DAY 11 ANTSUKH AVAR PEOPLE Rom8:17, NIV he middle-aged Antsukh man by the Now if we are children, then Tname of Ismail exclaimed, we are heirs—heirs of God “I’m Antsukh, I’m Avar, and co-heirs with Christ, I’m Dagestani, and I’m a if indeed we share in His Russian citizen!” Identity sufferings in order that we is a complicated thing may also share in his glory. high in the southern mountains of the Russian Pray that the Antsukh province of Dagestan. people will put their Three identities, one people identity in Christ alone, not Ismail’s leading in their status. identity comes from his native Antsukh language. Antsukh shares commonalities with the larger Avar language family, but is so distinct as to be mutually unintelligible to those who speak Avar. The Antsukh language is spoken in nearly 60 villages and towns in this region, including in one village—Tivi—across the border in northeastern Georgia. In the second decade of the 21st century, Antsukh Avars are justifiably proud that one of their own was selected as President of the Russian province [Republic] of Dagestan. Pride—both a strength and a weakness—has never been in short supply among the mountainous Muslim Antsukh people. They are renowned for high levels of pride, resistance to change, and xenophobic suspicion toward outsiders. All of these traits have kept the people from being humble enough to embrace the sovereign Savior.

Pray for grace and the fruit of the Spirit to come to the Antsukh. For centuries the region has been beset by power struggles and violence. Pray for representatives of the love of Jesus to find ways to tell the Antsukh about Christ. Pray that those who want to know God personally will rise above what they have known for centuries and have courage to respond to the gospel. 98 DAY ARCHI PEOPLE 12 he weather-beaten Acts 17:26, NKJV scowling face of the agedT Archi man shook And He has made from back and forth. An one blood every nation inquiring visitor had asked of men to dwell on all this patriarch, “Who did the face of the earth, and the Archi people originate has determined their from?” He responded pre-appointed times and emphatically, “All other the boundaries of their An Archi village people came from us!” dwellings…. High in the southern mountains of Dagestan, the rugged Archi people God expresses honor tenaciously cling to their ancient proud understanding to each person while of themselves. They are so stubborn in their identity lovingly inviting them to that they conclude that they preceded all other peoples. the light of life, so they will not walk in darkness. The distinct Archi language is spoken in eight Archi Pride in one’s heritage is mountain villages, with a total population of at least admirable; but humility 2000. The Russian government has tried to include before God is essential the Archi under the language category of their nearby for anyone who wishes to neighbors, the Avars, but the Archi never internally approach the Almighty. agreed to this. Avar is utilized for writing, and secondarily they use the Russian language; but the Archi Pray for the Archi people to spoken language is alive and well among village families. experience the liberating The Archi have observed strict Sunni Islam for over freedom of humility before 1000 years. Islam in their mountain villages is a blend the Lord of lords. of the Five Pillars and ancient superstitious practices, such as veneration of sacred trees, which is common to folk Islam. No representatives of Jesus’ grace have yet found their way into Archi communities.

Pray for the gospel of grace and the love of Jesus to be brought into the Archi world through true friends. Pray that the Word of God will be infused into Archi culture by creative efforts. Pray that the Word will find its way into receptive Archi hearts.

99 DAY 13 KUBACHÍ PEOPLE 1 Pet 1:7-9, NKJV n the high mountain village of Kubachi, metalwork has been produced for centuries. The …that the genuineness secretsI of their methods have been carefully guarded of your faith, being much from generation to generation. Their famous swords, more precious than gold necklaces, fine goblets, and intricate silver work are a that perishes, though it is source of pride for them. tested by fire, may be found The distinct Kubachi language of Kubachi town to praise, honor, and glory is mutually unintelligible to those who speak the at the revelation of Jesus languages in all the surrounding villages in this Christ, whom having not Dargin region of south central Dagestan. At least seen, you love. Though now 7000 Kubachi live in their fog-shrouded central you do not see Him, yet village and in several Kubachi enclaves in Dagestani believing, you rejoice with cities. Honor is a central theme of the Kubachi joy inexpressible and full of tradition, and strong prohibitions inhibit any glory, receiving the end of Kubachi from marrying outside the guarded circle. your faith—the salvation For more than 10 centuries, Islam has blended in of your souls. with the proud Kubachi culture. Rigid defense of Kubachi traditions and rigid defense of Islam often Pray that the preciousness go hand in hand. Is there hope of grace for this proud of Jesus will become very and guarded people? real to Kubachi leaders. Pray that these proud people Pray that courageous Kubachi people will understand will exchange their pride that honor comes from the one true God and not in their own abilities for from created things. Pray that the hope of I Peter 1:7 thankfulness to the God who will spread through the Kubachi people, ... that the gave them such skills. proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Thanks to the Lord—in 2015 there was the beginning of friendly relationships from representatives of Jesus’ love to several key men in the Kubachi world.

100 DAY KAITAG PEOPLE 14 hat language are you speaking?” the spice 1 Pet 3:15-16, NIV and tea seller asked us at the market in “WManas-Kent, Dagestan. “We’re speaking English,” we But in your hearts revere replied. “And what language were you speaking?” we Christ as Lord. Always asked. “Dargin,” he said. Our introductions continued be prepared to give an with my Russian host trying out the short phrases answer to everyone of Dargin he had collected. We sniffed each type of who asks you to give chebretz (dried herbs and mountain grasses used for the reason for the hope tea), and chose our preferred flavors. He exclaimed, that you have. But do “That grass is from my village!” which led to our this with gentleness and question, “Where is that?” “Well, you know how I respect, keeping a clear said I speak Dargin. But I am actually Kaitag, and my conscience, so that those home language is Kaitag. Those grasses are from my who speak maliciously home village, and I know you will have the healthiest against your good tea in all of Dagestan,” he boasted. behavior in Christ may be He proudly escorted us to our car as his new guests. ashamed of their slander. He helped load our meat and purchases into the trunk. Then wrapping his arm around the driver and in a When Muslims say that your nose-to-nose whisper he said, “It’s essential that you life must be set apart for live for God, dear brother. You must set your life apart God, the door is wide open for God.” We exchanged phone numbers in hopes to talk about the fullness that a time would come when his sincere invitation to of God’s Word – that to be “come to our village” could be taken up. Getting there fully set apart, the prophets would be complicated. Like making their famous pointed us to trust in Isa embroidery, spending time among the Kaitag would (Jesus) as the way, the truth, require precision and alignment of timing. and the fullness of life.

Pray that the Lord will arrange a time for Christ’s ambas- Pray that the Kaitag people sadors to live in a Kaitag village. Pray for the Lord to raise will truly understand what it up the first Kaitag believer this decade. means to have their lives set apart for God’s purposes.

101 DAY 15 TSAKHUR PEOPLE Song 2:4, NKJV o not stare at me because I am dark, because I am darkened by the sun. My mother’s sons He brought me to the “Dwere angry with me and made me take care of the banqueting house, and his vineyards; my own vineyard I had to neglect” (Song of banner over me was love. Solomon, 1:6, NIV). To the Russians and Azerbaijanis, the Tsakhurs are, “the wild mountain ones, primitive, Pray that the Tsakhur people with dark features.” In the southern reaches of will seek and find the intense Tsakhur territory, they do tend vineyards, although love of the One whose sheepherding and working with wool are the primary banner over them is love. economic features of Tsakhur village life. The 30,000 Tsakhur are a proud mountain people, living in villages in Dagestan, Russia and in neighboring Azerbaijan. Tsakhur were ruled by their own sultanate for centuries. The Tsakhur are famous for their proverbs and love of wisdom. Tsakhur history is a rich tapestry of rugged beauty and communal identity, but one also beset with tragedy. Islam gained ascendancy in the Tsakhur world a millennium ago, and at the present moment there are no known Tsakhurs who are infused with the grace of Jesus and His life-transforming Spirit.

Pray for bridges of respect and friendship from bearers of the gospel of Jesus to expand in the Tsakhur world. Pray for wide listening and understanding of an oral recording of the Gospel of Luke in Tsakhur finished in 2008, and for effective distribution of a brilliant audio version (2013) of the Book of Proverbs in Tsakhur. Pray for key relationships to grow, via a creative linguistic work which began two years ago.

102 DAY MUSLIM AND JEWISH TAT PEOPLE 16 ews and Ezra 9:8, NKJV Muslims are Joften at odds with And now for a little while one another, but grace has been shown from there is a people the Lord our God, to leave group in the North us a remnant to escape, Caucasus and and to give us a peg in His Azerbaijan called holy place, that our God Muslim Tats the Tats that have may enlighten our eyes both Muslim and and give us a measure of Jewish members. Most experts conclude that the revival in our bondage. Jewish Tat (also known as Mountain Jews) and the Muslim Tat come from ancient separate origins (see Pray for both Tat groups Wikipedia.org); but now it appears that both may to understand that they have come from the same Persian-based Tat language. desperately need the grace For the Jewish Tat there has been a Bible translation of God. project led by one faithful woman (now living in Israel)--over a period of 20 years. Genesis and Ruth were translated and now the Gospel of Matthew is mostly finished. In Azerbaijan an international linguistic team has begun Bible translation work into Muslim Tat. Most joyfully, in the past five years there are reports of major breakthroughs for Jesus in a circle of clans in Muslim Tat villages in northern Azerbaijan. Approximately 30 Tat people in the region have come to Jesus.

Pray for the new believers among the Tats of Azerbaijan to abound in the fruit of the Spirit and in fruitfulness among their family and friends. Pray for the Lord of the Harvest to send the right servants at the right time to Tat people in Dagestan, Moscow, Israel, the U.S., and Iran. Pray for additional Bible translators to help with the Jewish Tat translation, still being done in Israel.

103 DAY 17 RUTUL PEOPLE Ex 33:13, NKJV hat do a coastal city in Dagestan, northern Azerbaijan, Moscow, China, southern “Now therefore, I pray, if I WCalifornia, and Ohio all have in common? In each have found grace in Your place, people are praying for Jesus to break through sight, show me now Your to the Muslim Rutul people of southern Dagestan way, that I may know You and northern Azerbaijan. and that I may find grace in Twelve years ago a Christian friend met a Rutul Your sight. And consider that businessman in the city of Derbent in southern this nation is Your people.” Dagestan and began praying for the Rutul people. A few years later a pastor in Ohio took the Pray for the Rutul people challenge to begin praying for the Rutul people to seek and find the Lord’s until God raised up a whole church to carry the grace in their villages. Pray for the Lord to raise up a new torch for them. In 2010, 15 Christians in a house nation of obedient servants church network in China felt led to commit among the Rutul people. themselves to praying persistently for the Rutul people. A church in southern California has joined in regular prayer. The results? A linguistic specialist has dedicated her life to studying the Rutul language, serving the people, and preparing a bridge for Words of Life to come to them. In the past three years a Rutul mother and son in the capital city of Dagestan came to Jesus. In the spring of 2013 a Rutul man in Moscow gave his life to Jesus through the influence of a fellow worker. In 2014, a fourth Rutul became a believer. These four are the first known believers in Jesus among the Rutul.

Will you join in persistent prayer that a Jesus move- ment will begin to spread out from these four people among the families, clans, and villages of the 30,000 Rutul people?

104 DAY AGUL PEOPLE 18 wenty-one villages Mt 9:36, NKJV high in the southern mountainsT of Dagestan But when He saw the have been home to multitudes, He was moved the Agul people for with compassion for them, millennia. The Aguls because they were weary were converted to Islam and scattered, like sheep after the Arab conquest having no shepherd. in the 8th century. Many Dagestani peoples who live in lower elevations Jesus was clearly thinking in southern Dagestan know the Agul because of of precious ones like the their annual round-trip sheep migrations from high Agul when He saw the mountain pastures to lowland pastures. The Agul sheep crowds who needed a and their shepherds swarm through lowland territories shepherd. The Agul, more and temporarily block roads and congest small villages. than most, would vividly understand what it’s like The Agul men are renowned shepherds. Many of for sheep to be without them also work in construction in urban centers a shepherd. Such sheep during the winter season, while the women of the wander into danger family keep the mountain village households going and are often killed by during the long winter months. predators. Little do the There is currently only one known Agul believer, Agul know that all mankind but there is more hope. Through long perseverance, live like foolish sheep unless the Gospel of Luke has been completed in Agul, they find their shepherd, both in written and audio form. In the past decade Jesus Christ. a publication on the Parables of Luke was prepared with illustrations. The Agul language is like a rare Pray for stirrings of the heart mountain butterfly, and so translations—honoring among people of peace the ancient Agul language—have great potential to among the Agul, stirrings show the love of Christ. regarding their need for grace and kindness from a Pray for loving Christian friends, carrying the kindness loving shepherd. of the Savior, to live among the Agul people. Pray for people of peace among the Agul to get acquainted with representatives of the gospel when they come near to them. Pray for written and audio gospel portions to circulate and penetrate into thirsty hearts.

105 DAY 19 CHIRAG/AMUQ PEOPLES Col 1:4-6, NKJV ’m so happy, but what will my family do to …since we heard of your “Ime?” Nefi-zat (not her real faith in Christ Jesus and of name), the first believer in your love for all the saints; Jesus among the Chirag because of the hope which people, expressed her is laid up for you in heaven, deep dual feelings. Jesus of which you heard before had touched Nefi-zat. A in the word of the truth of city friend had told her the gospel, which has come a personal story about to you, as it has also in all how God was a loving the world, and is bringing Father who had provided for total forgiveness of forth fruit, as it is also sins. The next day Nefi-zat and her younger sister among you since the day took the step of repentance and received this gift of you heard and knew the forgiveness through Jesus. grace of God in truth;… Four years ago these two sisters became the first believers in Jesus among the Chirag people. But what Pray for good fruit to come will happen with their family? Many times when from the two believers women come to Jesus in Muslim families they are among this people group. threatened with death. Many times the radiance of Pray for them to set an the fruit of the Spirit in the new believer’s life touches example for others to follow. family members deeply, but sometimes even that isn’t enough. Nefi-zat and her younger sister have gone through the fire of opposition but are still alive. The Chirag are a rugged people living in the high mountains of Dagestan. Combined with the closely- connected sister language of the Amuq people, all together there are five Chirag-Amuq villages and an approximate 3000 total population in this distinct language group. Many Chirag-Amuq now live in the urban regions of Dagestan.

Pray for divine protection for new Chirag believers. Pray that the radiance of Christ in their lives will touch hearts among their relatives, and that the precious grace of Jesus will spread from clan to clan.

106 DAY TSUDAKAR PEOPLE 20 f you want to find a furry hat in a Russian city, Jn 1:14, NKJV ask around for the Tsudakar Dargin men, and beforeI long you’ll have the hat you’re looking for. The And the Word became 20,000+ Tsudakar people hail from central Dagestan. flesh and dwelt among us, Many Tsudakar speak Dargin and Russian, but their and we beheld His glory, heart identity is as Tsudakar people. the glory as of the only The Tsudakar people have been staunch Muslims begotten of the Father, full for more than 600 years. Islam in central Dagestan of grace and truth. is not only a religion; it also is interwoven with Pray that the Tsudakar the structure of society. The male council of elders people will behold His in each village oversees religious behavior and glory, and recognize that communal decisions. There is great pride in Islamic He is the only source of the identity, but when conflicts emerge, there is little grace they need. chance for reconciliation. As they approach death, how can they know if they will receive uncertain grace from Allah, whom they view as a stern and distant God? Among the Tsudakar, one person, Sef-utdin (not his real name), has found the grace of Jesus for life now and for all eternity. A Russian friend was delivered from drunkenness through Jesus, and through this friend Sef-utdin found the joy of salvation himself. Now he wears not only a beautiful Tsudakar Dargin hat, but also “the helmet of salvation.”

Pray that the helmet of salvation, which adorns Sef-utdin’s head, will soon be worn by many more Tsudakar hat sellers. Pray that the fruit of the Spirit will spread through many Tsudakar lives, families, clans, and villages.

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