One of the top reasons Frontiers workers leave the field is because of denied visas.
In some countries, workers who have labored for years are suddenly finding their applications for visa renewals rejected. In other places, governments are toughening up visa requirements, restricting lengths of stay, or even blacklisting certain foreigners. It’s not uncommon for the police to check in on foreigners, visiting them in their homes or at their workplaces to track their activities.
Frontiers workers know that they can’t take their residency for granted. They serve joyfully, knowing that at any time, forces beyond their control could end their stay in the country of their calling. The stress of living in such instability is exhausting.
Join us in asking God to help workers serve with perseverance and joy. Here are 5 ways we’re praying for workers and their visas:
- Favor: Pray that government officials will show favor toward workers as they apply for visas.
- Added value: Ask God to give wisdom and creativity to workers as they develop viable businesses, humanitarian programs, and educational services that bless Muslim communities. Pray that these initiatives would bear tangible fruit and lead local authorities to readily issue visas.
- Visa renewal: Pray for stress-free visa renewals, enabling workers to remain in their host countries for longer periods of time.
- Returnees: Pray for those workers who are forced to leave their countries of service. Ask God to grant them faith to trust Him. Pray also that they would remember that their true home is in Christ Jesus.
- Resiliency: Ask the Lord to help workers remain flexible, patient, and persevering in faith when visas are denied. Pray that they would have the eyes to see open doors elsewhere.
Main photo by Torkild Retvedt