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Prayer requests and praises
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We praise God for:Zora Lyn born December 30. She is the daughter of Todd and Brittany Leslie (Africa Regional Office) and joins Emerson, Cooper and Harper.
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Explore the Africa Region
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Dr. Chambo's Prayer for the Africa Region
| "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace
as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope
by the power of the Holy Spirit."
Romans 15:13
This is my prayer for the Church of the Nazarene Africa Region and our partners.
Have a blessed new year.
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10 Extraordinary Prayer Requests: Introduction - by Don Gardner
| Every morning when I get out of bed, one of the first things I do is to look in the mirror. I always see myself with bed-head. The next thing I do is whatever is necessary to correct the problem. A wash and a brush takes care of it. In James 1:23-24, we read that we shouldn't just look in a mirror then walk away forgetting what kind of person we are. Some of us are professional listeners of the message and not doers.
The church needs a fresh wind and fresh fire from the Holy Spirit. What we need is some extraordinary prayer to help bring us to a point of change and push us beyond that point to really being changed by the Lord into His image.
 | Jernigan Chapel - ANU
University Church of the Nazarene |
From the regional website:
The Church in Africa is a praying church. We believe that we can trust God to do what He is willing to do through us. The first and most important thing we must do is pray. These are the extraordinary prayer requests or themes we would like every Nazarene to pray for Africa Region:
- Every Nazarene dependent upon God only
- Every Nazarene a Spirit-filled disciple
- Every Nazarene a disciple maker with a real burden for the lost
- Every Nazarene giving authority to God's Word
- Every Nazarene an extraordinary pray-er
- Every Nazarene leader faithful to God, family, and church
- Every Nazarene leader building leaders who build leaders who change the world
- Every Nazarene pastor an effective minister of the Word
- Every Nazarene home a nursery for Holiness Champions
- Every Nazarene local church experiencing a real movement of the Holy Spirit
Join us in praying for the Church of the Nazarene in Africa and beyond. Each month in 2013, Out of Africa will have a short focus on one of the requests listed above.
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Who's Ministering to Whom? - by Connie Patrick
| In 2011, we returned to Madagascar as missionary volunteers, but we had less than five months to work with the people we had first come to love two years before. I was not only to teach English to young people on the Evangelistic Team, but also to teach the pastors and leaders the "Secrets of Powerful, Effective Prayer." Why? We were preparing for the Lenten Season when for six weeks we would pray and have many times of fasting for a revival of holiness on the Africa Region. The regional office had provided each field with incredible outlines for every facet of this Holiness Initiative - a life transforming, region transforming event.
As I prayed about this assignment, I happened to find a copy of Andrew Murray's With Christ in the School of Prayer. As I began to read, study and write summaries
 | | Threshing rice |
that would be translatable, I began to apply the truths to my own life of prayer. I was overwhelmed with the insights God had revealed to this man who grew up as a missionary kid in Africa in the 1800s. God began to deal with areas of unbelief and failure in my own life. Time after time as I studied to teach, I knelt in confession, repentance and determination to have the kind of faith God desires us to have. I learned again that it takes a fully submitted will for God to be able to purify our hearts. Then Christ can give us His mind and heart to bring us into union with His longings and intercessions through His Holy Spirit. That is the catalyst of effective prayer.
We had the privilege of observing the devotion and commitment of the Malagasy Nazarene leaders and lay people to fast and pray for their people and land. They were committed to intercession with fasting at least three days a week. Only God knows the extent of the results of this time of concentration on Him and His Holy Kingdom. It gives me hope that God could change each of us to be concerned about the things that concern Him.
A year later in my own life and ministry, I am still reaping the benefits of all God taught me during our time of "ministering" on the mission field. I ask the question, "Who's helping whom?"
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| Out of Africa Classic: Lightning strikes! | It was just after noon on a Saturday. Norman Salmons was standing outside his house talking with Sinossi, the builder. It was a clear, cloudless sky, when there was a flash of lightning which knocked him to the ground. His right arm and right leg were absolutely useless. Joan, his wife, and Sinossi carried him to bed. He remembered thinking, "This is the end of my missionary career!" Several hours later to their amazement, he regained the use of these limbs, being far from a hospital or a doctor.
Far away over the sea in England, that same day, a lady called Mary Williams of the Atherton Church was cleaning her house when she heard an audible voice say, "Pray for Norman Salmons." At first, she took no notice. A few minutes later, she heard it again, but took no notice again. When she heard it a third time, she put down her broom, knelt at the chair and prayed for him. She said that she had no idea why, but she had to pray for his safety. She then wrote to him, inquiring whether there had been a specific need on that day and time - to her surprise there HAD been a very definite effort by the forces of darkness to render him ineffective. God had triumphed again! Praise to His Name!
Editor's note: From time to time we will run Out of Africa Classics. These are stories that are too good not to be retold for a new generation of believers. Betty van den Berg of Helping Hands Africa contributed this initial story. The Salmons were missionaries in Mozambique in the 1950s.
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Downloadable Calendar from São Tomé and Príncipe
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In many parts of Africa, calendars are given in January.
Download a calendar from São Tomé and Príncipe courtesy of
missionary Phil Patalano. STP is a part of the Africa Middle Field.
Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceptive, and beauty fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
(the verse on the calendar)
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January is a month to look back in reflection and to look ahead with expectation. I hope you've enjoyed this look back. In the next issue, we will look forward with Dr. Chambo's vision for 2013.
Did you enjoy the "classic" story? Let me know.
If you have a "classic" story, I'd love to read it.
Happy New Year!
Amy Crofford,Out of Africa editor
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