I probably will not be blogging much until March because next week I am leaving to go on a mission trip to Niger, West Africa. There, my team and I will work with our IMB missionaries who serve the Tamashek (Tuareg) people.
We will do a lot of prayer walking and relationship-building with various Tamashek people that the missionaries know. We hope to be able to share about our faith in Christ. If nothing else, though we want to show these largely Mslm people that Christians are godly, friendly people so that the long-term task of the missionaries will be made easier. I will also be teaching a class to Mslms called, ‘What Christians Believe.’ It’s a chance to show the large storyline of the Bible which culminates in the coming of Jesus Christ.
Please pray for me and my team as we travel and minister to a group that was once evangelized by Augustine himself, but lost the gospel and now gives their worship to the false god of Islm.
Here is our ‘official’ prayer guide. It can also be downloaded for printing here.
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NIGER 08 MISSION TRIP
Prayer Guide for February 13-29
Thank God and praise him for giving us the opportunity to go beyond our normal support of our missionaries through this trip. Thank him for the ministry he allows us to have in taking the gospel to the nations. Praise him that his blessings on us are overflowing to the nations. Glorify him as the Creator and Savior of people from every nations, tribe, people, and language.
Pray for the team itself – Kathy Kerr, Denise Taglauer, Steve Roslund, and Pastor John Botkin. Pray we would continually be seeking God. Pray that we would remain close to God, and experience unity as a team during this trip. Pray that we would be holy, spiritually strong – vessels fit for service to God. Pray that God would give us a deep love for the Tamashek people and a burning passion to see them worship the one, true God.
Pray for the team’s witness during the trip. Pray that in the airports, on the planes, in customs, walking the city, eating in restaurants, meeting non-Christians, and encouraging the missionaries, we would walk in a manner worthy of our calling in the gospel. Pray that our thoughts, words, and actions would only glorify God and exalt Christ, making the gospel attractive.
Pray for the team to have opportunities to share the gospel. Pray that when the opportunities come, we will be able to speak the gospel clearly and boldly about Christ. Pray we will speak in a way that is humble, hopeful, and loving towards those who are enslaved to sin and live in spiritual darkness. Pray especially for Pastor John as he teaches a class called, ‘What Christians Believe’ to Muslims during the second week (2/25-2/28).
Pray for the team’s safety and good health. Pray that we will not be hindered with difficulty in travel or sickness. Pray especially for us as we prayer walk during the heat of the day. Pray that God would protect us and sustain us so that the greatest amount of ministry might take place during our time in Niger.
Pray for the Tamashek people that we will be serving. Pray that God would bless them as a people group – financially as well as spiritually. Pray that we would be an encouragement to the handful of Christians in Niamey. Pray that God would open the hearts of the lost Tamashek to respond to any word spoken about Jesus Christ. Pray that like Cornelius, they would receive a vision directing them to seek out the gospel, and upon hearing it, that they might be saved (Acts 10).
Pray for the missionaries we will be helping. Pray that we would be an encouragement to them. Pray that God would use us to stir up their hearts towards greater love and good works as they serve and worship the Lord in Niger. Pray for the team to experience deep, Christian fellowship with the missionaries in our efforts to reach the Tamashek.
Pray for the glory of God to be manifested through this trip. Pray that we would remain humble, seeing ourselves simply as servants of our Sovereign Lord. Pray that all the good that results from this trip – no matter how small or how large – would have eternal consequences, and would glorify God in heaven, not the team members or our church.
In everything, pray that “As each has received a gift, [we would use ours] to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10-11
MAGNIFY CHRIST 
What you are here doing for a couple of weeks is what we try to do everyday. See, you are already a missionary. I would add one thing to your statement. We are trying to show these people that Christians are kind, godly people, who care about them physically and spiritually. That’s what it’s all about.
By the way, this is the guy that you’ve now seen twice in the past two years here in Niger.
I hope you have a pleasant trip back and your church is encouraged to continue their work here.
hey shad, thanks for leaving a comment. more importantly, thanks for doing the hard work of missions, day-in and day-out. may the Lord bless you and your family!