Ramadan Begins April 13, Ends May 11

Today marks the first day of the 40-day season of Ramadan, when Muslims around the world fast from sunup to sundown each day, followed by communal meals and prayers late into the night. On Sunday we went out to a Somali apartment complex and noticed many rugs drying in the sun—everyone was cleaning for this important time. They want to be clean and righteous before God. Pray that as they seek God, they will genuinely have their prayers answered in the person of Jesus! Jesus is the one God sent to reveal himself to the world, so we want our Somali Muslim friends to find Christ during this time of the year when they are most devoted to their spiritual lives. This is the time when many former Muslims report that they see visions of Jesus, so let it be so here!

Along with our prayer group, our family spent Sunday afternoon cleaning up all of the trash around that apartment complex. We filled a 22′ container with mattresses, chairs, broken TVs, and broken toys! As we did this, we knocked on over 100 doors asking people if we could take their trash for them. When given the opportunity, we asked how we could pray for them. A number of people allowed us to pray for sick and hurting people in their families.

Pray for the Somali families at North Grand Villas apartments. Their apartments are cleaner, but are their hearts? Pray that God would rescue them from misunderstandings, and that they would find him as they genuinely seek him.

Ramadan lasts until Tuesday, May 11.