court case for the farm

Some of you may remember that when we first came to this country, we were very much looking forward to working with the outstanding efforts that were going on at two farms in the Uyghur province.  About one year after we arrived in country, our friends there were expelled from the country and have not been able to move back.  Since that time, the farms have been under local management, the local managers have been hard-pressed (especially two who were imprisoned, whose wives and children have suffered greatly with them gone.)  


We have just been told to pray for a court case coming up for one of the farms.  Nov 26 a hearing will be held to to decide if one farm will be allowed to transfer or forced to liquidate. The ex-pat farm owners are suing for the right to do this and the government is counter suing to remove them (remove their legal rights to their property and assets)  from the farm.  Thank you for praying dear friends.

a sacrifice for forgiveness

Tomorrow is the Korban holiday.  In the Uyghur province, every home will slaughter a lamb in the hope that the lamb will advocate for them before Allah, to try to remove their sins.  It's not a guarantee for them, but it's their most important celebration of the year, a huge effort to try to attain forgiveness... or at least some forgiveness.  

We've recently heard of one Uyghur guy in that province coming to faith when he met some believers and told them..... "Somewhere I've heard that Jesus is the perfect Korban sacrafice.  Can you explain that to me?"  

Please pray that we would have those kinds of opportunities in our home, sharing this week as our friends come over to cook the traditional feasts and share them with us.  

Straight in from our front door, near our dining table,  we have posted a large framed picture of a lamb slain, blood splattered on the doorposts, with the words of scripture all around.  "The Lord will provide for us a lamb for the sacrifice my son."  The lamb died instead of us (from our kids' Bible).  "Christ entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption."  "He has become our salvation."

Please pray with us that this living message, the Truth of Jesus the perfect Korban sacrafice, would be planted deep in the hearts of our friends this week.   Pray that we would speak it boldly.... in whatever language (there will be 3 at the table) the Lord wants to loosen our tongues !