Recently in Prayer Requests Category

One of our missionaries, Daryl Martin, was recently killed in an accident while serving in Malawi. Daryl had been at the Iris Africa ministry base with his wife and two of his sons since September of 2009.

David Morrison, the Director of Iris Africa in Malawi, recently wrote this tribute to Daryl:

Daryl was a man who loved adventure and had childlike energy and enthusiasm. He was determined, no matter what the cost, to accomplish God's will. He had courage--courage imparted to him from the Kingdom of Heaven.

Daryl was a missionary marked by dedication and commitment to help Malawians achieve a healthier way of life and sustainability. Above all else Daryl accepted God's call to preach the Gospel so that the people would understand life from God's perspective and come to know the great saving grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ. He preached in village churches and taught at the Bible school. He led Bible studies with young men as well as older men, spurring them on in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

Daryl put his faith into action. He was involved in restoring boreholes in the villages so that people would have clean water. He hosted medical teams, particularly eye medical teams, so that the people of southern Malawi would have healthier eyes. He himself became an experienced "lay" physician with the ability to diagnose patients with trachoma, so that by appropriate treatment, blindness would be prevented. Also very importantly, Daryl trained Malawians in trades such as chicken and crop farming so that families would have greater sustainability.

If we were to count how many Malawian people were impacted by Daryl's life, it would run in the thousands. Daryl's obedience to the Lord has brought forth great Kingdom fruit.

Learn more about Daryl's extraordinary life at the Heart Fire Ministries website.

More information about a memorial service for Daryl will be available when his family returns to Arizona later this week.

Daryl is survived by his wife, Rebekah, and four children - Averi, Joshua, Jonathan, and Caleb. You can help the Martin family by donating to the Martin Family Memorial Fund. Deposits can be made at any Wells Fargo Bank. Use account number 5739784279.

The Foursquare Church of Japan was impacted when a 9.0 earthquake, which resulted in a tsunami, rocked the country on Friday. Foursquare Missions International Director James C. Scott offers an update about the state of The Foursquare Church in Japan. In addition, Corey (last name withheld for security reasons), Foursquare's area missionary to Japan, offers a personal update about what he is seeing on the ground.

Please join together in supporting our Foursquare friends in Japan through your prayers and support.

• Update from FMI Director James C. Scott
• Update from Area Missionary Corey
• News announcement on The Foursquare Church in Japan
• Give to Japan relief efforts

As Midwest communities along the Mississippi River face a difficult recovery from the worst flooding the region has seen in 15 years, Foursquare pastors, church leaders and congregants are on the scene to bring assistance to people and neighborhoods that are in the most need.

Iowa District Supervisor Jim Machen and Regional Supervisor Cliff Hanes are actively engaged in assessing the needs of our churches and the communities affected by the flooding. Assistant General Supervisor Jim Scott is also in the region, helping to mobilize Foursquare’s response as people determine how to clean up and rebuild their homes and their lives.

Two semi trailer-loads of supplies have been shipped to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, one of the hardest-hit areas to date. Cedar Rapids Christian Center, a Foursquare church pastored by Barry Foster, was flooded with nearly four feet of water. Jim Machen, who accompanied Pastor Barry as he walked through his church building, writes: “We had to wear boots and masks to go through the church building once the water receded. The four-and-a-half feet of water that was in the church many days did major damage.”

Other areas in Iowa impacted by the rising water include:

• Waterloo: Pastor Jerry Burrow’s home was inundated with three feet of floodwater.
• Waverly: Water flooded the home of a recent Foursquare church planter.
• Vinton: Scattered flooding caused much damage, but recovery efforts are going well.
• Iowa City: A trailer park and some businesses were flooded, and a large church in the community had water inside up to the roof. House of Praise Foursquare Church, pastored by Richard McCaslin is fine, but the homes of two families in the church were flooded.
• Fort Madison: Flooding of homes and businesses along the river was made worse by a semi-load of carbon dust inadvertently dispersed into the floodwater.

Several Iowa churches, while not directly affected by flooding, have strongly participated in local relief efforts. Foursquare congregants from both Living Hope Community Church in Davenport, pastored by Renee Holm, and Burlington Foursquare Church, pastored by Sam Fratt, are providing meals for relief workers. The city of Davenport alone received one initial damage estimate of $4.5 million. Cleanup and restoration of the damaged region could take four years or more to complete.

The Foursquare church family across the U.S. is encouraged to pray diligently for our pastors and fellow Christians, especially those serving the needs of people affected by the flooding, as well as those volunteers who are working tirelessly to help with cleanup and restoration.

The National Church Office released initial funding for flood relief in several communities in Iowa, and is accepting donations to assist as additional needs are identified and assessed.

Ways to help

1. Monetary donations may be made payable to The Foursquare Church and mailed to:

Disaster Relief
The Foursquare Church
1910 W. Sunset Blvd., Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90026

Please clearly mark “Disaster Relief” on the memo line of each check.

2. The Iowa District office currently is establishing a process for coordination of work teams. Teams wishing to assist with cleanup and recovery should contact the Iowa District office by calling 563.243.0701.

3. Pray for God's grace to embrace those that mourn, “to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:2-4 (NKJV).

Foursquare News Service #337

Foursquare News Service #332

Over the weekend Cyclone Nargis struck the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar--also known as Burma--with 120 mph winds and caused widespread devastation. As of Wednesday, the death toll may exceed 100,000 people, with more than 70,000 missing and 1 million homeless. This disaster is already being compared to the 2004 tsunami that hit south Asia.

Foursquare global connect coordinator, Tom Hinton, is assessing the situation with the help of Regional Representative George Butron and National Leader Philip Ahone. Together they are initiating a relief response action plan. Foursquare Myanmar has 112 churches in this predominately Buddhist nation and is involved in evangelizing and training church planters to reach the harvest.

George Butron writes: "Pastor Philip contacted me to say that the roofing was blown off our Bible college there, as well as several leaders' homes and several church buildings. There is no power or drinking water. Food, fuel and other essentials have tripled in price overnight. Large numbers of people are at risk in the days ahead."

Jonathan Hall, director of Foursquare Missions has noted three prayer points for the Foursquare family:

• Ask the God of comfort and peace to minister to victims in the midst of the confusion
• Pray for provision and resources to help meet people's immediate needs for food and shelter.
• Ask the Lord to give our Foursquare leaders wisdom in how to respond and advance His kingdom.

If you would like to give financially to assist in this Foursquare relief effort, please send contributions to Foursquare Missions International. Make your check out to ICFG, and write "Relief Fund" on the memo line. Mail checks to:

Foursquare Missions
ATTN: Paulette McCammon
P.O. Box 26902
Los Angeles, CA 90026

From Tom and Cynthia (Grace Chapel Missions Directors):

Yancy and Corene are going to the U.S. Consulate early this morning and hopefully they will get a favorable response by the grace of God and an answer to our prayers (Corene had important papers stolen while in Ecuador and may not be able to leave the country as scheduled. In fact, she's been told she can't even get an appointment with the officials who could give her new papers until almost a week after the rest of the team leaves).

Debra Evans has been diligent to get through to a senior supervisor of Continental Airlines and they may have figured out a plan B. Pray whatever plan the Lord provides, that Corene will be on the plane Sunday and home.

The rest of the team is going to Milagro Escuela – a school that is part of Meri Fenske's home church down in Ecuador (she lives with the pastors and ministers in the school) – and then an outreach in Yaguachi. Pray for continued ministry anointing. Pray for strength, as the team has been ministering for almost 2 weeks. Let them see some of the fruits of the labor and rejoice in the Lord over it. To God be the Glory.

Tomorrow will be their last day of ministry and they will be having a full day of fun by taking the boys of the Shalom Orphanage to a swim and amusement park. May it be a Big Day of Fun for all. Pray for continued time for relationships to be developed with the boys and our team, also with Anita and her helpers. Pray it will be a day to refresh everyone!!!!! Pray for protection, safety and divine health. Bless all the food everyone eats, bind food poisoning.

The team will then go to the airport and leave just after midnight, this is a long day and pray for them to be refreshed as they sleep on the floor and seats waiting and on the plane trip to Houston. May they all get through customs and have no delays in their flight to Phoenix. And all arrive safely home at 9:46 AM Sunday morning.

Thank you all for going through this prayer journey with our team. You will share in the rewards that God has and will bring forth by their ministry to the people of Ecuador – our brothers and sisters of the Kingdom of God.

Tomorrow the team will be ministering in the park at Babahoyo.

1. Pray for boldness for the team to share the Gospel.
   
2. Pray for the people to be drawn to the team and to have ears to hear the Gospel message.
   
3. The team will need protection. Pray for them to be wise and discerning.
   
4. Pray the interpretors will translate by the anointing of God.
   
5. Pray for continued health and protection.
   

Let us all rejoice for what God is going to do in that park beforehand and give Him praise for what He will do with our team by His powerful Grace. Let's anticipate the inevitable, supernatural, intervention of God. Let's expect miracles.

Let us give thanks for the obedience our team has demonstrated and ask the Lord to bless all the endeavors they have ahead of them this week.

Today is a beach and refresh day.

1. Pray the Lord would reward all the team's hard work during the conference.
   
2. Pray the team's evening devotional time will be a refreshing breeze of the Holy Spirit.
   
3. Pray for travel mercies for the team as they drive back to Guayaquil tomorrow.
   
4. Pray that God would give the drivers (Warren, Bob, and Yancy) discernment and wisdom on the road.
   
5. Pray for continued good health for the team.

The conference begins today and goes through the weekend. Pray for:

1. Unity
   
2. Anointed worship, speakers and workshops.
   
3. Glorifying fellowship
   
4. Travel mercies
   
5. Presence of the Lord and anointing of the Holy Spirit
   
6. All needs would be ministered to through the gifts of the Holy Spirit
   
7. Service attitude of conference workers, especially team from Grace
   
8. Divine health
   
9. Strengh
   
10. Everyone would find their sufficency in the Lord Jesus Christ

Today the team works on all the last minute preparations for the children's workers conference.

1. Pray that everything goes as planned.
2. Pray for a special anointing on Rae and Meri as they go over their teachings and for any other leader that is going to teach.
3. Pray that the worship team will bring the presence of the Lord and the Holy Spirit into the room and that each attendee will be refreshed and lifted up in their worship. May the Lord be glorified!
4. Ask for a spirit of unity with all, especially our team from Grace. Pray that their devotional times will be filled with God's love and grace. Pray that they will minister and serve in that provision and not in their own strength.

Today the team is ministering at Santa Rosa School in Salinas.

1. Pray the kids on the team will demonstrate the Love of Jesus.
   
2. Pray that they will be able to connect with the school children and that the Lord will anoint the drama, games, and testimonies that they share.
   

The conference for children's workers is on June 22-24.

1. Pray for the Lord's anointing and provision to be upon the conference speakers and everyone attending it.
   
2. Continue to pray for those travelling to the conference.
   
3. Pray for the conference preparations to go smoothly.
   
4. Pray for the Lord to bless Angelette, the translator that went with our team from Comunidad de Vida.