June Operation Christmas Child Prayer Weeks 2-4

Prayer is such an important weapon against the attacks of satan. Small acts of kindness and prayer can change the world when it is done sincerely, with the right heart. Just think, one boy's lunch fed a multitude. One mom placing her baby in a basket to save his life freed a whole nation! Being a prayer warrior for Operation Christmas Child is so easy, yet so important and I am so thankful that you are willing to pray for this great ministry. We can each take these requests and share them with just one other person and just think of the effects it could cause...even your littlest actions could change the world.  It is called the "butterfly effect"- say a butterfly flutters its wings in Jonesboro, Arkansas, will it change the weather in another part of the planet, like Australia? That is the theory of the butterfly effect. So, can one small action cause change in a significant way and in turn cause larger change, and another, and another? I believe with prayer, there is a butterfly effect.  What if we all reach out to others to get more people to pray for OCC? Why, you ask? With only 21 weeks until National Collection Week we need to put on the armor of God and start preparing our region and volunteers to collect over 820,000 gospel opportunities November 14-21. We have a lot to accomplish over the next few months so we need to together lay the needs of our OCC family at God’s feet...where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name...what about 2-300,000 in my name? Please be in prayer for the following request the rest of June and I challenge you to get at least one person to sign up to be a Prayer Network Partner for OCC - all you have to do as a PNP is PRAY about what we send out...EVERYONE that is a child of THE ONE TRUE KING should be able to do that! Here are our requests for the remainder of June!

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:12

OCC Mid-South Prayer Requests:
* Pray for God to multiply our collection network and to open doors with churches and Pastors.
* Pray for the Mid-South goal of 820,001 Gospel Opportunities.
* Pray that gift boxes and follow up work will have a lasting spiritual effect on the lives of the  children and their families.
* Continue to pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour

NEA OCC Requests:
* pray for our area team as it grows
* pray for our goal of 11,222 Gospel Opportunities
* pray for all our area churches as they have VBS this summer.
* Kevin & Jennifer Barnett's son, Matthew is in Cuba on a mission trip until June 29th.
* Melinda and Marlin Dixon are on a mission trip to Guatemala until June 25th.
* Jennifer Barnett and a dental/medical team of 28 from NEA will be in Lima, Peru June 22-29.

OCC International Prayer Requests that each country faces:
* Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members.
* Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

The next two weeks we will be praying for Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

Equatorial Guinea - Pray for the children of Equatorial Guinea who often face premature deaths and epidemics.
Guinea - Pray for the Muslim children OCC is ministering to.
Guinea-Bissau
      *Praise God for strengthening the churches through the OCC ministry.
      * Pray for the Ministry Partners holding the Outreach Events to make        the best use of this ministry for the glory of God. 

      *Pray for easier access so boxes can be delivered to more remote            areas.
Mali - Pray for the north of the country which is not accepting of the Good News.
Senegal - Pray for the children’s churches that have started as a result of the Outreach Events. Pray they will grow and mature.
Sierra Leone - Pray the Ministry Partners holding the Outreach Events to children will apply what they have learned and will take the Gospel outside of the church. Pray for the TGJ classes. Pray OCC will reach its goals for TGJ this year.
Togo - Pray for security from foes as well as false brothers.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on you, that you should be called a child of God! And that is what you are! 1 John 3:1

Click here to become a prayer partner: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ-prayers/

Operation Christmas Child Week 4 April Prayer Requests

WEEK 4: OCC Mid-South Requests

1. Pray for Connect volunteers and OCC staff as they travel to the Connect Conferences in Atlanta that starts this week!
   
2. Pray for our 2nd Quarterly Prayer Call of 2016 on May 9th – for the presenters and those joining the Skype session.
   

 NEA Requests

1. Pray for our NEA Team as we grow. Praise God that HE provided 9 new prayer partners, 2 new team members, and we have some new people Melinda has been talking to for other areas of our team!
   
2. Pray for our goals for shoebox collections for 2016: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!!
   

This week we will continue to pray for Sensitive Countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA):

1. Praise God the tax exemption has been granted.
   
2. Praise God the team members were able to attend the national volunteer training.
   
3. Pray for the safety of the team members.
   

 

A 2^nd MENA Country Request we as Prayer Warriors:

1. Praise God for the local partners in the south who are willing to cooperate in the Outreach Events.
   
2. Pray God will continue to open doors in the north and south of the country.
   
3. Pray the team will find the right consignee.
   
4. Pray for the upcoming Outreach Events.

OCC Prayer: Peru, Suriname and Uruguay

WEEK 4: (March 27th-April 2nd)
OCC Mid-South Requests

1. Pray for Connect volunteers and OCC staff as they travel to the Connect Conferences in San Francisco-April 7-9, and Atlanta April 28-30. 
2. Pray for all Area Coordinators as they lead, equip and encourage their area teams. 
3. Pray for Franklin Graham and the Decision America Tour; he will be in Arkansas for a Prayer Rally on April 12, 2016 at Noon on the Capitol Front Steps at 500 Woodlane Street, Little Rock, AR 72201.

OCC NEA Requests 

1. Pray for our NEA Team as search for Relay Centers & Coordinators, new prayer team members, and new donor churches! Praise God for adding to our Area Team this year! 
2. Pray for our goals for shoebox collections for 2016: 11,222 Gospel Opportunities!!!!! 

OCC International Prayer Requests - General Prayer Requests each country faces:

• Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members. 
• Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

Peru - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 258,816 children in Peru. Praise God that over 2,150,100 children have received a shoebox since 1996, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Peru has 30.4 million people and is located in western South America. 27% of the population is 14 years old or younger. 

Peru

Peru - The Greatest Journey

1. Pray for the procedures that need to happen with the government of Peru to free the shipping containers, especially for a favorable technical opinion so that they do not delay the containers in customs. 
2. Pray for the beginning of new work in different regions. Pray the Gospel will advance through the ministry of OCC and reach the children in the neediest areas of Peru. 
3. Pray for me and the mission team I will be traveling with – I am planning to go to Peru on a Medical Mission Trip June 22-29th. Melinda Dixon will be in Guatemala on a Mission Trip during this same time. Be in prayer for her team also. 
4. Praise God for the opportunity to reach out to the children living in the remotest places in Peru.
5. Pray for the new regions that are involved in OCC. 

• Spiritual Impact Story from Peru: The Discipleship Coordinator of Cajamarca tells us that Maria, who is 9 years old, has felt very happy during the discipleship. It has been a challenge for her to memorize the bible verses, but it has been of great value because she remembers them all the time and is able to share them with her friends at school. When they ask her where she learned them, she invites them to church. Maria says, “I like to invite my friends because I want them to know Him too, how beautiful it is to be able to feel Him when we pray or sing. I am happy I know him”. Rico’s family never went to church. He received a shoebox and, after participating in The Greatest Journey discipleship program (TGJ), became enthusiastic about God. He asked the TGJ leader if he could join her church. She went to see his parents, but they wouldn’t allow him to. Everyone began to pray for the situation; Rico prayed most fervently. The Lord answered. His mother surrendered her life to Jesus and allowed Rico to attend the church services. She even requested for the church leaders to baptize her son. 
• http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/peru/ 
• Peru Video: https://youtu.be/dP_-TyAx7AY

Suriname - Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2015 will be delivered to 16,176 children in Suriname. Praise God that over 103,900 children have received a shoebox since 1997, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here. Suriname has 579,000 people and is located on the coast of South America. 26% of the population is 14 years old or younger.

Excitement in Suriname!

 

1. Pray that thirty churches will be motivated to participate in this year's project. 
2. Pray for financial provision for the customs process. 
3. Pray more Ministry Partners will start prayer meetings for and with children and that the MP’s will understand the mission of OCC and will be enthusiastic about reaching the children of Suriname. 
4. Pray that the children who don’t yet know Christ will be invited to participate in OCC and will become followers of Him. 
5. Pray for the formation of more regional volunteer leadership teams.

• http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child-countries/suriname/

Uruguay - In Uruguay, four children arrived at a shoe box distribution without any shoes, and each of the gifts they received contained a pair of shoes. The father and many people in the neighborhood accepted Christ when they saw the power of these simple gifts. 

1. Pray for the upcoming TGJ trainings. 

Children in Uruguay receiving their Shoeboxes!

For some great Praise Shoebox stories visit: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/article/giving-god-the-glory-for-occ-miracles 

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14)

It's Almost OCC Harvest Time!

Tractors, combines, grain trucks, dust, burning field stubble off...it's harvest time where I live! “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 ESV)
I see lots of farmers in the fields and it is almost time for us to start harvesting the shoeboxes we have been praying for all year. We have collected items, listened to full-circle speakers, went to kick-off events and anticipated the harvest all year! Aren't you thankful we serve a Lord of the harvest? We should continue to rejoice over our anticipated collections and bathe these precious Gospel Opportunities in prayer. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress...they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.” (Psalm 107:1, 28, 37 ESV). I can't wait to see our yield!

Prayer has a huge impact on our harvest efforts. From packing to distribution, the process of delivering Gospel opportunities through simple shoebox gifts to children around the globe is bathed in prayer. We are asking you to continue to pray for Operation Christmas Child as the year is quickly rolling on by. Pray for:

1. Packing parties that are starting to be planned by many churches and groups. Lift these up in prayer, that they will be successful and that they will hit their goals or even immeasurably more than expected by their year around collection efforts. 
2. Also pray for our leadership teams as they continue to make preparations for relay and collection centers. 
3. Pray for our world goal of 11 MILLION Gospel Opportunities - 11 million shoeboxes means at least 11 million children receive "The Greatest Gift" in their own language! 
   
4. Pray for the USA goal of 8.6 Million - that's right, our sending country is responsible for 8.6 of the 11 Million!!! 
5. Pray for our Mid-South goal (Arkansas, Kentucky, & Tennessee) have set a goal of 737,000 to do our part! 
6. Our Northeast Arkansas OCC Team has set a goal of 10,200 for this season! The church I attend has set a goal of 200. If we each have a goal we are striving to achieve it with God's help we can do so much for His honor & glory! 
7. Pray for the processing centers: I'm excited to announce that the Processing Center (PC) Prayer Walk Ministry that was introduced in 2014 will return this 2015 processing season. Prayer Walks will ensure that each facility and the shoeboxes processed are covered in prayer as the gifts are prepared to leave the facilities on their way to the waiting arms of children! While we all aren't able to go to PC and pray in 2 hour shifts, we can pray by ourselves or with the prayer warriors where we live. As we prepare for this upcoming processing season, we look forward to the wondrous ways in which God will bless the work of our hands and do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! 
8. Last, Give thanks to God for our partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) for the past 5 years to encourage churches to pack shoeboxes through the “Shoebox Challenge.” In 2014, OCC and HFE challenged local churches once again to participate and earn complimentary park tickets to be used in the 2015 season. Overall, some 2,550 churches that took part in the challenge generating 748,141 shoebox gifts. This represented an increase of 109% from the previous year! We are pleased to announce the Shoebox Challenge will continue in 2015, with the goal of 1 million shoeboxes. The 3 parks that participate are: Silver Dollar City Branson, MO, New Port Aquarium Newport, KY, and Dollywood Pigeon Forge, TN.

As I think of all there is to do with collections it can seem a little stressful and overwhelming but Kristian Stanfill's singing "Always" comes to my mind:
"My foes are many, they rise against me, but I will hold my ground. I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way, my help is on the way. Troubles surround me, chaos abounding. My soul will rest in You. I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way, my help is on the way. Oh, my God, He will not delay. My refuge and strength always. I will not fear, His promise is true. My God will come through always, always. I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord....My refuge and strength always, always!"

Aren't you thankful We can rest knowing Help is on the way and that we serve an On Time God who is our Refuge and Strength ALWAYS! Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”

Have and blessed rest of the week & keep praying for OCC,
Jennifer

OCC Prayer, Slovakia, & Pastor Saeed

This week will you pray for Slovakia.  It is a locked central European state south of Poland. Only 1% of the over 5 million population is Evangelical Christian.  There are 20 different people groups that speak 13 different languages.  

1.    Pray that the ministry partners will understand the Operation Christmas Child vision.  

2.    Pray that mission agencies and local churches cooperate to the best effect, with joy and humility. 

3.    Pray for those reaching out to them, for love that will overcome all barriers and stereotypes.

WORLD REQUESTS:

1.    Pray for Pastor Saeed Abedine.  It's been nearly three years since Pastor Saeed, an American citizen, was imprisoned in Iran for his faith in Jesus Christ. His wife Nagmeh, who lives in the U.S. with their two young children, is calling for Christians worldwide to join her in a prayer vigil at noon on September 26—the third anniversary of his imprisonment.  Pastor Saeed has been repeatedly beaten and denied medical care, yet he continues to be a beacon for the Gospel among his fellow prisoners. Please pray for his health and that he will be released soon.  Please remember Pastor Saeed, his family, and persecuted believers around the globe. We can be assured that our God hears the prayers of His people: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

REGIONAL REQUESTS:

1.    Pray for wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteers. 

2.    Pray for provision of resources to reach God-sided goals for the current year!  Our Mid-south shoebox goal is 737,500 boxes.   

3.    Pray for the Collection and Relay Center Coordinators as they prepare for collection week. 

4.    Pray for Media relations volunteers that they will find favor with newspapers, TV, and radio. 

5.    Pray for Church and Community relations volunteers as they share about OCC.  

6.    Pray for the Full-Circle Tours as they continue.

SHOEBOX SIMULCAST PRAYERS September 22 @ 6:30pm, 24 @6:30pm, and 25th @11:30am.  Our Shoebox Simulcast series is THIS WEEK! We would love each of you to BATHE these three simulcasts in prayer. We want you, our prayer army, to mobilize and build a wall of protection around these simulcasts set for TODAY, the 24th and 25th.

We hope to reach a very big audience to get people inspired to advocate for our shoebox recipients and cast the vision for The Greatest Journey. We believe the enemy hates this and will do anything possible to stop this ministry from moving forward. We ask you to pray and pray specifically over these three dates and times listed above. We ask you to spend devoted time asking God to do great and mighty things through these simulcasts to get more people packing shoeboxes!

You can pray specifically seven ways:

1.    That technology will work excellently for each of the simulcasts. That all people who want to join in will not be hindered or frustrated by using Skype. That our staff will have no issues with our systems, our programs, or our sound. That all participating can hear clearly and fully and see their screen to follow along.

2.    That people will make a concerted effort to join in and be fully attentive. That no hindrance or scheme will keep those intended from being available to participate.

3.    That our OCC Connect volunteers will be better equipped, well-versed, and encouraged by new updates and concrete their knowledge in the basics of OCC.

4.    That our project leaders would learn new ways to implement OCC in their churches, community groups, and prayer groups. That they would be inspired to reach even more children and advocate more passionately for the children of the world.

5.    That individuals who have packed boxes will be encouraged to go deeper with OCC and learn more about how to get further involved.

6.    That church leaders and staff would truly grasp the depth of this project and the worldwide disciple-making movement that it is.

7.    For our goal of 737,000 shoeboxes to come from TN, AR, and KY in these next few months. We ask for God to do it and to do it marvelously! “For you are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God!” Psalm 86:10 NIV

Fruit, Harvest & OCC

Picking apples Monday night with my husband made me start thinking about homemade apple pies, fruit, and harvest.  As Christians we should always be producing fruit and be ready for harvest also.  Christian Fruit comes from pursuing a steadfast relationship with Jesus. There’s no other way. Too much doing and not enough abiding make our lives weak and our fruit weak. A consistent diligent pursuit of abiding in Christ will produce lasting fruit.  As you spend some time abiding in Christ and His Word, will you pray for OCC. 

Join us in praying for a great harvest of sweet fruit this 2015 collection season that will reap many Gospel Opportunities (shoeboxes) which will bring about many more children going through The Greatest Journey and accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior!   

Without abiding there is no fruit.

Without prayer there is no abiding.

Without prayer there is no fruit.

Prayer produces fruit! 

Also, OCC is excited to announce partnership with the Kendrick Brother’s Production of their new Christian film, War Room – a family-friendly movie that explores the transformational role of discipleship and prayer in our lives. The movie opened August 28. For more about the movie (official trailer, theatres and showtimes, etc.) visit www.samaritanspurse.org/occ/war-room  

    •Pray this new partnership will be an encouragement to the OCC family and to children around the world.

OCC International Prayer Requests for September are: 

1. Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members.

2. Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

Specifically this week pray for Bosnia-Herzegovina and Moldova. 

Bosnia-Herzegovina's requests are: 

1. Pray every member of the team will quickly adjust to their roles and will put into practice what they learned at the international volunteer training in Greece.

2. Pray the team will follow God’s leading to prepare well for the upcoming shoebox season and for wisdom in decisions that need to be made.

3. Please pray for the teachers and children that will be involved in The Greatest Journey discipleship program. Pray many more children will complete the program this year!

Moldova's requests are:

1. Pray for the upcoming national volunteer training in September. Pray that all of the invited participants will be able to come together and have a blessed, productive time.

2. Pray for the children. Pray the seed of God’s Word will bear fruit in their lives.

NEA OCC requests are: 

1. Saturday, September 12th, be praying for Alina as she is traveling and doing her "full-circle" speaking! 2. Pray for a good attendance at all her events! 

3. Pray for reaching our NEA goal of 10,200, and for each group/church/county's specific goals also. 

4. Pray for the churches that are participating in packing shoeboxes for the 1st time this year, that they will have success and see good fruit in their efforts! 

Thank You very much for your dedication to prayer for Operation Christmas Child. 

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ"

Colossians 4:2-3a NKJV

Jennifer 

Gabon & Mali

Tonight will you join me in praying for Gabon & Mali? 

Gabon's specific requests are:

1. Pray God will sustain The Greatest Journey (TGJ) discipleship program teachers so that, despite the delays in starting the course, the children will complete the training.

2. Pray God will work in the hearts of the children so they will follow the full TGJ course with perseverance.

Mali's specific requests are:

1. Pray for peace in Mali.

2. Pray the Ministry Partners who conduct the outreach programs understand the full OCC program.

3. Pray for the effectiveness of the national and regional volunteer leadership teams.

NEA OCC requests:

1. Prayer for our NEA goal of 10,200. 

2. Pray for a successful kick off event on Saturday, September 12th, when Alina Massey, from Romania, will be speaking at First Free Will Baptist Church in Jonesboro, 5407 Stadium Blvd, sharing her full-circle. Join us there at 10am. 

3. Pray for our team to continue to be rooted and strengthened. 

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me...” (John 11:41-42 ESV)

Have a blessed night,

Jennifer 

August OCC Prayer week 1

August 4 – 7, 2015 is the international Africa Connect Conference where over 170 volunteers will be traveling from across the region to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Pray that volunteers will come with open hearts to be encouraged and inspired to further the Gospel to children in their countries. Join us in prayer that God will: 

1. Encourage volunteers in their walk with the Lord and be equipped to do the work of the OCC ministry in 2015 & beyond.

2. Mobilize teams across the region to meet their 2016 distribution goals of 3.8 Million Gift Boxes and 1.2 Million TGJ.

3. Pray also for Conference Support Team.

4. Pray for Conference Speakers. 

A little History: This region has grown significantly in the last few years where over 25,664,505 Gospel Opportunities have been distributed, 1,274,601  children have participated in The Greatest Journey with over 587,358 reported decisions for Christ.

Our Regional Prayer Requests for OCC Mid-South are: 

1. Pray for God to provide new churches to partner with us as drop-off locations in 2015.

2. Continue to pray for God to call the right candidate to fill the role as Regional Manager in the Arkansas area.

3. Pray for the health of Mid-South volunteers. Many are dealing with serious health concerns.

4. Pray for Area Coordinators and Ministry Coordinators as they lead area teams and pray for unity among the teams.

5. Pray for the Mid-South Shoebox Goal of 737,500!!

6. August 5 - Quarterly Day of Prayer and Fasting - join us as we ask our Heavenly Father to work in the hearts of the children impacted by war, poverty, famine, disease, and exploitation that they may know Jesus.

NEA Area Team Prayer Requests:

1. NEA Goal 10,200 Shoeboxes

2. Saturday, September 10th, Alina Massey, from Romania, will be speaking at First Free Will Baptist Church in Jonesboro, 5407 Stadium Blvd, sharing her full-circle story!  Be in prayer for her and come hear how a simple shoebox gift made an eternal difference in her life!

Global OCC requests this week are to be in prayer for Burkina Faso and Cameroon.  Specific requests are below:

Burkina Faso

1. Pray for the political situation and a good end for the transition in Burkina Faso.

2.  Pray for a successful national volunteer leadership training this year.

3. Pray for the impact of the ministry in the three new regions.

Cameroon

1. Pray God will bring peace to Cameroon so that the country won’t be destabilized by outside forces who stop the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Thank You for your prayers. 

Jennifer 

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results" James 5:16

Operation Christmas Child 

July OCC Prayer Requests

July and summer are quickly ending as so is our list of prayer requests for the Sensitive Areas and Countries in the Middle East and North Africa.  Here are the specific request we are asking you to pray about this week:

• Pray the countries can become part of the OCC program
• Pray God protects the volunteers in the midst of the civil war.
• Pray for the Christians who are facing persecution from ISIS.
• Pray for the children who are currently enrolled in The Greatest Journey discipleship program.
• Pray for the team as they face challenges because of ISIS. 
• As mentioned last week, continue to pray for the Four OCC International Volunteer Leadership Meetings will occur around the world over the next few months. Pray that volunteers will come with open hearts to be encouraged and inspired to further the Gospel to children in their countries. 
• Also, continue to be in prayer for the August 5th Quarterly Day of Prayer and Fasting for OCC.

Sensitive Areas in the Middle East & North Africa

The rest of this week will you join NEA OCC in praying for Sensitive Areas and Countries in the Middle East and North Africa?   

Specifically pray for:

• Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members.
• Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.
• Pray for the many outreach events that will take place in the next two months.
• Pray God will provide transportation for the refugee children so they can attend school.
• Pray God will use the gifts to reveal His love to the children.
• Pray God will open doors for OCC to reach new areas. 
• Pray the team will get permission from the government to distribute gifts in the schools.
• Pray God gives the team guidance and discernment in selecting distribution areas.
• Pray for the families who have been affected by the severe flooding.
• Pray for the upcoming Ministry Partner training where local leaders learn how to create outreach events to distribute shoebox gifts and share the Gospel.
• Pray for the team as they search for a new consignee.
• Four OCC International Volunteer Leadership Meetings will occur around the world over the next few months. Pray that volunteers will come with open hearts to be encouraged and inspired to further the Gospel to children in their countries. 
• August 5th is our next Quarterly Day of Prayer and Fasting for OCC.

Have a blessed week!

OCC India & Nepal, OCC Around the World

Hello OCC Prayer Warriors! 

Over the next few months, four OCC international volunteer leadership meetings will occur around the world. Pray that volunteers will come with open hearts to be encouraged and inspired to further the Gospel to children in their countries.  Also pray for Nepal. The National Leadership Team of Nepal is made up of an inspiring group of children’s workers. Most of the team members personally care for several orphans. Pray for all affected by the earthquake, for those who have lost loved ones, and for families whose homes have been destroyed. Pray for the Gospel proclamation through shoebox gifts to grow.  

General Prayer Requests Internationally that each country faces is: 

1. Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members.

2. Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

Lastly, Spend the remainder of this week praying for India.  

Specifically:

1. Praise God for the training held in three states where 55 volunteers were trained.

2. Praise God for the upcoming Volunteer Discipleship Teacher trainings in Mumbai and Calcutta.

3. Pray for the tax exoneration.

4. Pray God will work in the hearts of the government officials who deal with the exoneration and customs clearance.

5. Pray for the TDW trainings. Pray for the Discipleship Coordinators, trainers, and teachers involved.  TDW is The Discipleship Workbook (same as The Greatest Journey but used in sensitive countries)

6. Pray God will provide the right candidates for the nine teams that will be recruited this season.

OCC Nepal & NEA OCC

Today I have 3 general OCC shoebox prayer requests, then some additional ones to follow. 

OCC prays that more children’s eyes may be opened so that they may turn from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God and that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus. 

* Therefore, specifically, we ask you to pray for the children receiving gift-filled shoeboxes that:

1. The enemy does not snatch away the word that was sown and for the eyes of their hearts to be enlightened so they can understand what they heard;

2. When tribulation and persecution arises, the children remain steadfast in God’s word and they would remember the joy they had when they first heard it; and

3. They would present themselves to God as one approved rightly handling the word of truth and that no circumstances would hinder them from becoming abundantly fruitful.

These are powerful prayers for shoebox recipients! 

* NEA OCC requests:

1. We have 1 request from Pocahontas. Misti Stowers has been working hard to bring more churches to participate in Operation Christmas Child.  One church is now on board and several more are meeting about it! Pray they can continue to spread the word about OCC in a compelling way that these other churches will want to get on board with us!  Lift the team up as Misti and others try to reach more churches, which means more boxes, and more Gospel opportunities!!!

2. Lift up Melinda Dixon's mother in prayer. She has been having some health problems with her sodium levels bottoming out and has been in the hospital for several days. She is improving and may be able to go home in a few days but I know Melinda would appreciate the prayers for her family. 

* Lastly, this week continue praying for Nepal, specifically: 

1. Praise God the boxes cleared customs!

2. Praise God for protecting the Ministry Partners during the distributions!

3. Pray for the children involved with The Greatest Journey. 

Thank You for your OCC Prayers!

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1 ESV)

Philippines and Operation Christmas Child

Praise God for our new NEA collection center! It is going to be at First Free Will Baptist on Stadium in Jonesboro! Kevin Barnett and Kathie Kinard will be the co-coordinators.  

This week we are asking you to pray for the Philippines. The Philippians are made up of 7,250 islands, over 700 of them are inhabited; 11 islands contain the bulk of the population. 11% of the population is unreached people groups. Only 12% of the total population is Evangelical Christian.  House Churches are being planted but growth is slow due to Muslim influence. The total population is over 93,600,000 people. 

- Praise God for the millions of Bibles that are translated and distributed each year and that His Word will make a deep and lasting impact on lives. 

- Praise God for enabling the team to reach the unreached people groups, including the Mandaya Tribe and the Kalagan tribe in Mindanao and Mindoro, through the shoebox distributions.

- Praise God the NLT, sRLTs, and RLTs are each functioning in their own roles, but are still working interdependently and serving in unity. 

- Praise God for the increased number of volunteers on the sRLTs and the difference they are making for Jesus.

- Praise God for the TGJ trainings, from the Train the Trainers to the teacher trainings, which were completed in all three major islands. 

- Praise Him that TGJ classes have reached new islands.

- Pray for the recruitment and selection processes of candidates for the vacant positions on the NLT and RLTs.

- Pray the teams will be able to adjust to the delays in receiving the training materials and will still be able to complete the trainings by their target dates. 

- Pray for the ongoing TGJ classes- pray more children will grow in the Word of God and that the teachers will lead the classes with compassion and love. 

- Pray for the remaining distributions. 

- Pray for the safety of the volunteers, partners, and teachers as they travel to remote areas for these distributions. 

- Pray for upcoming travel for the vision castings, MP trainings, TGJ training, recruitments, and interviews of potential volunteers.

 - Lastly, pray OCC will do abundantly more in 2015!!! 

Become an OCC Prayer Partner

Below is the link for becoming an Operation Christmas Child Prayer Partner sign up today!– spread the word J

http://www.samaritanspurse.org/occ-prayers/

Indonesia Operation Christmas Child

Praise God for the progress OCC has made in 2015. The rest of this week pray God will open doors for OCC to reach the unreached people groups in Indonesia.  Shoebox gifts collected in the United States in 2014 will be delivered to 79,286 children in Indonesia. Praise God that over 1,246,400 children have received a shoebox since 2000, when Operation Christmas Child began distributing gifts here.

• Indonesia has 253.6 million people and is located in Southeast Asia
• 26% of the population is 14 years old or younger

- Praise God for providing the financial resources needed to carry out the project in Indonesia.

- Praise God for the successful clearance of the containers and for  the boxes that are ready to be distributed.

- Praise God for the Teacher Trainer Trainings held in February. 

- Pray all of the participants will be encouraged and equipped fully to train more teachers. 

- Pray that more TDW training can be held and that OCC will be able to disciple more children as a result. (TDW is The Discipleship Workbook-same as The Greatest Journey but used in sensitive countries) 

- Pray for the completion of the sRLTs and RLTs. Pray God will open doors to establish teams in new areas and that He will send the right people to serve on these teams. 

- Pray for the existing sRLT and RLTs. (Regional Leadership Team)

- Pray God will equip them to accomplish their tasks well this season.

- Pray God provides more committed Ministry Partners who have a heart for children and want to support OCC full-heartedly.

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9 ESV)

OCC Samoa

Today will you join us in praying for Samoa?

Pray for the distributions and the Ministry Partners.

Pray for the development of the Regional Leadership Team. 

Pray they know their roles as the teams prepare for the nConnect. 

nConnect is a Volunteer National Connect Conference each country has similar to the Connect conference in the U.S. 

Thank You for praying for Samoa. 

OCC Malaysia

Today will you pray for OCC Malaysia?

* Praise God the government authorities approved the tax exoneration (relieved, as from an obligation) for the shoeboxes.

* Praise God for the successful Ministry Partner and TDW (The Discipleship Workbook (same as TGJ but used in sensitive countries) trainings over the past few months and for the teachers who were trained.

* Pray for the recruitment of the right candidates to fill the vacant positions on the National Leadership Team (NLT). 

* Pray the establishment of an interim committee and a future sRLT in the eastern region, to receive and distribute gift boxes this season. sRLT - Senior Regional Leadership Team (similar to Regional Area Coordinators in the U.S. as they oversee multiple Regional Teams. 

* Pray God will provide more volunteers to help the NLT in expanding the project with greater clarity and unity.

Thanks and have a wonderful Thursday! 

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (Matthew 18:20)

Global Day of Prayer

May 6th is the Global Day of Prayer and Fasting for Operation Christmas Child.  We want to have our NEA Team have a time of unified prayer time for each of our counties.  Wednesday May 6th, between 6-8am and 6-8pm we ask that you choose some time to be praying for Clay, Craighead, Greene, Lawrence, Mississippi, Poinsett, and Randolph Counties. 

Specifically:

1.   Pray that God will allow us to do abundantly more this year, our NEA goal is 10,200 boxes! 

2.  Pray for the Relay Centers and collection sites (I know National Collection Week it is not until November 16-23rd) but we want this to be the best collection year ever so more children will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus through the power of the shoebox and The Greatest Journey. 

3.  Pray for more people to have a passion for OCC and want to become year around volunteers.

4. Pray for more organizations and churches to start packing shoeboxes this year.

5. Pray for a volunteer - we  NEED a media team member or coordinator for NEA. 

6. Pray that every county will have a Church Relations team member. 

Unified prayer time:

6-6:05 Clay County

6:05-6:10 Craighead County

6:10-6:15 Green County

6:15-6:20 Lawrence County

6:20-6:25 Mississippi County

6:25-6:30 Poinsett County

6:30-6:35 Randolph County

Will you join us in praying for OCC & NEA OCC on May 6th? 

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew 18:20)

MAY Prayers for OCC

As we are quickly approaching May, praise God for the families, all around the world who pack shoebox gifts and make this ministry possible. Praise God for the churches that have been planted and the people that have been saved by God’s work through Operation Christmas Child. Praise God for all of the international, national, regional, and local teams who work with Operation Christmas Child.  Pray that the millions of children participating in The Greatest Journey discipleship program would have a clear understanding of what a relationship with Christ means. Pray likewise that they discover how to share what they have learned and experienced with others. Praise God for our new country for Shoebox distribution--in November, OCC received the final signature needed to begin shoebox distributions in Recife, Brazil. Our teams have been working hard since February for the sea containers to be released but prayer is needed for the customs clearance process to be finalized. During May we will be praying for East Asia, specifically this week pray for China & Fiji.  Also lift up everyone in Nepal dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake. 

Let's unite in prayer that we open our ears and listen to the Holy Spirt and God's direction for our NEA team, for the U.S.A., , for our other sending nations and our receiving nations, so we can we rooted, do abundantly more boxes in 2015,  and follow His guidance for His Honor and Glory. 

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13 ESV)

Peru & Operation Christmas Child

The week of praying for Paraguay and Peru is coming to an end so I want to thank you for your prayers and end with some specific requests and information about Peru. Shoebox gifts were first delivered to children in Peru in 1996. The National Leadership Team (NLT) consists of Teresa Choquehuanca as National Coordinator, Silvia Titto as Prayer Coordinator, Loida Herrera as Logistics Coordinator, Ana Delgado as Discipleship Coordinator, Dina Gamboa as Training Coordinator and Margoth Aguirre as Resources Coordinator. The NLT has developed 12 Regional Leadership Teams that are instrumental in leading efforts in the different regions of the country. Pray for these leaders.   Pray for the people living in the Puno region as they deal with extremely cold weather. Pray for the native communities. Pray for the new Regional Leadership Teams.  Praise God for all He has done in 2014 – for allowing the team to take the Gospel to 15 regions and to share it with 166,977 children. Praise Him for the children who accepted Christ and participated in The Greatest Journey (TGJ).  Praise God for the children’s prayer program in Peru, Children in the Gap, which saw hundreds of children join in prayer for the ministry of OCC this year. Praise God for allowing the team to reach children who live in remote places with great spiritual needs.  Praise God for the volunteer regional leadership teams, Teacher Trainers, and volunteers, whose hearts are ready to serve with OCC and who make this ministry possible.  Pray for the volunteer regional leadership team who live in areas where the rainy season makes it difficult to travel in order to distribute boxes and for the children to attend TGJ classes.  Pray for the provision of the resources for the volunteer regional leadership team working in the jungles of Peru.  Thank you for praying and have a blessed weekend!