AMERICAN PEOPLES AFFINITY GROUP

May 2011
The Mixteco of San Pablo Tijaltepec live scattered in small towns and villages in the mountains west of
Oaxaca, Mexico. The Tijaltepec society is woven together through “compadrazgo” (co-father or co-parent)
relationship where the mother and father of one family will be godparents to another family’s children. Although
poor, Tijaltepec families are bound to each other. Tijaltepec men are expected to work for the betterment of the
community. They also participate in the frequent tribal wars with neighboring peoples. Approximately 3,800
Tijaltepec Mixteco live 3 hours west of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico at an elevation of 7,200 feet. Their heart
language is the Tijaltepec dialect of the Mixteco language family. Rituals and animistic practices are vital in
every phase of Mixtec Life. The status of evangelization is less than 2% evangelical.

Sunday, May 1 – Ask the Lord to provide
opportunities for Ms of the EUPG to reach their
people for the cause of Christ as they begin their
initial contacts or continue in ministry with their
people. Pray that they have a better
understanding of the world views and cultures
and that their love for their People Groups and
their passion to reach them with the Good News
will grow.
Monday, May 2 – Itinerant Team-In the inky
darkness staying on the narrow path that led
from the main road to the house church was
difficult, so at first I didn’t notice the massive tree
looming in the shadows. Later, during the lively
worship service when the foreign guest was
introduced and the purpose of his visit
announced, I realized the seriousness of the
situation. This muscular, light-skinned man was
a believer in Jesus Christ and a lumberjack
who’d been called from far away to cut down the
huge tree. The house church was packed and
needed to expand their space, which meant
removing the gigantic “spirit tree” used frequently
in rituals of Santeria, a mixture of African
traditional religions and the worship of saints
practiced by more than half the population of this
country. Many believe that anyone who cuts
down the tree will die. Join us in prayer that
believers in this town will have courage to boldly
share the Gospel and that God’s power will
expose and uproot the evil teachings of Santeria.
Pray that people will worship the Creator and
not the creation.
Tuesday, May 3 – REAPNorth Peru—The
preparations are being made to receive summer
missionaries to work in the Amazon region this
summer. Please pray for the REAP team as they
make the arrangements. Also, pray that the
Lord is preparing the young people that will
come to serve in this challenging area of the
world.
Wednesday, May 4 – Venezuela Caracas for
Christ Team—Please pray for a series of talks
on values that are being presented to the
students of Colegio Simon Bolivar II during the
months of April and May. Pray that these talks
will create an interest in the students to know
Christ and the difference He can make in their
lives. In addition, pray that these talks will open
the door to dialogue with parents who live in the
area of Manzanares.
Thursday, May 5 – Haiti Earthquake: Almost
600 houses have been constructed by IMB and
BGR volunteers and their Haitian partners
providing that same number of families a secure
home in which to live. Smiles on the faces of
families when given the key to their home speak
loud and clear the words in their hearts, “We are
grateful!” In one struggling community
volunteers recently built a house for an elderly
woman who has no family. Seeing that she was
sleeping on a piece of cardboard laid out on the
rocks in the house, the team built her a bed with
a wooden bottom. Church members were
troubled that a woman her age was using the
cardboard as her mattress. Members began
giving richly from their poverty to purchase a
mattress for the elderly woman. These young
believers are growing in their love for God and
their compassion for needy in their community.
As a displaced family moves into a house built
by volunteers, members invite them to worship
and Bible study, held in the same yard where
they began months ago following a prayerwalk
and medical clinic. Praise God for this young
growing church and spiritual maturing of
believers. Pray emerging leaders will be firmly
grounded in their faith in Jesus and bold
witnesses in the community and beyond.
Friday, May 6 – Global Mobilizing Cluster—
Please continue to pray for the health of our
families and Mobilizers. A substantial number of
families have had to deal with serious health
problems in the last month.
Diaspora Cluster—Two new street evangelism
strategies are being used by the Madrid
Diaspora Team. One strategy is a well known
paint talk. A second method is being used by
Taryn Blocker and Brook Johnson together with
another Journeyman from Madrid. Pray that this
evangelism would bear fruit among Latinos and
the normally resistant Spaniards. Pray for
boldness for all as they work in selected
strategic locations of this mega-city, going head-
to-head with skepticism and ridicule.
Saturday, May 7 – Central Argentine Team—"He
told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the
workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest
field.'" Luke 10:2 Asbury & Hope Martin, IMB
missionaries serving in Córdoba, Argentina ask
you to pray for them as they begin training a
group of people from the Talleres Sur Baptist
Church in small group evangelism. Pray for
those being trained in how to minister in homes
to reach the lost and plant house churches in
communities that do not have a church. Pray
that the Lord would continue to raise up more
laborers in His harvest field.
Sunday, May 8 – Mexico Urban Cluster—On
March 12, the Gospel was presented to eight
women in Colonia Los Angeles (Hermosillo).
Using the salvation bracelet as a tool, Beverly R.
led the women to assemble the jewelry while
hearing the plan of salvation. Please pray that
the message will be received despite their belief
that they are spiritually healthy because of their
traditional religion faith.
Monday, May 9 – Mexico Mazatec Team—
Please pray for Pat as she is starting the
recordings of her story sets and is encountering
multiple small problems that come with the initial
start up of this work. Pray that she has patience
with the nationals, herself and the equipment.
Tuesday, May 10 – Pray for students from 12
different tribal groups who just finished a course
of Oral Stories led by a M of the EUPG in an
indigenous school in Brazil, that they will be
transformed by the message of Christ, take the
message to their people, and have a desire to
hear and know more about the One True God,
the Creator of the Universe. Pray that the Spirit
will work in their hearts and lives, convicting
them that they have heard the truth, even though
it is contrary to their tribal beliefs and teachings.
Ask the Lord to provide the M the wisdom
needed to answer their questions as they
continue seeking knowledge about the God of
the Bible, the one and only God.
Wednesday, May 11 – Lift up the Church
Planting Classes in Panama City that meet every
Thursday night. Pray for these new church
planters to be faithful to the call that God has on
their lives.
Thursday, May 12 – Support Center—Not quite
two years ago IMB relocated personnel to serve
in the Americas Support Center. It has taken a
long time getting everyone moved in, children
settled in school, many learning the Spanish
language and getting to know their new culture,
getting financial and technological systems set
up and running, and working out all the kinks in
so many changes at once. Giving it time to work
is an important factor in the adjustment of these
changes. Thankfully, God's timing is always
perfect. He has not given up on us and
continues to seek us out to mold and perfect us
in His image. Pray for personnel who work in the
Americas Support Center to feel God's presence
and pleasure as they so diligently serve the Lord
in the areas of Finance, Personnel,
Communication, and Logistics.
Friday, May 13 – Global Mobilizing Cluster—
Pray for the extensive follow-up to the important
mobilization meeting held in April. National
leaders from countries throughout the Americas
met with your mobilizers to discuss the
difficulties that need to be addressed in the
sending of Latino missionaries. Pray that the
visions cast during this time will be met with
open hearts by the national churches and that
more Latin missionaries will be the result!
Saturday, May 14 – REAP Ecuador—FBC
Festus, Missouri returns to Ecuador May 14-21
to continue the ministry to the town of
Uyumbicho. Please pray for the new believers in
that area. FBC is working in unison with an
Ecuadorian church to share the gospel to the
people of that area. Ask that the Holy Spirit help
these two churches work together to reach the
lost.
Sunday, May 15 – Venezuela Caracas for Christ
Team—Pray for talks on self-esteem that
volunteer Dan Taylor will give for professionals
during the week of May 15 to 21. Pray that
professionals will see the need to develop their
spiritual life and will join a formation group where
they can learn more about Christ.
Monday, May 16 – Colombia—Each month
missionary Peggy Wallace prepares a Prayer
Bulletin in Spanish which is distributed to all of
Colombia´s Baptist churches as well as to other
churches and individuals. This Prayer Bulletin
serves as a source for a daily devotional, for
Christian growth, and as a call to pray for the
spread of the gospel among the different Indian
groups of Colombia. Pray that Peggy will be
open and obedient to God´s leadership in the
preparation of this Prayer Bulletin. Intercede for
churches and individuals who receive this Bible
study/prayer tool asking that they will be faithful
to read the daily scripture passages,
accompanying devotional thoughts, and to pray
for non Christian family and friends. If anyone is
interested in receiving this devotional/prayer tool,
please let Peggy know. You could modify the
specific prayer requests to the needs in your
country and/or ministry. nicodemo@etb.net.co
Tuesday, May 17 – Peru Ashéninka Team—
Pray for the McAnally and Gayhearts as they
travel to their area of service among the
Ashéninka to fix up the house for the Gayhearts
to live in and to find an Ashéninka language
helper for their dialect. Pray God will give them
a supernatural ability to comprehend and
understand clearly the words that are spoken in
this language. Pray that God will send someone
to them who has a heart to reach their own
people with the gospel of truth and also
accompany them to the villages for their
language practice.
Wednesday, May 18 – Mexico Urban Cluster—
We praise the Lord for the 130 cell church
members who were present for the Puebla city-
wide cell church celebration service. The
members were very encouraged to know they
weren’t the only ones meeting in their homes for
church. Some even expressed that they hope
they will double in attendance for the next
celebration service in September.
Thursday, May 19 – Pray for the
Americas/Caribbean Diaspora teams as they live
out their Christian faith and boldly share their
faith with persons on their daily path.
Friday, May 20 – The Convención Bautista
Dominicana in the Dominican Republic is
presenting a Doctrinal Conference lead by
Octavio Esqueda from Southwestern Theological
Seminary for all pastors and leaders May 20-21.
The Dominican Baptists desire that the Word of
God be taught clearly in the Baptist churches
throughout the island. Please pray for this
conference as it addresses this issue.
Saturday, May 21 – North Chile team
- Missionaries in the Huasco River Valley ask for
your prayers as they will be hosting a student
team from the University of Mobile (Alabama)
from May 21 - 30. Please pray with them that the
Lord will use them as they minister through
prayer walking, visitation, Vacation Bible School,
and teaching - that the Father would draw many
unto Himself. Please also ask our Lord to use
this ministry opportunity to form them more into
the image of His Son.
Sunday, May 22 – Praise the Lord for initial
contacts with UPGs made by two teams of the
EUPG in April. Ask the Lord’s continue
leadership and guidance and open doors. Pray
for the teams led by Clyde S. to have wisdom as
they research Quilombolas and UPGs and that
they will use time and resources wisely. Pray
that God will lead them and they'd be sensitive to
His leading.
Monday, May 23 – Central Chile Team–During
disaster relief efforts after last year’s earthquake,
many doors of opportunity for sharing the gospel
were opened in communities where there is little
or no evangelical work. One of these
communities is Botalcura in Pencahue, Chile.
Ten temporary buildings were constructed for
use as school classrooms for this community
and as a result of the relationships formed
around this community effort, there is a “family of
peace” ready to open their home for Bible study.
Please pray for a Chilean national to hear the
call to go to Botalcura to start this work and for a
US church to partner with him. Jesus said,
“Open your eyes and look at the fields. They are
ripe for harvest . . . the harvest is plentiful, but
the workers are few.”
Tuesday, May 24 – London Diaspora Team.
Buddy and Lois Woodson share praise for the
increase God is giving to the Wednesday night
group. There were 14 young adults from 12
different nations and 5 new people. For many it
is their first encounter with God's Word and
hearing about what Jesus did for us. Pray for
God to accomplish what He wants in this group
and that the believers would live to give Him
glory in all things and to even stay away from
"the appearance of evil."
Wednesday, May 25 – Global Mobilizing Cluster
—Continue to pray for travel mercies for our
mobilizers as they go from place to place and
city to city, meeting with national leaders and
individuals. Pray for their families that "hold
down the fort", working on ministries of their own
while waiting for their loved ones to come home.
Thursday, May 26 – Bolivians in Buenos Aires–-
Please pray for the continued interest among the
Bolivian population in Buenos Aires to start up
home discipleship small groups and that new
leaders will be raised up to lead these groups.
Some great interest was generated as the
Immanuel Baptist Church mission team from
California visited and led workshops in a few
churches.
Friday, May 27 – Venezuela Caracas for Christ
Team—Pray for a marriage retreat that Jan and
Mike Bennett will conduct for professionals on
May 27 and 28. Pray that unbelieving
professionals will understand that a successful
marriage needs Christ in the center and that they
will have an interest in following Him. Likewise
pray that Christians in attendance will use the
material to conduct other conferences
throughout the city.
Saturday, May 28 – Mexico Urban Cluster—We
praise the Lord for the success of the community
outreach event in Bosques de Marquez in
Puebla. The leaders of the cell groups
combined forces to invite their neighbors to a
movie about drunkards whose lives were
changed by Jesus. The movie was shown in
one of the member’s houses and to their
amazement, over 60 people showed up! Praise
the Lord! Pray for these cell group members as
they do follow-up within the next two weeks.
Sunday, May 29 – Eastern UPG Cluster—Ask
the Lord to provide protection and safety as well
as barriers against distractions and difficulties for
the Ms of the EUPG. Pray for those facing
health issues, aging parents, and with children at
home and in the states, that they not be
discouraged and that the Lord provide them
strength and even joy during these times. Praise
the Lord for the opportunities to give testimony
about the Lord and what He has done to provide
salvation for ALL PEOPLE. Ask the Lord to
open our eyes here in the EUPG, that we will
see those who have not yet heard about God
and His Love due to isolation or language or
cultural teachings.
Monday, May 30 – Support Center—Thank you
for your prayers for the evangelistic music
concerts last month in Chile. Give thanks for
answered prayer in that many ESL students and
neighbors attended - some came that we had
not even met before! An elderly man, who lived
in the apartment building where the concert was
taking place, happened to come by and hear the
sound check. We invited him to come to the
concert. He said that he would go upstairs and
get his invalid wife, who was a vocalist in her
youth, and bring her with him. It touched our
hearts to see this woman's tears at hearing the
music. Continue to pray as relationships develop
and testimonies of God's saving grace are
shared that students and neighbors will know
Jesus as LORD of their lives.
Tuesday, May 31 – REAPSouth Peru—Please
pray for three REAPSouth Summer missions
teams* of U.S. university students, adults as well
as Peruvian nationals going out to serve in the
highlands of southern Peru during the months of
June and July. Pray for safety in travel,
protection from illness and harm, unity/harmony
among team members, favor with the community
where they will be serving and that the Lord
receives all the glory and honor for the impact
made.
American Peoples Affinity Group vision
statement: “Our vision is a multitude of disciples
among all peoples of the Americas, equipped to
fulfill the Great Commission to the ends of the
earth.”