good for him, and he will stay in Australia up to December. Pray that he will continue to be a help and encouragement to those he is working with.

DECEMBER the time zones come together for us in India where the whole family will be together for Christmas first in Bangalore, and then for one week in Goa. We are constantly amazed by God's goodness to us as a family, and that even though life is taking us in very different directions we are still very close, and richly enjoy times like this spent together.

A Summer Prayer Schedule

It might help you as you think about us and our work here

• When you’re driving in the car!
  Please pray for Peter as he has been asked to take over the field leadership of ECM Portugal from Fabiano from September. The decision is yet to be ratified by Mission leadership, but please pray for his preparation for this.
• When you’re with your family.
  Please pray for marriages, that God may use us to help, strengthen, uphold and support marriages of people we know.
• When you’re in Church
  Pray that God would continue to lead and guide our fellowship, especially that we would be led on the best route to find a neutral place to meet.
• When you are at your desk at work
  Pray for a champion, someone with a business mindset and clear vision, (whether Portuguese or from overseas), whom God would raise up to take the business ideas we have been developing and run with them.
• When you’re out relaxing at the beach.
  Pray for refreshing times for ourselves after a busy few months. We are taking a week near the Alentejo coast in south west Portugal and then hope to have time with family in August.
• When you’re playing on a team
  Please pray for our team as Pedro and Junia, a young Portuguese couple move from Porto at the end of August to join us for 2 years. Pray that they will quickly find accommodation and settle in

Praying for the Park of the Nations

We have been here in Lisbon 16 months now, living and serving God in the Park of the Nations. The work that the Lord is doing here is like a tree that has been planted, is taking root and beginning to flourish, but needs care and attention through prayer if it is to grow and be strong and fruitful. Saturday 28th March is set aside as a day of Prayer. So please pray for

• The Soil - That God might prepare the ground

- open hearts

- build up trust

- break down barriers

Pray for our community Sports activities – and for Friendships – that these would lead to a deeper level of sharing and caring

• The Shoots - That God would bring people to know Jesus.
  
  For “Os Lusitos” – our childrens work on Saturdays that we'd have opportunities to explain how great our God is to these little ones
  For Families we've come to know – that there would be a growing level of trust and openness for us to share the goodness of God

• The Trunk - That God would help us all to grow in the Word.
  
  For the meetings of our Church - that we would sense of God’s presence, enjoy effective teaching and freedom to worship Him. And that our team would enjoy strong unity and good leadership

• The Leaves - That God would help us be fresh and full of life
  For a commitment to pray for one another
  For the power of God present to heal, as Rev 22 says that the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
  
  
  
  
• The Fruit -That God would make us a blessing to others
  Finding opportunities for evangelism and always looking for ways that we could to share the good news more effectively.

And you know what? As we let our roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him we will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth, our lives overflowing with thanksgiving for all that he has done (Colossians 2:7). And this tree will grow and spread, and soon there will not be enough space for it.

So this is our last prayer request. Please take some time to ask God to guide us in relation to finding a space to rent in the Park of the Nations so that we can move out from our apartment and can begin to hold public worship in a larger area, and for the resources to pay for this.

Thank you so much for praying