[PM PLENARY] Good evening everyone!
Tonight, we have a special session to pray for one of our S. Asia offices (for security reasons, we cannot disclose the city name)
[PM PLENARY] Sharon Cohn Wu, Senior Vice President will be leading our time together....
[PM PLENARY] The needs of this city have been great and we covet your prayers.
[PM PLENARY] Pray that the demonic powers that rule over the people would be bound (eph 6:12)...that our staff there would be able to do the ministry that God has given them..
[PM PLENARY] Pray for the children that have been trafficked in that region, that the children may belong to God and be released.
[PM PLENARY] Pray for the police and the judicial powers in that city to work against corruption (Rom. 13:1-2)
[PM PLENARY] Pray that God would work with these officials so that they would be responsible to the work of IJM...
[PM PLENARY] Pray for our IJM colleagues, for their mental and spiritual protection, for protection from attackes for the demonic forces...
[PM PLENARY] Breaking into small groups throughout the banquet hall for a time of intense intercessory prayer...
[PM PLENARY] We have Sara Groves to help lead us in worship and prayer through song...
[PM PLENARY] "When I surveyous the wonderous cross...On which the prince of glory died..." - SG
[PM PLENARY] "For I am his and he is mine, bought with the precious blood of Christ..." Moving because we sing it for ourselves, we sing it for those we serve, we sing it for those that cry out tonight to Him all around the world...
[PM PLENARY] Director of this S. Asia office is sharing one recent case...
[PM PLENARY] ... one where the power of prayer was incredibly evident! Read more about it
here.
[PM PLENARY] "This case does not have a neat ending, and sometimes the water needs to gather before the dam bursts..." - S. Asia Director
[PM PLENARY] Sharon Cohn Wu returning to stage to share specific requests for this case and office....
[PM PLENARY] Prayer for powerful contacts in this city who can help us...
[PM PLENARY] ...for the emotional and spiritual health of our legal and aftercare staff...
[PM PLENARY] ...for safety and effectiveness of investigators...
[PM PLENARY] ..for healing and reintegration of rescued victims and for excellent aftercare staff...
[PM PLENARY] ...for recruitment of excellent and mature staff for this office...
[PM PLENARY] ..that perpetrators would be deterred and for the protection of rescured victims would will testify...
[PM PLENARY] ...and for those we've identified but know are still in dark places tonight, that God would protect and be with them...tonight...let us pray...
We'd love to hear your prayers and will pass along to our field staff as encouragement. Just post it through the "make a comment" function at the top of this live blog.
[PM PLENARY] Sara Groves returning to the stage to close our evening in reflection and song.
Sara is sharing
this song...
[PM PLENARY] "Your face a memory, your hope a fire...your courage asks me what I'm afraid of, and what I know of love..."
[PM PLENARY] "Your pain has changed me...Your dreams inspire..."
[PM PLENARY] "Your courage ask me what I'm afraid of...and what I know of love...and what I know of God."
[PM PLENARY] "The Long Defeat" - Sara Groves...
I can't just fight when I think I'll win
that's the end of all belief
and nothing has provoked it more
than a possible defeat
I pray for an idea
and a way I cannot see
It's too heavy to carry
and impossible to leave
We walk a while we sit and rest
we lay it on the altar
I won't pretend to know what's next
but what I have I've offered
I pray for inspiration
and a way I cannot see
It's too heavy to carry
and impossible to leave
Thanks, Andy! It was a joy to have you with us tonight!
[PM PLENARY] "When the Saints" - Sara Groves
Lord I have a heavy burden of all I've seen and know
It's more than I can handle
But your word is burning like a fire shut up in my bones
and I cannot let it go
And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
Lord it's all that I can't carry and cannot leave behind
but your word has compelled me
when I think of all who've gone before me and lived the faithful life
And when I'm weary and overwrought
with so many battles left unfought
I think of Paul and Silas in the prison yard
I hear their song of freedom rising to the stars
I see the shepherd Moses in the Pharohs court
I hear his call of freedom for the people of the Lord
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awakening to the value of her soul
I see the young missionary and the end of the spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear
I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sisters standing by the lepers side
I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down the door
I see the man of sorrows and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load
If you're not familiar with this song, her Sara's album version
here.
[PM PLENARY] "The eyes of the Lord look over the earth, to strengthen the hearts that are for him..." - SG
[PM PLENARY] "...let me be found."
[PM PLENARY] S. Asia director returns to stage to share another story...
[PM PLENARY] Describes two girls promised of better lives in another city, only to find a brothel at the end of a long train ride.
[PM PLENARY] "When all hope was thought to be lost, in Feb. this year, we were able to identify the two girls and work with local police to rescue them."
