Scripture Union East and West Asia

SCRIPTURE UNION EAST AND WEST ASIA

PRAYER UPDATE – JANUARY 2010

WEEK 1: 1st – 8th Jan. 2010

INTERNATIONAL ENGLAND AND WALES - ACTION ABROAD Each year young people find out what is like to have a life changing experience with God as they join Scripture Union’s Action Abroad scheme. Their placements, which will give them insights into work in a different culture around the world involves leading in children’s camps, working with schools or teaching life skills. Uphold the 2010 batch that is leaving for the placements early this month.

REGIONAL: Scripture Union East and West Asia Camping Ministry Training / Consultation: Pray for Scripture Union Peninsula Malaysia which is hosting this Training/Consultation event, especially for the planning committee: Jason Fong, Jennifer Chew, Gim Lam and Mrs. Carol Chow.

Training segment:: Date: 21st -24th May 2010 Venue: SU/FES Camp site, Tapah, Perak, Malaysia

Consultation segment:: Date: 24th – 26th May 2010 Venue: Highlands Christian Centre, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Field Exposure segment:: Date: 28th -31st May 2010 Venue: Capernwray, Gopeng, Perak, Malaysia

Please pray for all the teachers and facilitators of the work shops in their preparations.

CENTRAL ASIA Musa Kim, our regional representative requested prayer for: a. Mr. Essen, the new staff worker to understand Scripture Union more, and also to have a clear vision for Scripture Union in Kyrgyzstan. b. That there will be an increase in the users of both the Bible Reading notes in Russian and Kyrgyz. c. That we will be able to find a suitable worker in Kazakhstan ASAP.

SINGAPORE Pray for the SU staff team as they start the New Year with Prayer & Reflection (PR) Time at 9.30am. May the Lord grant wisdom to David Leong as he facilitates this new ministry paradigm

TAIWAN The Staff and Council had a meeting with the leaders of all the branches of SU Taiwan on Dec. 29-30, 2009. Pray that because of the time spent together, the ministry of SU Taiwan will grow from strength to strength not only at provincial level but also at national level. Continue to uphold the leadership of Elder Paul Liao, the General Secretary.

JAPAN Uphold our newly appointed adult SU Bible Reading notes editor, Rev. Hiroshi Yabuki in your prayer as he takes over from Rev. Tadashi Oyamada in the editing of the notes. Pray that with Tadashi’s mentoring; he will soon be able to edit the notes independently.

PENISULA MALAYSIA The very heavy camping session is just over. Pray for the hundreds reached through the camps and that effective follow-up ministry will be carried out both by the staff and volunteers. A few new staff members were added to the team towards the end of last year. They are Ms. Jennifer Chew, Mr. Daniel Koo, Mr. Howard Ho and Mr. Yong Yoon Fong. Pray that they will settle into the ministry well.

KOREA Uphold in your prayer the SU Korea Leadership Training Course (4th-7th Jan). Please pray for the staff team who are preparing the course. That the Lord will give them the wisdom to plan out a course that will be truly helpful to the many that are expected to attend the course.

As this is the beginning of the year, the entire team is busy meeting the needs of our subscribers, dealing with accounts, arranging for printing of materials for the year and evaluating the ministry. Pray for the wisdom and the patience that is very much needed during this very busy period.

WEEK 2: 9th – 15th Jan. 2010

INTERNATIONAL AFRICA- FRANCOPHONE MOVEMENTS Some of the Francophone movements in Africa have a weak SU ministry. We have a desire to strengthen the movements through leadership training. A major training program is planned to take place in Feb. 2010 in Cameroon for SU leaders from Chad, Niger, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Pray for the facilitators from the Regional Office for safety as they travel and for insight on how the ministry could be strengthened and grow in these Francophone movements.

REGIONAL 11th Jan: Uphold our Treasurer, Mr. Lee Wee Min and Gim Lam in your prayer, as they work out the 2010 budget. Pray for wisdom and good stewardship as they studied the account, project expenses and receipt and that staff members are taken care of.

Uphold Gim Lam in your prayer as he visits staff and volunteers in one of the Indo-China countries from the 16th -20th Jan. Pray especially for his discussion with the church leaders regarding the role of the Bible Reading promotion staff who is serving among rural churches. Continue to uphold our staffs in prayer as they are serving in a more restricted environment.

SABAH Thank God for a very good bi-annual meeting of PGKS (Sabah Christian Teachers Fellowship). Uphold in your prayer the newly elected committee members that the Lord will give them clear guidance and vision in their ministry among teachers and students.

Thank God for the Student Hostel that is housing 23 students and with more expected in 2010. Pray that through staying in the hostel together, the students will be able to encourage one another spiritually. Pray for our Warden, Mr. Jaslin as he ministers to the students.

SINGAPORE Pray for God’s blessings upon all our volunteers such as council members, associate trainers and camp leaders who gave of their time and talents generously to SU despite their tight schedule of work. Pray for good health and strength for our Chairman, Rev. Dr Alfred Yeo as he leads the movement in God’s wisdom and grace. Pray that the Council will be united in the same vision.

As God to bless David Leong, Geneieve Tang and Percy Low as they conduct the first module of the “Introduction to Children’s Ministry” course at Singapore Bible College this Tuesday night

KOREA SU Korea conducted its 3rd Theological Seminar with Dr. Daniel Doriani, as the teacher in November 2009. 428 Christian leaders participated in the Seminar. Topics included; ‘Putting the Truth to Work’, ‘The Theory and Practice of Biblical Interpretation’, ‘Getting the Message: a plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible’. Thank God that the participants responded so well to the seminar. Pray that they will be able to bless the churches they represented through the lessons learnt. WEEK 3: 16th – 22nd Jan. 2010

INTERNATIONAL PACIFIC TRAINING: SU Pacific is holding a Youth and Children’s Ministry Training Conference in Vanuatu from 18-22nd Jan. The focus will be on training for Bible Engagement, training children and youth within schools and camping, governance and management and partnerships with an emphasis to give tools to the staff, key volunteers, teachers, S/S teachers and council members. Please pray especially for Sam Emery in the final stages of preparation and also to the effectiveness of the training.

REGIONAL Uphold Gim Lam in your prayer as he visits the staff and volunteers of the 3 stations in Vietnam: Hanoi, Danang and Saigon, from 21st Jan – 31st Jan. Pray especially for the ministry in the Saigon area and the link up with local children’s ministry set ups.

INDONESIA 17th Jan: Uphold in your prayer, SU Indonesia’s PROJECT 2020, a ministry among teachers to help them to reach their students through Christian education program. Pray for the staff team and partners who are meeting with the teachers already involved with PROJECT 2020 today. Pray that God will give them the wisdom to plan for 2010 and also the necessary funds to carry out all the projects. 22nd Jan: Thank God with us, that today we will be inaugurating the East Java Provincial SU Office. Pray for Mr. Hans Wuysang and Mr. Tumbur Tobing as they conduct the thanksgiving service. Pray for more volunteers to help in the SU ministry of East Java.

HONG KONG Thank God that the 2 batches of “ON THE MARK”, the post Beijing Olympic Youth and Children Bible Study materials are ready for distribution Pray for the necessary funds to carry out this big project in China.

SINGAPORE Pray for SU’s staff recruitment drive that God will lead the right persons to fit the various advertised positions. We need to expand our staff team to fulfil God’s mission for us in our next phase of growth.

Pray for a stronger sense of unity for the SU staff as they pray and reflect on the common vision that God has put in their hearts. May each one find meaning in their work for Jesus.

WEEK 4: 23rd – 31st Jan. 2010

INTERNATIONAL LEADING STAFF DEVELOPMENT COURSE 2010: Please continue to pray for the preparation of the LSDC in Nairobi in March. Pray particularly for the organisers as they bring it all together; for the speakers as they prepare; and for Ruth McIntosh and Sue Stott as they oversee the many administrative details, particularly the writing, translation and production of LSDC materials.

REGIONAL Uphold in your prayer our administrative staff team in the Regional Office. Both Mrs. Carol Chow, the office administrator and Mr. Chan Wah See, the accountant are serving only part-time. Pray that in spite of this, the office will continue to run smoothly and that it will be able to serve all the national movements effectively.

INDONESIA 29th-31st Jan: Uphold the Staff/Council Annual Retreat in your prayer which will be held Pray that the time spent will really help in the ministries of SU Indonesia in 2010. Pray also for Rev. Johanes Lie, who will bring the Bible teaching each morning - that the Lord will use him to encourage the team. JAPAN SU Japan is planning a Youth Ministry Training Seminar in March 2010, with Mr. Clayton Fergie as the facilitator. Pray for the planning committee as they plan out the event and that many people who are involved in the Youth Ministry will come to the seminar.

MYANMAR: Thank God our staff worker, Lavender is able to regularly minister to the children in our 11 SU Children’s clubs. Pray that we will be able to find a suitable 2nd worker, as we are hoping to move into a ministry with young teens by 2010. Thank God that the ministry with the orphans are going on very steadily. The Lord has blessed us with all the necessary funds to sustain this ministry.

Thank God too for the ministry of our former staff worker, Rev. No Pum among the people affected by the cyclone last year. Pray that SU Myanmar’s partnership will become more effective and meaningful for him and SU.

SINGAPORE Pray that all the speakers for the SU Master’s Workshop coming up on 23rd & 30th January will have God’s wisdom in their preparation of the handout. Pray for good health as they serve God with joy.

Pray for God’s blessings upon the Intergenerational/Family Service of Wesley Methodist Church as David Leong will be preaching on “Building a Family Altar” on 31st January 2010