Finland - April 2011

Finland's Intercessor Team
Prayer Focus
The Mark Alphin Family-UPCI Missionaries, FINLAND
April 2011

Dear Intercessor,

Thank you for taking the time to read. We know that many times it can be overwhelming to peruse through all of the messages that you probably receive on a daily basis. We are blessed by the fact that you are a participant in Finland's Intercessor Team!

May He richly bless your "April 2011!"

Our Testimonies

At the end of March, Glenda fell off of her bicycle and, at the time of the accident, was unable to walk on her right leg without assistance. As she lay in the road, a nurse happened to be walking by and offered assistance, ultimately collecting her car and taking Glenda to a nearby emergency room. As an x-ray showed no broken bones, and no MRI was available, she was sent home with strong ibuprofen and care instructions. Over the days following, it was evident that some type of ligament or tendon damage had occurred due to the level of pain that existed. However, Glenda chose to believe that God would heal her and decided to not go to a follow-up appointment. On April 3, she and Mark watched a live service on the internet via the Pentecostals of Alexandria. They were having a healing service, during which Pastor Anthony Mangun spoke on faith and cited many examples of miracles and healing. When it came time for Rev. T. F. Tenney to speak the word of faith, Glenda followed the prompting of the Holy Spirit and asked Mark to pray for her. As he did, God spoke to her and said, "I am going to heal your knee." There was a definite, tangible presence of God in our house! Since Sunday, the pain has lessened each day to where it has nearly disappeared, and we are claiming full and complete restoration. We truly do serve a healing Savior!

Our Requests

AIM couple for the city of Tampere

Mark has been making near-weekly trips to Tampere in order to teach several Home Bible Studies. Also, one of our contacts there has introduced Mark to several of his friends. While we are willing to go to this city as much as is needed, we know that a resident presence in the city would be helpful. We ask that you pray about this with us.

Prayer focus:
That God would speak to someone who is well-versed in doctrine, that their hearts would be ready and willing to accept His calling, and that AIM finances could be fulfilled quickly in spite of the economy (God's economy is not, and has never been, in a crisis!).
Website and Graphics - electronic portion of ministry

Recently, we had an offer for a website and graphics overhaul that is straight from God (why are we ever surprised by Him?). It involves both a complete change of our current theme and an additional site geared directly towards the Finnish people.

Prayer focus:
For those involved to have God-driven ideas that will explain our vision, burden, and personality

Language Studies

As of April 4, we are now official students of the Finnish language! The arrangements we have are economically-minded and fit our family perfectly, enabling us to have private lessons! Thank you for praying about this with us.

Prayer focus:
For us to have clarity of mind - the Finnish language is known as one of the most difficult to learn; however, we are determined to succeed!
More Noticeable Community Presence

We want to be a spiritual light in the community.

Prayer focus:
Boldness, in every family member, to speak to people we don't know; for the fruits of the Spirit to be evident in our lives - that people can tell we are "different," not just "Americans;" for God's 'friendly light' to be evident on our faces when we're out and about in public, with a ready smile for those around us

Easter service

We are planning a celebration of Easter and need God to direct our steps in the planning. This will be our first venture of this type since our arrival.

Prayer focus:
For God to show us how He wants us to plan and proceed

Continued Healing for Nat Gourley

[Bro. Nat Gourley is husband to Diana, secretary to Bryan Abernathy in the Foreign Missions Division.] After a number of "touch-and-go" weeks, Bro. Nat is on the road to recovery! He is now embarking upon a period of rehabilitation, and the family has asked for prayer in the midst of that process. Thank you for taking time to take Nat before the throne!

FIT Member Prayer Requests

Megan is still in a healing process after undergoing several surgeries on a finger due to a strep infection that she contracted last November. Megan is a college student and the surgery is affecting her writing hand. Pray for the healing of the tissue around the knuckle, that it naturally fuses around her first knuckle (if it does not, her doctor is planning to fuse it); swelling in the surgical area to be gone; the nail to grow back normally.

Janice was involved in a car accident last fall (if you have been a part of FIT for awhile, you probably remember us mentioning this before). She has undergone a miraculous healing process that is astounding her doctors. However, there is one issue that still needs resolved. While she is still able to walk on her leg due to a rod that is in place, her femur is still broken. Pray for the bone to fully knit back together-this would be yet another miracle to prove the existence of an all-powerful, healing God.

Linda had asked our family to pray for her daughter, who had a hematoma on her back. It has improved and there are no effects from it thus far; also pray for her family's salvation. Pray for removal of the hematoma from Jennifer's back and family to have a rekindled desire for the things of God.

Kerry asks that we pray for his father, Fred, as doctors have found a large tumor in his lung. Pray for a reduction of the tumor and subsequent removal (signs to prove to the doctors that a definite miracle occurred).

Lana underwent surgery on April 5. Pray for the pain and symptoms she is experiencing to cease and her diagnosis to be reversed.

Ruth had multiple requests - we have chosen two to share with you: her unsaved family and the healing of a sister who is suffering from cancer. Pray that each unsaved member of her family would be impacted by a God-event that will show them their need for Him and that her sister would either be completely healed or that the pain from her suffering would be removed (for God's will to be done).

If you have a prayer request that you would like to share with the team, please feel free to contact us.

Our family has been actively praying for the members of Finland's Intercessor Team. May you experience great blessing from the hand of the Almighty as you seek His face!

For Souls,
Mark, Glenda, Miranda, and Candace

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you." (John 15:16)