Bible Society in Cambodia

Prayer Request

.............................................................................................................. January 2010

"I patiently waited, LORD, for you to hear my prayer. You listened and pulled me from a lonely pit full of mud and mire. You let me stand on a rock with my feet firm."

Psalm 40.1-2

Bible Society in Cambodia:

Importation of Bibles printed overseas into Cambodia is subject to a strict government scrutiny, from the Ministry of Religious Affairs and by the Customs Service, before the books can be imported. Please pray for the ongoing importation process, may the Bible Society in Cambodia find favor from the government officials, so that Bibles can be cleared from custom services as soon as possible.

The Bible Society's Mobile Distribution Unit travels regularly to the different parts of the country bringing Scriptures to the people in rural areas. Please pray for people in the villages as they welcome our mobile unit and receive God's Word. For Christians, may they continue to gain Biblical knowledge, and for non-Christians, may they discover God and the salvation as they encounter the Scripture. Please pray for God's protection for our staff as we undertake this mobile distribution work. Pray for the local authorities in areas that we visit, that they will be accepting and supportive.

Bible Societies around Asia:

Japan - Praise God for the protection and blessings that Japan BS experienced last year. We are anticipating all that He has in store for us this new year. We will be embarking on several projects this year, including a new publication of Bible verses accompanied by photos. Pray that God will give us wisdom and guidance.

Pakistan - Pray for the commitments of Pakistan BS staff in this new year. Pray also for our projects, that the Lord will help us to complete all on time, and that our translation work may be done smoothly. Pray for the safety and good health of our staff throughout 2010.

Korea - Korean Bible Society will be hosting the UBS World Assembly this year. Pray that we may work closely with the World Assembly planning team in making preparations for this global gathering, so that the World Assembly will be a time to honor and glorify God, and to decide on future directions for the Bible work worldwide.

India - Praise God for the first-time publication of the Poumai Naga and Zeme Naga Bibles in November 2009. Praise God for BS India’s grassroots workshop for women writers held in November in Bangalore, on the theme Meet Me At The Corner, O Lord.

Pray for BS India’s various ministries. Pray for the printing of Tangkhul Naga Bible, and the finalization of the Tamil Study Bible text and the Kutchchhi NT text, and for the editing and production of the Bible Study Manual for Women. Pray for God’s blessings upon our volunteers involved in fundraising and Scripture distribution, and for the blessed success of BS India’s Bicentenary Celebrations commencing next month.

Micronesia - Recently we confirmed the production of Bibles in two Micronesian languages. Thank God for the continually growing demand for Scriptures. Pray for the churches of Micronesia, as they struggle financially to meet Scripture demands. Pray for project funding so we can continue to supply Bibles for free or at subsidized prices to the local churches.

Philippines - January is National Bible Month in the Philippines, when we celebrate the power of God’s Word in transforming the nation. Pray that National Bible Week this week and National Bible Sunday next Sunday will be observed in unity across all Bible believers regardless of denomination. The focus is on “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.” Pray that the Philippines will experience God’s power as we uphold His transforming Word in leading the course of our nation.

Philippine BS will be having another series of Bible Relevance in Modern Times seminars, tomorrow and on 16 January. Pray that these seminars will help the participants to grow in their personal engagement with the Word and encourage them to be more involved in the Bible cause in Philippines.

Australia - Pray for the leaders of Australia. Our Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, is a Christian. Pray for him, that he will seek God’s guidance on all issues, and will strive to do God’s will in all things. Pray for his protection, that he may speak up and make a stand related to issues of faith in Australia.

Work on BS Tasmania’s new Bible House is progressing well. Praise God that about 85% of the finance required has been received. Many businesses and volunteers are supporting the project by providing goods, services and labour to support the mission of Bible Society. The official dedication will take place on 28 February with special activities planned for the whole week before. Pray that God will be glorified in all activities.

South Pacific - Pray for all BS South Pacific’s translators and reviewers throughout the South Pacific. Pray that the Lord will give them good health and strength. Some live in remote areas, some live in areas that have been devastated by natural disaster, and some face challenges due to lack of health services.

All BS South Pacific staff will report back to work today. Pray for good health, and physical and spiritual strength for the staff as they greet and start the New Year with renewed joy and enthusiasm to serve the Lord in the Bible Ministry. May the Lord lead and guide us in our plans for 2010.

Thank God for His faithfulness in assisting BS South Pacific in all computer-assisted publishing (CAP) work that was completed in 2009, and for ongoing CAP work. Pray especially for the proofreading and typesetting of the Fijian Concordance, and for Ratu Marika Waqanivalu who is coordinating this work.

New Zealand - Pray for BS New Zealand’s team of staff and volunteers who will be working to promote BS New Zealand to a young audience at the Parachute Music Festival, the southern hemisphere’s biggest Christian music festival, from today until Monday.

BS New Zealand is introducing project-based management of our time and financial resources. Pray that this will help us to achieve our stated goals by common processes, open communication between departments, and a collaborative approach. Pray for our staff as we adjust to this new way of operating.

Myanmar - Give thanks and praise God for the life and selfless commitment of Rev Dr Saw Mar Gay Gyi as BS Myanmar General Secretary. He is retiring at the end of this month. Other retiring staff are Rev Van Peng, Publication Secretary, and Bina Roy, Sales Assistant, who both retired at the end of December. Pray for divine wisdom and guidance for the new leadership, especially for Rev Khoi Lam Thang, who will start as General Secretary by 1 February, 2010.

Thank God for the launching of the Pao New Testament last month, the first for the Pao people. We are now awaiting the newly-printed Hakha Study Bible, Jinghpaw-English NT Diglot, Lhaovo Bible and Lacid Bible. All of these are first publications. Pray for safe delivery to the end users, overcoming many possible obstacles. We were also able to distribute 250,000 Christmas selections. Pray that they will have a lasting impact for God's kingdom in Myanmar.

Pray for political tranquility and economic stability for the nation of Myanmar. As we are preparing for an election in 2010, pray that the nation will be peacefully changed to a democratic society.

Taiwan - Thank God for BS Taiwan’s newly-appointed General Secretary, Rev Andrew L Tsai, installed on 27 December 2009. Pray that God will lead Rev Tsai for the future development of the Bible work. Our former GS, Rev David Lai, has retired after over 18 years service to BS Taiwan. May God bless him and his family in his retirement.

Sri Lanka - Pray for Ceylon BS’s Dedication Service to be held today at Christ Church, Mutuwal. Our 2010 work will be dedicated to the clergy of all denominations in Sri Lanka. Uphold the Ceylon BS team involved in arranging this first and very special event for the year. Pray for the Holy Spirit to make 2010 successful, as we will have many events organized for the clergy through out Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh - The month of January always keeps churches in Bangladesh busy with annual gatherings. As a result, Bangladesh BS has many opportunities to serve churches and believers at this time of year. Pray for Bangladesh BS as we start our journey serving the believers from the very beginning of the new year. Pray that we will reach many people through all our projects.

Singapore - Thank God that the construction of BS Singapore’s new Bible House is on schedule. The structural work for all the five floors and the roof level of the new building is completed, and the architectural and M&E works are ongoing. Fundraising efforts continue as we are still short of the required funds for the redevelopment. Pray for the fundraising committee as they continue to plan fundraising initiatives. One activity is a family cycling event planned for March. Also, the BS is partnering with some churches. Pray that the planning and logistics for these events will be implemented smoothly.

BS Singapore’s Lent devotional portion will be sent for printing this month. Pray that the booklets will be ready in time for distribution to churches and individuals for use during Lent, the time of prayer and fasting leading to Easter. Pray that we will have many orders, and that church members will use this devotional portion as a part of their observance of Lent.

West Asia - Thank God for the first production of the Farsi language Lion’s Children’s Bible. It will be completed in time for Persian New Year in March. Pray that this Bible will be widely accepted and impact many young lives. Thank God for the various editions currently being finalised for the Persian community, including a NT with Psalms and Proverbs, and a compact full Bible. Pray for funding for our Bible distribution projects, which aim to see more Persians come to know Christ.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong BS’s Ride-a-Bike Fundraising 2010 will be held on 23 January. Pray for fine weather, and pray for our staff and volunteers to have strength and wisdom, and for participants to know more about Bible ministry in China, and to support the Bible work through this event.