MAP stories: Overcoming hardship through prayer in Southeast Asia

The Texas Baptists Missionary Adoption Program (MAP) partners with a Baptist entity in Southeast Asia to help support five local missionaries by partnering them with a church in Texas. These missionaries, their families, and their small gatherings of believers have gone through much struggle through 2021 and are praying for better circumstances in 2022. Here are some stories and prayer requests of how you can partner with them to pray for these missionaries serving God faithfully in Southeast Asia in 2022.

In the country where these missionaries serve, it can be very dangerous. Besides COVID-19 restrictions and normal life issues, the missionaries are reporting access to medication being cut off, bombings and shootings in the city, financial instability, tensions and instability between the army and local factions, bank closures, and more. However, with all the instability going on around them, these missionaries continue to press on with the Lord’s work. One missionary said earlier this year, “As a family, we have been having a hard time during this nationwide crisis: COVID-19 and political issues. There was a lockdown in our quarter for the second time. At times, we have no money to buy food for our daily meals. But the Lord provides for us at the right time as we kneel in prayer.”

Pastor Jay* is serving prisoners, reaching out to the students on the nearby college campus, and continuing to preach to his congregation of 52 people each week. Even though Pastor Lee* has lost his wife, he presses on sharing the gospel at least once a day and recently held a Christmas program. Pastor Chuy* is has bought land in his village for a church but is having some issues. The battery for their only light source is no longer useable, but he continues to press on, praying for the anointing of the Spirit. Pastor Tony* is battling rumors and influence from other religions as he continues to spread the gospel using gospel tracts and one-on-one appointments. Finally, Pastor Thomas* is meeting with neighbors to reach his village one family at a time.

Being involved in the community involves the wife or daughter of the missionaries going to gather water from the river with the other ladies, being involved on the local farm, chopping wood for the rainy season and winter, or sharing meals or coffee with neighbors. The missionaries make friends through these activities and are able to start discipling those interested to learn the difference and truth between their religion (mostly Buddhism) and Christianity. They hold several Bible studies during the week for individuals, couples and small groups who are learning about Jesus, but are not-yet-believers. In their last monthly report, the missionaries had a total of 25 people interested in the gospel and meeting with them.

Will you pray with us for these missionaries?

• Pray for the political unrest to settle. Pastor Tony asked, “for justice and peace” for this part of Southeast Asia.

• Pray for health and access to medical care and medication for these missionaries. Pastor Tony and Pastor Lee are able to help others in their community through their medical expertise, but it is hard when the supplies are stalled because of access and transportation issues. These missionaries have dealt with covid, flu, and loss, and still press on.

• Pray for the strength of mind, heart, and soul from the Lord.

• Pray that the aftereffects of their Christmas programs would bear fruit.

• Pray that this season would open hearts that are closed to the truth of Jesus and would help those close to making a decision for Christ commit to Him fully.

• Pray for those in the discipleship groups to learn, not only with their heads but hearts, the difference between where they stand and the life-giving truth of Christ.

• Pray for new believers to stay strong in their faith. This is hard in this culture with family and community pressure.

*names have been changed for security reasons.