Sunday, February 19, 2012

Praying for the Lozi and Mbunda

Recently, I have been writing prayer requests for the Lozi and Mbunda. Both of these tribes are a part of the Western Province. You can go to www.imb.org then click on 'Pray' to see new prayer requests each month for People Groups all over the world. Below are two that I have done for the Lozi and Mbunda. Go to imb.org to continue to pray for the Lozi, Mbunda and Nkoya of Zambia's Western Province.


LOZI
They are the lost boys. I see them everyday as they drive cattle in front of my home. They are young boys, usually about 10-12 years old. These young shepherds stay with the cattle all day, every day. In the morning, they drive them from the corral onto the floodplain then back again in the late afternoon. They have an agreement with the herd’s owner to take care of the cattle for 2-3 years. After the agreed upon time, they will receive a young cow as payment for their work. They do not have the opportunity to go to school, climb a mango tree with their friends, or even live with their family. They are expected to do a man’s job yet they are still so young. To me, they seem to be lost in their own society. As I see these boys everyday, I think of the 23rd chapter of the Psalms. Please join with me as we pray that the LORD will be their shepherd (vs. 1), that the Lord will renew their strength, that they will be guided along the right paths (vs.3), and that His goodness and unfailing love will pursue them all the days of their lives (v.6). Pray that these young boys will not be lost in darkness but know the Light of the World just as Jesus says in John 8:12 (NIV) – “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will the light of life.”

MBUNDA
Maroon, bright blue, green and brown - these are just some of the colors of the school children’s’ uniforms here in the Western Province of Zambia. As I see their uniforms almost everyday, I am reminded of the children’s song that says, ‘Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.’ Luke 18:16 (NIV) says, “Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” Please pray that these precious Mbunda children will know that God, the Father, cherishes them. Pray that they will not feel alone but know that the God of Heaven knows their name and loves them exceedingly and abundantly more than they could ever imagine.

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