Dearborn Prep: Salat

In preparation for the trip, one adult team member sent out a prayer request every day, for the forty days leading up to the first team's departure. (Because forty is a magical, biblical number. And also because prayer is the lynchpin of our whole operation.) Below are all forty of these prayer requests, compiled here for my own reference (as all of these Dearborn Prep posts have been, largely, for my own reference).

But, I mean, I feel so small for asking, but if you think of it, if you would pray for our team, below are the ways you can be praying. The Arab-American Festival will be going on while we're there and is a prime witnessing opportunity. We girls will be teaching a lot of ESL classes, and our whole team is going to be engaging in even more street evangelism in the park. It's hard to prepare for a future yet unseen, but if our hearts are right with God, He will be glorified through us. That's the only way to count the trip a success. Please pray.

• Fellow prayer partners to remain faithful, persistent and persevering.

•A deepening commitment to personal prayer and Bible study for each team member.

• Full financial and prayer support for each team member.

• Enablement for team members to manage necessary responsibilities of home, school, work and family prior to leaving for MI.

• Unity and co-operative spirits in each team.

• An attitude of servanthood.

• Hearts of love for Muslims and fellow team-mates.

• Godliness in thoughts, words and deeds for all team members.

• God to open the eyes, ears, hearts and minds of Muslims to see, hear, understand and believe the truth about Jesus.

• God to defeat Satan's attempts at any disruption and conflict at the Arab-American Festival.

• Team members to exhibit the peace, joy , grace and love of Jesus in every encounter with Muslims.

• Every team member to remember that Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world." Pray that our light will shine brightly, exposing the darkness and revealing the Truth and that our salt will whet appetites to hunger and thirst for righteousness that is found only in Jesus.

• Healthy, interdependent relationship of trust and accountability between the CCF teams and the hosting ministry.

• Our course of action in all endeavors to be wise, biblical, culturally-appropriate and bear spiritual fruit for God's glory.

• Every team member to be fully prepared and competent to serve and fully supported financially by 6-16-11.

• Team leaders to be empowered and equipped to lead with grace and wisdom.

• Our teams to enhance and broaden the ministry of our host organization.

• Team members to recognize the importance of training and remain responsible and accountable.

• Alertness and sensitivity to "sow seeds."

• On-going planning, assessment, evaluation and follow-up involving all participants. (pre-field, on-field, and post-field)

• Opportunities to "connect" with Muslim people.

• Each team member to be alert and prepared for spiritual battle.

• A willingness to be stretched in order to accomplish a "God-sized project."

• Daily submission to and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

• Defeat of Satan's purposes.

• Physical, mental emotional and spiritual protection.

• God to relieve any team member fears or anxieties.

• For every team member and prayer partner to be diligent and confident in praying big bold prayers.

• Good health, strength and stamina for each team member.

• Safety in travel and on site.

• A complete sense of need for dependency on God and reliance on His sufficiency.

• Personal renewal and revival for each team member.

• Praise God for each one who has provided prayer and financial support. Ask God to use the united efforts of prayer, money and team members to accomplish God's purposes for His glory.

Walter Wink said that "History belongs to the intercessors — those who believe and pray the future into being." And, it's just a two week short term missions trip. It's just 21 of us (11 on the adult team, 11 on the youth team, and five of us who are on both) who are warm bodies with sin natures and heart desirous of following Jesus. It's just a fifteen hour van ride from Rhode Island to Dearborn. But if you would pray, it would make all the difference.