Prayer Focus: November 1st - November 10th 2024
Week 44 - International Office Trustees
November 1st - 3rd
Friday (1st) - New Trustee
Please join us in thanking God for Mónica Rojas, who was recently accepted as a new trustee of the CLC International Office charity, which is based in the UK. Pray that she may quickly adapt to this new responsibility. Mónica also serves as the National Director for CLC Ecuador, so she will participate remotely.
The Weekend (2nd - 3rd) - Trustees
Please pray for the CLC International Office Trustees as they prepare to meet later this month on Wednesday, November 13th. In the meantime, there will be various reports shared for discussion. Pray for wisdom and understanding for all. Pray especially for John Raby, who is the Chair of the trustees.
Week 45 - Events
November 4th - 10th
Monday (4th) - Mexico
From the 7th–9th of this month, we will have an event for women in the city of Guadalajara. There is a confirmed attendance of 1,400 participants. Please pray for all the logistics involved and for the heart of each delegate who will be present. Pray that our resources will serve to build up their lives. Thank you.
Tuesday (5th) - CLC Global Day of Prayer
Three times each year, CLC has regular global days of prayer and fasting, when more than 100 CLCers around the world take part in a Zoom meeting in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. The programme includes praise and worship, testimonies and a devotional message as well as small group prayer according to language. Please pray for today’s gathering.
Wednesday (6th) - Board Meetings
Hervé Lessous (CLC European Director) serves as a Board member for the WEC Cornerstone Bible College in the Netherlands. This Board will meet next week on November 12th and 13th. Hervé also serves on the Board of Livr’Afrique, an Association for low-cost books to French-speaking Africa. This Board will meet on November 18th. Please pray that the Livr’Afrique Association may continue to operate for many years in the future.
Thursday (7th) - Indonesia
Please pray for good health for our team at this very busy time of year. This month, we will have several book tables at the Christmas Story Workshops. Our desire is that we may see more people having access to evangelical literature and that they will put their trust in God, and continue to grow in faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Friday (8th) - Mexico
On November 10th and 11th, Alina Herrera, creator and designer of the “Sheep” brand, which has produced many gift items, such as calendars, diaries and mugs, in partnership with CLC in Latin America, will visit Mexico. Alina also teaches the Word to women through her testimony and shares the inspiration she receives to shape her designs. We will be in three locations with her during the two days.
The Weekend (9th - 10th) - Cyprus
In November, we hold, as usual, our Christmas Book fairs, which must be planned well ahead since there is much preparation and work involved. These are usually refreshing and satisfying times, leaving us blessed and encouraged as we see and renew fellowship with brothers and sisters that we know and become acquainted with new ones, thereby extending the ministry of the bookshop in Nicosia.
Prayer Focus: November 11th - November 17th 2024
Week 46 - Africa
November 11th - 17th
Monday (11th) - Mozambique
This year, we have experienced significant difficulties with being able to pay our foreign suppliers due to challenges with the central banking system. This has been very challenging for us, and, if the problem continues indefinitely, it has the potential to prevent our ministry from continuing in the long term as 95%+ of our stock, which is in the Portuguese language, comes from overseas.
Tuesday (12th) - Mozambique
For many years, we were seeking a solution to help simplify the very complex process of importing stock from our suppliers in Brazil. We thank God that He provided a consolidator for us at one of the Brazilian publishers. Please pray that this arrangement may continue for many years, recognising that it may only work to the degree that yesterday’s prayer request will be answered.
Wednesday (13th) - Sierra Leone
Our annual rent to our landlords for our second bookshop in the centre of Freetown is due for payment on December 31st. They are asking for $3,000 US, which is a big increase for us. For 2024, we were able to negotiate and pay $2,500. Please pray that they will be gracious to us and that we may come to a similar agreement for 2025.
Thursday (14th) - Sierra Leone
We praise God for the building project that has enabled us to have our own bookshop in the city of Bo, and we are thankful to all who contributed towards this project! Please pray that we may receive the completed documentation for the lease of the land as, at the time of writing, this is still outstanding.
Friday (15th) - Kenya
Please pray for the annual ACABA (African Christian Authors’ Book Awards) Gala, which will be held at the end of this month, on Saturday, November 30th. This is the fourth year that CLC Kenya has organised this event, which, this year, will be held in Kampala, Uganda. Pray, too, for the Pre-Gala Book Fest for Kenyan authors, on November 22nd, in Nairobi.
The Weekend (16th - 17th) - Kenya
We thank God for the opening of a new CLC bookshop this year on the compound of the NPBC (Nairobi Pentecostal
Bible College) and for our new assistant who will help in spearheading sales and customer relations. We pray that the bookshop will be a success and a blessing to the Bible College community and beyond.
Prayer Focus: November 18th - November 24th 2024
Week 47 - Asia
November 18th - 24th
Monday (18th) - South Korea
Today, we will begin advertising our Christmas sales on Facebook, Instagram, our website and YouTube channels. Around this time, one of our children’s books, The Picture Bible for Little Ones, printed in China, is expected to arrive in Korea. May we creatively promote this book in ways that will capture the hearts of parents and children so that it becomes a meaningful and cherished gift during this season.
Tuesday (19th) - Thailand
We thank God for answering our prayers and sending someone to help us with social media advertising. Since this person has joined our team, we have experienced an increase in our online sales, which we trust reflects a growth in the spiritual lives of those who have received our resources.
Wednesday (20th) - Thailand
Please pray that the CLC Ministry Foundation will be approved soon. If we have our own Foundation, we will be able to put the Chiang Mai building (where the bookshop is located) and the Bangkok building under the CLC ministry name. We thank God that we were able to regain the Chiang Mai building. Pray that it will be used to His glory.
Thursday (21st) - Philippines
Please pray for new leadership in the Philippines as our National Director, Romualdo Macinas, will be retiring early next year. Pray for his successor to be well prepared. Pray for a new generation of leaders to be raised up to take the ministry to new heights for many years to come.
Friday (22nd) - Japan
Please pray that our bookshop in Kyoto becomes a true channel of blessing for many. Christian bookshops in Japan are facing significant challenges, so please pray that more individual Christians and churches generally will recognise the important role that these bookshops play.
The Weekend (23rd - 24th) - Japan
Please pray for a fundamental spiritual revival in Japan, one that will not only renew the church but also challenge the nation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Prayer Focus: November 25th - December 1st 2024
Week 48 - Europe
November 25th - December 1st
Monday (25th) - Central Asia 2
Please pray that we will be able to get a new order of Christian books in the Russian language in good time before Christmas. It has been several years since we could obtain a larger order due to the situation in our country. Please pray for us, that we will have wisdom in how to import the books.
Tuesday (26th) - Romania
We praise the Lord for the sales He enabled us to have, which helped us to remain stable and to continue the work of our ministry even though many other retailers are facing a serious decline in sales in the midst of a very unstable and challenging economic environment.
Wednesday (27th) - Romania
Please pray for the Lord to intervene in our challenges, which include new requirements from the government, involving much additional work for us, the loss of some trained workers and the difficulty of finding their replacements. This is due in part to the elevated levels of emigration, and high expectations relating to salaries, which we cannot offer on a par with Western Europe.
Thursday (28th) - Germany
Please pray that the Lord enables us to be a blessing to the many “analogue” people who still love to come to a “bricks and mortar” local Christian bookshop. Pray for conversations that will encourage our fellow believers in their faith. We have fewer workers now, but the workload is still the same, so please also pray that the Lord continues to strengthen us. Thank you.
Friday (29th) - Eastern Europe 1
We praise God for allowing us to continue His ministry in our “special” circumstances. In the past months, we experienced some difficulties with our website due to the server being outside of our country, leading to increased costs. We praise God for the digital team who have worked hard to fix this.
The Weekend (30th - December 1st) - Bulgaria
Please pray for Lidiya, our bookshop manager in Sofia. At the moment, there is no Board of Directors, and Lidiya needs some additional support and help. The ministry would also benefit from a change of software in the bookshop. Please pray for God to supply these needs.
Prayer Focus: December 2nd - December 8th 2024
Week 49 - Latin America
December 2nd - 8th
Monday (2nd) - Colombia
Through the project Learning to Read and Write with Purpose, we have supported a group of soldiers, who were unable to read, with workshops so that they can begin their learning process. This included the purchase of 60 chairs so that they could take their classes comfortably. Please pray that God will use this experience to bring about much good in their lives.
Tuesday (3rd) - Chile
We thank God for His help in the sale of our warehouse as the property was located in an area where this was difficult to achieve. Now, we are asking for prayer for the young people who come to our bookstores that they may always feel welcomed and find answers through the Word and good Christian literature.
Wednesday (4th) - Ecuador
We are very thankful to the Lord for all that He is doing in our country through CLC. Please pray for us as we plan to sell the first place where CLC opened in Ecuador. Currently, the property is for rent, but it is small and has no parking facilities. The sale will help us to move to a new property in the city of Quito with enough space for the distribution and administration.
Thursday (5th) - Mexico
Around our facilities, there are many transportation terminals that lead to the cities of southeastern Mexico. At the end of the year, there are many people arriving and leaving the city, which generates a lot of traffic in the area. Let us pray that many believers and also non-believers will be interested in entering the bookstore while waiting for their departure time.
Friday (6th) - Mexico
CLC Mexico has made an agreement with the SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics), which will enable us to have Bibles, Bible portions and materials that have been translated for more than 80 ethnic groups in Mexico available at CLC. Please pray that we can reach many through this agreement.
The Weekend (7th - 8th) - Venezuela
We are thankful that we have been able to sell low-cost Bibles and evangelistic tracts to ministries that work in outreach to those in prisons. Similarly, we have been able to supply low-cost Bibles to a ministry in Caracas that delivers them to people without resources, including children and young people, in dangerous or inaccessible areas.
Prayer Focus: December 9th - December 15th 2024
Week 50 - United States & Canada
December 9th - 15th
Monday (9th) - United States
Please pray for Charlie Natter, who oversees our shipping operations. He asks that you pray for accuracy in packing and labelling the hundreds of boxes he ships out every week and that the boxes will arrive safely at their intended destinations.
Tuesday (10th) - United States
We praise the Lord for many wonderful customers who buy our products to give away for the glory of God. Seth is one man who buys Bibles each week and sends them to hospital and prison chaplains as well as to port ministries so that they can give them away. May the Lord bless this work and provide the funds for Seth to continue to do it.
Wednesday (11th) - United States
Tim Hurd in our Multi-Language Department asks for prayer for the safe delivery of the many Haitian Bibles we ship regularly to Haiti.
Pray specifically for a church in Jacmel, called Baptist Church of Orange Grove, which recently received a shipment of Bibles. Their summer children’s programme was very successful in spite of the country’s difficulties, and many children professed faith in Christ!
Thursday (12th) - United States
“Neighborhood Crusades” is an urban street ministry in Philadelphia, seeking to reach the unsaved through antiviolence and antidrug crusades, the distribution of gospel tracts, outreach to the homeless and a school of evangelism. For 40+ years, it has impacted the lives of troubled youth and families. Our CLC publication, The Calvary Road by Roy Hession, is part of the curriculum in their evangelism classes. Pray that they may effectively teach students how to witness and lead others to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Friday (13th) - Canada
Currently, we are in the process of digital transformation, which
consists, in our case, of changing our computer systems - now more than 25 years old - and redesigning the website. This is a major project that requires time, energy and resources. Please support us in prayer so that we can successfully complete this project, which will have a positive impact in the long term.
The Weekend (14th - 15th) - Canada
We ask for your prayers for our staff as we have not yet achieved a good level of stability within the team. The inflationary economic situation in Quebec, and the rest of Canada, is affecting our ability to retain talent. We want to reduce the turnover rate and keep new employees longer.
Prayer Focus: December 16th - December 22nd 2024
Week 51 - The Caribbean
December 16th - 22nd
Monday (16th) - Book Donation
We praise the Lord for a recent large donation of books from Waverley Abbey in the United Kingdom, which is being sent to the Caribbean islands for distribution there. The economy in the islands is still very difficult, so we would appreciate your ongoing prayers for God’s provision for our work.
Tuesday (17th) - Antigua & Barbuda
We praise the Lord for a new tent and folding table so that we can offer our books and Bibles in an outside area near the bookshop. Pray for good results and for more opportunities to do book tables.
Wednesday (18th) - Antigua & Barbuda
There is a small area of our bookshop that we would like to rent out to gain some regular income. Please pray for wisdom in finding the right person or company to rent to.
Thursday (19th) - Barbados
We have a large room and two offices in our building that are not currently being used, and we would like to rent them out to another Christian organisation. Please pray for the Lord’s provision and direction in this area.
Friday (20th) - Dominica
Pray that we will continue to expand awareness of the CLC ministry and grow our effectiveness through book tables and social media platforms. Pray, too, for steady improvement in the economy and for many souls to be won through the bookshop ministry.
The Weekend (21st - 22nd) - Trinidad & Tobago
We praise the Lord for two new permanent book tables at churches as well as opportunities for book tables in other areas. We have some wonderful volunteers who are helping with them. Please pray that God will bless our efforts and that we will have what people need.
Prayer Focus: December 23rd - December 29th 2024
Week 52- Season's Greetings
December 23rd - 29th
Monday (23rd) - Cyprus
Christmas and the month of January is the period when we distribute, with increasing demand, daily reading calendars in Greek, both through the bookshop and through various churches. The calendars are distributed among believers and to people who do not know the Lord as their personal Saviour.
Tuesday (24th) - Worldwide
Please pray that those who visit our bookshops today in search of last-minute gifts may still find the right book or other item to bless those they have in mind. Pray for our staff to be able to help them in this. Pray for any staff who will be travelling after work today to spend Christmas Day with their families and friends. Pray for safety in travel and a blessed Christmas celebration.
Wednesday (25th) - Christmas Day
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”. Isaiah 9:6
“Thanks be to God, for His indescribable gift!” 2 Cor 9:15
Thursday (26th) - Worldwide
Pray for our staff in countries where they will be able to enjoy a well-deserved rest between Christmas and New Year after the very busy period leading up to Christmas. Pray that they may be renewed in every way for their return to work next week.
Friday (27th) - South Korea
Pray for the reading of children’s books around this time as many customers will have purchased them as Christmas gifts or received them as Sunday School Christmas prizes. Pray that these books will bring joy and help children to grow in their faith. May they spread Christ’s love and make an impact on the lives of young readers and their families as God’s Word reaches their hearts.
The Weekend (28th - 29th) - Worldwide
As 2024 draws to a close, please join us in thanking God for all the ways in which CLC has been able to make His Word and a further
variety of Christian resources available all over the world during the past 12 months. To Him be the glory for all the health and strength, abilities and blessings that He has given us this year!
Prayer Focus: December 30th - January 5th 2025
Week 1 - Around the World
December 30th - January 5th
Monday (30th) - Testimony from CLC Italy
At the beginning of 2024, our Turin manager was facing significant difficulties in carrying out her duties and our Marketing manager left to serve elsewhere. We reassigned the Turin manager to be responsible for marketing, and God immediately provided someone to manage the Turin bookstore, a former assistant who was already 80% trained! So, God provided all we needed at the right time. At the end of the year, we look back and see how much He has helped us!
Tuesday (31st) - Core Values
For the last two years, CLC has had an emphasis on the theme “Stronger Together” as we have focused afresh on our four core values of Faith, Fellowship, Holiness and Sacrifice. Pray that in 2025 our unity will abound as we find tangible ways to support each other. Our desire is to help each country fulfil our goal to see Christian literature distributed around the world. Thank you!
Wednesday (January 1st) - South Korea
CLC South Korea would like to wish everyone a happy New Year, and may the Lord continue to bless each of you. We begin this new year with thankful hearts, especially looking forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary in November! Please join us in praying for our National Director, Dr. Young Ho Park, for strength, wisdom and health. As we embark on this milestone year, may we all remain committed to working diligently to spread God’s Word and further His kingdom.
Thursday (2nd) - Ministry Locations
It is always a sad moment for us in CLC when we have to close a bookshop or even a whole country, usually when there is only one bookshop, which is no longer doing well. Please pray that this year we may be able to maintain and grow the ministry in all locations where we are currently privileged to serve, and even that we may be able to open new centres of ministry.
Friday (3rd) - Canada
We give thanks to God for His continued support. For the past two years, we have devoted a lot of time and effort to improving our digital presence on social media platforms, which has allowed us to attract more youth and young adults between the ages of 18 and 45 years. We are also in great demand to sponsor evangelical events for young adults and women’s ministries.
The Weekend (4th - 5th) - Kenya
We praise God for the ways He has provided for our team through our Print-on-Demand facility, our publishing and through gifts. Although our volunteers are spread around the country, we have been able to meet weekly online to read the Bible together and share what God is
saying to us for the ministry and individually. This has strengthened unity and enhanced our growth.
Prayer Focus: January 6th - January 12th 2025
Week 2 - Publications
January 6th - 12th
Monday (6th) - Children’s Bibles
CLC is seeking to provide affordable children’s Bibles for Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, India, Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Myanmar, Portugal and Thailand. Some Bibles will arrive at their destinations this month. Others will follow as the Lord provides the funds. Please pray and consider supporting us in our goal to produce 25,000 children’s Bibles in the next few years.
Tuesday (7th) - Europe
Publishing is a significant part of our global ministry. We are already making plans for our yearly CLC Publishing Training plus a Rights Fair in collaboration with the ECPA (Evangelical Christian Publishing Association). This annual conference has whelped to transform our publishing endeavours over the past decade, especially in Europe.
Wednesday (8th) - Europe
Please pray that the meetings mentioned yesterday - which this year will be held in Krakow, Poland - will be a blessing and an incentive to further grow the production of excellent books in many languages and for people to grow in their faith.
Thursday (9th) - Asia
There is a need to have more publishing training and a Rights Fair for the south Asia CLC countries of India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. Therefore, please pray for the significant preparations that are already underway for an important CLC-ECPA publishing event that will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, at the end of August, 2025.
Friday (10th) - Asia
The event mentioned yesterday will allow dozens of Christian publishers in south Asia, including CLC, to meet with US publishers to acquire foreign language rights and then publish in multiple languages. Please pray for divine connections for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom worldwide.
The Weekend (11th - 12th) - South Korea
With 2025 having just begun, we are already busy preparing for the upcoming spring semester and new enrolments, which will begin in March. Please pray for us as we work to have all the textbooks ready in time. Some of the translations are being delayed, and we ask for your prayers that these will be completed before the school term begins.
Prayer Focus: January 13th - January 19th 2025
Week 3 - Around the World
January 13th - 19th
Monday (13th) - French-Speaking countries
Tomorrow, on January 14th, the CLC French-speaking teams in the various countries will meet together on Zoom. The idea is to share our news with each other and to enjoy a time of fellowship and praying for one another. Those attending will be in Benin, Burkina Faso, Canada, France and Ivory Coast. Please pray for this time of encouragement and building each other up.
Tuesday (14th) - Mexico
From January 14th –16th, CLC Mexico will have an event with 700 pastors and leaders near the city of Culiacán Sinaloa in the north of the country. Let us pray for God’s blessing on this time and also for safety in all the travels since this can be a hostile area in which to move about.
Wednesday (15th) - Mexico
Please pray for the renovation work at the distribution warehouse and bookshop. This month, we should begin installing the floor in the main area of the warehouse. Please pray for God’s grace that we may obtain good quality materials and labour at a reasonable and fair price. Also, please pray that we may find a place in Mexico City where we can open another bookshop.
Thursday (16th) - Colombia
For many years, CLC Colombia’s Social Foundation (FSCLC) has supported indigenous evangelisation organisations in many ways, including the supply of books and resources to translate the Word of God, and theological training for indigenous leaders. Last year, the FSCLC, led by Ana Cristina Torres, was invited to Puerto Inírida, in the region of Guainía, for a meeting of Christian indigenous people. It was a long journey, but we thank God for these opportunities.
Friday (17th) - Outsourcing
Some of our teams need to outsource certain tasks, either because this is more economical or because we have not been able to find a staff member with the required skill set. The tasks are as varied as editing and accounting! Please pray that we will be able to find all the skills that we need to do a great job in each country where we are present, whether the work is done in-house or externally, and that we will build very good relationships with our external partners.
The Weekend (18th - 19th) - United Kingdom
In the UK, more and more books are being produced on POD (Print-on-Demand) equipment that has the potential to disrupt traditional forms of distribution, including our own. Once again, we need to adapt to new technologies. We have started POD in our own warehouse, but we are still new at this. Pray for wisdom and open doors so that we can grow this dramatically.