Dear Friends,
We will not know until we go through customs if we are blacklisted. Our contacts can’t find anything out. It could be that only Jodi will be able to get through customs at the airport.
The guy who opposes us coming is saying that my name is on a governmental “black list” because of the near riot that broke out when we were there last year. Our contact says he acts totally irrationally and that he said “If David gets into the country I am going to call the security forces”. Download pdf
So of course this is going to be a fight because many are going to find Jesus who have never had the opportunity to hear the truth before.
I have come up with a plan B in case I don’t get in. The retreat will go on no matter what happens. It would just be led by Filip (one of our young Polish leaders) not me. He has never been to this area and so they won’t have any record of him.
God has provided a place for us in the mountains above the city to meet. Besides Jodi and me, we have a worship band from Brazil coming and a young guy from Germany, Dave from Turkey (a Steiger Elder) and Filip from Poland. We could have anywhere from 5 to 200 people showing up. I don’t think it really matters in a way how many come as we are planting a seed that I think will grow and have a great impact.
So pray that God’s will is done and that nothing can stop this!! Jodi and I leave for the Middle East on Feb 16th. Pray that Jesus prepares us for whatever happens if I am stopped at the border.
If this does happen, Jodi will go in without me and I will probably go to southeast Turkey for some meetings there. Jodi and I are full of expectations for this trip. I believe that Jesus will be proclaimed in a powerful way!!
Please pray for those who are working with us in the Middle East that they can be courageous and bold as they organize this event. Pray that Jesus surrounds them with His angels and keeps them safe.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support!!
David & Jodi Pierce
Steiger International
Prayer requests:
1) Pray for God’s powerful anointing on the team going into the Middle East from Feb 18–23. Pray that so many come to the retreat that they can’t all fit into our meeting room. Pray for powerful meetings and that many find Jesus. Pray that those who oppose us are disarmed. Pray that Jodi and I both are able to clear customs at the airport and that no one from Steiger is on any blacklist.
2) Pray for our Radical Missions School, on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand which begins on February 28 and ends May 10. Students are coming from Croatia, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Germany, Poland and Switzerland. Pray that many are called into missions after the school. In faith we gave out NZ$17,000 in scholarships. (This is about US$8,900). Please consider if you would like to help with this need.
3) We also need an increase of about US$4,000 a month to meet our general support needs. Consider if you would like to partner with us in this way. Please pray for this need. For more information about this, look up our financial partnership program HERE.
4) Pray that we can have more of God’s broken heart for the lost and that we can have greater opportunities to preach the gospel.