Near to many of the World Cup stadiums people live in wretched conditions. The effects of poverty and unemployment are evident all around. Individuals who are suffering from acute physical needs simply don’t have time to think about their spiritual state. Christians wanting to reach out and help these needy communities require godly wisdom. Intercede for followers of Christ in South Africa who have a heart to share their possessions and their faith with those who are less fortunate. Remember especially members of Eastside Community Church in Pretoria and King of Kings Baptist Church near Cape Town. Pray that people who receive assistance from Christians will acknowledge that the followers of Jesus are representatives of God and His great love for all people.

King of Kings Baptist Church in Fish Hoek (a suburb of Cape Town) has multiple ministries, all designed to assist people in various walks of life. Their goal is to “serve the community … in a meaningful and relevant way to make the Lord Jesus Christ a reality in their lives.” They demonstrate the love of Christ to those in need through methods such as: the Living Hope ministry to HIV/AIDS victims and others who are chronically sick; the Living Way endeavor to help individuals in under-resourced communities; and the Living Grace outreach to motivate, treat, support and transform the lives of the destitute. Pray for them to have great sensitivity, wisdom and grace as they reach out to others in Jesus’ name.

Cape Town is one of the favored destinations for fans going to South Africa for the World Cup. Pray for Cape Town’s law enforcement officials and health care workers, whose workloads will increase dramatically simply due to the large number of additional people in their city during that time. Pray they will have extra measures of patience, especially when there are language barriers to overcome.

Praise God for an international couple going to Cape Town to minister among Muslim peoples. Pray they will find new friends who will be open to considering that what the Bible teaches about Isa (the Muslim name for Jesus) is true. Pray for existing convert care ministries in the Cape Town area.

Thank God for the outpouring of prayers for Cape Town during the Cape Town for Jesus rally on 22 March at Green Point Stadium. Pray that World Cup activities in the stadium will include an awareness that God is present. Ask Him to open doors for followers of Christ to share their faith with other fans attending the matches.

Pray for Cape Town Baptist Seminary students who are partnering with volunteer teams from the US. They will be working together to hold soccer clinics and Holiday Bible Clubs in schools around Cape Town.

Pray for church-planting partnerships between the Baptist Union and Western Province Baptist Association in Uppington, asking that relationships will be God-honoring and that many people will come to know about Jesus and join together in churches that magnify Him.

Pray for the athletes and fans from Uruguay and Italy who will be in Cape Town for matches.

Christian workers ministering to the Xhosa people who live around Cape Town focus a lot of their attention on youth, teaching them values that will lead them to make wise choices in a society where there is a lot of HIV and AIDS. Pray for the workers who have access to local schools, that they will faithfully share God’s truths with the young people who study there.

Many missionary kids in Cape Town participate in Christian Unions at their high schools. Pray that they will grow in Christ as they fellowship with other Christian young people and that they will learn creative ways to share their faith with students who are not followers of Christ.

Pray for the athletes and fans from Algeria and England who will be in Cape Town for matches.

Pray that students who attend Life Skills classes before, during and after the World Cup will have life-changing experiences.

Thank the Lord for a successful World Cup “discovery” team of youth/student ministers who went to Cape Town to plan for the World Cup. The discovery team was able to locate three strategic schools to serve in during the World Cup. The teams will minister through sports clinics, Kids’ Games, skills development and spending time with the students. Pray for all the details to be sorted out for lodging, transportation and flights coming to South Africa in June and July 2010.