Welcome to the beginning of Christmas commercial season!
The holiday season seems to be coming upon us already as Costco has their Christmas trees for sale and holiday ads air during Bengals games. Now, regardless of whether you think Christmas music is allowed before or after Thanksgiving, can we not all agree that this is way too early?
Anyway, that being said, September was a great month here at Master Provisions! We’ve made significant progress on the Liberia and upcoming Togo projects and saw several clothing drives bring in well over 20,000lbs. of clothing! The warehouse is busting at the seams right now. It makes me think of Matthew 6:19-21 which I’m sure many of you are familiar with:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (NIV)
What a privilege it is to see this passage in action here at MP. We often say our unofficial motto is “make room and God fills it,” and that is so true these days. With food, clothing, and people, constantly flowing in and out, trying to keep track of it all can just about give you whiplash. You’ve probably heard the saying “you can’t out give God,” and, boy, if that isn’t true as well. When we, an individual or company, open our doors to give in love, God continues to give as well, and you just can’t beat Him. His love and generosity continue to pour above and beyond.
This month, would you join me in storing up heavenly treasure and go beyond what you are used to? That could be time, money, resources, or anything else, but specifically, would you partner with me this month in prayer for our partners? The work they are doing is so needed and often they are spread thin. Let us pray that God would pour out His blessing on them, not because of us or anything they are doing, but so that Jesus would be magnified around Kentucky and the world. Jesus is our treasure, and I pray that our hearts would be ever more focused on Him and heaven this month.
Shalom!
Ben
If you have a desire to connect directly with one of these ministries, please let me know! One of the chief ways they need support is through encouragement and connection with fellow believersand I’d love to put you in touch.
And, as always, you will see a * next to each of the most pressing prayer requests.
Benin
Pastor Lambert Lodemey, his wife Melanie (right photo) and the Christian Church Association of Benin (CCAB). Pastor Lambert has a heart for unreached and unchurched people throughout Benin and preaches, trains, and plants churches across the country. With 17 churches and many ministries from them, Master Provisions is excited to help further this ministry.
- Please pray for wisdom and guidance as MP and CCAB plan how to partner deeper, potentially taking a trip there in fall of 2024, and/or hosting Lambert here in NKY next summer.
- We pray blessing and protection as the culture in Benin and even some Christians come againstthe efforts of Lambert and his team.
- * We are praying for wisdom and blessing over new sustainability and income generating ventures such as their new chicken project that has already multiplied from 20 chickens to over 200 chicks! These will allow the ministry to grow and prayerfully become self-sustaining along with an herbal health ministry and business.
- Please pray for Benin as a whole and the countries near it as many enter into chaos and Christian persecution is on the rise
- *Please also be praying for Pastor Lambert as he’s been having some heart problems and is now on a new treatment plan.
El Salvador
Emerge Global ministers holistically through the distribution of basic necessities, health education, agriculture, and job creation; building relationships and teaching young adults in the community through soccer and discipleship.
- Keep praying for the families and continued safety and provision. The Humphrey’s have all seven of their kids with them, the Tejadas (above, right) have a one-year-old, and the Alarcon’s just had their baby girl, Melanie Esmerelda.
- * Please pray for the clinic project as they are well into construction. This will eventually be part of a community with a church (already started as well), restaurant, soccer field, school, andmore. Right now, they are praying specifically for 100 new financial partners and medical workers to come work with them.
- Continue to pray blessings over the women who used the donated clothing as they continue to create their own businesses.Prayer is needed for the soccer teams as the season progresses. They have over 100 kids and multiple teams they are discipling, coaching, and loving.
- Pray for blessing and healing over their team as they continue to meet challenges head on, and as Ryan potentially has knee surgery soon.
- *Finally, please be praying for the new church that started in June. Would it be a place of making disciples who make disciples. They’ve already seen much growth!
Ghana
Ladybug Christian Academy and the church plant at the school serve the community and over 300 students through education, job creation, and spiritual discipleship.
- *Thanks to the generosity of many, the restoration from the storm (above right) is now makingway for new classrooms which are almost finished! There are four new classrooms being built that will serve all the students and faculty. Continue to pray for blessing over the construction project.
- *Pray that God would provide the funding for a new school bus very soon (costing roughly $15-20k)! Much of the funding that was being raised for this bus is now needing to be used for the school repairs.
- Pray that the children at Ladybug Christian Academy would continue to grow and do well in their studies. There are over 300 now from 3 years old to 18 and the oldest class just graduated in September. Be praying they continue to seek the Lord in the next phase of life.
- Pray for stability with their teachers. Many teachers don’t stay long due to lack of pay or finding other opportunities, and it’s hard to run the school with such high turnover.
- They launched a new church branch in 2022. Pray that membership would grow and that they would grow deeply in the Lord, especially as they disciple many of the teachers who are attending.
- Blessings over Kwame and Suzy (above left) as they continue to direct and follow God’s lead.
Guatemala
Ten Fe exists to educate children and provide resources and ways out of generational poverty in Santiago, Guatemala.
- *Pray for an end to the corruption and violence that has taken over much of the country.
- *Please be praying for their next big project! They are expanding the school to include a High School and are raising $11,000 to fund the whole project. With the nearest High School a long bus ride away and too expensive to afford, most children don’t finish school so the literacy rate is under 50% in the community. Ten Fe is seeking to combat this.
- Speak blessing and provision over the ministry and projects.
- Prayers over Julie and the team as they continue to serve and plan from both the USA and Guatemala.
Honduras
His Eyes Honduras exists to lead Honduras to Christ through medical care, education, job creation, sustainable farming, and discipleship and evangelism.
- Felipe and Valerie are in the US to visit churches, supporters, friends, partners…prayers for safe travel (having some vehicle issues) and Kingdom success. (Want to see them? Let’s talk!)
- Praying that the right staff and the right kids will all come together for the new Milk Project in Talanga
- Praying the contractor can finish the office building, even with our funding woes, and that somehow, we could get a good start on the interior work.
- We are looking for a farm development director, may God open doors and point us to the rightperson to hire soon.
- *We pray God will help direct us where to zigzag our paths this fall in the USA to meet new partners to move forward together.
- Pray blessing over Felipe and Valerie’s kids as Cecelia recently was married and Soren is in school at Purdue.
- Please continue to pray over Oscar and his health as well as for health over the whole team.
Mexico
The ministry’s focus is heavily on discipleship and creating jobs in the community to bring lasting and sustainable change for Christ.
- Mike and Nayeli are ministering in the Guadalajara area and have incredible plans for the future of the area. Please pray that God would use and bless them in all they do there.
- Keep them in prayer for their marriage and family as they continue to grow in faith and follow God’s purpose in Mexico.
- Prayer is a continued need for their small groups, that they would continue to grow in their faith and receive boldness from the Lord to share the Gospel to their neighbors.
- Pray for the Ministry Center they are planning and fundraising to build this year in order to help underprivileged areas physically and spiritually.
- Be praying for favor over the container that shipped in August and arrived early at the end of September. They still are preparing to transport and deliver the container and its contents to the final destination, and are seeking God on the details for all this.
- Also, again, please keep their safety in prayer as they find new connections and locations since one of their local leaders was shot and killed by the local cartel this summer and they are still navigating this situation.
South Africa
With Pre-K schools across South Africa, Build the Future exists to raise up the next generation by providing education, food, and jobs to break the cycle of poverty.
- *Continue to pray as the first container from last year made it successfully and is now being distributed and the second is now in the application process. We are asking for favor to push the application through quickly. God has already answered major storage problems we had at MP so we are believing for more soon now!
- Grace church is developing education for all the women in their training program to succeed personally, including setting them up with mentors. Pray for success and leading on this.
- *Pray connection in the community and that other like-minded organizations and churches around the world would provide the needed partnership that Phillip, Baylee, and Clive are seeking.
- Preschool 4 just opened in July! Please be praying this school and the teachers and students will thrive and pave the way for the next one.
- We are so thankful for a successful trip in May and pray the team that served there continues to develop and grow in their walk and connection with BTF including some members potentially going back in 2024!
- Pray blessing over Erlo and Walk in the Light as they are believing for breakthrough in their community and church plants.
Togo
CHE Togo exists to lead Togo to Christ. Through a large farm and church planting, they are creating jobs and leaders that span the whole country.
- We are praying for safety as Daniel (above with family) continues to tour and disciple church leaders all over the country.
- Speaking blessing over the ICONIUM 5 project goal of seeing 300 new churches planted and 50,000 salvations in the next five years throughout all 30 regions of Togo. Many supplies and much funding are needed as it costs roughly $500 to build a new church.
- Pray for more development partners that will allow them to continue to dream big.
- The ICONIUM 5 project needs projectors and sound systems. Pray that the Lord would provide these much-needed tools and other resources.
- *Speaking blessing over the farm as they start orange, lemon, and tangerine groves on 30 acres with more expansion coming soon. Pray that the irrigation plans come to fruition for this land.
- We are planning another container project soon. We are praying that God will provide volunteers to pack the clothing needed and that this would see a quick turn around.
Ukraine
MyHome before the war worked in orphan and widow care and family restoration. Since the war began, they have now moved into trauma counseling and provide for spiritual and physical needs in their communities both now and after the war.
- *Pray for continued safety over all the orphans, workers, and people of Kherson and Ukraine as a whole, especially as Russia has withdrawn from the Kherson region but continues to launch bombs. Meanwhile, Ukraine has started a counter-offensive and they aren’t sure what to expect.
- Relationships with refugees are the most important way they are providing for people right now. Lots of refugees feel like they are abandoned, but our prayers here are helping them to feel more connected too. Please continue!
- *Pray for rest over the whole team, including several new staff members, as they continue to exhaust everything they have for others and adjust to new opportunities and vision for the ministry.
- They have a new vision that is incredibly comprehensive. Please be praying that God would bring the money, people, and connections needed to see this vision come to fruition.
- Pray for wisdom over MP and MH as we seek how to improve our partnership.
- *Pray as My Home prepares to present at ICOM in November alongside MP. This event in Oklahoma City will see thousands of potential new partners and supporters.
If you would like more info or to get their newsletters, please email Ben here.
Nepal
Our friend Nick is working in and around Kathmandu
- Pray over balance and discipline between remote work, and daily life in a foreign country, including now searching for a new apartment that won’t mold.
- Pray for God to continue to work on the hearts of those I witness too.
- Please pray for blessing over the plans for next year now that it’s time to start planning for new interns.
- Lastly, please pray for health and sleep as Nick has been struggling with both.
Southeast Kentucky
Manna from Heaven seeks to raise up families by helping provide all basic necessities to thecommunity and surrounding area of Myra, Kentucky.
- Pray for continued development and provision over the families in Myra as well as the surrounding regions as Cindy is retiring and the whole crew continue their work there with new leadership.
- Continue to pray for all those affected by the major flooding.