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| August 1, 2014 “I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Philippians 1:3-5) WORLD LEADER - “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Please pray today for President Bashar al-Asad of Syria (eastern end of Mediterranean Sea). Prayer requests from Eddie W. Cox, director of IMB’s Office of Global Prayer Strategy, to “Today’s Prayer” intercessors: Thank you for clicking through to “Today’s Prayer” and praying with me. As we begin this month, I’m asking you to pray for our newest IMB missionaries. They are currently on campus at the International Learning Center (ILC) for their pre-field departure orientation. They arrived on Monday, July 21, and will depart on Thursday, September 18. This particular group includes 56 long-term missionaries and 102 short-termers (2- to 3-year terms of service): International Service Corps, Journeyman and Masters missionaries. Before you get to the prayer requests, I thought I would provide you with a description of our Field Personnel Orientation. Read on, and then pray on. What is Field Personnel Orientation (FPO)? It’s . . . --A place of learning and growing; a place of discovery, preparation and change. --An interim culture between American culture and their new host culture. --A healthy culture--spiritually (time with Jesus, worship), physically (aerobic exercise at least four times a week), and mentally (information about life on the field and mission strategy). --A culture of explorers--active learners in a rich learning environment. Newly appointed missionaries come prepared to set some specific learning goals while at ILC. --A serving culture. Each missionary serves on a ministry team (i.e. worship, audiovisual, computer, mail, facilities, etc.) --A transparent culture. They let others into their lives and hold up mirrors for one another so they will know how others perceive them. --A heterogeneous culture. All categories of personnel are oriented together (long-term career and apprentice, and short-term ISC, journeyman and masters). --An interacting culture. Participants live in “quads.” There are four efficiency apartments in each quad, with one common great room. Each apartment has its own small oven, refrigerator, bathroom, washer/dryer, linens, and basic pots and pans. On some occasions, personnel are housed in “dorm-type” housing. When this happens, each unit (adult singles and married couples without children) will have their own bedroom; even in the quads, all single adults will have their own bedroom but may share an apartment with other singles. Three meals a day are provided in the cafeteria. Kids eat lunch separately from parents. --A time-oriented culture. Participants are expected to be on time for all activities, including arrivals and departures. The program runs seven days a week. The primary time for taking advantage of learning is from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., while the children’s orientation is in session. Other optional learning opportunities are provided after 3 p.m. and on some weekends. “Redeem the time.” In short, FPO is . . . --An exit experience. It’s a time when many goodbyes have been said, responsibilities have been relieved, and a change of lifestyle initiated. --A commitment to attend all programmed sessions, to be prompt, and to complete individual study and preparation. --A family affair. Singles and families will become part of a larger family that will share meals, public living space, and guidelines for communal living. --Stretching their mind, body, and soul to look at their world through the eyes of others. --A spiritual growing time. They will worship in new and different ways and places. --NOT a vacation. Adults and children alike will be in class all day; some weekends will be programmed. --A privilege. It provides missionary adults and missionary kids (MKs) with learning and training that will equip them for more effective cross-cultural ministry to the people to whom God has called them. The goal of FPO is to orient all workers to an organizational culture, building on spiritual, intellectual and cultural learning that will continue as they start their overseas work. Their time spent at ILC is one of JOY, GROWTH AND LEARNING. Thank the Lord of the harvest for calling the 158 adult missionaries, as well as the 50 MKs, who are currently here at ILC to enter overseas mission fields. Express thanksgiving to God for the obedient, faith-filled responses of these missionaries to His call on their lives. Thank Him for the life experiences of these missionaries, which have prepared them for such a time as this. Ask God to protect them from any family crises or debilitating illnesses that would result in their having to pull out of this orientation session and postpone their departure to their future field of service. Ask the Holy Spirit to permeate every aspect of FPO so that times of personal and corporate worship and Bible study will be especially blessed, drawing each person into a deeper commitment to the Lord and awareness of His loving presence in their lives; interpersonal relationships will be strengthened through Christian love; and lectures and related discussions will be kingdom-impacting times of instruction that will equip the missionaries for the tasks that lie before them; etc. Most of the missionaries have submitted visa applications for entrance into their future countries of residence. Pray that God will move in believing hearts, as well as upon unbelieving ones, for a speedy approval of these requests. Intercede for missionaries, as most--if not all--of them will be saying goodbye to their families and friends quickly following their time here at FPO. May the Lord not only prepare them, but also those they will be leaving behind. May the Spirit of God comfort hurting hearts. Lift up the missionary kids (MKs) as they face a future that is difficult for them to envision at this point. May our heavenly Father extend His hand of grace over each one of them. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare lost hearts among the peoples to whom these missionaries will be ministering to receive the seed of the Gospel. May the rocky ground be broken up and tilled. Pray for the faculty and childcare workers as they minister to the missionary adults and kids. May they be God’s touch of love to each one of the missionaries. May they be abundantly blessed with discerning wisdom as they teach, counsel and care for child and adult alike. May God’s blessings flow . . . Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to pray for these very important needs. Your prayers make a difference!!! Most sincerely, Eddie W. Cox, director P.S. Please consider downloading the free CompassionNet app, which is available for iPhone, iPad and Android devices. Throughout each week I post prayer requests, videos, people group information, etc. Please give it a look! http://pinterest.com/compassionnet |
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International Mission Board
3806 Monument Avenue
Richmond, VA 23230
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Commission Stories puts a human face on international Christian missions. It tells the here-and-now, contemporary story of international Christian missions, making it alive and vital, breathing and inspirational, recounting the lives - volunteer, missionary and international - of those who are living the missions story. Discover more at Commissionstories.com.http://www.commissionstories.com/.
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