July 13, 2008

Prayer Requests from Africa Hope Leadership

Please continue to pray for Africa Hope Sunday on August 31.  Pray that God would do a wonderful work in our hearts as a congregation and that we would sense His leading as we reflect on and envision the future ministry of Africa Hope.  Pray also that all of the details will continue to come together.

Please also continue to pray for the giving to the Africa Hope fund.  So far, giving is significantly behind what it has been in past years; pray that as a congregation we would be able to meet and exceed our commitment to World Relief as to be able to give to other ministries as well.

Please pray for Jenn Costillo.  She will be leaving for Kenya and Rwanda on Thursday, July 17, and asks for the following prayer:

• Please pray for her time in Kenya from July 17 – July 26.  She will be staying with JP, Clementine, and their two children Samuel and Victoire.  Pray that this stay will be a sweet time of fellowship and encouragement to all.
• In Kenya, Jenn will meet with several organizations involved in peace and reconciliation and trauma counseling.  Pray that this would be an informative time and that her ears and heart would be open to ways in which she can serve and use her education in counseling.  Praise God for this opportunity, as well!
• While in Rwanda, Jenn will be conducting research on child abuse alongside several World Relief staff members.  The area in which she will be conducting this research is an area that experiences a significant amount of child abuse as well as abuse against women.  The main goal of the research is to develop key messages based on the information learned in order to develop a greater awareness of this abuse and ultimately to curb the number of incidents of abuse.  Please pray that community members will be very open to answering questions and that all would go smoothly logistically.
• Pray also for Jenn as she gives two separate talks – one to a group of World Relief staff and another to Baraka’s Gate of Hope lay counseling trainees.  The talk to World Relief staff will center around how to recognize and process trauma, and the talk to Baraka’s group will revolve around basic counseling skills within a group setting.  Pray that Jenn would be able to finish preparations for these talks prior to her departure and that she would be able to communicate well when giving the talks.
• Please pray also for her time in meeting with a couple of peace and reconciliation and trauma counseling ministries in Rwanda.
• Please pray for safety, health, and grace as she travels and that she would depend completely on God’s leading and strength.
• Please pray for Jenn’s husband, David, as well during this time.  They will be apart for one month!

Prayer Requests from Christine Brackett in Rwanda (http://www.alwayssunrisesomewhere.blogspot.com/)

Praise God that Christine was able to begin the research that she has been working on for the past few months!  So far, she has enjoyed a successful time of training those who will be involved in collecting the research and has one week’s worth of data thus far J

Please continue to pray for Christine and her team as they begin to collect information in four different health districts – one in the north, south, west, and east.

• Excellence in the project;
• Health, strength, and continued enthusiasm for her and her team;
• And, that God would get the glory for the resulting improved physical health in the Rwandan children.

Praise God for Marcelline’s (she works in HR in the WR Rwanda office) delivery of a healthy baby boy!  Please pray for continued health for her and her baby boy.

Please pray for Jenn Costillo’s visit – that God would bless her, protect her, and use her powerfully throughout her trip and that God would open doors in the midst of various contacts and circumstances so that she might be able to use her gifs and her talents in the future to serve the poor in this part of the world.