The Mien are currently harvesting their rice.  A few days ago I counted the grains of rice on a single stalk of rice.  One grain had produced well over 100 grains, but in order for this to happen it had had to fall into the ground and die. We long to see Mien come from death to life. But it does not stop there.  We yearn to see them die to their own wants and desires and be used of God to produce much fruit – fruit that will remain for eternity.

• A group of Mien believers have started cell groups to reach Mien students in 3 universities in Chiang Mai.  Pray for a good spirit of unity in serving the Lord on the team and also within the church as a whole.  Pray that many will be reached for Christ.  Please pray too that Pastor SZ’s leadership will be used and blessed by the Lord.
• Praise the Lord for the new, revised Mien hymnbook which is now on sale.  It contains more than 530 songs. They have started practicing songs for recording on CD Roms.  The idea is to record one or two verses of all the hymns and songs in the book so that Mien Christians here and in creative access nations can learn them.  Pray that it will help them worship God. It is a big undertaking.  Pray for God’s wisdom and help as they get ready for the recording – arranging choosing different singers to provide variety and make it attractive to listen to.
• Please pray that as the checkers’ comments in the New Testament are assessed that they will be able to make speedy decisions that are wise and accurate. Praise the Lord that the computers are now functioning alright.  Please pray that this will continue
• Please pray for Miss F, a Mien believer who has studied at a government Bible School.  She is gifted in evangelism and is good at reaching out to non-Christian Mien.  She is in her late 20’s.  Most Mien young ladies of her age are married and her parents are putting pressure on her to get married.  She is in love with a non-Christian who is a teacher and a member of the Party.  Pray that she will trust the Lord for His partner for her and obey Him.
• Please pray that Miss MT, 22 years old, who has just graduated in accountancy, will be able to get a job so that she can be part of her own home church during the weekends.  Another Mien, who has just graduated, has a job. Pray that he will quickly find a good church where he can be actively involved in God’s service and grow spiritually.

• Following the death of her youngest son from AIDS, Granny L’s older sister is sleeping in her house to keep her company at night.  This can not continue long term.  Pray that Granny L will learn to trust the Lord to keep her safe at night from the evil spirits.  The old spirit ways are so deeply embedded in Granny L, that it is difficult to know whether she has a real faith in Jesus.

• Mr F is experiencing disturbed nights.  He is having evil spirit dreams of his parents wanting him to supply for their needs in the spirit world.  Although not yet truly born again Mr F is known as a Christian.  Please that he will not yield to pressure from his relatives and friends to do spirit worship and that he will realise that until he submits to Jesus as Saviour and Lord, he can not be protected by God from the evil spirits bothering him at night.
• The baptismal class is dwindling in numbers.  Three have had to leave the village for work elsewhere.  With one of these the change in her life had been quite dramatic.  She was so disappointed that she would miss being baptised that the Sun am before she left the church all went down to the stream at the foot of the hill and she was baptised.  In the communion service that followed she gave a lovely spontaneous testimony.  Thank you for praying.  There is nothing quite like the joy of seeing the Lord change lives.  Two men are not attending regularly.  Please pray for the remaining 8 that each may really come through to a strong faith and determination to follow the Lord wholeheartedly.