Join us in this work. Lend us a hand through prayer so that many will give thanks for the gift that comes to us when God answers the prayers of so many. 2 Corinthians 1:11 (VOICE)
October 3rd - 9th
Week 40: International Council Testimonies Monday (3rd) – Liz Patten, Africa’s Regional Director:
I am writing not as RD for Africa, but with my Mozambican hat on as I was the ‘official’ representative for CLC Mozambique at the Council meetings. There were so many blessings, not least the fact of meeting so many CLCers from around the world! But one major and very special blessing for Mozambique was that our ministry came to the attention of CLC Colombia who have since blessed us with a generous donation that will help to give us a significant boost in the coming year. We are forever grateful for all those who helped to make that possible.
Tuesday (4th) – Donny Kairupan, CLC Indonesia’s National Director:
Praise the Lord for the CLC International Council Meetings! It was such a wonderful time of fellowship with all the CLC family and friends from around the world, and it has left me with unforgettable memories. The Word and devotional messages shared by Louis and Susan Sutton (WEC) were such a blessing and really touched my heart. The truths in the messages spoke directly into our situation in CLC Indonesia. Photo of Donny (Indonesia) and Donald (Sierra Leone)
Wednesday (5th) – Donald John, CLC Sierra Leone’s National Director:
I’m truly grateful that I was eventually able to make it to the International Council Meetings and the African Mini Conference that followed it. It was a wonderful experience to attend, especially as I was previously refused an entry visa to the UK. I’m so thankful to the Lord for the fellowship together and the experiences gained. All the sessions were life inspiring and I was rejuvenated to strive for excellence.
Thursday (6th) – Lina Pinkovich, CLC Belarus’s National Director:
It was a privilege to participate at the International Council and celebrate the 75th CLC Anniversary! To see ‘CLCers’ from all over the world and to meet those people who devoted their lives for the CLC Ministry for tens of the years — it is a miracle! It was so good that we were able not only to concentrate on the past achievements of CLC worldwide, but to know that CLC has a great future in proclaiming God’s Kingdom. I would like to say ‘thank you’ to all who were involved in the preparation of the Council, starting from the very beginning (documents for the visa application, advice, meeting at the airport, etc.) until the very end of the meetings! Everything was organised so well. A special thank you to Sheena and Neil – they are a good example of not just how to work well with others, but to also take care of them!
Friday (7th) – CLC Central Asia’s (CA2) Assistant Director:
I was so blessed by the opportunity to attend CLC’s International Council Meetings this year in the UK. Until June, I had never actually met anyone from the rest of the CLC world! It was just what I needed as I was greatly encouraged, challenged, and so thankful for the opportunity to actually see the kind of ministry and family of which I am a part. Praise the Lord!
The Weekend (8th/9th) – Yohel Peña, CLC Venezuela’s National Director:
I thank God for allowing me to be present at the meeting of the International Council and to share our situation with the different Directors from around the world. The faithfulness of God and all He has done during our first 75 years was so evident and a source of real encouragement as we move forward amid challenges we face in everyday life. God is in control, and we will continue to see His glory in the midst of our situations.
October 10th - 16th
Week 41: Focus on North America (USA & Canada) Monday (10th) – USA Clergy Appreciation Breakfast:
We are so thankful to God for the Clergy Appreciation Breakfast that was held on Thursday, October 6th at True Light Fellowship Church. This is our annual opportunity to connect with pastors and leaders from churches all over the Philadelphia area. Please pray that those who attended left the event feeling encouraged and know that we are praying for them and their ministry. ~ David Almack
Tuesday (11th) – Annual USA Donor Banquet:
Please pray for our ‘Annual Donor Banquet’ that takes place on Saturday, November 12th. Our speaker will be Rhea Briscoe (the daughter-in-law of CLC authors Stuart & Jill Briscoe), and we will be celebrating CLC’s 75th Birthday. Pray that many people will come to support CLC projects in the USA and around the world. ~ David Almack
Wednesday (12th) – New International Office in the USA:
Please pray for Gerardo and Silvia Scalante, our new International Director and his wife, as they are preparing to relocate in November from Miami to Philadelphia in the USA. The reason for this move is to set up a new branch of CLC’s International Office in the USA as that is the country where the new International Director lives. As we own the land where CLC USA is located,setting up here makes the most sense in terms of finances and having the support of a local CLC team. Please pray for them as they are not just settling into a new role with new responsibilities, but also moving house. This move may also separate them (logistically) as a family as their children are now young adults. This is a big change for them all. ~ Amanda Lutes, on behalf of the Scalantes Photo of Gerardo & Silvia (Urugua/USA) with Sara (Panama)
Thursday (13th) – On the Move:
After working the last (nearly) eleven years in the UK, I (Amanda Lutes, CLC World Editor) am currently in the process of relocating from my family home in New Brunswick, Canada, to Philadelphia, USA. Hopefully, by the time you read this, I will have arrived at the new International Office in Philadelphia where I will begin working alongside Gerardo Scalante, the new International Director. My plan is to stay from midSeptember until mid-December for ‘training and orientation’ in my new role. Please pray that my religious worker visa will soon be approved and that I’ll be able to return to the US, after spending Christmas in Canada, with all the necessary paperwork in hand. ~ Amanda Lutes
Friday (14th) - Canada:
The administrative structure of CLC Canada is such that our distribution side (Vidéo la Bergerie) is considered a separate entity. This part of our ministry is struggling, but we have been presented with an opportunity to merge it with another distributor here in Quebec. If this is successful, it should improve our situation. Please pray for the success of the merger as well as an understanding of God’s will for our common futures. ~ Antoine Roberge
The Weekend (15th/16th) – Canada:
On Monday (October 17), CLC Canada, together with The Bible House, are organising a conference which will bring together many of the Francophone organisations in Canada that involve Christian literature ministries. This will be the second meeting for the group as the first took place back in May. All of us are more or less facing similar difficulties and so our goal is to find better ways to work together and to develop common strategies to improve our current situation in Canada. Please remember us in prayer. ~ Antoine Roberge 2
October 17th - 23rd
Week 42: Focus on Pacific Asia Monday (17th) - Indonesia:
We keep praying for more books that CLC Indonesia (Yakin) will be able to publish. A number of opportunities have arisen in regards to evangelism books and children’s books, but we need God’s wisdom and direction to know which ones to publish. Please also pray for the possibility to open another book kiosk in different location. ~ Donny Kairupan
Tuesday (18th) - Philippines:
Our branch in Cebu is currently struggling to meet sales targets, and its overhead expenses are equal to around 50% of our sales. Please pray for the Cebu staff that they will seek the Lord and that He will give them the direction and wisdom needed to see this shop thrive. ~ Romualdo Macinas
Wednesday (19th) - Myanmar:
We want to see two things in particular materialise… Firstly, the building project for a purpose built warehouse and a second bookshop and, secondly, the completion of the CLC Myanmar Study Bible. Please pray that God will supply for all our needs in this – good health, wisdom, and sufficient funding. ~ Jacob Mung
Thursday (20th) – Papua New Guinea:
We continue to Praise God in meeting even the small needs, such as the arrival of a Spirit-Filled Life Bible that was ordered for a Pastor and received three weeks later! (This is an amazing delivery time for PNG!) The Bible was picked up by another Church member but, a week later, the Pastor personally came to the shop just to say thank you, before catching a flight back to his home province in the Highlands. ~ Vere Babona
Friday (21st) – Japan:
Please pray for our financial situation. We recognise that the situation is not good and we have been struggling for some time. Please also pray for the staff – we are all working very hard in the bookshops and in the mobile work and we need to stay healthy in body and also spiritually. Finally, please pray for revival in our country and also that Christians will want to read more Christian books. ~ Yusuke Naito, on behalf of CLC Japan
The Weekend (22nd/23rd) - India:
The sales in all our centres have been declining for the past two years, which is a major concern for us. Please pray for good increases in sales in all our bookshops, and for God’s wisdom and guidance for the managers. ~ Justin Chellappan (Photo on the right) October 24th - 30th
Week 43: Focus on Korea & Thailand Prayer points contributed by Gwangsu Jo, CLC Korea
Monday (24th) – Korea:
Please pray that God will continue to enable us to be a part of the development of the church in Korea. We pray especially that He will help us to always do our best work when we are publishing books as they are used in many Korean churches to help Christians gain a better understanding of God and Christian theology.
Tuesday (25th) – Korea:
We thank God for allowing us to become a team of nearly twenty people who are serving God faithfully 3
with joy. No matter what challenges we face, please pray that our joy in the Lord will be visible and a light to those around us.
Wednesday (26th) - Korea:
Please pray for Young-Ho Park, who has been leading CLC Korea for more than forty years. Please pray that God will continue to give him the strength and good health necessary to lead his team well. Prayer points contributed by Don Veldboom, CLC Thailand
Thursday (27th) - Thailand:
Praise the Lord! We are seeing an increase in customers in Chiang Mai, which means sales have increased and that, in turn, signifies that more Christian literature is going out!
Friday (28th) - Thailand:
The staff in the Bangkok bookshop have all left CLC recently for various reasons, and it has been necessary to close the bookshop. This is a disappointment, but please pray that the ministry will be strengthened and continue to grow in Chiang Mai.
The Weekend (29th/30th) - Thailand:
Despite language challenges, we are thankful to God that the Chiang Mai shop team is working well together. You might remember that earlier this year the Veldbooms from the USA joined our Thai team. Please continue to pray that the team will be united and that together their ministry will bear much fruit. October 31st - November 6th
Week 44: Answered Prayers Monday (31st) - Russia:
We are forever grateful to the Lord for His timely provisions all the way! The very week this spring when our finances would have been too little to pay the bills and suppliers, He provided us with our largest sale ever! ~ Nikita Sapunov
Tuesday (1st) – Mozambique:
Some of you may remember the‘container project’that supplied secondhand shop fittings for Mozambique following devastation of our shelves by termites in Maputo. When the container arrived, we hit various snags and were not able to complete the shop renovations as we had hoped. We felt overwhelmed, and we prayed that the LORD would send someone to help us put the units together. Instead, he sent a local missionary to encourage us and, after that, we were able to start putting the fixtures together ourselves. It was hard work and slow, but we praise God for the new look at CLC Maputo! ~ Liz Patten, Regional Director for Africa
Wednesday (2nd) – Korea:
In a time when many publishers (Christian and secular) are facing financial difficulties, we praise God that this is not our situation. We are so thankful for God’s leading and direction that has enabled us to become a strong publishing house, and we pray for His continuing guidance so that it will remain a thriving ministry. ~ Gwangsu Jo
Thursday (3rd) – Canada:
We thank the Lord that after a long wait, we were finally able to sublet our warehouse and bookshop property in Brossard. The financial costs involved made it too difficult to maintain our presence there and sub-letting is a significant financial relief. ~ Antoine Roberge Photo of Martine (Côte d’Ivoire) and Antoine (Canada) 4
Friday (4th) –Papua New Guinea:
We have experienced a lot of unrest in Port Moresby due to the university students boycotting classes to force the Prime Minister to step down. It was predicted that violence would break out if the PM won the vote of no confidence recently, so Christians were praying that this would not happen. When it was announced that the PM had won his seat, businesses and government agencies were concerned and fearful of violent protests, but praise be to God, we were surprised by total peace! ~ Vere Babona
“LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.” Isaiah 26:12 (NIV)
The Weekend (5th/6th) - USA:
The transition of Multi-Language Media into CLC USA went very smoothly in July. We are delighted to now have books and Bibles in over 80 languages in our warehouse. We had expected it to take a couple of weeks for everything to be set up so that we could take orders. Instead, things went so well that we were able to take orders in two days after the move. In that first week alone, we filled orders for books in Haitian, French, Spanish, Chinese, Bengali, Hindi, Shona, Tigrinya, Russian, Vietnamese, Japanese, and more. ~ David Almack November 7th - 13th
Week 45: Focus on Africa Prayer points contributed by Liz Patten, Regional Director for Africa
Monday (7th) – Kenya:
The work in Kenya has undergone a major overhaul and restructure in the past months as a result of a new vision in line with current trends and real needs. This has not been an easy transition but now please pray with us for consolidation, team unity, and a new thrust for the work. Patrick Omukhango, National Director, wrote: “Continue to pray with us that in the bid to be financially sustainable, we don’t lose the focus on why CLC is there in the first place. Every time we have put the emphasis on people coming to faith and maturity in Christ Jesus, God backs us with signs and wonders, even financially... I pray that God will keep us on course”.
Tuesday (8th) – Burkina Faso:
The ministry has been going through a difficult time since being obliged to relocate a couple of years ago. If all goes to plan, by the time this goes to press, they will be relocating again in order to try and address this problem. We need to be where the people are! Please pray for Prosper, Luc, and Gerard that they will have the health and strength needed for these challenging times and that we will be able to ‘re-find’ our customer base in Ouagadougou.
Wednesday (9th) - Benin:
For a long time, we prayed for Emmanuel to have someone to work alongside him in the bookshop in Cotonou. Praise God that he now has one confirmed full-time person and another part-timer to help as needed. This is especially important now that Emmanuel has taken on the responsibility as the French West Africa Director, which means that he will sometimes need to travel to Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast to encourage the teams and help develop the ministry.
Thursday (10th) - Mozambique:
Mozambique is vast and there are so many needs for Bibles and Christian literature, but the ministry is not yet financially strong enough to open more shops. Nonetheless, we thank God for a young man, José Manuel, who has started to work as a ‘CLC book agent’ in the area of Inhambane, about half way between our two shop locations (Beira and Maputo) which are about 750 miles apart. Please pray for José as he starts to make our books and Bibles available in his local area, initially through contact with churches. 5
Friday (11th) – Côte d’Ivoire:
We praise and thank the LORD for the very good progress made in the ministry over the past two to three years. However, there is still a way to go and, for some time now, we have been trying to sell our apartment in Abidjan in order to pay an old supplier debt of significant value. This is not the first time we have published this request, but please pray that we can indeed sell the apartment soon to help us solve this problem which has been hanging over us for some time.
The Weekend (12th/13th) – Sierra Leone:
This year we celebrate 50 years of CLC’s ministry in Sierra Leone! As we do so, we give thanks and praise for all that the LORD has enabled us to do over these five decades! We also give thanks for those who have supported us and helped to make this possible, especially CLC UK and (more recently) CLC USA. As you praise Him with us, please pray that we can continue to meet the challenges of this generation in ways that will make an impact for the Kingdom of God in Sierra Leone. God bless you!
November 14th - 20th
Week 46: Focus on the United Kingdom & Central Asia UK Prayer points contributed by Neil Wardrope, CLC International Office.
Monday (14th) - UK:
As our shops begin to get busier for Christmas, please be praying for all our teams in the UK and around the world that God will give them the stamina and good health necessary to best serve our customers and to share God’s love with those who are feeling ‘lost’ during this hectic time of year. Pray also that they will be able to take some time over the Christmas holidays to truly connect with God and celebrate this joyous season. May it truly be a time of refreshment and joy for each one. Photo of the IC Directors visiting CLC’s London bookshop.
Tuesday (15th) - UK:
Please pray for the ongoing recovery of Eddie Olliffe and Mick Goodman who both had strokes earlier this year. Please pray for the management roles that need to be covered due to their absence. David Scouler is currently in the General Manager’s role, as well as implementing the new Chreos computer system. Pray too for the Trustees who have had a great responsibility in the move of the warehouse and in overseeing the changes made necessary by Eddie and Mick’s conditions.
Wednesday (16th) – UK:
We thank God for the significant upturn in the sales from the warehouse following the move to Chester one year ago. New avenues for sales are being investigated that would enable our books to reach the secular market.
Thursday (17th) - UK:
Please pray for Neil Wardrope who stepped down from his role as International Director in June and will officially start his new role as UK Mission Director in January. The purpose of this new role is to ensure there is a correct balance between business and mission to promote the vision of CLC and to support overseas projects with finance or personnel. Photo on the left of Darwin (Spain) with Sheena & Neil (UK)
Friday (18th) – Central Asia 1:
We have been having severe cash flow problems for a few years. Because of two special gifts from CLC UK 6
and CLC USA, we were able to do some vital restructuring. We have created a small apartment in the sizable back area of our shop which we will be able to rent. Our shop space will be smaller, but still adequate for our purposes. Please pray that we can find a suitable tenant that will pay the rent promptly each month. And praise God with us for this solution which should almost entirely resolve our cash flow problems and allow us to focus better on our ministry. ~ Gary Chamberlin, on behalf of CLC CA1
The Weekend (19th – 20th) – Central Asia 2:
Please pray for wisdom and God’s provision as we import books. The value of the local currency dropped significantly last year, and the additional 18% added to other customs’ taxes this year is making it very difficult to sell books at reasonable prices. ~ The Director, CLC CA2 November 21st - 27th
Week 47: Focus on the Caribbean Islands Monday (21st) - Antigua:
As we all know, recession can hit a country hard, but we trust that our God can and will bring a turnaround to His ministry! Please join us in asking God for a financial breakthrough in terms of sales and help in getting out into the communities with our Bibles and books. ~ Arah Martin
Tuesday (22nd) - Barbados:
Please pray with us about the possibility of refurbishing our building. There is much work that needs to be done on the roof and, as a long term goal, we would like to expand the front of the store and replace the carpets throughout. Please pray that the Lord would supply the needed finances for these upgrades. ~ Jefferson Alleyne
Wednesday (23rd) – Trinidad & Tobago:
After eight years, since 2008, we finally got a cheque in the mail this July for $48,000, representing some of our VAT refunds that we were due from the Inland Revenue. It was a ‘Wow’ moment, and this has enhanced our cash flow! Praise God with us! Please continue to pray that we would get the balance that is still outstanding on the VAT refund and that we would see an increase in sales in our Tobago branch that opened last year. ~ Sandra Robinson
Thursday (24th) - Dominica:
A slow economic turnover is currently interfering with our ordering of goods and stock maintenance. However, we do hope to see growth as we venture into extra outdoor sales/evangelical projects. Please pray for God’s direction, providence, and protection for these upcoming opportunities. ~ Davis Laudet Photo of Liz (Mozambique) and Davis (Dominica)
Friday (25th) – Martinique (France):
Please pray about the future of the bookshop in Fort de France, Martinique. The shop property is owned by CLC, and the plan is to sell it and relocate to a different part of the city. Please pray that we find a buyer who will pay a fair price for the building and for God’s guidance in finding a suitable new location. ~ Isabelle Marczak
The Weekend (26th/27th) – Guadeloupe (France):
Please pray for our team: Marie-Andrée, Joël (shop manager), and especially for their colleague, Florelle, who has sciatica (nerve problem) in her back. They certainly need her help in the shop during the Christmas rush, so please pray that she is healed from this pain and is able to work. Please also pray that Joël will be able to visit local churches with a PowerPoint presentation about CLC, and that these church ministers and 7
congregations will be open to hearing about our ministry and how we can best support one another to further God’s Kingdom. ~ Hervé Lessous November 28th - December 4th
Week 48: Print-on-Demand Updates & Publishing News Monday (28th) – Kenya Print-on-Demand:
We are very encouraged with what has been produced (both quality and quantity!) using POD since its inception at CLC Nairobi a couple of years ago. It has been hard work, but well worth it! Please pray that we can continue to be a blessing with this ministry, and especially that we can be an outlet that encourages and enables local authors to express the message that the LORD has given them. National Director Patrick Omukhango shares, “We are grateful to God for the quick integration of POD into the CLC Kenya mission to impact East Africa with Christian literature. We have served authors from five countries in Eastern Africa. God has surpassed our expectation since the implementation of POD in May, 2015.” ~ Liz Patten, on behalf of CLC Kenya
Tuesday (29th) – Philippines Print-on-Demand:
Thank God for this system as it has created a lot of advantages for our ministry. One of the most visible to us is its impact on our inventory, making it wider in range with manageable stock levels. Please pray that we are able to maximise the use of this machine and that many titles from the USA and locally will be made available for publication. Aside from printing our own publications, please pray that we can extend this service for the small printing demands of churches and other Christian organisations in the area. ~ Romualdo Macinas
Wednesday (30th) – Sierra Leone Print-on-Demand:
We are grateful to the LORD for the help we received with fundraising for a POD system and, if all goes to plan, we hope to receive it by the end of this year. If so, then we will need your prayers! Please pray for the installation and training, but also that we may choose the right people for this work, dedicated and with an eye for detail. Also pray that the LORD helps us to develop a vision for this project that will build up the local body of Christ and help bring others to know Him! ~ Liz Patten, on behalf of CLC Sierra Leone
Thursday (1st) – Publishing in Romania:
We praise the Lord for the privilege to be involved in the publishing of a number of great books by some great authors. We praise God for His help, provision, abilities, and stamina for us as we were able to take the books through the different stages of the publishing process – translation, design, and editing. A very important Bible for us, The German-Romanian Bible for Children, has been published, and we have also recently published books by A. W. Tozer, Andrew Murray, and Billy Graham, and the biography of George Muller by Roger Steer. Please remember our publishing team: Ligia, Daniela, Ruth, and Ronela. ~ Ronela Micula
Friday (2nd) – Publishing in Italy:
Praise God for the blessing that many CLC Italy titles have been over the past years, often becoming bestsellers. It is exciting to see customers responding well to books like Follow Me and Radical by David Platt. We have also been able to publish the book October Baby, which has been promoted by a Catholic prolife organisation. We are now working on Joni’s book, Beside Bethesda; Francis Chan’s You and Me Forever; and John Ortberg’s If You Want to Walk on Water, You’ve Got to Get Out of the Boat. We are also translating Undaunted, the autobiography of Josh McDowell. Pray that these and other CLC titles will draw people to Jesus and help many to grow in their faith. ~ Gary Chamberlin, on behalf of CLC Italy 8
The Weekend (3rd/4th) – Publishing in Colombia:
There was a couple from Ibague City who were facing serious problems in their marriage. They called us to ask if we would pray for them and give them some marriage counselling (as part of our Social Foundation). Along with the counselling and encouraging them to pray together, we asked them to read our recent Spanish publication of Francis and Lisa Chan’s book, You and Me Forever. After a month, their pastor called us and invited us to hold a Couple’s Marriage Workshop at their church. He shared with us, “If this book could change that couple’s marriage, we need to know more about this book!” We have now trained all the leaders at this church to help the couples in their congregation that are struggling. Praise the Lord! ~ David Pabón December 5th - 11th
Week 49: Focus on Latin America Monday (5th) – Venezuela:
We pray for the current situation in Venezuela. The economy is affecting the normal day-to-day activities due to shortages, high inflation, and the low purchasing power of Venezuelans. This makes it especially difficult to acquire food and medicine. In addition to this, political tension is still very high in the country, and there has not yet been a way that allows for a democratic solution to this problem. We pray for God to work in our nation and do His will, and that CLC Venezuela will be able to continue to distribute Bibles and other Christian resources. The Word of God is essential to Venezuelans in the midst of these difficult times. ~ Yohel Peña
Tuesday (6th) – Ecuador:
Please pray for the building permits we need for the land we bought in the city of Guayaquil. They are currently being processed but, following a recent earthquake, the city council is creating new building regulations and this is delaying plans we had in place for the construction of our warehouse and bookshop. ~ Carlos Marín Photo of David (Colombia) and Carlos (Ecuador)
Wednesday (7th) – Chile:
We are very grateful to the Lord for the distribution during the first six months of the year, despite the fact that the economic situation in the country is not good. The staff have worked extra hard, which has borne fruit. Praise the Lord! The staff serving in the bookshop in Amunategui would appreciate prayer as both Sergio Mallafe and Omar Ramos have specific health problems. Sergio was unaware of his vascular problem until he found he was going blind in one eye. Sergio is on medical treatment to control the situation and, slowly, he is recovering some sight in the affected eye. Omar has serious problems affecting his spine. ~ Isaac Zúñiga Photo of Isaac (Chile) and Humberto (Uruguay)
Thursday (8th) – Uruguay
We give thanks to the Lord for His faithfulness that despite a drop in sales in the bookshops, the mobile work is maintaining distribution levels. We have three circuits covering the whole of the country, and trips are made once every two months to each of these zones. This is carried out by Roberto Prochnau and myself. It is interesting to note that all the stock we leave is paid for in full — nothing is on consignment! We ask for prayer that God would help us make the right decisions and find the best strategies to reach places where we have still not been. Please pray also that the US dollar would remain stable so the cost of importing goods doesn’t increase. ~ Humberto Urrutia
Friday (9th) – Bolivia:
We thank the Lord for providing support for Gamaliel and Marlene Padilla. In view of the difficult economic 9
situation being experienced in Venezuela, it has become very hard for CLC Venezuela to maintain its support for the Padilla family who were sent from CLC Venezuela to start the ministry in Bolivia. Praise the Lord that the other CLC Latin American teams have committed to continue the support. ~ Gamaliel Padilla
The Weekend (10th/11th) – Mexico:
We thank the Lord every day because He has blessed us with a committed team who are working faithfully to serve God and the Mexican people. Please pray for the economy of our country as it is struggling now that there has been a rise in the US dollar. Please also continue to pray that our sales would increase in order to help with this situation. We are also praying for the provision of a van in order to connect with other parts of the country and introduce them to the CLC ministry and books. We have seen that there is a large sector of the country that is not yet being reached. ~ Maria Del Carmen Castañeda December 12th - 18th
Week 50: Focus on Europe (Part 1) Prayer points contributed by Gary Chamberlin, CLC Europe Regional Director. (Unless stated otherwise)
Monday (12th) – Switzerland:
After several years of declining sales, mostly due to the strong Swiss franc, we are very thankful that finally our sales are beginning to grow and we trust that they will grow even more strongly during the important Christmas sales period. Please continue to pray for the CLC bookshop on the outskirts of Lugano. Though the landlord agreed to lower the rent several years ago, it is still high, which puts pressure on our cash flow. Finding another location is not easy as rents seem to be high everywhere — even for smaller shops. Please continue to pray that we can find a more affordable shop in a good location. Photo of Carlo (Switzerland), Eldetraud (Austria), Wilbert (Barbados), Carlos (Portugal) and Phil (UK).
Tuesday (13th) – Poland:
Our old website is really not effective and needs updating. Please pray that we will have a new website soon. We are currently working with Cristi Cotovan from the International Office to adopt the CLC website. It will be a lot of work to implement this. Please pray that the transition will go smoothly and that our site will quickly be able to offer a quality service to Polish speakers around the world.
Wednesday (14th) – Hungary:
We praise God for a positive turnaround in the situation in Hungary. The past few years have been difficult, and cash flow has been a problem. In 2016, we are seeing a substantial increase in sales, especially in the Budapest and Debrecen shops. Our internet sales are also growing very well. In addition, we have recently been able to sell a house that was owned by CLC. Thank God for these signs of recovery.
Thursday (15th) – Spain:
Praise the Lord for the growth in sales so far this year. The average increase, across all departments, is up by 18% on last year! Please continue to pray that new customers will visit the shops and website and for doors to open up for CLC to share about its ministry in local churches. ~ Darwin Vergel
Friday (16th) – Russia:
Shoplifting has become a problem for us. CCTV was installed in our shop this summer to help; however, no one has been caught yet and books keep disappearing in noticeable numbers. Please pray that the Lord uses the situation for good so that we, as a team, would learn to wait on customers even better. Pray also that the books which already have been stolen would be read and used for the glory of the Lord and His Kingdom! ~ Nikita Sapunov 10
The Weekend (17th/18th) – France:
Each year we attend the Christian Bookfair in Paris. This year, it takes place in a new location near Paris. We can meet almost all our suppliers (publishers) there, along with some customers (individuals, churches, and bookshops). We thank the Lord for this special time in November during which we do good sales. ~ Isabelle Marczak December 19th - 25th
Week 51: Focus on Europe (Part 2) Monday (19th) – Cyprus:
Our hearts are very much concerned to see many of the local Cypriots wanting to know the Lord. We know that many Cypriots face difficulties and problems and yet they don’t seem to want to hear about the Lord. Please pray that there will be a breakthrough in this area and that a thirst for God and His truth may arise among the Cypriots. ~ Sotos and Eva Photoadou
Tuesday (20th) – Bulgaria:
We thank God for our new publishing department. We have been able to publish Crazy Love by Francis Chan and will soon publish his book, You and Me Forever. In addition, we are working on Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman. Pray with us that these books will be a blessing to many Bulgarian readers. Lidiya Dimitrova writes, “Sales of the first book we have published currently equal that of one of our bestsellers — even though the author is not well known here yet.” ~ Gary Chamberlin, on behalf of CLC Bulgaria
Wednesday (21st) – Netherlands
With three titles already in print, four more which were hopefully published in October and November, and more titles waiting for publication next year, we are now getting into the full process of publishing and selling our own books. People will now know who we are by the books we publish! Please pray for God’s blessing and protection on these new responsibilities. ~ Bertus Keuter
Thursday (22nd) – Germany:
Generally, our society is a bit nervous after several recent terrorist attacks. As Christians, we have been praying for a spiritual awakening for a long time — we trust that people who are longing for a sense of purpose and hope in their lives turn to the living God. We see a little more interest in Christianity these days as people compare it to what they see of other faiths, and we joyfully present our books where we can. ~ Valentin Schweigler
Friday (23rd) – Portugal:
We give thanks to God for Carlos Cunha and his amazing team of volunteers as they spread the Word of God throughout Portugal via publishing, events and, of course, the For to us a child is born, bookshop in Coimbra! Please pray that this ministry will continue to grow to us a son is given; at a manageable rate and that Carlos will continue to find the necessary and the government shall balance between work and his family. be upon his shoulder, ~ Amanda Lutes, on behalf of CLC Portugal and his name shall be called
The Weekend (24th/25th) – Happy Birthday Jesus!
December is such a busy month that it is easy to feel lost in the crowd or run down by our own schedules. Please pray that this weekend is one of refreshment and fellowship with the Prince of Peace, not just for our teams, but for Christians all over the world. Let us take the time to trulycelebrate the most amazing gift we’ve ever received – Jesus!
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)
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December 26th - January 1st
Week 52: Encouraging News from Our Teams Monday (26th) – Belarus:
Usually summer months are very slow in the bookshop with low sales but, Praise the Lord, July 2016 was the best ever month in the bookshop in all CLC Belarus’s history! We are very grateful, especially as the economic situation in the country is not the best. May God continue to bless us with good sales and bless our customers who make their investments in Bibles and other Christian books that change people’s lives. ~ Lina Pinkevich Photo of Ronela (Romania), Lina (Belarus) and Sandra (Trinidad)
Tuesday (27th) – Colombia:
There is a book that we distribute, titled Love Dare, which consists of 40 daily challenges for couples that has greatly impacted the lives of many of our customers. One couple, who were separated, shared with us how they began reading this book and, by day ten, they were reconciled! Praise the Lord! We are so thankful to be a part of a ministry that is ‘changing the world, one book at a time!’ ~ David Pabón
Wednesday (28th) – Kenya:
We are trusting God for our first scheduled Christmas Promotion to be a blessing to our community. In this regard, we plan to visit Grace Community Children’s Home to donate the book Is God Really My Father? to the children. Our prayer is that God will use us to show His love to these children and to others that we come in contact with during the Christmas season. ~ Patrick Omukhango
Thursday (29th) – Cyprus:
Praise God that we have had a variety of occasions recently when we’ve been able to share the Gospel with customers that come into the shop. The majority are people from other countries who either visit Cyprus for a brief time or are residents here. Please pray that this may increasel. ~ Sotos and Eva Photoadou
Friday (30th) – Panama:
We are grateful to God because the booksellers event that we held in July was a real success after last year had been low in numbers. We see a good group of booksellers who are very motivated to continue to carry the Word of God through printed literature. ~ Sara de Gracia
The Weekend (31st/1st) – Hungary:
We were able to hold an annual conference in July after a few years without one, and all the staff from the bookshops in Miskolc and Budapest were able to attend. More than anything, it was a time to make sure that we were all well informed about the current situation as there have been considerable changes in the past months and to talk about plans for the future. Please pray that the team will be unified as they move ahead in the coming months and that they will be able to find new opportunities for the distribution of good Christian literature in the Hungarian language, including to the many Hungarians that live across the border in Romania. ~ Gary Chamberlin, for CLC Hungary Top photo of Gary (USA/Switzerland) with Cristi (Romania/UK) Bottom photo of Sung (Korea) with Annamária & Zsolt (Hungary) 12