Prayer Letter: October 2026 – Ambassadors for Christ (South Pacific)

“Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place … And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him … Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: ‘If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?’”

Job 2:11, 13; 4:1–2

There is much that we can learn from the account of Job and the way his friends responded to his suffering. In the beginning, they demonstrated something of the compassion and care that ought to characterise our response to those who are passing through times of great sorrow. Yet, as the account unfolds, we also see how easily our words, even when spoken with the intention of helping, can become a source of further pain and discouragement. Job’s friends had witnessed the terrible suffering that had come upon him. They saw something of the depth of his grief and the overwhelming circumstances in which he found himself. Yet, rather than seeking to understand his sorrow, they eventually began offering explanations and making assumptions about the reasons for his suffering. Their words became increasingly unhelpful, and instead of bringing comfort to their friend, they added to the burden he was already carrying.

We ought to be very careful when speaking to those who are suffering, particularly when we have not experienced the same difficulties ourselves or have not taken sufficient time to listen and understand what they are going through. It is easy to offer advice or to speak confidently about matters we may understand very little about. Yet genuine Christian compassion requires humility, patience, and a willingness to listen. Before we attempt to explain another person’s suffering, we would do well to seek the Lord in prayer and ask Him to give us the wisdom and tenderness needed to minister to them. Job himself described his friends as miserable comforters, men who had plenty to say but whose words brought him very little relief (Job 16:2–4). As the conversation continued, Job’s friends became increasingly determined to find an explanation for his circumstances. They assumed that his suffering must somehow be connected to personal sin or unfaithfulness. Zophar went so far as to suggest that Job deserved even greater punishment than he had received (Job 11:4–6), while Eliphaz encouraged him to return to God, implying that he had wandered away from Him (Job 22:21–23). Their understanding of suffering was far too narrow, and their conclusions failed to take into account what God was actually doing in Job’s life. They were quick to speak, quick to make judgments, and slow to recognise that they did not have all the answers. When Eliphaz first asked, “Who can keep from speaking?” perhaps the wisest thing he could have done was to remain silent.

Job eventually confronted his friends about the emptiness of their counsel. He described them as worthless physicians and declared that their silence would have been a far greater demonstration of wisdom than the many words they had spoken (Job 13:4–5). What makes this particularly striking is that, when his friends first arrived, they had done exactly that. For seven days and seven nights, they sat beside him without saying a word. They recognised the greatness of his suffering and, for a time, simply remained with him in his sorrow. There are occasions in the Christian life when our presence may accomplish far more than our words. When someone is overwhelmed by grief, disappointment, sickness, or some other painful circumstance, they may not need an immediate explanation or a carefully prepared answer. Sometimes what they need most is the assurance that they are not alone. The quiet presence of a brother or sister in Christ, someone willing to sit beside them, listen patiently, and share something of their burden, can be a wonderful expression of the love and compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do not always need to understand why the Lord has permitted certain circumstances before we can demonstrate His love to those who are suffering.

Sadly, silence and patient listening are often neglected in the way we seek to encourage others. We can become so concerned with finding the right words that we fail to recognise the importance of simply being present. This does not mean that words of encouragement, biblical counsel, and the promises of Scripture have no place. They certainly do, and there are times when they are greatly needed. However, we must learn to speak with wisdom, tenderness, and an understanding of the person before us. Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do is to listen carefully, pray faithfully, and allow the suffering person the opportunity to express their sorrow without feeling that they must immediately receive an answer. Perhaps there is someone in our own fellowship, family, or circle of friends who is presently passing through a difficult season. Rather than feeling that we must have something profound to say, we might simply take the time to be with them, to listen, and to remind them through our care that they are not forgotten. May the Lord give us hearts that are sensitive to the burdens of others, wisdom to know when to speak and when to remain silent, and a genuine desire to reflect something of the compassion and tenderness of Christ to those who are suffering

Ministry Updates of the Past Month:

CTEF — Completion of the Academic Year

September was a particularly important month for us at the College of Theology & Evangelism Fiji (CTEF), as our students came to the end of their classes for the 2026 academic year. We are so thankful to the Lord for His kindness and faithfulness in bringing us through another year of biblical and ministerial training. Following the completion of classes, our students entered their final Study Week in preparation for their end-of-year examinations. Our graduating students also reached an important milestone as they completed and submitted their final theses, following many months of research, study and writing. With their final examinations also coming to a close, we are grateful to the Lord for the work He has been doing in the lives of these dear students, many of whom have made considerable sacrifices to be here and prepare themselves for the Lord’s service.

We would also deeply appreciate your prayers for our faculty as we now work through the marking of examination papers, final assignments and theses, along with the many other responsibilities that need to be completed before graduation in November. October is an especially busy month for us, with a number of important ministry programmes and commitments taking place, and there is still much to be done in preparation for the end of the academic year. Please pray that the Lord would give us the strength, wisdom and grace we need to carry out these responsibilities well. We are very conscious of our own limitations and our continual dependence upon Him. We are thankful for each of you who faithfully remember us before the Lord, and we do not take your prayers for granted. Our desire is that, through all of these efforts, the Lord Jesus Christ would be honoured and that these dear students would go on to serve Him faithfully wherever He may lead them. We are so thankful for the students the Lord has brought to us and for the privilege we have of ministering to them. Please pray that the Lord would protect them from the evil one and lead them away from temptation. Pray that He would make them men and women of God who love Christ more than ministry, reputation, qualifications, or position. And please pray the same for those of us who teach them. May the Lord continue to transform us and, in His loving kindness, purge from us the dross and muck of Adam that remains, increasingly conforming us to the image of His beloved Son. Study Week will run from 28 September to 2 October, examinations from 5–9 October, the Students’ Picnic will be held on 28 October, the College Banquet on 31 October, and Graduation on 7 November. Please especially remember students during Study Week and examinations, that the Lord would give them

strength, clear minds, discipline, and the ability to remember what they have learned.

Urgent Prayer Need

There is an urgent matter that we would humbly ask you to bring before the Lord in prayer. We thank God for His faithfulness in sustaining us throughout this year, despite the many challenges we have faced. As we look to Him once again, we find ourselves in a position of significant financial need. At present, we do not have sufficient funds to meet some of the most essential needs of the ministry, particularly food for our students, support for our ministry team, and the payment of utilities and other necessary expenses. We would deeply appreciate your prayers that the Lord, in His kindness and according to His perfect wisdom, would provide for these needs and enable us to continue the work He has entrusted to us.

Thank you, dear friends, for faithfully praying for us and standing alongside us in the work of the Gospel. We are reminded that our gracious Lord is sovereign over all things, that He knows our every need, and that His purposes are always good. Our desire is to continue trusting Him and serving Him faithfully, whatever He may have in store for us.

Global Diaspora Network & Lausanne Movement Consultation

Please also pray for the upcoming Global Diaspora Network and Lausanne Movement Consultation, which will be held from 19–23 October in partnership with the Bible College. The Lausanne Movement, founded through the ministries of Dr. Billy Graham and Dr. John Stott, has long sought to encourage Christ’s Church to remain outward-looking and mission-focused. The Global Diaspora Network serves within the Lausanne Movement and seeks to mobilise followers of Jesus to fulfil God’s missional purposes among people on the move. Their vision is summed up well in the Lausanne statement: “Together we seek to bear witness to Jesus Christ and all His teachings, in every part of the world—not only geographically, but in every sphere of society and in the realm of ideas.”

Speakers from across Oceania and beyond will gather in Fiji to discuss both the challenges and opportunities created by the movement of peoples throughout the Pacific region and the world. Migration has changed the mission field in remarkable ways. People groups who may once have lived thousands of kilometres apart now live beside one another, while Pacific Islanders themselves now live and serve across the world. We are grateful that two members of the AFC(SP) team will be presenting papers at the consultation: Dr. Narayan Nair and Mr. Faga Foarete, Academic Dean of the College. Please pray for them as they prepare. Our desire is that this would not simply become another academic discussion about mission, but that everything presented would be grounded in the Scriptures, honour Christ, strengthen His Church, and ultimately help God’s people more faithfully proclaim the gospel to those who have yet to hear. It is so easy for events like this to be purely academic, and precise yet devoid of the Bible. Our prayer is that Christ would be exalted, particularly in faithfulness to the Bible.

Men's Retreat

Please also remember our upcoming men’s ministry gathering in the first week of October. There is a tremendous need for godly men—men who know Christ, love their families, serve their churches, take responsibility, resist the patterns of this world, and seek to live under the authority of God’s Word. Please pray that the Lord would use this gathering to strengthen and encourage the brothers who attend and that there would be honesty, repentance, fellowship, and a renewed desire to follow Christ faithfully within our homes, churches, workplaces, and communities. We are very grateful that our Brother Rodney from American Samoa will be opening God's Word to us. Pray that the Lord would give us ears and hearts to receive, mediate upon and live.

John Ridley Lectures and 2026 Graduation

We are also looking forward to the John Ridley Memorial Lectures, which will take place from 2–6 November. We are privileged to have a dear brother travelling from Australia to minister God’s Word over the course of the week at Wesley Chapel. Please pray for him as he prepares and travels, and pray for all those who will attend. Whenever we gather around the Scriptures, our desire is not merely to hear an interesting speaker or receive more information. We want to hear from God’s Word and be changed by it. Please pray that Christ would be exalted throughout these lectures and that the Lord would use His Word to strengthen pastors, students, church leaders, and believers.

Please also pray for all the preparations underway for our College Graduation on 7 November. Graduation is always one of the most joyful times in the life of the college. After a long and, in many ways, challenging year, we look forward to stopping and remembering the faithfulness of God. It is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with our students and their families after years of hard work, sacrifice, study, exams, ministry, and life together. Yet graduation is not the finish line. For many students, it is the beginning of another stage of service. Our prayer is that they would leave the college not merely carrying a certificate but carrying with them a deep love for Christ, confidence in His Word, compassion for people, and a desire to faithfully make the gospel known wherever the Lord sends them.

Please also continue praying for our First Saturday Youth ministry, which will conclude its programs for the year with the FSY Break-up on 5 December. We praise God for the many young people who have heard the gospel throughout this year and particularly for those who have professed faith in Christ. It has been a great joy and privilege to witness what we trust is the Lord calling His lost sheep home and bringing them into His family. Please keep this ministry as an urgent matter of prayer. There are so many young people around us who desperately need hope, identity, forgiveness, purpose, and life. The world offers them countless substitutes, but none can satisfy the human heart. Only Christ can reconcile them to their Creator. Please pray that we would continue to faithfully hold out the Word of Life and that the Lord would be pleased to save many more young people throughout Fiji.

As always, thank you for reading these updates and for faithfully bringing us before the throne of grace. There is so much happening across the different areas of ministry that sometimes it can feel difficult even to communicate it all, but behind every program, every class, every outreach, every journey, and every prayer request is the same desire: that Jesus Christ would be known, His people strengthened, His Church built, and sinners reconciled to God through the gospel. We remain very conscious that we can do none of this in our own strength, so please pray that the Lord would keep us faithful, guard us from pride, discouragement, temptation, and distraction, and that we would never become so occupied with the work of Christ that we lose sight of Christ Himself.

And please know that we continue to thank God for you. Your prayers and partnership in the gospel are a tremendous encouragement to us, and we count it a privilege to stand together with you in the work of our Lord even though many of us are separated by great distances. Please let us know how we can be praying for you as well. May the Lord continue to make us faithful in the little things, joyful in His service, confident in His promises, and always fixing our eyes upon Jesus.

On behalf of Dr. Nair, Mrs. Nair, and the whole AFC(SP) Ministry Team,

In Christ’s love,

Nathan Adams

Ambassadors for Christ (South Pacific)