PrayerSpace

Mission partner Trisha Wick is leading ongoing discipleship training in Maridi Diocese. She says, "God is opening many new doors for this work to develop. I will be glad when my MA Studies are over so I can completely give my time to this. Pray for my colleagues Eli, Thomas and Monica."

Thank God for exciting work in the Dioceses of Aru and Boga in DR Congo. In Boga Bishop William is planning many new projects to generate income for the diocese and the Christians. A new Parish Chapel was opened in Bunia on 29 January. In Aru where peace has prevailed throughout the troubles, the work of the diocese continues as usual.
Both dioceses are preparing for the visit of the Bishop of Birkenhead and a team which will run additional Rooted in Jesus courses in August / September this year. Gill Brown, SALT Volunteer is presently in DRC helping to set up the visit to both Dioceses. Gill is also working with IPASC (Pan-African Institute for Community Health) founded by the late Rev Dr Pat Nckson. It has a record number of students and its operational programmes continue to provide better health care for the communities of the region.

"Please pray for those being interviewed for the role of Executive Leader of CMS on Monday 6 February and pray for the interview panel," asks Martyn Snow, vice chair of CMS trustees. "Pray for very clear guidance as they seek to discern God's calling. Pray that the candidates will communicate well, that the panel will listen well and that all would know the Holy Spirit speaking clearly."

6th Feb is anti-FGM day. Please remember the girls that are still being cut (one every 10 seconds). We will be at a conference of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists 2-6pm; at Westminster with 80 MP's/guests from 4-6pm & with a charity event with Sister Fa from Somalia from 6pm til late. Please pray these events will change hearts & minds; alter policy and release funds for change.

I would like to thank all those who have prayed for Helen Wolstenholme, the Salvation Army, Oxford Officer, who is suffering from cancer. The latest is that though the tumours are responding to the chemotherapy Helen also has cancer in the bones. This is much more of a problem and her doctors have said it will be terminal. Please continue to pray for Helen that the Lord will heal her. Thank you.

Please pray for Debbie and Helen as they prepare student ordinands from Wycliffe Hall in Oxford for their cross-cultural mission visits to Southall UK and to Uganda, later today. Please also pray for these students when their visits take place in March.

Oscar Sang of CMS Africa asks continued prayer for the forthcoming CMS Africa fundraising campaign, which aims to make a big contribution to the long-term sustainablitiy of CMS Africa's mission. Thank God for an upcoming Anglican church primates meeting organised by the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa (CAPA) to take place in Burundi next week. Pray for our Director, Dennis, who plans to attend this meeting in Bujumbura.

CMS-Africa representative Pauline Walker, currently visiting South Sudan, writes:
"1. Give thanks that many things in South Sudan are growing and developing, and positive opportunities are being brought to people who have never seen them before in their lives.
"2. Alongside the “wheat” grow the “tares”, some of which are choking the new growth. Pray particularly for the capital Juba, where violence and thieving is on the increase as people who are still traumatised and without hope after the war are desperate to take what they see as their share of the world that has suddenly opened up through the eyes and ears of increased communication and increased visitors and agencies to Juba. Last Saturday, the Country Director of AMREF [African Medical and Research Foundation], a wonderful, caring doctor from Ethiopia, was shot dead at his gate in the early evening by thieves who stole his car and possessions. Pray for his family and for all staff of AMREF. Also pray that the number of guns freely available in Juba and elsewhere in South Sudan will be greatly diminished.
"3. Pray for the Christians in northern Sudan, being pressurised by an increasingly hostile extreme Sharia law. The Church leaders have been forbidden to evangelise and even to carry out Christian activities. There are reports of southern men and boys being rounded up on the streets and disappearing. Other reports are coming in of pastors being executed in the Nuba mountains. Pray for God’s intervention for the people of Sudan and South Sudan!"

Paul Kibona, CMS-Africa representative in Tanzania, writes, “Shalom God’s people! Please pray for a VISION Conferencewe shall be conducting very soon inRoryaandMusoma Anglican dioceses.” These conferences cast the Samaritan Strategy vision for holistic transformation among local church leaders.

Pray for Archbishop Elect Bolly Lapok and the Province. The Installation service will be on 12 February 2012, in Kuching, Sarawak. CMS represented by Kang-San, Asia CMS Executive Director.

Pray for Kang-San (director of AsiaCMS) who will be speaking at 117th Maramon Convention in Kerala, India, from 15-19th Feb, lecture on Contextualisation at SAIACS, Bangalore (20-23rd Feb) and Mizoram (24-27 Feb).

Please pray for Syria in its continued struggle which is rapidly descending into civil war. More than 5,000 people have been killed since the anti-government unrest began, including just over 100 Christians who are now being targeted in a series of sectarian attacks and children who are kidnapped and killed if a ransom is not paid. Many Christians have been voicing support for President Assad for fear of a possible future under the a government dominated by Islamists but this unfortunately means they are in a more vulnerable at present and less likely to have a voice in a new state without Assad. Pray for the international efforts to restore stability will be successful and for courage and wisdom for the Churches.

Giving thanks for the great news that CMS's Pioneer Mission Leadership Training course has been officially approved to train ordinand pioneer ministers for the Church of England, we ask you to pray (and tell people) about the forthcoming open days for the course on Thursday 23 February and Thursday 26 April. Full details can be found at http://pioneer.cms-uk.org

Jean Preston, a member of the Mid-Africa Forum, will be flying to Uganda on 1 Feb and will be there until the end of the month: "My itinerary (as planned - but may change!) - 2-6 Feb staying with friends in Kampala; 6-9 Feb at Rushere Hospital; 9-13 Feb with friends in Kampala/ attending a wedding; 13-17 Feb with Ann Moore at Kisiizi Hospital; 17-20 Feb with friends in Kisoro - will meet up with Rosie Brown at Potter's Village; 20-23 Feb staying in Bushenyi and visiting Bwera Primary School (linked with Dinas Mawddwy School); 23 Feb return to Kampala - hope to see Joan Hall; 29 Feb fly home." She would value prayer for safety in travel - most of my journeys will be by public transport - and protection. Please pray that she will be sensitive to the needs of those with whom she meets and that God will use her to be an encouragement to them.

Liz Traill, CMS Salt in Uganda, writes, "I am now settling back into life in East Lothian after four months at Bishop Barham University College (BBUC). Praise the Lord that the College is now stable and established with growing numbers of students. Part of my time there was spent on some sensitive work for Bishop George and I am glad to say that this was moving towards a good outcome when I left at the beginning of January. Heather Lennox (CMS Salt at BBUC) and I appreciate the warm fellowship of staff and students. She is enjoying her work, both lecturing and preparing resources in the Social Work department. Please pray much for Heather’s planned visit to Lira in the North of Uganda from the end of January for 10 days. She has been invited to run a training course for Social Workers trying to help traumatised victims of the LRA under its leader Kony. Some of these people are in a pitiful state."