Prayer Requests and Updates for Western Niger Fulani

WARM Greetings from Niger!

 

The temperatures have been really warm as we are in our hot season. We are anticipating the beginning of rainy season and cooler temperatures in the next few weeks. We appreciate your prayers for energy & patience on these warm days. We are all so grateful for your support of us through prayer and your notes of encouragement.

• Please remember to pray for Michelle Spannagel in the weeks to come. Michelle is expecting a sibling for Hannah during the month of June. The Spannagel family will be traveling to Burkina Faso later this month for a check up and a look at the clinic where Michelle is planning to have her baby. Pray for their safety as they travel.  Pray for strength, comfort & health for Michelle during this difficult time of year.Pray for Hannah as she will be going through a big change when the baby comes.
• The Spannagels have been ministering to the physical needs of a chief in their area who has had to have his foot amputated.  Pray for them as they show Christ's love to this man.  Pray for healing.  Pray for an openness to the Gospel in the chief, his family and his village.
• Thank you for your prayers for the meningitis outbreak near Cherry's village. We are happy to report that there were no new cases after the initial 3. Thank you for lifting Cherry up in prayer during a very stressful time. The mystery illness is still around but people seem to recover without any lasting side effects. Pray for Cherry during this hot time as she lives without electricity. Pray for her to be able to rest at night and awake refreshed. 
• Kris has recently traveled to Cherry's village to share with some men.One man said that he heard about Jesus on the radio and wanted to know more.This man and a few others prayed to accept Christ! Pray for them as they learn about their new faith. Pray for encouragement for them since they will certainly face persecution from their family and friends.
• Rainy season should be starting soon. Please pray for adequate rain to fall for the millet crops of the Fulani. Many people are already running out of the stored grain from last year's harvest. Pray for them to be sustained until the next harvest in September.  Pray for them to hunger for the LORD and His salvation. 

 

We are grateful for your prayers for us as we minister to the Fulani.  Please pray that we will always be prepared to give testimony about what Jesus has done for us. 

 

The Western Niger Fulani Team:

Cherry Faile

Shad & Michelle Spannagel

Kris and Shelley Riggs

 

Current prayer requests for the Western Niger Fulani:

 

1)  Fulfulde programming continues to go out across the land of the Western Niger Fulani.  Recently a new station near a large Fulani population agreed to broadcast the audio version of the Jesus film on their station.  Pray for the Fulani who will hear this amazing story.  Pray for them to accept this Truth and to have the courage to make it a part of their lives.  Pray for continued success in getting even more Fulani Christian programs on the radio so that even more Fulani can hear.

 

2)  Recently a Western Fulani man from a village south of Niamey heard some Christian programs on the radio.  After listening to the program he wanted to know more about Jesus.  Missionaries to the Fulani were able to meet with him and he has confessed faith in Jesus!  Give praise for this new Fulani Christian.  Pray for him to have courage to live and give testimony about his new faith.

 

3)  Missionary to the Western Niger Fulani, Cherry Faile has started new outreach groups in villages near her village southwest of Niamey.  Cherry reports that one certain village is very spiritually oppressed.  Pray for Cherry to have all of the right words to say to share the Truth of the scripture with these Fulani.  Pray for her safety as she travels to these villages that are all very isolated bush villages.  Pray for the people who hear the Bible stories that God would soften their hearts towards the Gospel.

I recently heard from a friend, Omarou, who is a Fulani believer, about a village in the SW part of Niger, that as many as 20 people have been listening to radio broadcasts and are ready to "throw away their religion" and "follow Omarou's religion".   This village is remote and difficult to reach.  There are no other know believers there and no churches for possibly 20 - 40 miles.

 

Please pray for these seekers that they would hunger for the truth;

    that the Father would send someone to help them grow in their faith;

    that they would come together and form a true, Christ-honoring church;

    that the Father would protect them from the enemy.

Jan 13-20 there will be a medical team from North America coming to work among the Fulani.  Please pray for the planning for this large team as there is much work that still must be done before they arrive.  Also, pray for those whom they will touch.  Pray that their ministry will open doors in villages and individuals to hear more about Jesus.

Praise the LORD for a young man whom we will call Y. Neal has shared with this young man and Y has said that he wants to become a believer in Jesus. Pray for Neal as he disciples Y. Pray for the roots of his faith to grow deep and strong. Neal was also asked to give a Christian blessing at Y's wedding. Pray for Y to be a Godly man and husband as a witness to others around him.

There is an optometrist that will be arriving Nov 15 to work among the Fulani for a few weeks.  Please pray for his safety in travel and that as he gives out prescription glasses that the Fulani will not only see better physically, but that they would come to see the truth about Jesus.

Mr. T is a Western Niger Fulani believer who lives in a town southwest of Niamey, the capital city. Recently a Fulani priest approached Mr. T, seeking to know more about The Jesus Way. This is not the first time a Muslim priest has sought answers from Mr. T. Please pray for Mr. T. Ask God to give him wisdom as he shares his faith with his Fulani brother. Ask God to touch the hearts of these men who are seeking the truth about Jesus. Pray for Fulani seekers who face severe persecution from family and friends if they do turn to Jesus.

Millet Harvest

During this month, the Western Niger Fulani will begin harvesting the millet they planted in June. The past few months have been very difficult, with food shortages for many. Please pray for an abundant harvest that will sustain the Fulani for months to come. Pray for a hunger for Truth in the hearts of the Western Niger Fulani.