Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the
Lord may run swiftly
and be glorified, just as it is with you...
2 Thessalonians 3:1 (NKJV)
Bangladesh
– Cyclone Amphan, that ravished northeast India before hitting the southern
coast of Bangladesh about a week ago had devastating effects on several
Bangladesh Lutheran Church Mission congregations in the Jessore and Sathkhira
districts. BLCM church buildings, schools, and homes of our brothers and
sisters in Christ have been severely damaged or destroyed. There has been no
loss of life among the members of the BLCM, but many have sustained injuries
and are still in need of medical care. All of this is happening while the
people are struggling to feed and care for their families during the
coronavirus lockdown. CLC Project Kinship has sent emergency disaster relief
funds to the BLCM to provide for basic needs and shelter. Praise the Lord
that no lives were lost among our brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask for
His love and compassion upon those who are suffering and for protection for
Pastor Monotosh as he travels to visit the people of the BLCM over the next
several days.
Note:
Contributions to the CLC Project Kinship general budget have been used to
provide for disaster relief and COVID-19 aid.
Myanmar – The situation
with the family of eleven that has been hospitalized and quarantined for
several weeks due to the coronavirus is improving. Five family members
remain in the hospital, but their health has improved, and they are waiting for
their test results to be returned from the government laboratories in Yangon.
If the lab results come back negative, they will be able to go home. Take
this to the Lord asking that He bless the treatments they have all received
according to His mercy that this family will be healed of this disease and be
united with each other very soon. Pray also that the Lord will provide
for the medical bills that have accumulated during this long hospital
stay.
The Spiritual Welfare of Our Brothers and Sisters Around
the World – as much of the world has spent the
past several weeks in mandatory coronavirus lockdowns and quarantines, many in
developing nations have not had the advantage of the high-speed internet
connections that most of us take for granted to provide opportunities for home
worship, Bible study, and Christian fellowship. Also, many of the people do not
have the financial means to own their own Bibles and/or are unable to read so
they depend upon weekly worship and Bible studies to hear, learn, and be
strengthened by God’s saving word.
Pastoral training has also come to a halt for those who
are training around the world. Options for online classes, correspondence, etc.
just are not possible as most of the students have very weak and limited data
available on their phones, if at all, and virtually none have internet in their
homes. Pray that the Lord will bring a quick end to this pandemic that
He people may return to worship and Bible study at their churches. Pray that
the Lord will lead and strengthen all of us to be reminded of His great love
and the truths of His saving grace that we have learned from His word and
rejoice always, even in the midst of such uncertain times.
The Physical Welfare of Our Brothers and Sisters Around
the World – Leaders from our sister church
bodies in Liberia, Togo, Nigeria, D.R. Congo, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda,
India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, along with contacts in several other
countries, have reported that much of the population in these developing
nations is struggling to provide the basic necessities of life. Most of the
pastors and those they serve in these nations provide for their families
through day-labor. For this type of laborer, you are paid for your work each
day. If you do not work, you do not get paid. The coronavirus lockdowns have caused
much physical suffering. Pray that the Lord will provide and that He
will bless the CLC Project Kinship aid that has been sent that it will go much
further than expected in providing for the sheep of His flock who are
suffering.
Seminaries Preparing to Re-Open – the Wartburg Lutheran Bible Institute in Tanzania and
the Holy Trinity Lutheran Bible Institute in the D.R. Congo are planning to
bring students back soon. Pray for the safety of the students and
instructors as they travel. Pray for the families of the students as
they prepare to have their husbands and fathers gone for the next few months of
classes. Pray for the teachers as they prepare lessons for this
shortened semester. Pray that there will be no government interference
with their plans to continue the work of training pastors for the Church. Ask
for God’s blessings on these efforts to train men to be faithful preachers and
teachers of His saving word during these strange and uncertain times.
