Living Letters church mobilization flier May 2010 edition. Article on Day of Prayer and Fasting.

1. MAY 2010
living letters
stories from the Great Commission
hot topic
The whir of the cappuccino conversations, Carl and his wife’s new
machine doesn’t distract the group friends left to serve overseas but not
of regulars at Carl’s coffee shop. before they gave him the biggest tip
They’ve come for more than a lei- of his life: a Bible. Within a few months
surely latte. The Bible is their focus. of studying it and attending a Baptist
Carl* doesn’t mind their table time. church, Carl and his wife accepted
After all, some Christians changed his Christ. So did two of their three
life forever in a matter of weeks. children.
As a young Muslim in Lebanon, Back in Carl’s shop, both believers
Carl had a hard time making sense of and skeptics are welcome inside and
his country’s civil war in the name of with good reason.
religion. Two of his friends died when “You never know who you are touch-
a bomb blew up in a park. Fleeing to ing,” Carl said. “I’m a good example that
Jordan and then to the U.S., Carl read you can touch somebody from Islam.”
about Islam and other faiths. He had See the Summer edition of CommissionStories and
lots of questions, but few answers until commissionstories.com for the full story. Commission
Stories print magazine is offered free. Call (800) 999-3113
some Christians visited his shop. option 3, or visit imbresources.org to subscribe.
After several weeks’ worth of
* Names changed
commissionstories.com

2. because you prayed
What happens when believers pray? Plenty to celebrate!
In 1991, Christians worldwide began observing an annual Day of Prayer & Fasting
for World Evangelization on Pentecost. Like a morning star rising, those early prayers
for China’s Zhuang people set in motion fantastic works of God’s mighty hand.
In 1995, prayers focused on Mongolia, and today about 45,000 believers and more
than 400 churches dot its countryside. The following year, Christians lifted the Buddhist
stronghold of Tibet. That harvest included 19 churches and more than 600 believers.
Your prayers have also netted increased Gospel access among Persians of Iran, the
Bhutanese of Bhutan, the Lingayats and the Sikhs of India, the Tuareg of Africa and
the Chinese. More recently, God’s handiwork is among the Udmurts of Russia.
In less than two years, God has worked in the hearts of two couples and sent them
to be students in Udmurtia. While they are there, they’ll share the love of God with
the people they meet. One Udmurt believer has already been deeply affected by
your prayers.
“When I heard that America was praying for Udmurt people, I felt like I wanted to
hug and to kiss you all,” exclaimed Tatiana Berfilova, speaking through her translator.
Be part of this year’s Day of Prayer & Fasting
for World Evangelization, May 23.
atheist touched by miracle
Danny McDermott was an atheist in Tucson, Ariz., when neighbor and North
American Mission Board missionary Ben Barfield invited him to a Bible study. He
came, but only because his wife made him; he needed a miracle to believe. That
miracle came when his daughter, Bobbi, defied doctors by surviving birth — and
ultimately living 18 months. Today as fellow believers serving in Ben’s new church,
the McDermotts continue to celebrate their dual miracles. They look forward to
one day seeing Bobbi again, together.
Contact us for a free subscription.
imbresources.org • (800) 999-3113
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