Dear friends and ministry partners, Mireille and I serve on the CBM MENA (Middle East North Africa) team and are located in Lebanon. Our primary assignment is at the Arab Baptist Theological Seminary (ABTS). Our region continues to be volatile. Lebanon’s political and economic situation continues to deteriorate, yet Lebanon still serves as a strategic gateway for ministry into the Arab world. The economic situation in Syria is rapidly deteriorating as well. This is having a big impact on churches and ministries serving there. Another important development is the war in Khartoum, Sudan. Our church partners in Sudan and other ABTS graduates serving there have mostly been displaced, some internally, and some have left Sudan for the time being. It is incredible, though, how these leaders have been sharing the gospel and starting new ministries everywhere they went. We are grateful for the Holy Spirit strengthening them and giving them a clear vision for His work in the area. The work of our partner ministries in Lebanon, ABTS and LSESD (Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development), continues to grow despite the volatility. Each crisis seems to be creating new opportunities to share the gospel. ABTS and LSESD work alongside the local churches in Lebanon and the region to strengthen and empower them to have a more effective ministry. We praise God for inviting us to participate in what He is doing in the region as He draws people to Himself all over the Arab world.

Please pray:

• Please pray for the local churches in Lebanon and the region to maintain a faithful and bold witness amid difficult conditions.
• Please pray for our partners in Sudan during the current hostilities that they remain safe and find creative ways of caring for their families and sharing the gospel.
• Please pray for CBM’s growing partnerships in the region.
• Please pray for LSESD as it celebrates 25 years of God’s faithfulness this fall.