Swazi Team Prayer Calendar - May 2009

Swaziland Mission Team Prayer Calendar
May 2009

Friday May 1: Pray for Kimber Ringler today as she continues her flight to the States. Pray she will be able to make her final domestic flight with ease. Pray also for Kimber during the entire month of May as she adjusts living in the US and experiencing reverse culture shock.

Saturday May 2: Today the executive committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland is scheduled to meet. On the agenda will be the evaluation of the National Easter services. Pray those attending will prayerfully evaluate the services at Easter as well as other business. Pray for a spirit of unity.

Sunday May 3: Pray for the new outreach group in Lesibovu, south of Manzini where Steve Allen in February started a new Bible study. He is averaging about 50 people each Saturday afternoon and the group is already asking about when they can start meeting on Sunday mornings. Plans are being discussed to start once a month in May on Sunday mornings. Pray for God’s wisdom in guiding each step for this new group. Even now, pray for leaders that would rise within the group to be trained. Recently, nine people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior…praise God!

Monday May 4: Today Bert Warren has a meeting with Pastor Masuku and the local village caretakers in Mafucula to discuss possible HIV/AIDS ministries. Swaziland has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS. Pray for direction as ways are sought to reach and minister to the many hidden away dying from this terrible disease. The Warrens’ heart desire is to share the Gospel and lead Swazis to the One who is the Great Physician while also ministering to physical needs. Please pray the Lord will “raise up” nationals with a burden for these people. Pray each will be encouraged to step forward and take a part in ministering to the hurting with AIDS. Pray for direction with Great Commission partners ministering to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Tuesday May 5: Kimber Ringler and Julia Tarr are attending their debriefing conference at the International Learning Center May 5-9. Pray the Lord will work greatly in Kimber and Julia during this time of debriefing. Pray both will “get a good hold” on all He taught them while ministering for two years in Swaziland.

Wednesday May 6: Please keep praying for medical follow-up for the Allen children. Lacie’s tonsillectomy surgery on April 29 went well and we are hoping to find out more information about her left ear loss. The Allens will be in Johannesburg for medical leave until around May 10. Pray for this to be a time of rest and renewal for the family.

Thursday May 7: Please join us in praying for co-laborers to come and join the Lord’s work here in Swaziland through short-term volunteer teams, dedicated prayer warriors or full-time service. The fields are white for harvest and doors for ministry are wide-open!!

Friday May 8: “For Such a Time as This” was the theme for the meeting of the Southern Section missionaries April 15-20. During this meeting the many changes at the IMB and how these changes affect the missionaries on the field were discussed and shared. Please pray your missionaries will be able to accept and adjust to the changes. Pray this will be a time of wonderful blessings.

Saturday May 9: After looking over the beautiful countryside attention was redirected to the singing of the siSwati songs and the preaching of God’s Word. As members of the congregation sit on wooden benches under the tree, it is obvious everyone is oblivious to the “homestead” activity around them. Pray the members of the Zikhoteni Baptist Church will continue to gather for worship every Sunday. Pray their excitement will spread throughout the Zikhoteni community.

Sunday May 10: MOTHER’ DAY!!
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30
Monica Allen’s mother Polly Trice, is coming to spend several weeks with the Allen family. The children are excited that “Gogo” Polly is coming for a visit. Pray for Polly’s safety and health as she travels to be with the Allens on June 12.

Monday May 11: The Myers attended an AIDS forum in Jo’burg April 13-15 and felt it was very helpful to see what missionaries in other parts of Africa are doing concerning the AIDS pandemic. Please pray that from this forum the Swazi Team will be able to begin meeting needs of AIDS victims and their families. Pray the Team will be open to being led by the Lord to develop ministries to help AIDS orphans as well as AIDS victims.

Tuesday May 12: The Warrens praise the Lord for Chris, Janice and Ron of the South Roanoke Team from North Carolina that came to serve the Lord in Siteki, April 22-30. “We praise Him for the many ways the team ministered to the people of Swaziland and to our family. We would especially like to thank their families for sharing this awesome team with us and for sacrificing their presence during some special family events that occurred while the team served the Lord.” From this team’s effort, pray those who heard the Word preached will experience a new life in Jesus Christ.

Wednesday May 13: Pray for Kimber’s future plans and for God to show her exactly where He wants her to be in the right job. The Swazi Team is blessed and thankful for the ministry Kimber did during her two years in Swaziland. Lives were definitely touched in many ways, esp. the children and youth at Peace, Ntsintsa, Sympathy, Mabelani and Hawane. We all miss her very much!!

Thursday May 14: Pray the strongholds that keep the king of Swaziland, his wives and children from accepting Jesus will be broken. Pray each will have a chance to hear and understand what it means to be a Christian.

Friday May 15: Pray for the Swazi Team as they prayerfully work on personnel job requests . Even now, pray for the people God wants to send to work with our Swazi mission team and the Swazi people to further His kingdom.

Saturday May 16: The indvuna (Chief’s assistant) contacted Steve Allen in February about doing revival services in March. Revival services were conducted March 16-21 in the community next to Lesibovu called Gundvini. Praise the Lord for the many decisions for Christ during the revival services! Pray for follow-up that need to be done in this area and for help to assist Steve. Pray for God’s clear direction with each step in this new outreach opportunity.

Sunday May 17: Pray for the Manzini and Sithwethweni Baptist Churches as they meet concerning the possibility of merging the two congregations. They are currently trying to work on a joint constitution. Please pray an agreement will soon be reached as to who will lead the church after the proposed merger. This is a major issue regarding the coming together of the two congregations.

Monday May 18: The green dome lights up when people are worshipping inside the mosque that sits on a hill overlooking Nhlangano. Pray for the many Swazis being misled and confused by the Muslim faith. Pray Christians will see the urgency to witness to their lost friends and neighbors.

Tuesday May 19: Pray for the Warren children as they begin their 2nd term of school today. Their first term has been a transitioning one and Bert and Lisa ask for prayer for continued learning and for more friendships to develop. Praise God Jessie, Matthew and Sarah finished their first term well.

Wednesday May 20: Pray for the Allen family to have strength and wisdom as they balance family and ministry each day. Pray for their walks with the Lord to grow more and more and specifically direction for the family as they lead/teach Lacie and Nathan to love the Lord Jesus with all their hearts. Since the weekly church services are conducted in siSwati it is difficult for the children as they don’t understand what is being said. Pray Steve and Monica will continue to find ways to make weekly worship at home positive and meaningful for the children, especially Lacie.

Thursday May 21: Last month a 10-member volunteer team ministered in the Shiselweni region through medical clinics. The team of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel minister in 6 different areas and saw approximately 900 patient. 20 Swazis walked away not only with physical healing but with spiritual healing as well. Pray those touched in some way by the medical team will know true healing comes through the Master Physician.

Friday May 22: Last month Kelly Woody, True Love Waits International consultant visited the Swazi Team members in their areas of work. She was able to connect with some of the True Love Wait presenters and enjoyed talking and sharing with these Swazis. She has planned to return to Swaziland in August. Pray for Kelly as she works with Swazis and missionaries to establish a strong True Love Waits program in Swaziland.

Saturday May 23: Continue to pray for all our Baptist churches that are without pastoral leadership. Pray for these churches to remain one body and faithful in serving one another as they patiently wait on the Lord to provide the right person to lead these congregations.

Sunday May 24: Baptism took place on the 26th of April at the Big Bend Baptist Church. Please rejoice with the church and pray for these as they walk with Christ. Pray for strength to overcome pressure to continue in the way of Swazi traditions and cultures.

Monday May 25: MEMORIAL DAY!!
Pray for the brave men and women of our nation’s military as they work to protect us around the world-particularly for those in dangerous or compromised situations, that they will have God’s powerful protection and covering. www.presidentialprayerteam.org

Tuesday May 26: Please pray for the many in Swaziland suffering from AIDS. Pray for the caregivers as they do what they know to do while watching as their love one slowly dies. Pray the unsaved will have a chance to accept Jesus as their Savior before death comes.
Wednesday May 27: Pray for several churches currently trying to obtain plots for building new church structures or shifting existing churches. Hawane Baptist is waiting for the final decision for their plot to be marked. Victory Baptist and Ntsintsa Baptist were recently approved for new plots. Mphembekati Baptist has to move their existing church due to being too close to a school. Peniel Baptist recently lost their church meeting place so they are seeking a new one temporarily until they can begin building their own structure.

Thursday May 28: June 26-27 is the National Youth Leader’s Retreat. Please begin praying for this important event as well as our youth leaders and vice-youth leaders of the Swazi Baptist churches. Hunter Johnson will be the main speaker. Pray for all the logistics to be finalized and for God to move in a mighty way among the hearts of our youth leaders.

Friday May 29: May 29-30 is the National Youth Committee’s annual planning retreat in Mbabane. Pray for our NYC as they meet to finalize plans for the National Youth Leaders Retreat, National Youth Camp in August and other important issues for the youth of all the Swazi Baptist churches. Pray for the committee to be in unity and one mind on ALL decisions!

Saturday May 30: Wayne and Barbara Myers’ stateside assignment is Sept. 25-Dec. 30. Begin praying all preparations for departure from Swaziland and arrival in Kentucky will go smoothly. Pray a vehicle will be secured for traveling in the States. Pray for peace concerning leaving home for three months.

Sunday May 31: Hunter and Brinkley Johnson (sisters) arrive to serve with the Swazi Team June 9-July 8 leading children/youth Bible studies, National Youth Leader’s Retreat on June 26-27, partnering with other mission organizations, and other various ministry opportunities. Pray for Hunter and Brinkley as they prepare to serve with the Swazi Team and for health and safety as they travel on June 8 to Swaziland for one month.

Swazi Team: www.swazimissions.org