Prayer Focus
August
1 Fri. Spain – Vigo
For the next ten days CLC will have a bookstand in the secular Book Fair in La Coruña. CLC Vigo takes and collects the books but the stand is run entirely by volunteers from all the evangelical churches in the city. This year the book ‘More than a Carpenter’ will be available at just 1.25 Euros. Pray that hundreds of people buy this book, and through it find Jesus as their Saviour.
2/3 Sat/Sun. UK – Guidance
Please remember Paul and Kay (CLC Canterbury) and Brenda (CLC Chatham). Also remember Colin and Liz (CLC Dundee), Leslie and Esther (CLC Inverness) and Peter (CLC Ipswich) as together we seek God for His way.
4 Mon. Hungary – Book Tables
Zsolt Karpati and the team in Budapest will be busy this month taking books to two major mission events. Balaton-NET (August 20-24) is a family orientated conference organized in partnership with the Hungarian Evangelical Alliance and the Keswick Convention. CLC also hopes to participate in the IAMS (International Association of Mission Studies) conference as well (August 16-23). Please pray for health and strength for the CLC staff, and wisdom in organizing everything well.
5 Tue. Russia – Shop Alterations
“Please pray as alterations are made to the front entrance to the bookshop, and ground floor cafe/bakery, in Moscow. Pray that the paperwork documenting the changes would go smoothly. July and August are holiday months for most of the government departments so please pray that our paperwork will not get ‘stuck’ in an office during this time.” Anita Jones
6 Wed. Australia – Prayer and Praise
“Please pray for the Executive team as they choose and implement new software programs for use in the warehouse and the shops. We praise God for those who are starting to come forward and volunteer to work in the shops; praise God too for the staff members who constantly give above and beyond what is required to help support the growth of the CLC ministry here in Australia.” Marion Ryan, CLC Strathpine
7 Thu. Spain – Holiday Cover
August is the month when many Spaniards take their annual holiday. The bookshops in Malaga, Vigo and Seville rely on volunteers to keep the shops open while the couples who normally run the shops take a well-earned break with their young children. Please pray for these volunteers. In Seville there is also a need for a full-time worker as Manoli, who has been helping for a few months, stopped working in July.
8 Fri. Netherlands – Focus on China
From 8-24th of August the Olympics are in China. In this period CLC Netherlands will pay extra attention to China in their shops. There are many good books on China (for example Safely Home by Randy Alcorn and novels by C. Hope Flinchbaugh), some films (such as China Cry) and also Chinese praise music. Pray for wisdom and sensitivity as the Dutch team hope for opportunities to serve people who would not normally visit our shops during this month.
9/10 Sat/Sun. UK – Guidance
Please remember Michael, Jane, and Margaret (CLC Leicester) and Brian and Kathryn (CLC Newcastle). Also remember Jan, Amanda and David (CLC Sheffield) and Jose (CLC Welling) as together we seek God for His way.
11 Mon. Papua New Guinea - Alotau
Vere Babona writes: “Please pray for the manager of the Alotau shop, Basil Rurua, as he looks after the bookshop in this small tourist township here in Papua New Guinea. Sales fluctuate from week to week. Pray for Basil’s health because when he gets sick there is no one to look after the shop. Pray for a reliable helper. Praise God that Basil was given the opportunity to speak on behalf of the bookshop during the recent visit of the ship MV Doulos.”
12 Tue. Central Asia – Within the Law
“Please pray that God would help our accountant to be wise and careful with all the laws here, and with the officials she has to deal with. Recently we were kept waiting for over 6 weeks for a work permit; there are always people trying to get bribes for the things we are legally required to have. We also want to make books available in the villages but have to be careful to know the best way to do this without causing problems with the officials.” From the bookshop manager
13 Wed. Italy – Warehouse Move
The Wholesale Department in Italy moves to Catania, Sicily, this month. Please pray for those who are busy preparing the new building ready for use, and for all the work involved in closing down the present warehouse in Rome. Andreas Bader is the new warehouse manager and he will be coordinating all these activities. Please pray for him in particular, and also for volunteer help as it is required.
14 Thu. New Zealand - Tokoroa
Praise God that a church has offered to pay our rent so that we can be better situated in the town of Tokoroa. CLC currently operates from an isolated location on the edge of town which is not ideal. Pray that a suitable location will soon be found. Pray also for Maxine Diffey, the Tokoroa manager; she works with volunteers but needs a second member of staff to help her. Other shops in New Zealand are also understaffed, and someone is needed to take on the Book Bus when Ray and Esther Grubb retire later this year.
15 Fri. Kyrgyzstan – Products from China
Iskander Saifulin writes: “For a long time we have prayed that we would find manufacturers of Christian products in China. Now we have found a supplier and have received samples of their goods, which are high quality but not expensive. We have investigated how to organise deliveries and we would appreciate prayer as we plan to make our first order when we have the financial resources to do so.”
16/17 Sat/Sun. UK – Guidance
Please remember Carol, Shirley, Paul and Sue, Mateus, Navita, Bunty, Barbara, Petra and Liz (CLC London). Also remember Phil and Gina (CLC Stamford) and Jan (CLC Wolverhampton) as together we seek God for His way.
18 Mon. Switzerland – Yes, CLC Switzerland!
Praise God with us for the plans which are going ahead for CLC Switzerland to become a reality! CLC Italy will be the responsible field for the bookshop opening in the city of Lugano, Ticino, which is situated in the Italian-speaking area in southern Switzerland. Please pray that the registration of CLC Switzerland will go smoothly and for wise decisions to be made as we prepare for the grand opening at the beginning of September.
19 Tue. Sierra Leone – Rain stops Sales
Manager Jusu-Wai Sawi writes: “Over the years we have experienced low sales during our rainy season which lasts from June to September. This can be quite a ‘depressing’ time for us. Please pray that our sales during this period will be better this year.”
20 Wed. Philippines – Titles to Reprint and a Book to Translate
Pease pray for the Lord’s guidance as the Publishing Department chooses titles for reprint. Pray that they will choose titles that will be a blessing to the Filipino people and that foreign publishers will grant them the necessary rights. There are also plans to translate Oswald Chambers' classic daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest into Tagalog. Please pray for wisdom in this endeavor.
21 Thu. Hungary – Book sales, and a House for Sale
“Praise God, in general sales are better in both shops than in the previous year despite the economic situation in Hungary. We see small but increasing sales through our website. Please pray that people would realise their need for God and that CLC would be an effective tool in God's hands! The CLC property in Erd is still for sale – please pray that this matter will be resolved soon.” Zsolt Karpati
22 Fri. Italy - Turin
“With the closure of our warehouse and administration office in Rome, we have seen the Lord provide a larger shop premises in the city of Torino (Turin) and it is here that we will move our administration. Pray for Samuele Di Ruocco as he begins to take over the administrative duties for CLC Italy and maintains contact with the small business association that does our accounting.” Gary Chamberlin
23/24 Sat/Sun. UK – Guidance
Please remember our group of retirees who have faithfully served in the past and continue to support the mission in prayer and volunteering in the shops. Pray for them as together we seek God for His way.
25 Mon. Papua New Guinea – Possible Expansion
“Praise God for good sales in Boroko and also for possibilities for reaching the towns of Tabubil and Kerema with books. During a recent visit to Malalaua Town, we were able to establish some links there too. Pray that the people we have contacted will catch our vision and purpose, and that more visits would further strengthen our position, and help extend the ministry of CLC in Papua New Guinea.” Vere Babona
26 Tue. Kenya – Books for Secular Shops
Edith and the team at the Christian BookLink warehouse in Nairobi thank God that they have found favour with one of the secular bookshops in Kenya that sells a lot of books, especially ones on leadership. Please pray that CLC Kenya will offer good service in supplying this shop.
27 Wed. Russia - Website
The website has been attracting more attention and customers. Please pray that Roger Jones and Cristi Cotovan (CLC IO) can keep it updated and relevant so that it will prove to be a blessing to the shop and its customers.
28 Thu. Spain – Progress brings Changes
Progress continues with the projects to create an enlarged and improved Website for CLC Spain and to computerise the shops and the mobile work. Joserra Peixoto, from CLC Vigo, is responsible for these projects and this means that he will step down as manager of the Vigo bookshop. He and his family will need to move to a more central location. Please pray that God will guide and direct CLC Spain, and Joserra and his family at this time.
29 Fri. Philippines – Manila International Book Fair
Romualdo Macinas asks us to pray for CLC in the Philippines as they cope with the difficulties in their country – including huge increases in the price of oil and a shortage of rice. Despite the problems the team is grateful to God for the plans He has for them in the second half of this year. Now they are preparing to attend the 29th Manila International Book Fair held in a conference centre in the SM Mall of Asia, the largest shopping mall in the Philippines (and possibly the third largest in the world). This is the third time that CLC has been involved in the Book Fair. Please pray for good contacts and sales to be made at this event.
30/31 Sat/Sun. UK – September Conference
Soon the UK team will gather to hear proposals and talk about the direction God wants us to take. Please pray for various meetings held before the September conference, as well as the conference itself, that we will embrace what God has in mind and rejoice in His provision for us.
September
1 Mon. Italy - New Warehouse
"Praise God with us for the opening of our new warehouse in Catania, Sicily. This is an exciting period in our history and we praise God for this joyous moment. Pray that the Lord will continue to provide needed gifts for this project. Pray that our new warehouse manager, Andreas Bader, will be encouraged and have the stamina he needs during this very busy time. Pray that many churches throughout Sicily will become faithful customers, and that the warehouse will have exceptionally good sales." Gary Chamberlin.
2 Tue. French Speaking West Africa - Lessons Learned
Prosper Weda writes: "I give thanks to God for the CLC International Council meetings held in Bangkok in June this year. Please pray that I will faithfully share the training with my colleagues here in French West Africa (Benin, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso) so that we all gain the maximum benefit. Pray that we will recognise and grasp our 'seize the day' moments (Carpe Diem) as we seek to improve our service and ministry to customers."
3 Wed. Switzerland - Opening Soon
CLC Switzerland is opening September! Praise God for this new possibility we have to provide literature in the city of Lugano and the entire canton of Ticino - the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Pray that the shop will grow quickly, make good contacts with the churches and local believers, and that many people will come to know our Lord through the ministry of this new work.
4 Thu. Central Asia - New Location?
For some time there has been talk of the possibility of the building, where the shop owned by CLC is located, being claimed by the government for redevelopment. At the time of writing it looks as if this proposal will become a reality - probably within the next few weeks. We are asked to pray for "a just compensation, wisdom in finding our next location, and grace for us as we go through this process in a country where these things can be so difficult."
5 Fri. Japan - The Cost of Fuel Price Increases
CLC Japan carries out an extensive mobile work from many of its centres. As the cost of petrol increases this puts pressure on managing these shops. Pray that some solutions will be found.
6-7 Sat/Sun. UK - Dundee
The magazine, Dundee for Christ, has asked CLC to supply an article about the mission. Please pray that the article will have a good impact, and challenge the readers about mission through literature. Also praise the Lord for many first-time customers and for a number of opportunities in the ministry of encouragement.
8 Mon. Austria - Graz
Later this week Gary Chamberlin (Regional Director for Europe) and Valentin Schweigler (CLC Germany) will be visiting the team in Graz, Austria. Please pray that the visit will be an encouragement for Armin, Edeltraud, Ilse and Sandra and that God will direct them in any decisions taken regarding the future of the work in this country.
9 Tue. French West Africa - Managers' Meetings
Pray for the meetings of the Managers of CLC French West Africa, which will be held in Abidjan (Cote d'Ivoire) from September 10 to 12. Pray for safety in travel for each participant, and that as a result of our talks the ministry will be more effective and productive in each country (Benin, Togo, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso). Phil Burnham, Regional Director for Africa, will be at these meetings.
10 Wed. Papua New Guinea - Sunday School Workshop
Vere Babona writes: "We have been asked to share something about CLC International with the participants of the Bible Society Sunday School Workshop in September. This is God's timing as we now have a wealth of information about the mission and vision of CLC that was passed on at the International Council meetings. We praise God for this opportunity to share, and we will be displaying Sunday School materials as well."
11 Thu. Bulgaria - Staff Needs
Quite unexpectedly Krassimira Moneva, with her husband Kalin and their young twin sons, emigrated to Sweden recently. Krassimira had just begun full time work with CLC in Sofia again after taking maternity leave. We wish her God's blessing and trust that it all will work out well for the family. Please uphold the Bulgarian team - now just Lidia and Ginka - in prayer as they are look for a new team member. During July and August they had help from some students.
12 Fri. Netherlands - Arnhem
Officially Annelies den Hartog (CLC Arnhem) retires early next year but she is currently undergoing, and recovering from, surgery so she is no longer working in the shop. There will be a special party held for her this month (probably today) to celebrate and give thanks for the 33 years Annelies has served in CLC. The team is very grateful to God for Annelies' input and faithfulness to the ministry over the years. At the time of writing there is still a need for a new manager for the Arnhem shop. Please pray.
13-14 Sat/Sun. UK - Inverness
It is our constant desire for God to touch the lives of believers through the CLC Bookshop ministry across the Highlands and Islands. One way of doing that is through the coming Christmas Bookstalls during October and into November, for which planning starts in September.
15 Mon. Sierra Leone - Becoming Financially Independent
CLC in Sierra Leone has been dependent on financial help from another CLC country but the decision has recently been taken to reduce this support by 25% a year. Please pray for the ministry in Sierra Leone as it adjusts to these changes, and plans strategically to rise to the financial challenge. Praise the Lord for a recent grant for the Publishing department from a Christian organisation in Germany.
16 Tue. France - New National Director
Two months ago Hervé Lessous took on the role of National Director for CLC France. From his first week he had some difficult issues to deal with. Please pray for him as he settles into the job and gets to know the CLC family in France and beyond.
17 Wed. Chile - Website
"I give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity to participate in both the Website Workshop, held in Colombia, and the CLC International Conference held in Thailand earlier this year. Please pray for wisdom in sharing and applying what was presented during the time in Bangkok. Pray too for health and strength for Patricio Arenas who, at the time of writing, has the full time job of putting all the stock onto the website. Pray that the work will be done well and be effective." Isaac Zúñiga, Chile National Director.
18 Thu. Indonesia - 'Spreading the Word'
Donny Kairupan writes: "During September and October we hope to continue our efforts to promote the bookshop ministry to churches and Bible Schools, with booktables planned in several churches. We also want to promote our publishing work - Yakin (CLC) books - and our aim is to contact all the Christian Bookshops in Indonesia by the end of the year." Please pray for God's blessing on these endeavours.
19 Fri. Netherlands - Bookfairs
The annual Bookfair will be held on two separate days and in two different locations so that as many people as possible can attend. This year it will run on September 22nd and September 29th. Please pray as the Dutch team buys a large amount of stock at these events. Els Oosterhuis, the National Director, says "...we feel a responsibility for the spiritual wellbeing of our customers, so we want to buy good books."
20-21 Sat/Sun. UK - Conference
The Autumn Conference, held from Sat. 20th to Mon. 22nd, is a special time of prayer, fellowship and worship. This year, in particular, we are seeking God's direction for us in the years ahead.
22 Mon. New Zealand -The Future of the Book Bus
Please continue to pray for someone to take over the Book Bus ministry as Ray and Esther plan to retire soon. They have already stopped visiting some of the places that have been on the route - please pray that customers in these areas will find the CLC website helpful if they wish to continue purchasing books from CLC. Pray too for Stewart and Elaine Rowe as they will have an extra workload at the end of September and early October while Allan and Denise Welch are away.
23 Tue. Kenya - Good Working Relationships
The team in Nairobi thanks God for His favor towards them and for the good working relationships they are forming with other book ministries. The Nairobi Annual Bookfair starts tomorrow (September 24-28). Please pray that as the CLC team attends this event, relationships will strengthen and that new contacts will be made that will help the business and ministry to move forward.
24 Wed. Trinidad - San Fernando
"The shop in San Fernando relocated about two years ago and has just begun to see an improvement in sales. The shop building is now up for sale and CLC has been given first option to buy. We are interested in buying because there are no other suitable places for rental in San Fernando; please pray that God will provide the finance for us to purchase the property." Marlene Ramroop
25 Thu. Canada - Sunday School Conference
Rod Fowler writes: "We will be taking a booktable to a big Sunday School Conference on Saturday (27th). It is a rare blessing for us to be there as most of the attendees are from Baptist churches where we do not have strong links as they already support another bookshop. Please pray that we will be able to meet customer's needs and form good relationships without taking business from others."
26 Fri. French Speaking West Africa - Gabon
Prosper Weda, National Director for CLC in French West Africa writes: "I need to visit Libreville, the capital of Gabon, where a successful bookshop ministry wants to become an integral part of CLC. Pray that the immigration formalities are soon completed so that I can visit the city, meet with the people concerned and finalise the contractual details of this advance so that we can move ahead and start a CLC ministry in this nation in Central Africa."
27-28 Sat/Sun. UK - Trustees
Our trustees will meet 2 October to discuss the direction of the work in the UK as well as make business decisions concerning the mission. Please pray for them as they begin the process of finding a new leader for the UK team.
29 Mon. Myanmar - Established at Last!
Praise the Lord that CLC Myanmar was given Established Country status during the International Council in Thailand last June. This status is given to countries that have achieved a level of financial stability and a sound leadership structure. Pray for continued growth of the ministry.
30 Tue. Japan - Publishers Exhibition
For the next three days (1st -3rd October) there will be a Publisher's Exhibition in Japan and, at the same time, the CLC bookshop managers will have the opportunity to meet together. Please pray for good times of fellowship and decision making for our staff, and also for wisdom and guidance in purchasing stock.
