Prayer

Current prayer points

• What a huge harvest!
  Then Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught in their meeting places, reported kingdom news, and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd. “What a huge harvest!” he said to his disciples. “How few workers! On your knees and pray for harvest hands!”
  Matthew 9:35-38 the Message

  As autumn settles in and cardigans come out of our cupboards, thoughts turn to harvest. It is an especially important time for us at Mission Direct this year as we have been chosen by the Bishop of St Albans to receive his Harvest Appeal donations. The appeal will support a fantastic project which supplies chickens to families in Uganda to provide nutrition and also income.

  We also think of the harvest that Jesus speaks of and our desire for all to know the saving love of God; but not only the spiritual harvest but the practical harvest of those in need of education, sanitation and protection. We need 'harvest hands' to pray with us.

  Thank you for partnering with us in this vital work. 

  Pray confidently holding on firmly to God's promises and let us see what He will do.

  As a staff team we meet weekly for devotions. We pray for each other, for the charity and for our partners and projects and would love to pray for you also. If you have any prayer requests, please email them to prayer@missiondirect.org and we will be delighted to pray for you.

  Thank you for faithfully praying with us.
  God Bless you

• Zambia

  - Please continue to pray for complete healing and restoration for Dorothy;
  - Give thanks for the generous donations which have enabled Mission Direct to carry out our building projects this year.

  -Give thanks for the progress being made on the toilet block (pictured)
  - Give thanks for the new partnership with Good Samaritan School and pray that it develops and deepens
  Please pray:
  - For our Volunteers, as they process all they have seen in Zambia; that they will be inspired and motivated bu their experiences.
  - For all our Partners, as they continue to serve their communities.

• Rukungiri, Uganda

  • Give thanks for progress being made on building the dedicated sanitary room with bathing/changing facilities and linked toilets at Nyakagyeme Secondary School
  • Pray for the reconnoitre being undertaken by Simon, Chris, Chenda and Simone to Rukungiri in mid October to finalise the programme, plans, and arrangements for the trip from 28 October to 11 November.
  • Give thanks that contact has been made with a lady who can run a workshop during the trip to train Ugandans in making reusable sanitary pads and underwear.
  • Pray for safety for the team of 12 as they fly out to Uganda during October.
  • Give thanks for the funds that continue to be raised and for wise stewardship and use of them.
  • Pray for Simon as he undertakes his last trip after 14 years of service in Uganda this year and for the appointment of a new in-country manager

• Cambodia

  Please pray with us for all the plans for next year's trips. Mission Direct continues to partner with Serve Cambodia and the Fellowship of Hope (FOH) Church network in Cambodia, but our focus is moving from Phnom Penh to a remote rural community in the northern province of Preah Vihear. Our project is to raise funds for, and to build, a two classroom school and a small teacher’s office.

  Pray for the overseas staff; for energy and inspiration. We thank God so much for all they do, for their sacrificial commitment to Mission Direct and to the people of Cambodia.

  We thank God for the excellent partnership and relationships that have been built and pray that will continue and deepen.

  Pray that God will prompt more volunteers to sign up for next year, giving thanks and praying for those who have already made a commitment.

• Zambia - Footprints

  We give thanks for the success of the Footprints team who have just returned to the UK. We are thankful for safety, for unity amongst the team and for all the conversations that were had. The volunteers took lots of aid with them and were able to see the impact of people's generosity and experience the reality of life for children on the streets in Lusaka.

  Please pray for Roger Maughan and his son-in-law Kevin who were cycling from Lusaka to Botswana to raise funds for Footprints. Please pray for protection and safety as they cycle in 33 degree temps and for the Footprints team following as back up with water and food supplies for them.

• Kumi, Uganda

  Please pray
  • Please continue to pray for the Bishop of St Albans Harvest Appeal and the Chicken Project in Kumi which will benefit.
  • Give thanks for the Volunteers who have served on 2 teams this summer and for Jan and Richard who have led them.
  • We thank God for the challenging and inspirational visits that the volunteers could make this year including to the Prison and to Seeds of Hope. We pray that the volunteers will be able to process all that they have witnessed and that these experiences will be life-changing.
  • Pray for the continued construction of the classrooms and give thanks that the roof is on (see picture) and competion should be by the beginning of November.
  • Pray for the preparations of the teachers team going out in the autumn.

• Malawi

  We give thanks that the project is completed and that volunteers have returned home safely. Give thanks with us that despite challenges the trip has been successful. We thank God for the Overseas staff, their dedication and commitment to the people of Malawi.

  Please pray for the volunteers and staff as they return to life at home and for the release of funds for the ongoing project.

  Pray also for the Starfish Malawi team, that they will be fully equipped for all they need to do to enable their many excellent activities to run and support the community they serve.

• Dominican Republic

  Please pray for our new Overseas Staff for the DR. Graham and Kathryn Dunwell will be moving with their children to the DR early next year and they will be leading teams for Mission Direct next year.

  We pray that their steps and that of their children will be ordered by God and that they will walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, as they serve faithfully the people of the DR.

• St Albans' Diocese Harvest Appeal

  The Bishop of St Albans' Harvest Appeal is now live and we are praying that many churches and church schools will get involved and support this fabulous Chicken Project in Kumi. We give thanks for donations already received and for every opportunity to talk about the project and our charity.

  We pray that alongside receiving much needed donations we may also be able to tell our story to churches and individuals who have never heard of Mission Direct inspiring many to give, to pray and to go.

• Do More in 2024
  There are still teams preparing to travel to Uganda this year but we are beginning to move our focus to 2024. We want to Do More in 2024 and part of what we want more of is prayer, we want more people to commit to pray regularly for Mission Direct, the Mission Direct Family in the UK and Overseas and for the Projects God has given us to complete. Will you join us and will you share our prayer updates with your family, friends, groups and church?

  We also want to reach more people and bring change in more communities, that all costs money will you pray with us for God to bless our work?

  We also want to pray for more volunteers to go and to fundraise for the projects, please join us in asking God to stir the hearts of those He wants to join a trip next year.

  Please pray that everything we do will continue to have Jesus at the centre.

• Our volunteers:
  We thank God for all the teams that have travelled this year and those still preparing to travel. Pray with us for all our volunteers who have returned from trips that their experiences will be positive, inspirational and motivational.

  We need to Do More in 2024. Please pray for God to inspire people to book a trip with us, so that together we can complete vital projects which will impact our partners and our volunteers. Please ask God for opportunities to share about our work with those you meet, with your family, with your church.

  Simone Olagoke:

  Simone is our Regional Manager.

  Give thanks with us for Simone's continued healing.

• Resuming travel:

  Please pray for flight costs to continue to come down and for availability of seats to increase. We are thankful for some improvement in this area.

  Finances:

  Rising costs both here and overseas, including flight costs, mean that we need to make up a significant shortfall on our finances.
  Please pray for an increase in one-off and also in regular donations to enable us to continue serving others who are in much greater need than we are.
  Finances are being squeezed both here in the UK and for our partners overseas, we have been astounded by God's provision and people's generosity and we pray confidently that God will continue to sustain us.