Bray-Missionaries.org: PRAY

"Prayer Priority" Request for Saturday, Christmas Eve, December 24, 2005
OPERATION HOPE Tsunami Media Mission Team members arrived last night at the Atlanta International Airport to the arms of family and friends. My wife Ivy and son Billy were there to meet us. Some of the team are still connecting to flights home today and just about everyone will be home by tonight to celebrate the birth of Christ with their families. In 44 years of short-term missions, I think this was one of the finest bunch of young people I have ever worked with--everyone of them has tremendous potential to be used in the Kingdom of God. The best way I can sum up the success of this trip is to say that God answered every prayer! We give him all the glory for what He is done and will be doing in the next few days and years to come through these talented young communicators. The mission trip is over, now the mission begins!

LAST night as Dr.Hagin gave us the closing challenge and addressed the Operation Hope 2005 Tsunami Media Team in Mumbai, he was careful to point out how important it is to create our first media product from this mission in a timely manner. We need to do an issue of the magazine, news stories, reports, radio interviews and media releases next week as the world reviews what has happened since that terrible day on December 26, 2004.

Frankly, I was very surprised to see how much was done and is being done. Five Hope Homes are up and under construction, in many communities there are Sisters of Hope and Missionaries of Love on the job full-time developing long-term relationships with the clannish fishing villages along the coast.

While most of the team is going home for the holidays tonight, I have a couple radio interviews scheduled on the anniversary day next Monday, and the communications department will be able to get a lot of material out in the next few days. I think the follow-up in the next week is going to be very critical to the long term success fo this mission -- but I have no doubt that the seed we have sown over the last two weeks will continue to bear much fruit long after I am dead and buried.

Brit Lucas is putting together and index of the data and team leaders like Kelly McCorkle and Jon Fox can be relied upon to make things happen....there is so much talent on the team!

"Prayer Priority" Request for Friday, December 23, 2005
GOD OF MERCY, GOD OF GRACE we pray for the Tsunami Media Mission Team which is changing planes in Paris today and expects to be back in Atlanta tonight. Protect them from all harm as they take the eight hour layover to jump on the subway and visit the Eiffel Tower and downtown Paris. May everyone use this day and the Christmas holidays this weekend to recover and be fresh next week to start follow-up on the projects they have undertaken. As successful as this mission has been in data collection, we know Lord that the real work begins now as we transform what we have heard and seen into a message from God to our our readers and viewers. AMEN and AMEN

"Prayer Priority" Request for Thursday, December 22, 2005
MY LORD AND MY GOD, we pray for the mighty men and women of this country, both the Sisters of Hope and the Missionaries of Love, who are on the frontlines often hungry and cold or baking in the heat to carry your image and message to the lost millions of this land. Be with them all, but in particular Archbishop M.A. Thomas, Dr. Samuel Thomas, Babu C.J. handling government relations in New Delhi, Mathew A.M. rescuing the street children of Mumbai, Bishop Varghese Thudian heading up the tsunami relief teams, Dr. Sam George pioneering in Tenkasi, and Dr. Danny Gupta pioneering in Chennai. Bless them as they reproduce themselves in the lives of the children and in the believers assemblies. AMEN and AMEN and AMEN

PEOPLE with leprosy demanded the main group of the team today as we split into several action groups here in the capital of India. We had our last prayer and praise session this morning to process yesterday's work and plan for our ongoing collaboration.

The main team went onto the Laj Pat Nagar leper colony and we then drove to the government district to interview Dr. Brahm Dutt. This was our last shoot and the documentary team is working like a well oiled machine.

We are carried forward on the crest of a wave of prayer all over this country and around the world as thousands of Hopegivers pray for us.

Dr. Sam and Sarah Zacharius broke off into a book-writing team and she shadowed him as he went through a day of meetings with government officials after breakfast with the whole team.

Shabu John, Robby Brumberg and I are working on plans for coordinating the new Hope News Network and reporting team here in India--looking forward to recruiting them in time for training at the February graduation in Kota, Rajasthan.

It seems like we are splintering into working groups for these last 48 hours and the girls are trying to squeeze in last-minute Christmas gift shopping for family and prayer partners at home, along with a quick trip to the Taj Mahal.

We fly out tomorrow for Mumbai and our closing banquet and then over 24 hours in-flight back to Atlanta for arrival on Friday, December 23! There is lots to be done in these final hours that will shape our future relationships.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Wednesday, December 21, 2005
GLORIOUS GOD, help us in our last 48-hours of work here in India and on the way back to the United States as we process and review what we have done, confirm future collaborations and finish up the special projects each of us have on our list to do such as Sarah's work with Dr. Sam on his first book, Robby and Dr. Bill's meetings with Shibu John to plan the Hope News Network, and each of the Operation Hope Media team members with their individual responsibilities, particularly Brit Lucas as she does the data index for raw footage, editorial, and photos. All this we pray in the name of Jesus and for the glory of the million orphan vision. AMEN AND AMEN

MAN proposes and God disposes says Solomon. Fact is, while we are out doing one mission for the Lord, he is often at work in our hearts on something even more important to him. Anyway, He likes to do two or three or a dozen things at once...the Lord is the ultimate multi-tasker! He knows all and controls multitudes of destinies without breaking a sweat!

So some of those with us here on this Tsunami Media Mission team are realizing that that have a more supporting role rather than star billing on the Lord's program.

Others, especially the women and even the American men, are finding out that their missionary role in this culture is rather more proscribed than they ever imagined. Folks who secretly felt they might have a missionary career here are learning that God does not really need or want them here--but back home in the USA where they can do more by raising support for those here who are more suited for the work.

Such is the case with Jennifer, one of the students on our team who today told our daily prayer and share meeting that the mission is almost over and she is still not sure of her purpose for coming.

Another women said that she had been praying for humility, but didn't know that the Lord would answer her prayer so dramatically until she came on this mission!

Some on the team with strong missionary motivations are coming face to face with the fact that the role they have always dreamed of on the mission field is never going to happen--that God's will and their will is not in sync.

Matthew Thomas, a tough management-type from our Kota office has spent the last week traveling with us. Today in our our prayer and share group, he spoke up before we left Chennai--reminding us strongly that part of the commitment we need to make to obey the Great Commission always involves waiting on Him to find out His will for us!

All this seems like a sideshow to the main thrust of our mission here yet it is all part of the great thing that God is dong in our hearts. Everyone on the team here is having a great experience--and that often includes more than learning about India and the rescue of children here, but also about understanding our own inner realities.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Tuesday, December 20, 2005
MY LORD AND MY GOD, give us safe and timely travel today as we fly to the Indian capitol of New Delhi to meet with government officials and Dr. Sam to wrap-up our coverage of the Tsunami media response by Hopegivers and Emmanuel Ministries. AMEN

ETERNAL GOD, use Dr. Sam to tie-up the Operation Hope Media Mission today and tomorrow in New Delhi, India where the team is meeting with him and with government officials to talk about how the Tsunami relief effort fits into the rest of the Hopegivers outreaches and the long-term needs of the abandoned and orphan children of the world. Help him as he works with Sara Zacharius on his new book for release to the general public. AMEN and AMEN.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Monday, December 19, 2005
PRINCE OF PEACE, unite and use the team for one last day working with the Tsunami survivors and orphans today on the beaches of Chenai with Danny Gupta. May the beautiful harmony and positive working relationships we have experienced here extend into our sharing of creative materials in the months and years to come. Help us to all come to an understanding and consensus about how to share what we have experienced with the western churches, media and individuals. AMEN.

MAITHRIE Devi Gupta, the widow of Paul Gupta who founded Hindustan Bible Institute met me Sunday morning in church--much like Anna of the temple in Luke 2--and upon meeting me without introduction said in prophecy "God has blessed you with many Indian souls. Many will meet you in heaven. Many will welcome you. Thank you for coming to India." I took this amazing word to be yet another confirmation of the theme of this Operation Hope mission--cast your bread upon the waters, and it will come back to you. God has shown me that in spite of my sin, pride, arrogance and foolishness over these years, my prayers back in 1964-65 are being answered specifically. For some reason I cannot understand, the Lord has destined my ministry and the people of India to coincide and produce great fruit for the Kingdom of God. The Lord has been faithful to His promise to me even when I have been unfaithful.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Sunday, December 18, 2005
GOD OUR HEALER we pray that you will prevent the spread of the flu on the Tsunamia Media Mission Team as they complete "Operation Hope Media" in south India. Heal those who are infected and keep everyone in good health and safety. Continue to keep the team effective and on target with their missionary goals. In the name of Jesus we pray, AMEN

AS impossible as it is to believe, we flew into the formal British colonial capital of Madras today, now known as Chenai. This means the Operation Hope Media Mission is half-way done and we only have a couple more days of work interviewing the Tsunami survivors and orphans. After that it is a long flight to New Delhi to see government officials and Dr. Samual Thomas. I have an incredible new respect for the caregivers and leaders here on the field, especially the couples who are loving and raising these chidren as their own.

Meanwhile, the student media mission team has bonded with less than normal friction. Just about everyone has found themselves and slipped into a working partnership and collaboration with the others. We are very much like a press junket without the bitter rivalries that characterize the news world. Most of the team members see themselves as Christian communicators and missionaries and they have developed into a real family of sorts, a powerful team. They are a very good bunch and I think we have started something here that is going to become a long and successful tradition in the years to come. And by the way, the team is having a lot of fun while we work. The girls have all bought beautiful saries and are enjoying playing "dress up" for special events and meetings--wearing Indian dress daily. Here Danny Gupta, son of the famous Paul Gupta who founded Hindustan Bible Institute, is our host. He is delightful and has made Chenai another stop on the tour that we will never forget--with a nice blend of good interviews and visits to mission work sites--sandwiched into some fascinating educational background briefings.

TALK about a pround parent, I am so thrilled with the media team today.

Elizabeth George, wife of the Tenkasi head of station Sam George, made an amazing comment about our team that says so much about why this team is so successful here. She remarked that the Operation Hope Media Tsunami Mission Team was the most humble American team who ever visited their ministry! Yes, the MOST humble! What a proud papa I am to hear this, even though I am sure it has as much to do with the good training of Dr. Hagin as my leadership and orientation program. Humility is highly valued in Indian culture as well as the Christian community here. The "ugly American" mission teams that come here rountinely create much hurt feelings, broken fellowship and hurt the work more than they help it by their insensitive arrogance. The indigenous brothers have learned to tolerate the whining and super-critical American visitors mostly because they need their support. Although I did have to scold the team once for a cultual mis-step, they have otherwise been very sensitive and shown a very professional attitude. They are creating good product on this trip, working hard, and building wonderful fellowship with the local leadership.

I think that the reason they have been so respectful of the Indian leadership is because of the example I have been demonstrating to them. I truly believe that only the Indians can reach India for Christ and that our only role here is a supporting one.

DR. SAM GEORGE and wife Elizabeth are committed to all the excellent values of Hopegivers including excellence itself. Everything they do is sparkling clean, delicious, healthy and pure. Their apostolic values so reflect the life and witness of Bishop M.A. Thomas that sometimes I can close my eyes and hear Bishop M.A. speaking believing hope into the problem through Sam George. Courage in the face of danger, raw faith, hope-giving encouragement and restless growth are everywhere evident here in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu. The presence of Emmanuel radiates from their holy lives.

What?s more, unlike most Indian care-givers and teachers, who actually seem to be afraid to touch the orphan children, Sam George loves the kids and the kids love him. He raises the orphans right along with his own biological children, lets the little ones sleep with them, and never hesitates to show affection with hugs and touches?even to teenagers. This touching is a big taboo here but somehow he breaks down all barriers in the love of God....

Many institutional staff rightly believe that they have to maintain discipline and cannot show affection or they will lose authority. I don?t blame them for that, and of course, caste taboos are still strong in India. The orphans are low-caste and that?s another reason why even good, righteous workers who love the kids still don?t feel free to break through and love them into obedience.

Anyway, Sam and Elizabeth treat every child alike ? hugging them, praising them, telling their rescue stories over and over again. These children, who in other orphanages, are so starved for affection that they desperately cling to visitors, pathetically yearning for love, are fully satisfied here. The children obviously feel totally safe and affirmed. Dozens who have grown up in the Hope Home here are out serving as missionaries, pastors, teachers and caregivers themselves?and many are successfully marrying and starting their own healthy families.

TEAM MEMBER OF THE DAY: Dr. Linwood Hagin spontaneously gave a scholarly lecture today on Communications and Missions to the Bible School students here ? an amazing feat which demonstrates not only his academic excellence but two decades of passionate commitment to media missions. Working with him on this mission has been fantastic. He never pushes himself, is happy to let me lead ? yet I can always count on his loyal support and expertise in any situation. If I?m busy he can take right over and then hand the leadership back to me in an instant. What a blessing to work with someone like this that has such humility and self-confidence.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Thursday, December 15, 2005
LORD, open Bill Bray's mouth tonight and fill it as he speaks to the Bible School students and orphans in Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu and also open the mouths of all the team members as they testify, lecture and witness for you in word and deed. Help all of them to bring glory to you and win others to the way of life eternal. AMEN and AMEN

TUESDAY and Wednesday were perfect media days, filled with lots of interviews. The team came together into working documentary units, producing video reports, radio actualities and hundreds of images as well as several stories. This is what we came for and it was beautiful to see. I?ll never forget looking across the beach, watching 4-5 separate clusters of students conducting interviews.

We saw everything we needed ? the busy workers rebuilding, a successfully operating Tsunami Hope Home, another under orphanage building under construction ? and scores of beautiful children. The parentless children clung to the students, desperate for love. One had to be literally pried from the arms of Cheryl Wyatt. A mother, Cheryl broke down in sobs on the bus after have to say goodbye to a child who had adopted her in just a couple hours of bonding and contact. The children played games with the boys and many performed for the cameras like the little movie stars they are. No one will ever forget these kids ? I just hope we can capture the plight of these children for potential Hopegivers at home in the States and Europe.

It?s hard to pick a "Team Member of the Day" for Wednesday but I guess it would have to be Kelly McCorkle who deftly produced a number of video sessions. I can?t ever remember seeing a director who was so able to evoke response from the Indian women she interviewed.

Watching her face during an interview is almost like a ballet as she nods, smiles and frowns, accompanied by hand motions that affirm the subject and urge them to keep on sharing their vision and passion. She silently used eye contact and dramatic expression to speak a universal language of women everywhere. Her interview with Maniyamma Sabu was poetry in motion. It got Maniyamma to come totally out of her Indian shell and pour out her missionary passion and zeal for the poor beggars she reaches in a way that I have never seen before. Most Sisters of Hope hide behind their husbands and are unable to share their hearts one on one, let alone before the camera.

Kelly is a real treasure to North Greenville College and to the whole body of Christ. She is such a gentle but commanding presence, and the whole news crew submits to her easily. What a great blessing it is to have her on the team.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Wednesday, December 14, 2005
MIGHTY GOD use the team to maximize the impact of the tremendous photos and interviews from our last two days in Kerala and help us today as we travel and transition into Tamil Nadu to work with Dr. Sam George and the Tenkasi team. Help us to help build more Tsunami orphan homes and continue to reach out to the victims. Help each of our team members to focus on their callings and find their place in your missionary ministry--especially the ones that have come on this mission to find their future callings. AMEN

"Prayer Priority" Request for Tuesday, December 13, 2005
MIGHTY GOD, bless every one of the Tsunami Media Team members in some special way as they do what we came for this day in the Kollam District of Kerala near where the tsunami hit. We especially pray for Sara Zacarias Davis as she works on the core chapters in her book outline for Dr. Sam. Bless Bishop Varghese Thudian and Matthew Thomas as they provide Indigenous leadership for the team in this area. AMEN and AMEN

"Prayer Priority" Request for Monday, December 12, 2005
COUNSELOR, be with Dr. Bray and the team giving him great courage, integrity, strength and wisdom as they fly from Mumbai (Bombay) today to start their mission work with the Tsunami survivors on the coasts of southern India. AMEN

"Prayer Priority" Request for Friday, December 9, 2005
LORD JESUS CHRIST, we thank you for what looks like a long-awaited breakthrough meeting in Lynchburg today for Dr. Godwin, Dr. Sam, Mike Glenn and Dan Reber. We pray for their discussions to succeed and for a national donor development campaign to emerge that will take us toward our goal of one million new Hopegiver sponsors by the year 2020. Lord, we pray for at least 10,000 new Hopegivers to register in 2006 to sponsor our existing children...and new donor acquisition to roll-out in the USA and Europe. We pray that you will provide the donor data base software to handle this effort and meet every need. We pray all this in your all-powerful name because we know you love the children more than we do and want them to be rescued. Lord we pray that you will not abandon America but use the compassionate people of this land once again to give us a breakthrough in missions and compassionate world evangelsim. AMEN and AMEN!

Freezing rain is falling outside and it is after 1:00 AM on the eve of our departure "tomorrow" for Bombay, India via Paris. I am still up packing and preparing for the media students to arrive here tomorrow at the Atlanta International Airport. I pray that they will all get here safely. The Weather Channel is on the TV as I key in these words and they report snow storms all over the northeast so flights will be running late tomorrow. I still have to get into the office and send out some emergency material on Operation Africa Child 2006 in the morning. OAC-2006 is a disaster even greater than the Tsunami in terms of lost lives and numbers of orphans--one million in Malawi alone!

However, that doesn't dim the importance of this first Hope Media Mission to India. Tomorrow is a historic precedent in our history. We have sharp media students from four top Christian Universities joining us on this mission and several professional writers. Dr. Sam and all of us on the Hopegivers International team are praying that this will be the first of many annual media trips that will attract the best and brightest student journalists, broadcasters and communicators to visit India. Thank God for Dr. Linwood Hagin, our Academic Advisor for the project, and his leadership that has helped us attract students from Florida Baptist, Liberty, North Greenville and Regent.

Tomorrow, two of our U.S.A. Board of Directors, Dr. Neal Gray and Robbie Robinette will meet us in the South Terminal Atrium of the airport to commission the students and pray for us as we gather for orientation. Ivy wants me to come to bed and try to get some sleep. I will try to send you another blog tomorrow.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Thursday, December 8, 2005
ALL WISE AND ALL KNOWING GOD, we pray for Dr. Bray and the whole Tsunami Media Mission team as they pack and handle last-minute details today and for our hosts in India as they prepare for our coming. May we have your wisdom to do our best and we humbly look to you for the grace to make up the difference. AMEN

"Prayer Priority" Request for Wednesday, December 7, 2005
LORD, bless Bishop M.A. Thomas' call to establish a monthly, International Day of Intercession for Hopegivers missions starting on the second Friday of every month. Bless the individuals, orphans, churches and groups that will be fasting and holding nights of prayer this Friday including the Tsunami Media Mission team that will be praying between Atlanta and Paris. Bless the efforts to promote this and establish thousands of Circles of Hope around the world. AMEN and AMEN

I was Assistant National Director of Communications, but the Army church was locked in a death battle between the prophets and the pastors. There was no modern-day apostle to take William Booth?s place and the organization was losing its witness?-and they weren?t asking a civilian prophet to rescue them even through I had a vision for it and was offering my foolish young self! How it pained me and broke my heart that the brass would not anoint me to do for them then what I am doing for Hopegivers International today. So I left a broken-hearted young man and wandered into many other paths of ministry, but I never lost that love for Salvation Army holistic ministry ?with heart to God and hand to man.? However, even back then in 1987, I was troubled by the ?blood and fire? military allegory of the Salvation Army and wanted to invent a new formula that would speak to modern man as the Army had done in the 19th Century. One day last week I woke up with an epiphany?the Lord had answered my prayers after all?He had led me to Hopegivers and Samuel Thomas. This organization has all the Gospel-passion, integrity, self-sacrifice and zeal of William Booth?s Army. Like the Army, it is episcopacy but remains a mission rather than a church. Dr. Sam knows his place. May the Lord preserve it so and use him to lead millions of children to glory and large nations into the Kingdom of God.

IN Ventnor, NJ where I worked at the National Headquarters of The Salvation Army before they moved to Washington, I used to pray for and covet a place in the global leadership of that great organization.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Tuesday, December 6, 2005
GOD OF JUSTICE, we pray for all our large donors and others who have end of year tax considerations that they might have strong minds and wisdom as they work with their financial advisors to transfer significant gifts to the Columbus Hopegivers office by the December deadlines. Bless every giver to the ministry Lord, be the rich or poor, and help those of us who are so very rich in this world's goods to share proportionately. Give Dr. Sam and Bishop Thomas favor as they travel and call upon major donors at this time of the year. AMEN and AMEN

CRUNCH time hits hard today. Everything is due all at once: Final magazine copy... final devotional magazine copy... final website copy... final money from the Tsunami Media Mission?final art for the end of the year appeal.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Monday, December 5, 2005
EMMANUEL, we offer ourselves to your service today and ask you to be with the Tsunami Media Team as they meet to turn in their funds for the mission; for Dr. Bill Bray and the magazine ministry team as they finish the copy for the Winter issue and for all involved in the new Hopegivers Web Ministry as they put the final touches on the site before release. Lord be with us in these and all the other details of the week ahead. AMEN and AMEN

WORKED 12.5 hours today (Sunday) on magazine and web editorial, breaking only for one service at Calvary Church to hear Mike Randal present the vision for the children of Tinkasi, Kerala?a place very near where we will be in a just a few days. Writing books and websites is lonely, hard work. It is so solitary and isolating that to do it successfully you have to separate yourself from other people. This is the opposite of management and promotion and leadership which means going out and mingling with people. Big project writing requires absolute concentration to succeed and therefore cannot really be done in the office. That doesn?t mean that the communication director should not be in the Executive Suite along with other leadership, but it does mean that he cannot be a writer or creative person?at least on any significant projects.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Sunday, December 4, 2005
LORD JESUS, help us in these busy Advent days to meet all our deadlines and have wisdom to accomplish the most important things rather than the most urgent. AMEN

SLEPT in a little late today but still had to go rescue my ox, you know the ox in the ditch which Jesus said you would still rescue even though it fell on the Sabbath. I?m not being a hero working all weekend on these literary projects. If I don?t rescue the ox now, it won?t be here on Monday. If I don?t work while others sleep, the job will not be done on time. It is a balmy 74 degrees outside but I don?t have time to enjoy the weather or enter into the Christmas festivities exploding around me. I must be pecking away at my keyboard. My dear wife tiptoes around me, her writer husband?-a living time bomb with a deadline to meet.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Saturday, December 3, 2005
LORD JESUS, give courage and favor to the 16 members of the Tsunami Media Mission Team as they gather in the $20,000 still uncollected for the group's travel and ministry expenses. Lord we pray for all the funds to come in by Tuesday for the team so that they can leave next Friday with every expense prepaid. AMEN

DR. SAM and Mike Glenn met with me for lunch today and we all had the same sense about the Tsunami Media Mission Team. This is history in the making. Here we have a team of 16 media students and professionals praying together and planning together to tell the story of what God is doing in India today. Dr. Sam sees the value mostly from the positive spin it will give to the message of the mission. I see it from the benefit it will bring in raising funds for the orphans. Mike sees it as a contribution to the professional careers of these students and the development of our place in the communications industry, both Christian and mainstream broadcasting. One way or the other, I think we have something here that is going to be an annual event of immense value. Good media relations is a treasure that I want to preserve for Hopegivers like I did at the Salvation Army.

"Prayer Priority" Request for Friday, December 2, 2005
SPIRIT, we acknowledge again today that it is not by might nor by power but by Your Spirit that we will accomplish the work you have called us to do in this Christmas holiday season. Lord pour out the grace of Your Spirit on everyone today, on Bishop Thomas as he returns to India ... on the Tsunami media team as they raise support ... on the staff here as we make decisions and meet deadlines on the magazines and websites for the New Year ... on the donor relations department and volunteers as they answer mail ... and on our Hopegivers and friends as they pray and support this work. AMEN and AMEN and AMEN

WEB MINISTRY is by far the most revolutionary medium I have ever worked in, and I have not come to be a website editor easily. I have hated the electronic revolution from the beginning and remember first resisting it way back at the Wheaton Journal in the early 1970?s when we were moving to word processing from typewriters. How far we have come!

Today I am editing a website that amounts to a living magazine that publishes three times a week and will become a daily newspaper in 2006. More than that, it is a daily newspaper that will adapt itself to each reader and be read around the world.

Combining the reactions of our review board into the final changes has been a most amazing experience to me. Only a couple of them are aware of the computer code behind the words and the amazing database which we are collecting on our readers and donors.

This new Hopegivers Web Ministry has the potential of rising up and caring for the support of the Million Orphan Vision all by itself. I believe that it will become the largest and most important audience I have ever managed. (Or will it manage me?)

"Prayer Priority" Request for Thursday, December 1, 2005
ALL-LOVING GOD, illuminate the minds and hearts of our donors and supporters today that they will pour out the best gifts they can on Hopegivers and the Bray Family. May everyone fulfill their pledges this month and also meet the urgent needs for the Tsunami Media Team ($24,000), Christmas evangelism and outreach in India, and all our mailings and appeals. Be with Dr. Sam, Brother Mike and our leadership team as they appeal face to face for gifts from business and church leaders. All this we pray in the name of Jesus, AMEN.

(Note: $16,000 of the $52,500 needed has already been received!)