Sudan 52 Week Prayer Guide

Week 1: Islamic Sects - Republican Brothers

Week 2: Campus Ministries

Week 3: Labourers - That the Lord may raise up workers.

Week 4: Miracles - Spiritual Warfare

Week 5: The Local Chruch raised up for Kingdom purposes

Week 6: Leaders - Men of peace in the community

Week 7: Unreached peoples - Nubians

Week 8: Universaties - Youth/Children

Week 9: Woman

Week 10: Islamic Sects - Ansar Summa

Spiritual Warfare/ Supernatural Occurrences
Week31 Healings/ Deliverance

It was supposed to be just a simple meeting but when the praises started, Fatima fell to the ground and started writhing. Noises like a hissing angry cat started to come out of her mouth. The believers gathered around, prayed, and the Lord delivered her. The pastor said that there are still some problems. The lady has been coming to church and going to witch doctors to find solutions to her problems.

Healing and Deliverance were an essential part of the Jesus' proclamation of the advent of the Kingdom of God. Thousands were healed and delivered. In this country, both are dire needs. Malaria and other diseases affect many. Outlying areas are some of the least accessible to medical professionals in the entire world. No one knows how many are afflicted with AIDS. Because of the nature of the way AIDS spreads, it would cause great shame in this Islamic nation to admit the existence of the problem. Thousands live in need of the touch of a healer's hands.

The possessed are also here. You see them on the street at times. Other times, they will come in and disrupt church services. Families sometimes hide them away from the public eye. The Sudan is steeped in Sufi-ism, the mystical pagan side of Islam that deals much with demons, spirits and the otherworld. You can't go anywhere outside the capital without seeing the tombs of Holy Men. Sufis hold festivals where they whirl around and work themselves into a demonic frenzy.

Jesus had no tolerance for the influence of the demonic in people's lives.
4. Pray that workers would have the authority of Christ and the boldness to cast out demonic spirits, and to lay hands on the sick and see them recover.
5. Pray that these displays of power would lead to conversions, not just to people coming to see the power of God displayed.
6. Pray that those who are delivered would clean up their lives and not continue to mix Christianity with pagan practices.

The Local Church: raised up for Kingdom purposes.
Week32 Churches in bordering countries to be raised up. African Neighbours

Sudan is the largest country in Africa and has been blessed by having 9 neighbours. (Libya, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Zaire, Central African Republic, Chad)

Because of the conflict in Eritrea and Ethiopia over the last decade, there has been a flood of refugees into the Sudan. Consequently there are several vibrant churches of Eritrean and Ethiopian origin. The members of these churches are culturally and ethnically very similar to Northern Sudanese and therefore strategically placed to reach them.

A second opportunity is missionary movements out of more Christian neighbours. Kenya and Uganda both have great churches and many strong believers. It would be wonderful to see an army of sub-Saharan missionaries march into Sudan.

Thirdly, Sudan is strategically placed in the underbelly of Islam. With borders and good relationship to Libya and Egypt the possibility is great for Sudan to become a sending nation. The Harbour City of Port Sudan lies directly across the Red Sea from Jeddah and is the closest non-Saudi city to Mecca.

· Please pray for the refugee churches of Eritreans and Ethiopians. Pray that they will be stirred to reach their Muslim friends and Neighbours
· Please pray that other African nations and national churches will adopt Sudan as a nation to pray for and commission missionaries to.
· Please pray that Sudan will eventually be a missionary sending nation - launching out labourers into the Muslim world.

Leaders
Week33 Key Govt. Leaders: salvation, Truth to stand. Political Leaders

To this point in modern Sudanese history, the vast majority of leaders with influence have been Northern Muslims. With the advent of peace in Sudan, this imbalance will be partially amended as more Southern politicians are granted the right to hold office.

Sudan has suffered at the hands of self serving politicians. Over the last 60 years since independence in 1956, Sudan has been mismanaged and bound in the coils of war. Self serving politicians have grown rich while the middle class has disappeared and the economy starved. The common people - both Muslim and Christian - have suffered tremendously.

As a fragile democracy emerges, there is great hope for change. As this hope is based on fallen human hearts, the long suffering Sudanese people are headed for more disappointment.

· Please pray for the Sudan that is emerging. With the signing of peace agreements there is great potential for development and advance. There is also great temptation towards corruption and graft. Please pray that the political leaders chosen will be men of justice and integrity.

· Please pray for key political leaders to come to vibrant faith in Jesus Christ. In many different ways (Bibles, videos, direct testimony) the highest level of leaders in Sudan have heard the gospel. Pray that these seeds would find good soil and strategic decisions and laws passed that would further the spread of the gospel.

Unreached People Groups.
Week34 Fur

A Sudanese Fur refugee in Egypt once said the following: "The government tells me that to be a Muslim I must be an Arab. The government has killed my father, my brother, and my cousin. If I have to chose between being a Fur and a Muslim, I am a Fur, not a Muslim." When he filled out his application to immigrate to the West, in the space for religion, he wrote "Pagan."

The Fur as a people group is a kingdom in north-western Sudan that was never fully conquered by European Colonialism or the Sudanese government. Most of their country, Dar Fur, is isolated desert, and they still have a king even today. There is considerable tension between the Fur and the Sudanese government, which can at any time break out into hostilities.

Please pray that the Fur will have Bible translation and evangelism materials in their language. Pray that God will use the Islamic pressure from Khartoum to create an open door for the Gospel. Pray that God will raise up missionaries who can live among the Fur in Northwest Sudan.

Youth / Children
Week35 Koranic Schools

His name is Abdul Rahman. He is barely three and already he is going to school. The school he goes to is different. He is required to learn and recite long texts, with big adult words. When he learns to write, he will jot his lessons down on his wooden board that serves him as a notebook. Already he can recite long passages from memory. His parents are very proud of him. If he learns really well, he might get to be on television, as part of a competition of young children who can recite these passages.

Abdul Rahman goes to Koranic school, as do all Muslim children. There he learns to recite the Koran. From the earliest age, children are indoctrinated. In some poor areas, Islamic schools are the only schools. The children learn Math, Science, Arabic and the Koran. Mosques are filled with Muslim teachers and young children. A whole generation is being lost.

Would you pray that:
1. The indoctrination of children would stop in Sudan
2. Children would have a chance to learn about Jesus like they learn the Koran.
3. The Educational system would not force these children to learn the Koran as part of their Arabic education.

Women
Week36 Gift

Gift and her sisters live in a dormitory for students from Eastern Sudan who attend university in Khartoum. Gift misses home but does not have much money for phone calls or travel back and forth. Khartoum is a big city to her and she feels nervous travelling around the buses. At the university Gift attends classes in English and Arabic, so she is relieved to get home at the end of a day and speak Bedawiyyet with the girls in the dorm. A Christian friend shared with Gift the good news of life in Jesus Christ. Gift told her friend that Muslims can not possibly leave Islam and that if they did they would be kicked out of their families and maybe worse. Please pray for salvation to spring forth among university students like Gift. Even though knowing Jesus would likely bring suffering upon Gift and other young women like her, they could know the truth of His Comfort. "For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." 2 Corinthians 1:5

§ Refugees
Amy is a young Sudanese refugee living in a major metropolis. She has two young sons ages 6 and 7, and a husband. Unfortunately, her marriage is not everything she hoped for. Her husband does not even attempt to find work. He stays at home, "thinking" as he puts it, as if that will solve all their problems. Amy is trying to learn English. She had started the English class with workers, but then became sick with female problems and dropped out. Now a worker is tutoring her twice a week so that she can catch up. Pray that as she spends time with this worker that she will learn of the love that will never fail. Pray that she will want to be a part of the Bride of Christ, for that will be a marriage with no hardships and no disappointments. Pray that the worker will know the right things to say and when. "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favour and a good name in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3:3-4. "For your love is more delightful than wine." Song of Solomon 1:2b.

Islamic Sects
Week37 Pluralistic Muslims

Outside a squash court by the international airport "David" sits dripping with sweat. He has just finished playing his friend Mohammed a friendly game of squash. As friendly as an open roofed, 120 degree court will allow. They sit cooling down, sipping water, talking of friends, family, and politics.

Mohammed is a successful businessman in Khartoum. He has a comfortable house, two children, and two cars. He was trained in British schools and is not a practising Muslim. He does not pray, he does not fast, and he only goes to the mosque when he absolutely has to. His philosophy of religion is "Kullu Waahid" (It is all one). "As long as you are sincere and a good person, " he says, "I think you will make it to heaven."

The majority of Sudanese shares the views of Mohammed. While many will be more devout than Mohammed, almost all Sudanese are pluralistic. They sincerely believe that there are many ways to heaven. As long as you believe in one God and do good things - you will probably make it in.
As oil money begins to flow, this issue is being highlighted. People are getting a taste for comfort and financial prosperity and it is having a negative effect on their thirst for truth. Sudanese society is in the throws of drastic change and the effects on morality and community is disturbing.

Please pray for Sudanese Muslims in this time of transition. As political and social freedoms increase, there is a louder cry in the public conscience for pluralism. Please pray that the exclusive claims of the Bible will continue to be proclaimed and explained.

Pray that Sudanese Christians and expatriate missionaries do not give into the pluralistic lie. When you are surrounded by millions of the damned, when those self same damned are so friendly and accommodating…you want to believe there is another way. But there is not. Jesus is the only way. Please pray that Christian workers would keep a focused and kindled passion for the lost.

Ministries
Week38 Discipleship/ Evangelistic Ministries

In September of 2003 one of the leading evangelical Arab Christians made this comment. "In my church and related ministry we have seen hundreds of Muslims come to Jesus. But if you ask me where they are today I can not tell you. For various reasons - cultural and practical - the Sudanese church is strong in evangelism and weak in discipleship". This lament could be carried I am sure by Christians worldwide.

There are many opportunities for evangelism in Sudan. The Jesus Film has been a powerful team and currently more than a dozen teams circle the country repeatedly showing the film and inviting those who watch it to respond to Christ. Book exhibitions, Marches for Jesus, and special outreaches are very common. There is more freedom to evangelise in this Islamic country than in many others with less fundamentalist governments.
Along with the Jesus film, Campus Crusade also conducts "New Life Training" which is a discipleship study: preparing disciples to make disciples. Other groups also have a burden for discipleship, mentoring, accountability groups, and cell churches.

Please pray for continued freedom to proclaim Christ throughout all Sudan
Please pray for the many unreached peoples' groups of Sudan
(Sudan has more untargeted people groups than any other country in the world) and expatriate missionaries to do as strong a job in discipleship as they are in evangelism.

Please pray for Sudanese Christians Labourers/ Workers
Week39 For Short Term Labourers: English Teachers etc.

A few years ago, a 10 member volunteer team came to a Muslim town (similar to most Northern Sudanese towns) in the Horn of Africa. In 7 days, they quietly distributed about 30 Gospel and Bible story tapes in people's homes and shops. They also spent a lot of time praying for the town and its people: praying in the streets, from the roof of their hotel, in the market, in the shops, etc. Two month after this team had finished their project, 4 Muslim men accepted Christ in that small town. Given the size of the town and the amount of prayer, it is very likely that this team prayed for all 4 men.

Short-term teams and projects give people a chance to interact strategically in God's mission to reach Northern Sudan. They are able to pray effectively on the ground and more effectively when they return to their home country. Short-termers can become advocates for Sudan or one of its people groups and are not unlikely to catch a longer-term vision from their experiences.

Pray that God will be raising up short-term workers to come to Sudan for Vision and Prayer walk journeys. Pray that God will especially raise of short term volunteers to teach a course in English in one of many English schools around the country.

Spiritual Warfare/ Supernatural Occurrences
Week40 Major Spiritual Strongholds facing workers and believers in the Church: Oppression, Weariness and Discouragement, Confusion of the Mind.

It's a simple truth. Most people from abroad who come to share a Christian witness in the Sudan don't make it long. People's health deteriorates, they get exhausted from the heat, and their marriages fall apart, their children struggle. One missionary reports waking up with a demonic presence on his chest, trying to crush the life out of him. Others report their children have demonic nightmares. Many have awoken in the middle of the night with a demonic presence in their room.

At times, the work of the enemy is subtler. Cultural stress is a bit factor, and additionally the needs are overwhelming and incessantly there. You can't get away from them. Add to all this, there is sometimes a hopelessness that overcomes workers. The needs are so great, the workers so few, the results so few, the opposition so large.

Pray for those working for the Kingdom in the Sudan, both national and expatriate workers.

Pray against attacks from the enemy.

Pray specifically for health, encouragement, and hope.

Pray against oppression, depression, discouragement, and demonic attacks.

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