Your powerful prayers
Answered prayers from 2022
As we gather again for the BMS World Mission Day of Prayer on 5 February 2023, take a look back at how God answered the prayers you lifted up to him this time last year. Spoiler alert: we’ve been humbled, surprised and filled with joy to see all he’s done – we hope you will be too.
Our prayer: BMS World Mission has a strong vision to highlight voices from the Global Church throughout our work. Pray for wisdom and guidance for BMS leadership as they seek to put this vision in to practice.
As we continue along a path of deeper connection with the Church in the Global South, the appointment of Bijoy Sangma as BMS’ Director of Intercultural Learning and Collaboration has been a significant marker – and a cause for real celebration. Bijoy comes from Meghalaya in northeast India, where his parents were missionaries with the Baptist Church of India. As the Communications Lead and Vice-President of the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation for over two decades, Bijoy connects BMS with a network of 40,000 local churches and 65 Baptist conventions in 22 countries across the Asia Pacific regions. Thank you for the prayers which made this possible, and please continue to pray for Bijoy as he guides BMS into an approach of deeper humility and mutuality in all our partnerships.
Our prayer: There were over 82 million forcibly displaced people worldwide in 2020, largely due to conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and South Sudan. Pray for wisdom for BMS as we identify the best routes possible to help those in crisis.
When the BMS team asked God to use us to help people on the move in 2022, we could never have imagined the scale to which he would answer our prayer. The invasion of Ukraine came as a devastation to people the world over, but in the midst of shock and sorrow, God was on the move. Through networks BMS had previously established in Ukraine and been working through over a number of years, we were well placed to respond alongside our European partners, especially our brothers and sisters in Poland, Estonia and Moldova. God worked among BMS supporters too, enabling your generous hearts to provide over £1.7 million in emergency relief. In all of this, you continued to support people in crisis fleeing other areas of conflict and fragility, such as Syria and Afghanistan. We’re so thankful to God for the way in which he used you to answer last year’s prayers, and for his wisdom in preparing routes for BMS to respond.
Our prayer: As we enter the third year of the Covid-19 pandemic, please pray for a spirit of resilience among BMS mission workers. Pray that the Lord will guide us and our partners as we respond to changing contexts caused by the pandemic over the next year.
The Covid-19 pandemic brought home just how fundamental access to good healthcare is for global equality. That’s why we’ve been really excited to see how God answered this prayer for resilience and adaptability in a post-pandemic world. From the pioneering malaria prevention work by Guinebor II Hospital in Chad that took place this year (including drama workshops that showed people how to recognise malaria symptoms and seek help), to celebrating 70 years of BMS’ partner the International Nepal Fellowship (INF) and the incredible hospital care they provide, God is using BMS support to see the goal of global equality come one step closer.
The answers to this prayer have been joyful, unexpected, and they’ve been possible because of you.
Our prayer: Pray for BMS work sharing the gospel among communities who haven’t heard the Word of God before. Pray especially for BMS-supported worker Pastor J in Cambodia, that he will be able to bring people living in rural villages to know Jesus.
BMS-supported worker Pastor J was called a long way from his home in Mizoram, India to the rural communities of Cambodia. There is one village that is particularly on Pastor J’s heart – Trapeang Run, where there is no Christian presence as yet. He has visited several times and has started building relationships with local people. Because of the pandemic, progress has been slow. And yet your prayers have been sustaining Pastor J through these challenges. “Sometimes I give up hope,” he says. “But my heart asks me: maybe the Holy Spirit wants to work over there?” Excitingly, this year, he and his church plan to focus on this unreached area. Praise God that they have produced a leaflet explaining the gospel in Khmer, which they hope to gather funds to print and share.
Our prayer: Pray for BMS work improving livelihoods in marginalised communities across the world. Pray especially for our work in Nepali villages, that we would be able to work in partnership with local people to create an environment where all can thrive.
Last year, we prayed that God would bless our work in Nepali villages. We’re so thankful for the tangible ways in which that prayer was answered: notably in the incredible sum that BMS supporters raised for Good Land, the BMS Harvest appeal for 2022. You raised a total of £168,761 to support work in villages like Ghusel, high in Nepal’s Himalayas. Partnership became the beating heart of Good Land, guiding who would be at the centre of this appeal. It wasn’t BMS workers with our ideas, aspirations and dreams, but the people of Ghusel themselves who knew exactly how to improve life in their community. Thank you for making that change possible, bringing amazing improvements to education, livelihoods and clean water practices in Ghusel – and transforming lives forever.
Our prayer: The Covid-19 pandemic, the ongoing threat of climate change and international conflicts have led to many tragedies over the last few years. Pray that people will feel called to give to the BMS disaster recovery fund so that we can support people who need it most when disasters strike.
BMS supporters didn’t just restrict their support to help those affected by the war in Ukraine. Thanks to your prayers and giving to our disaster recovery fund, we’ve also been able to reach those affected by crises and hardship across the world. Your support has reached people in Sri Lanka and Lebanon struggling to make ends meet because of the global cost of living crisis, and you’ve helped provide emergency relief to people affected by devastating floods in Bangladesh and Uganda.
Our prayer: Thank God for the willingness of our mission workers to serve across the world. Please pray that God will call more people to serve overseas, and that they will share BMS’ vision of bringing fullness of life to all.
In 2022 we were blessed to welcome BMS worker Leena* to our team in Guinea! It’s been wonderful to see the BMS team in Guinea expanding over the last few years (we welcomed Holly* to the team back in 2021) and to see their dedication to showing God’s love and empowering justice to marginalised communities there. Rejoice with us in Leena’s appointment, and please continue to pray for her, that she will build relationships with people in the community and live out her faith among them.
*Names changed.
Thank you so much for your prayers over the last year. It’s so amazing to look back and see what God has done through you. We’re so heartened by the dedicated prayers of BMS supporters – and we can’t wait to see what you’ll make possible through your prayers on this year’s Day of Prayer on Sunday 5 February. It’s not too late to join us, so head to the Day of Prayer page to find all the resources you’ll need to pray!
Words by Laura Durrant, Matty Fearon and Hannah Watson.
