‘The church in Asia is restricted, but it is not small!’ These powerful words were spoken by Tearfund’s Asia Director, Prabu Deepan. This week, pray for the growing church movement across Asia and for church leaders who often work in very difficult circumstances.
Sunday 23 November
Tearfund Asia has a big goal. By 2027, they plan to reach 1 million people and work with 16,300 churches as centres of transformation. As they head into this new, exciting season, pray that this plan will become a reality. ‘This is ultimately all for God’s kingdom. We are called to serve him and serve his people,’ says Prabu.
Monday 24 November
High up in the Himalayas lies the village of Pelma in Nepal. Cut off from the world by rugged terrain and a lack of connectivity, its 120 families struggled to access clean water and employment opportunities. Lord, we lift each of these families to you. You know them by name. May they know your presence in their lives today. Amen.
Tuesday 25 November
Janak is an elder in the local church in Pelma. One day, he attended Tearfund’s Transforming Communities training. He was amazed at how drawings, dramas and interactive discussions could bring the scriptures to life, even for those who couldn’t read. Praise God that the training ignited a fire within Janak and that the transformation went far beyond the church walls.
Wednesday 26 November
Janak rallied his fellow church members. They repaired broken water sources, cleaned the village and installed a wooden floor in the school to protect the children from the harsh winter. After months of tireless effort, praise God that the seemingly impossible happened: Janak brought connectivity to the isolated village with their own telephone tower.
Thursday 27 November
The Mekong River flows through six countries and is home to more than 70 million people. However, hydropower development, deforestation, climate change and pollution have led to the deterioration of water quality and availability. Lord, we lift up the rural communities in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, severely impacted by a lack of water management. Amen.
Friday 28 November
Praise God that churches in the Mekong region are speaking out about water management practices. The team at the Mekong Holistic Mission Movement Network explains how, in rural areas of Thailand and Laos, church leaders are involved in water conservation programmes. Churches in Cambodia have worked to improve water infrastructure, offering solutions like rainwater harvesting and providing water purification systems to vulnerable communities.
Saturday 29 November
‘The churches are centres of transformation,’ says Prabu. He explains how in a crisis, ‘the church is the epicentre. We will not be able to do this without your support.’ Pray that church leaders across Asia will continue to use their resources wisely and work effectively across networks and denominations.
