Helping Families in the Red Zone . . .

           Hope For Those Displaced by La Soufriere

     St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is a chain of small islands in the Caribbean and home to La Soufriere, an active volcano located on the main island.

                              

La Soufriere had been dormant since 1979. However, when the volcano started to show signs of activity in December 2020, Ambassadors For Christ International’s (AFCI) National Director of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Veral Blake, acted quickly to make prayer partners aware of the situation and to prepare AFCI to provide relief in the event of an eruption.

Scientists continued to observe increased volcanic and seismic activity before alerting the government on April 8, 2021, that an explosive eruption was imminent. In response, the SVG Prime Minister issued an immediate evacuation order for those living in the area surrounding the volcano known as the red zone.

Eruptions began the following day and continued until April 22, covering the island with ash, destroying crops and homes, and cutting off water supplies and access to power. By then, the approximately 16,000 people in immediate danger had already been evacuated to government shelters.

Veral described how the Lord answered the prayers lifted up on behalf of SVG and enabled AFCI to respond.

                               

                    

The SVG team learned from shelter managers that government provisions were limited to basic food items. AFCI reached out to supporters, who responded with over $15,000 in donations.

The SVG team used those funds to purchase hygiene, clothing, and additional food items and prepared nearly 4,000 care packages that were distributed within the shelters and to private homes. “The Lord led us through prayer on how to respond,” says Veral. “We were blessed as were the evacuees, and the Lord was praised.”

                                

                                                     

Recovery for the nation remains a huge undertaking. The structural damage to homes and public infrastructure in the red zone was extensive. Further activity from La Soufriere is still possible. The situation is further exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As evacuees begin to return, Veral plans to coordinate with other teams to assist with cleanup efforts, sharing the Gospel in action in the wake of the biggest disaster to hit the island in a generation.

Note: Having read Veral Blake's story above, we ask that you please continue to pray for his and Norma's son, Nigel, who has rectal cancer and has been in the USA undergoing treatment at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn. Nigel completed the first phase of treatment and has been given the green light to return home to recuperate for six weeks before returning to continue chemotherapy for at least another three months. This next phase will be more intense. Please pray for Nigel. He hopes to return to the USA in early October.

Excerpted with permission from AFCI’s Compass 2021 Volume 2, a publication of Ambassadors for Christ International.

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Prayer & Praise Sept. 29-Oct. 5

9/29 JOHN & LOIS NORTH    

Ambassadors for Christ International, Australia

Pray for pastors who want to lead their church in the life of a witness and teach them how to live that life. Jesus’ teaching to his disciples was as much about how to live as how to connect to God. To these people (people like you and me) EvangelismSHIFT is freeing, as they understand how representing Jesus fits into normal life, normal relationships, and normal conversations.

9/30 GARY & PENNY SEITHEL
United World Mission, England
Praise God for Visas coming through for East Mountain UK. (Gary is chair of this charity). Also, thank God for Rail Pastors helping vulnerable people in London. Please pray for continual wisdom for leading I GOT SHOES charity. As schools reopen in Uganda, pray for students, teachers, and staff to be successful, healthy, and remain open.

10/1 BELA & ILDIKO DOBOS
Word of Life Fellowship, Hungary
Please pray for project funds in the fall to build a new dormitory by summer 2022. This will increase the capacity of their camp and Bible Institute. Pray for the Dobos as they are in the US to have safe travel and influential appointments.

10/2 PAUL & KARAN DAVIS
TEAM, France 

The Albertville Church will take a weekend retreat October 2-3. Pray for them as they seek the Lord for His direction in the life of their church.

10/3 SS
Asia

Praise God that S was able to attend Billy Graham’s Pastoral Leadership Conference in his mission country. There were 400 local pastors registered. S’s goal was to meet other pastors and get to know about other ministries. Please pray for him as he works to better understand the local language. Fortunately, many of those pastors spoke English.

10/4 R & B
Africa

Please continue praying for R & B’s son as he receives treatment for a serious disease. Pray that he will continue to respond well to future treatments.

10/5 Ignatius & Marjorie Lakra
Source of Light Ministries, India 

Ignatius saw four doctors recently. The neurologist found that he had a small stroke and started him on new medication. The cardiologist also started him on new medication. He has been referred to two other doctors. Please pray for renewed strength and complete healing. 

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Thank you for your faithful prayers for our Faith Promise Missionaries each week. If you're interested in knowing more about one of the missionaries you have prayed for, we have a program called MAP (Missionary Adoption Program) where we match church members with a missionary serving in an area of the world, or in a field of ministry, that is of particular interest to you for the purpose of praying for and encouraging that missionary. Interested? Find out more at https://www.fba.org/global-missions/missionary-adoption-program