influences from other religions and from cultural Praying for Women in West & Central Africa practices such as magical charms, child slavery, and Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, the ritual sacrifice of children. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, 24. TWR Women of Hope to be able to resume Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo translation and distribution of prayer calendars in WestP and Central African countries are rich with diamonds, Ghana and to start production and broadcast of gold, oil, uranium, and other minerals, but the people are Praying for Women in Women of Hope in the Twi language. among the world’s poorest. The abundance of natural resources often becomes a curse rather than a blessing to West and Central Africa 25. Thousands of Nigerian women who are kidnapped the local people. The misuse of these resources results in and abused by traffickers in Libya as they try to limited infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, electricity, relocate to countries where they can find work to and other services, and this frustrates people who are help provide for their families. struggling to survive. This frustration has led to many rebellions and conflicts, which in turn displaces millions 26. Church leaders to teach men to respect and protect of people and leaves them facing malnutrition, insufficient women and girls. Pray for women and teenage girls access to safe water, inadequate sanitation, and a future to respect themselves and not allow men to seduce without hope. them, demanding instead that men treat them with dignity, marry them, and provide for their families. In search of an income, many women travel to other countries looking for work. Some are then forced into 27. The faithful few women in the Democratic Republic prostitution or held for ransom until their families pay of Congo who pray with us even amid the horrible for their release. Girls attending schools in hope of better destruction brought by several conflicts on their lives are sometimes kidnapped by rebels, many of them communities. Pray for peace so the millions of child soldiers also searching for a way out of life’s horrible displaced people can return to Congo to rebuild their conditions. lives. Women in this region of Africa often suffer from the cultural practices of female genital cutting and child 28. Women living in Mali, where extreme poverty and marriages coupled with limited health care that can cause a very low literacy rate make life very difficult. Praise high rates of maternal death. Many of those who survive the Lord for the 22 radio stations in Mali airing their pregnancies suffer from the debilitating problem of Women of Hope in the Bambara language. obstetric fistula. In addition, preventable or easily treatable diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, and respiratory infections 29. God to continue to touch the brokenhearted, the remain the main killers of women and children. scared, the lonely, and the desperate. His great love invites women to receive his joy and peace no matter Spiritual darkness also grips the people of West and what their circumstances. “The name of the Lord is Central Africa with fear and bondage to fetishes, voodoo, a strong tower, the righteous run to it and they are witch doctors, and controlling cultural and religious safe” (Proverbs 18:10). practices. Limited education has further darkened the lives of unreached people groups and oral cultures, making it 30. Women isolated by controlling cultural and fanatical difficult to reach them with the gospel of Christ. TWR’s religious beliefs hostile to the gospel. Only through radio broadcasts reach into their darkness and despair. radio programs that reach into their homes and Women of Hope programs offer lifesaving advice, love, and behind closed doors will many of them be able to hope through Jesus Christ. hear about God’s love and gift of salvation. Women of Hope broadcasts in 72 languages. The monthly prayer requests are used in more than 90 JUNE 2018 Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved languages.Women of Hope Listen broadcasts to audio inprayer more requests than 60 languages.online worldwide. http://twr360.org/twrwomenofhopePH’s monthly prayer requests are used in 79 languages.

JUNE 2018 PRAYING FOR WOMEN IN WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA

Please pray for … 8. The Lord’s blessings on the 30 prayer-group leaders in activities for mothers, such as farming and soap- Liberia and the women praying through the monthly 1. Women in West and Central Africa who are struggling making, to help pay for uniforms and books so their prayer requests, which are also aired from two radio children can attend school. to provide for their families despite having few stations. Pray for those who visit churches to encourage resources, little education, and almost no help from women in their relationship with God and to invite them 17. Fathers, husbands, brothers, uncles, and other men their extended families or communities. to start prayer groups. to cherish the women and girls in their families and to 2. God’s Holy Spirit to change the hearts of leaders protect them and demand that others respect them as 9. God to change the hearts, minds, and emotions of God’s precious daughters. involved in conflicts and rebellions throughout West female inmates in Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Central Africa and end the suffering and turmoil Liberia, Nigeria, and Mali prisons and help them to live 18. Ivory Coast ladies producing the Women of Hope destroying communities and families. “I urge, then, for him in their difficult surroundings. “Continue to French program that is heard in Benin, Burkina Faso, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and remember those in prison as if you were together with Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, and Togo. Pray also that thanksgiving be made for all people – for kings and all them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you a medium-wave license can be obtained so many those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet yourselves were suffering” (Hebrews 13:3). more unreached people groups in Cameroon, Chad, lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2: 1-2). Guinea, Mauritania, Nigeria, and Senegal can receive 10. Women and girls who continue to be vulnerable to HIV programming in their languages. 3. Christians to help women and girls understand how infection, gender-related violence, and poverty while precious they are to God, recognizing the dignity and having limited access to education and health services. 19. The 35 Ivory Coast prayer groups comprising 2,200 empowerment he offers them through a new life in women who are encouraged as they pray, listen, learn, Christ. 11. Leaders to address the shortage of midwives in their grow, and give to help others know God. Praise the communities. This shortage contributes to pregnancy- Lord that the French prayer requests can now be 4. Protection of workers and equipment at the TWR related complications, fistulas, and deaths. West Africa transmitter so that Women of Hope heard on Facebook or by using memory cards, which is important for those who do not read! programs in Bambara, English, and French can 12. Listeners of TWR broadcasts of the English Women continue to give hope in Jesus to those in despair. of Hope program heard in Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, 20. The availability of vaccines, antibiotics, and Sierra Leone to follow Christ daily and teach their micronutrient supplements, insecticide-treated bed 5. TWR Women of Hope’s Central African Republic children God’s Word. national coordinator and others sharing God’s love nets, and improved breast-feeding practices along with women in hospitals and maternity centers while with the adoption of safe hygiene practices to treat 13. Disabled women to find hope, dignity, personal safety, preventable diseases that kill children and women. distributing food and other necessities. Pray that acceptance, and love in communities that consider the women who have been abused will be willing to be women to be cursed by God. 21. Wisdom and strong faith for families raising their tested for diseases and infections so they can receive children to understand that God’s laws help them proper medications. 14. TWR Women of Hope to connect with Spanish- live healthy, productive lives that honor the Lord and speaking women of West and Central Africa and invite 6. Central African Republic women to join the more than lead to a better future. “Blessed are those who listen them to pray with us using the Spanish translation of the to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my 1,300 women in 39 prayer groups using the Sango monthly prayer calendars. translation and praying in five other local languages doorway” (Proverbs 8:34). (Banda, Kaba, Ngbaka, Nzakara, and Yakoma). 15. Mothers to learn the harm emotionally and physically 22. God’s protection on women and their children as that their daughters face if they continue the cultural 7. Volunteers translating the Women of Hope scripts into they live with limited medical access where malaria, practice of female genital mutilation, which is common typhoid, yellow fever, and meningitis are concerns. the Sango language in hopes that they will be able to in West and Central Africa. record and broadcast the programs on local Central 23. The Holy Spirit to fill Christians living in African Republic radio stations. 16. Christian groups that provide income-generating communities mired in spiritual darkness because of

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