May Prayer Calendar Archive
"Pray also for us..."
So states the apostle Paul in a letter to believers in Colosse, acknowledging a somewhat stunning reality: though the Christians to whom he was writing were separated from him physically, they could nonetheless participate in his ministry! God’s people could join in God’s work of taking the Gospel to those who hadn’t heard it simply by praying for their missionary pastor.
These realities are no less true today. As a church, Parkside has been blessed with the opportunity to support many missionaries scattered around the world, all of whom are seeking to share the Good News of Jesus with people who have yet to hear and believe it. Can we really help them, being thousands of miles and numerous time zones away? According to Paul, yes! The purpose of this missionary prayer calendar is to inform you of what is going on in certain parts of the world, and invite you to participate in the work through prayer.
The format is simple. Each day, you will find a missionary or organization that Parkside supports, along with one of their specific prayer requests. You’ll also find a different country of the world and how you can best be praying for the people there.
Our hope in arranging this is that you’ll know the privilege of participating in the work of the Gospel, which as Paul also tells the Colossians, is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world. We trust that praying for the nations will increase our heart for the world, causing us to increasingly desire and work towards seeing unbelieving people of all nations become committed followers of Christ!
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31
- Supported Workers: Goran (& Beth) Tomic, Matt (& Laura) Pheneger, Jon (& Ruthie)
- Country: United States of America
- Details: In April, Jon and Matt traveled to Africa where, over a period of five days, they trained 96 coaches from the country of Kenya to launch the soccer outreach program DT6—a year-round discipleship program for children. The coaches returned to 56 locations across Kenya to work with their local churches and with at least one primary school in each location. Please pray for this new ministry opportunity. They estimate that between 3-5 thousand children will be learning the Word of God weekly. Pray also for the recruiting of coaches for the summer soccer camps in the U.S., Ireland, England ... more >
30
- Supported Worker: Bobby & Julie in Central Asia
- Details: After not being able to connect for some time, Bobby talked with his friend, David, in China, who was recently baptized. Things are hard there economically. Pray for David and the persecuted church in China, that the believers would be bold and courageous to share and love without fear. Pray for God’s favor on them. Pray for Bobby and Julie as they resume Russian language classes. Republic of China, Taiwan, (Asia). Population: 23,950,214 Believers: 2.8%. Taiwan remains a stronghold of Buddhism and Taiwanese folk religion. Over 90% of Taiwanese follow some combination of Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and ... more >
29
- Supported Worker: Kep & Debbie James in Africa, Latin America, & the United States
- Details: Thank God for the many ESI groups Elias has trained in Brazil, and for the groups Paulo has started across Africa in recent months. Pray that as these pastors and church leaders study Romans together, they will grow in their understanding of the gospel and in their love for Jesus, so that they will be committed to studying the Bible and to teaching and preaching it in their local churches. Pray for the African pastors who will attend the London ESI facilitators training conference in June that Kep will lead. Pray that many believers will commit to studying God’s Word ... more >
28
- Supported Worker: Scranton Road Bible Church
- Country: United States of America
- Details: As they continue reading and preaching through the Bible as a church, pray that the Lord will fill them with awe at the power, majesty, and goodness of his Word. They are grateful for God’s provision in the past and ask for prayer as their staff and elders work through a budget for the next fiscal year. Their benevolence team is also reworking some of the benevolence policies and their vision for mercy ministry. Pray that the Lord will provide wisdom on how to best help individuals and families. One of their missionaries is having some visa problems; pray that ... more >
27
- Supported Worker: Chris and Leanne Harrington
- Country: Japan
- Details: Chris and Leanne are preparing to return to the U.S. for a year and are transferring the ministry duties to others on the field. Please pray these transitions will go smoothly and for those taking on new responsibilities. Pray also for their kids as they leave their school and friends in Japan. Pray they will have grace for each other during this time when so many emotions need to be worked out. Pray for their family as they pack up their house and move things into storage on May 27. They are thankful for our prayers throughout these past ... more >
26
- Supported Worker: Fieldstone Counseling
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Pray for wisdom and encouragement for their counselors as they offer Christ-centered care to those who are struggling. Pray for upcoming equipping opportunities, including a support group called Forgiveness: A Footpath to Freedom. This online support group is designed to help participants walk through the process of forgiveness with clarity and hope through four online sessions. Pray that the group helps participants practically engage their struggles while moving forward spiritually and emotionally toward true freedom. Chad (Africa). Population: 18,847,148 Believers: 10.1%. Many Muslims have heard the good news! New groups of believers from Muslim backgrounds have emerged ... more >
25
- Supported Worker: E & J in North Africa
- Details: With the month of fasting over, pray that E and J would continue to be bold as they proclaim the emptiness of good works not done in faith. The church building in their city is now the last one open (out of 48 registered meeting places). Pray that their brothers and sisters would use the building well, serving the saints around the country, and that they will be ready to meet in homes or other places if their building is also shut down. Pray for wisdom and favor for others as they face accusations from authorities. Central African Republic (CAR ... more >
24
- Supported Worker: Indigenous Church Planting Organization in Arab & Muslim Countries
- Details: Pray for Brother Phillip as he travels to Burundi, Rwanda, and Benin to visit and set up more schools. Pray for safe travels, and good health. Continue to pray for their workers in Mauritania, Mali, and Chad who are undergoing persecution, and for protection for the workers in Sudan amidst the fighting there. Pray for all their leaders to live lives of holiness and to model godly living for their students. Pray for the leaders of the school in Burundi. They were arrested due to insufficient paperwork. They have since been released, but please pray for no more trouble or ... more >
23
- Supported Worker: Human Coalition Cleveland (Health for Her)
- Country: United States of America
- Details: They thank God for their new ultrasound machine, provided by the Knights of Columbus. They also thank him for providing a new nurse for the center. Pray for her as she comes on board for training and adjusts to their team and its mission. Pray that God will provide toiletries for the babies—lotion, shampoo, baby wash, and Dreft detergent. Cameroon (Africa). Population: 29,394,433 Believers: 9.0%. Leadership and discipleship training in the churches are urgent needs, as Cameroon’s churches struggle with shallow and biblically illiterate Christianity. Today’s spiritual mess has its roots in a failure in theological training ... more >
22
- Supported Worker: Andrew & Angie James
- Country: Uruguay
- Details: Andrew and Angie thank God for his love, goodness, and grace which daily sustain them. Please pray that they will continue to rely on the Lord and that their children will grow up to love the Lord with all their hearts. Pray that the youth, small group ministry, and ESI ministry will be a blessing in the lives of all involved. Cambodia (Asia). Population: 17,121,847 Believers: 1.6%. Spiritual darkness persists in Cambodia and must be lifted by prayer. That darkness is seen in ubiquitous spirit shrines, Buddhism’s opposition to any ideological rival, and a general moral collapse ... more >
21
- Supported Worker: Parkside Church: Westside
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Pray for Parkside Church Westside as they spread the gospel locally and globally. Please pray that they continue to love and serve their neighbors in Lakewood. Pray for the members of Parkside Westside to boldly proclaim Christ in the daily mission fields in which the Lord has placed them. Pray for a church family abroad who is working with a minority language group to advance the gospel in all languages. Continue to pray for the health and safety of Nathanael Wiles and the work he is doing at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya. Pray also for their youth leaders and high ... more >
20
- Supported Workers: Neri (& Karina) Rivera, Edgar (& Lety) Rivera
- Country: Mexico
- Details: Pray that God would give Edgar wisdom in assembling a Mexican Board for the MAF work in Mexico. Pray for the three ESI groups that he is leading in Oaxaca and for the Bible study he recently started with a new believer in the town of San Lucas, which has been traditionally closed to the gospel. Pray that their ministry in a local church would bear fruit. Pray for continued rehab for Edgar’s shoulder. Pray that God would provide open doors for their son, Juan, and his wife, Amy, as they prepare for missions in a closed country. Pray that ... more >
19
- Supported Worker: Mark & Patti Bean
- Countries: Peru, United States of America
- Details: Thank you for praying for Patti’s trip to Peru last month. It was obvious that the timing of this trip was orchestrated by God. A conference had just taken place in a big jungle city that brought many church leaders together. The language group that Patti met with had speakers from both Peru and Brazil, and there were more leaders from that language group than she expected. They had a great conversation about their language, its use, their mission work, and their desire to have all of God’s Word available to them. Patti and Mark are thankful for our prayers ... more >
18
- Supported Worker: Shoreline Church
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Shoreline is grateful for yet another opportunity to offer mini camps for families with young children in the local community this summer. Pray that there will be a gospel impact on the families and volunteers who participate in the Baking Camp, June 11 and 13, as well as the Brick Building Camp, June 18 and 20. Pray that God provides the volunteers needed to help with the annual Ambassadors Soccer Camp they host in July. Thank the Lord for a great school year of outreach for Youth For Christ with the Campus Life Private Schools outreach. The Bible studies at ... more >
17
- Supported Worker: Church Plant Training Ministry in Asia
- Details: Thank the Lord for their recent Bible conference. Pray for the recruitment of new students in different parts of their country—that their team will go to the right places and find committed students to apply. Pray for the Lord to give them faithful interns. Pray for the Lord's hand to continually lead and sustain the work of the ministry of sharing the Word. British Virgin Islands (Caribbean). Population: 31,763 Believers: 27.3%. The motto of the Virgin Islands is, “Where there’s no vision, the people will perish.” Pray that local Christians might recover a powerful vision for ... more >
16
- Supported Worker: Thapelo (& Grace) Thaele
- Country: South Africa
- Details: The winter season has begun in South Africa, and poor people are faced with the challenge of keeping warm. The youth in the church are collecting clothes and blankets for the needy. Pray for this project to be successful and that the people served will see Jesus through their actions and experience his love over their lives. Pray for many people to participate and that they will be blessed as they give. Brazil (Latin America). Population: 217,637,297 Believers: 26.3%. The emergence of evangelicals in Brazil has been dramatic. Yet despite the growth, there are many prayer needs ... more >
15
- Supported Worker: Parkside Green
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Please ask the Lord to open doors for Parkside Green’s gospel outreach locally as they prepare to hold several themed summer camps for kids. Globally, ask the Lord to bear lasting fruit through the missionaries they support in Dubai, UAE, and Arua, Uganda. Pray for Bryan and Erin Joseph and their four children, who are preparing for fulltime mission work in Mazatlan, Mexico. Botswana (Africa). Population: 2,719,694 Believers: 8.1%. Botswana is a rare African state—economic growth is steady, corruption rare, and a multiparty democracy the norm. Praise God for the stability that enables the government to build ... more >
14
- Supported Worker: Equipping Servants International (ESI)
- Countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, Congo, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Zambia, Zimbabwe
- Details: Pray for the 2,850 ESI participants, in 250 groups, in 30 countries, with 3,200 total graduates since beginning in 2002. Pray that these men and women will grow in their love for God as they study the Scriptures and that they will experience gospel transformation in their lives, relationships, and local churches. Bosnia (Europe). Population: 3,194,378 Believers: 0.1%. Evangelical believers have increased significantly but still represent only a miniscule proportion of the population. Pray for believers and their witness in this divided land. Bosnia is not a spiritually receptive place; pray that many hearts might ... more >
13
- Supported Worker: The City Mission
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Last month, construction began on the Transitional Housing Project, which will give 16 graduates of Laura’s Home the ability to remain on campus with their families and receive supportive services while they work to increase their annual income to afford independent housing. This project will also allow The City Mission to welcome more women and children into Laura's Home. Pray for the support needed to fund all the ministries of The City Mission. Bolivia (Latin America). Population: 12,567,366 Believers: 16.2%. Evangelical Christians have grown greatly in number and in influence, but face challenges. Some follow false ... more >
12
- Supported Worker: E & J in North Africa
- Details: Last month, when their neighbors finished fasting, E and J shared favorite cookies with them. Please pray that these interactions will gain favor for them and for the message of grace. Several of their brothers and sisters in the church are under a lot of pressure from their families and communities. Pray for two women whose families are confining them to their homes. Ask that our Father will hold them fast and that they will be wise, joyful, and bold, knowing that their hope is not in vain. In April, E made another trip to the “C” region with some ... more >
11
- Supported Worker: Parkside Heights Church
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Parkside Heights youth will have a retreat May 11-12, in Burton, Ohio. Pray that all who attend will be encouraged as they spend time in God’s Word and enjoy activities and meals together. They are thankful for the many college students who have become part of their church family and will miss them as they leave for the summer or graduate. Please pray for the students’ continued spiritual growth and that they will have open doors to share the gospel with family and friends. Bermuda (North America). Population: 63,935 Believers: 24.3%. Bermuda is an earthly paradise, and Christianity ... more >
10
- Supported Worker: Amy Cottle
- Country: Thailand
- Details: Amy asks for prayer for the church plant during the university term break. Attendance will be down without the students. Pray that this will be a time for more people in the community to come and hear about Jesus. Pray for Khian, and her adult son Joke, to come to saving faith. Khian is a widow, and her son has a past drug addiction. Belgium (Europe). Population: 11,715,774 Believers: 1.2%. The secular worldview seems to have triumphed in Belgium. Atheists and non-religious now number 31% of society. While almost half of the population consider themselves Catholic, only ... more >
- Supported Worker: Wes & Nancy Collins
- Countries: Guatemala, Peru, United States of America
- Details: Continue to pray for Byron and the LAMP ministry in Guatemala, that many would hear and respond to God’s Word. Wes and Nancy are dealing with ongoing health issues. Wes has Parkinson’s disease, and Nancy will have mitral heart valve surgery on May 9. Pray for successful surgery and recovery for Nancy and for Wes’ Parkinson’s disease to stay stable. They thank God for his faithfulness and blessings even amid these issues. Belarus (Europe). Population: 9,455,037 Believers: 1.3%. Evangelical Christians are increasing despite concerted opposition and intensifying persecution. The state steadfastly maintains laws that forbid meeting in ... more >
- Supported Worker: Chris and Leanne Harrington
- Country: Japan
- Details: The people of Noto Peninsula on the west coast of Japan are still in recovery after the New Year’s earthquake. A teammate, Tina Lin, has relocated there for at least two to three months to help a local church’s recovery efforts. Please pray that this recovery effort would lead to relationships and opportunities to share Christ. Chris will hand over his SEND leadership responsibilities as they prepare to return to America for a one-year Home Assignment. Pray for a smooth transition and specifically for Paul Suzuki as he leads the mission there. Barbados (Caribbean). Population: 282,309 Believers: 34.2 ... more >
- Supported Workers: Goran (& Beth) Tomic, Matt (& Laura) Pheneger, Jon (& Ruthie)
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Please pray for follow-up with those who were trained in soccer ministry in Brazil (in March) and in Kenya (in April). There is a soccer team tour going to Cyprus this month. Pray for God to raise up a good leadership team for Ambassadors ministry there. Also, this month, Goran will spend a week in Serbia and Croatia meeting with leaders and pastors from various denominations. Pray for wisdom and for fruitful ministry and team building to result. Bangladesh (Asia). Population: 174,701,211 Believers: 0.4%. Pray for leadership for the churches. Earlier movements brought thousands of people into ... more >
- Supported Worker: Bobby & Julie in Central Asia
- Details: Pray that their family will love and help each other and that their children will get caught up with school. Bobby has been meeting weekly with local young men who are eager to minister. Pray that God will give them grace, wisdom, and strength to plant churches and that God will make it clear to Bobby how he can help them. Bahamas (Caribbean). Population: 415,223 Believers: 35.9%. Christian commitment is low and nominalism widespread, despite nearly all Bahamians claiming to be Christian. Most households own a Bible; few actively read it. Pray for revival and for a missionary ... more >
- Supported Worker: Truth For Life
- Country: United States of America
- Details: Pray for Truth For Life’s global translation partners as they travel from numerous countries to meet with the Truth For Life team in person in early May and attend the Basics Conference. Ask God for this to be a time of relationship building, fellowship, and identifying opportunities to work together to bring the gospel, through Alistair’s teaching, to a large international audience. Ask God to bring needed team members to Truth For Life in Customer Service and Communications. Pray that God brings individuals with the needed skill sets and hearts for distributing the truth of God’s Word. Azerbaijan (Asia). Population ... more >
- Supported Worker: Emily (& Blake) Ackerson
- Country: Australia
- Details: Pray for the 21 small groups, at two major Sydney universities, that will be wrapping up before finals begin in June. Most of these groups have seekers exploring Christianity. Several are growth groups for Christians to go deeper in God's Word. May the Lord use these small groups to draw many to himself. Pray for the potential new campus ministry they hope to start at the University of New South Wales, where there are approximately 20,000 international students. They are partnering with a local church and a campus group. In May, they have an important planning meeting before ... more >
- Supported Worker: Kep & Debbie James in Africa, Latin America, & the United States
- Details: Thank God for the African students Kep & Debbie were able to train in Mali and Senegal, West Africa, during the months of March and April. Please pray for these students as they go out in teams to plant churches in Muslim areas. Praise God for the Spanish speaking pastors in Virginia who started Equipping Servants International (ESI) groups in recent weeks. Pray for these servants as they meet to study the Bible. Pray for the ILC Church that Kep and Debbie started in Bolivia in 1990, that its leadership will continue honoring Christ by staying true to his Scriptures ... more >
- Supported Worker: Mike & Joan Ross
- Countries: Mexico, United States of America
- Details: Pray for wisdom regarding the future of their work in Mexico and how to use the tools that God has provided to reach the lost. Pray that Mike and Joan’s extended family would love the Lord with all their hearts. Praise God for the love shown to the community of San Miguel through the Parkside dental team. Pray that the gospel seeds sown there will bear much fruit. Pray for another pilot to help Amos fly in Mexico. Pray for Gregorio as he continues flight training. Pray that God will open the door for Juan and Amy to serve in ... more >
- Supported Worker: Andrew & Angie James
- Country: Uruguay
- Details: They thank God that they are finally moved into their new church building. This is a huge answer to prayer. Please pray for guidance and unity as they begin the construction and repair process in the main auditorium. Pray that God will continue to bless their evangelistic efforts in the new neighborhood where the church is being established. Argentina (Latin America). Population: 46,057,866 Believers: 9.1%. Evangelical Christians grew from less than 1 million in 1980 to possibly over 4.5 million by 2020. Renewal, evangelism, and prayer touched the nation. Argentinean evangelists, teachers, and missionaries touched the ... more >