As you pray daily for China, think of the great task to which you are committing yourself. Pray that China will continue to waken spiritually and that many dark places will joyfully receive the good news of Jesus Christ.

Peace Joo

Posted: June 27, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: People | Tags: | Leave a comment

“I felt it was God who reached out to me that day,” Joo said. “I repented, and I was saved. That’s when I met Jesus Christ for the first time.”

Joo moved to the U.S. from Korea as a child, with her family. Though Buddhist, her parents encouraged her to get involved in a Christian church. There, she could make friends and have a community, they said.

After college, Joo dove headfirst into a career in hotel management. She loved the freedom and experience her career gave her, managing five-star hotels and opening new ones across the U.S.

Read more at “Korean American nurse returns to Korea, supports missionary presence”

June 2024 Prayer Points

Posted: June 24, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Cities, People | Tags: | Leave a comment

24 Haley is a Baloch woman whose alcoholic husband often beats her and her children. Baloch women in these situations have few rights and options. Ask God to rescue Haley and her children and the many others like them. Pray that they will know the love of Jesus.

25 Amanda is a believer who wants to be bolder with her family. Last year when she told one sister that she was a Christian, that sister said, “I know.” The change in Amanda is obvious! Pray Amanda will continue to share with her family and that they will follow Jesus.

26 Landon is a believer who is eager to share with his family. Recently his father has begun reading the Bible. Pray that Landon will continue to be bold and courageous, and that his father’s eyes will be opened as he reads God’s Word.

27 Pray for a multicultural church that now includes three Baloch believers. Ask God to use their fellowship to draw more Baloch into His light and that a new Baloch church would be established!

28 Pray for Baloch believers across the world who are afraid of confessing Jesus openly in fear of being ostracized, beaten, or even killed. Pray that the Spirit will empower them. Pray that they will be filled with the peace of Jesus and will be bold witnesses.

29 It is unknown if there has ever been a healthy, authentic Baloch church worshiping in the Balochi language. Baloch believers face great risk if they meet together as Christians. Pray God will gather Baloch together to form a church despite the danger.

30 God is doing a great work among the 13 million Baloch. Pray that Jesus will continue to spread His gospel among them. Pray that in the years to come, there will be many more Baloch believers and that the darkness in Balochistan will be shattered by the light of Jesus

God Calls The Baloch

Posted: June 20, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: People | Tags: | Leave a comment

The Baloch are a Central Asian people group of around 13 million whose home-land, Balochistan, spans parts of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Many Baloch live as a diaspora population in Europe and the Arabian Peninsula. Baloch men wear tribal turbans called págs, while the women wear colorful dresses called pashks. Children in Balochistan often have little education, spending their days tending to goats and playing outside.

The situation in Balochistan is marked by tensions. Many Baloch feel their communities are oppressed. While some advocate for independence through peaceful means, others resort to violent actions against Pakistani soldiers. Simultaneously, there are reports of Pakistani authorities engaging in assaults against the Baloch community. It’s a difficult situation with the gospel as the only solution.

Amid such turmoil, most Baloch are Muslims. They pray five times a day, listen to the Quran in Arabic (a language they don’t understand), and seek a god who is silent and unreachable. Most Baloch people will die having never heard the gospel.

Yet God is doing amazing things. Twenty years ago, there were few Baloch believers. Today, several hundred Baloch people follow Jesus. Within the past 10 years especially, more stories have emerged about Baloch coming to faith through miraculous dreams and access to God’s Word. Astonishingly, it seems some believers have been quietly following Jesus for years. God’s extraordinary work among the Baloch continues to unfold as He calls many out of darkness.

Please join with joyful anticipation in praying for these people. These are the days of the Baloch, and Jesus is truly worthy of their praise.

June 2024 Prayer Points

Posted: June 17, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Cities, People | Tags: | Leave a comment

17 Pray for a Baloch family that God is drawing to Himself. The father is reading Scripture, one sister is studying Bible stories, and another sister is having dreams of Jesus. Pray that God will continue to speak to them and that the entire family will be saved.

18 When Polly first heard the gospel, she didn’t think she needed a savior. Over time, the Spirit opened her eyes to see her need. Last year, she confessed her sin and trusted in Jesus. Pray that Polly will grow in her faith and have courage to share it with her family.

19 Pray for Alton, an older Baloch believer who has been secretly following Jesus for many years. Alton lives in fear of others knowing that he is a believer. Pray that his heart will be encouraged and emboldened, and that the good news will spread throughout his family.

20 Katy is a Baloch woman who has been reading the Word and considering the truth. Pray for the Spirit to open her eyes and give her faith in the Son, whatever the cost.

21 Rachel has experienced brokenness in her life and family. Recently she has read the Word and heard about Jesus. Pray that the Spirit will open Rachel’s eyes and give her faith. Pray that she will encounter the peace and freedom of Jesus in the midst of her sorrow.

22 Faith is a South Asian Christian, but her husband is a Baloch Muslim. Their children also follow Islam. Pray for courage for Faith as she loves her family and shares truth with them. Pray that her husband will hear the Bible in his language and be saved.

23 Olivia is the matriarch of a large Baloch family. When she heard the Christmas story, she was fascinated by it. Since then, she has listened to it two more times. Pray that she will seek more stories about Jesus, and that she and her whole family will believe in Christ.

The Bach’s

Posted: June 13, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: People | Tags: | Leave a comment

Campbell and Elizabeth Bach dream of seeing the peoples of South Asia reached with the gospel. They serve as leaders on a small team responsible for sharing the gospel and planting churches among tens of thousands of villages, encompassing many millions of people, and spanning hundreds of miles. Many people groups in this region remain unreached and unengaged with the gospel. Their task is immense. 

“South Asia is the greatest concentration of lostness,” Bach said. “I think there are more than 4 million South Asian people for every one IMB missionary. And the lostness, the vastness, and just the need for more workers is overwhelming.”

Read more at “Missionaries partner with national believers”

June 2024 Prayer Points

Posted: June 10, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Cities, People | Tags: | Leave a comment

10 When Zach fled from Balochistan, he had rejected God. But after he met loving believers who told him the gospel, he trusted in Jesus as Lord. Pray for strength, peace, and wisdom for Zach. Pray for his wife and children as he leads them toward Jesus.

11 Zach’s elderly mother, Robin, still lives in Balochistan and has never heard the gospel. Zach doesn’t feel safe sharing with her over the phone. Pray for their reunion and for his mother to hear the gospel and believe.

12 Gary has been a follower of Jesus for several years, but seems to have forgotten the joy of his salvation. Ask God to stir his heart in conviction, drawing him into deeper relationship with his Father. Pray that Gary will hunger for God’s Word, seek genuine fellowship with other believers, and lead his family well.

13 At first Daphne was angry at her father’s new faith, but after she read the Bible, she too believed in Jesus. Pray for endurance and peace as she faces trials as a young believer. Pray that she will flee from sin and seek deep biblical community.

14 Luther believed after encountering Jesus in dreams and watching a gospel film. He has experienced persecution and suffering because of his love for Jesus. Pray for Luther’s endurance and boldness. Pray that he will fight fear and idolatry and be a godly husband and father.

15 Pray for Luther’s wife, children, and nieces, who are regularly hearing about Jesus. Though at first opposed to Luther’s faith, they are now more open. Ask God to draw their hearts and open their eyes, and that they will reject Islam to follow Jesus.

16 Dan and Tom from the back page article are young believers and bold witnesses for Jesus. Pray that they will be soft, humble, and eager to seek wisdom and accountability from the Spirit, God’s Word, and more mature believers.

First Female Baloch Believer

Posted: June 6, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: People | Tags: | Leave a comment

Believers had been witnessing and praying for their friend Molly in the Arab Gulf. She had been visiting a local church and hearing the gospel for a year. Praise God that Molly has come to faith! She repented of her sin, trusted Christ for salvation, and is eager to be baptized and join the church. As far as her friends know, she is the first female believer from the Baloch people group in the area. 

June 2024 Prayer Points

Posted: June 3, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Cities, People | Tags: | Leave a comment

3 In the war-torn country of Afghanistan, many Baloch desperately need food, water, and clothing. They face horrific realities and live in remote areas. Ask God to meet their needs and preserve them. Pray that Afghan Baloch will hear the gospel and find hope in Jesus.

4 Iranian Baloch live in a society full of hopelessness. They face joblessness, drug addiction, and a strict government. In such desperate times, there has been a rise of suicide among the youth. Pray that Iranian Baloch will be rescued by the light of Jesus.

5 Some Baloch tribes live in the country of Turkmenistan. Little is known about the status of these Baloch, but recently, there have been encouraging reports of some Baloch there reading God’s Word. Ask God to do an incredible work among the Baloch in Turkmenistan.

6 Some Baloch fled Balochistan as exiles to find asylum elsewhere, while others left to seek a better life. The diaspora have more opportunities to hear the gospel outside their homeland. Pray God will save many diaspora Baloch and send them back to Balochistan as bold witnesses.

7 About 30 years ago, a Baloch boy was drowning and prayed to many names for help. When he prayed to Jesus, he was thrown out of the water. Years later, he and his brother heard and believed the gospel. Pray for these men as they remain bold witnesses today for Jesus.

8 Bert says he is a believer but struggles in his faith because of alcohol abuse and depression. He lives far from his home community but is attending a local church where he lives. Ask God to grant him strength, endurance, peace, and deeper fellowship among believers.

9 Matt has been growing as a believer for several years. However, he recently married a Muslim woman after pressure from his family. Pray that Matt will grow in boldness and obedience to Jesus, and that he will share his faith with his wife and family.

June 2024 Prayer Points

Posted: June 1, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Cities, People | Tags: | Leave a comment

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3 ESV)

The story of the Baloch people is one filled with violence, oppression, and hopelessness. Yet recently God’s Spirit has been doing an amazing new work among this people. Within the past 10 years, many Baloch have been coming to faith through God’s Word, miraculous dreams of Jesus, and bold gospel proclamation. These are exciting days for the Baloch as God continues to raise up believers and build His church.

1 The Balochi language has many dialects and isn’t a standardized written language. Parts of the Bible have been translated into some dialects but not all. Pray for wisdom for those translating the Bible and for more dialects to be added so all Baloch can understand God’s Word.

2 The relationship between Pakistan and the Baloch remains fragile. Pray for Baloch families dealing with the disappearance or loss of their loved ones. Pray that Baloch will choose peace and not violence. Above all, pray that Baloch in Pakistan will find freedom in Jesus.