Myers Weekly Letter

It was a very warm fall day as we assembled in the small church building in a little community of Swazi houses to begin a time of Sunday morning worship. Due to participating in a funeral, the pastor of the Big Bend Baptist Church was not present but had previously asked Wayne to preach the morning’s message. As the singing began, people continued crowding into the church. One young lady sat on the bench in front of me. As we sang I began to notice things around me. One thing I noticed was the top she was wearing was on backwards and inside outward (but still pretty). Everyone was smiling and clapping their hands. During the fast moving songs the children did their Swazi dance. After the singing, testimonies were given and choir specials presented by the children and the youth. As Wayne preached one little boy continued his usual activities oblivious to those around him and the preaching of God’s Word. Several tried to quiet him throughout the service. As the service ended and we left the building, people were still smiling, shaking our hands and thanking us for coming.

Several made decisions of commitment during the church’s two week revival (April 26-May 8). Please pray the people of the Big Bend Baptist Church will feel a deep burden to confess sins that separate them from their God and will seek His face and hear His voice.

-This week beginning tomorrow, the Mapangweni Baptist Church will conduct a youth revival (May 11-15). The Phuzumoya Baptist Church is sponsoring and helping with the services. Pray this will be a great time in the life of this church. Pray many youth will commit to live their lives totally for the Lord.

--Please remember the family of Makhosi Fakudze, pastor of the Vovovo Baptist Church. Makhosi’s father passed away and the funeral was this past weekend. Pray the Lord will wrap His loving arms around this family as they mourn the loss of their loved one.

***Do you know?

What is a non-residential missionary?

UPCOMING EVENTS IN MAY AND JUNE:

--Continue to remember Ben and Matt from the Integrity Baptist Church as they prepare to come and minister in the Shiselweni and Lubumbo regions of Swaziland May 19-31. Besides the revival services at Luwhawheni the team will also conduct a baptism service on the 23rd of May at the New Hope Baptist Church. Bible studies for all ages are also being planned.

-May 23rd the New Hope Baptist Church will conduct a baptism service. Matt and Ben will lead this time of celebration. Pray those being baptized will truly understand the commitment they made to the Lord. Pray this special service will encourage the congregation of this church.

-May 25-28 revival services will be held in the Luwhawheni community. The volunteer team from the Integrity Baptist Church will lead.

Pray the pastor will be encouraged as he serves the Lord in the Luwhawheni community. Pray for spiritual preparation for these special services and for true revival to touch the hearts of many Christians as well as the many lost Swazis in this area. Pray for strong follow-up after the completion of the revival services. May the Lord be glorified in Luwhawheni!!

-June 5th representatives from our Swazi Baptist churches will continue the election process of a chairman and officers for the Baptist Convention of Swaziland. Last Saturday (May 8th) the executive committee was elected. This is a very important process in the life of the Baptist Convention. Please pray all representatives will make an extra effort to be at this meeting. Pray selections will be prayerfully considered before voting. Pray the Lord will be glorified through this election process.

June 28-July 5, the Swazi Team welcomes retired missionary June Mason to Swaziland. June will lead Bible studies with the Swazi Baptist women. It will be a time for the ladies to be refreshed, renewed and strengthened as they return to their homes and families who depend upon them for daily needs. Please pray for Swazi Baptist women to find true hope in following and depending upon the Lord for their families’ needs. Pray this time of Bible study will be an encouragement. Pray for June as the Lord prepares her for this very special ministry.

***Answer!!

A missionary who is sent to help evangelize people groups in countries and regions where Christian work is severely restricted. Non-residential missionaries live outside the targeted area but work to develop ways of advancing the gospel there.

-Continue to remember Wayne’s sister Patsy suffering from COPD and on oxygen. Pray also his brother’s (Terry) quarterly medical tests will continue to show his stage 4 cancer in remission. Pray Barbara’s brother-in-law, Gary Rutledge will soon be able to move around unassisted (herniated disc surgery in November) and for Barbara’s nephew-in-law’s mother diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

AIDS UPDATE:

The Swazi Team welcomes Kym Pennington has their new True Love Waits International Consultant!! Kelly Woody served in this role for a couple of years but has resigned due to new employment. Kym is finishing up her journeyman term in Malawi (first of August). She has been doing TLW in schools and for the last few months has worked specifically with True Love Waits International throughout Malawi. Kym’s first visit to Swaziland will be during the Swazi National Youth Camp (Aug. 26-29). She will arrive a few days before the camp begins to meet with True Wait presenters and Swazi Team missionaries. Pray the True Love Waits message will touch the hearts of Swazi youth. Pray for leaders to rise up and stand strong in sharing the message of purity. Pray for Kym as she begins this new chapter in her life.

IMB OFFICE OF PRAYER STRATEGY:

-Emeritus Missionary Conference, May 11-16, Richmond, Va. This conference will see 60 retiring missionaries with 1,730 years of combined service being honored for lives committed to reaching the world’s lost. Thank God for their faithfulness in ministry and for the thousands of lives impacted for eternity because of their ministries.

-Affinity Trainers and Apprentice Coordinators Conference, May 12-18, Richmond, Va. This conference will unite overseas trainers and apprentice coordinators for a week of inspiration, networking and training. May the Lord grace them with safe travel and fruitful experience.

WORLD CUP IN SOUTH AFRICA

June 11-July 11, 2010

Each week I will be sharing prayer requests for one of the 32 countries participating in the World Cup (Soccer). This week’s Country Focus is SPAIN:

-There are now more people living with HIV/AIDS in Spain than anywhere else in Europe. Pray for the different organizations and Christian ministries that are caring for rehabilitating drug addicts.

-There are over 1 million students in Spain, most of whom have never really heard the gospel. Reaching this generation is absolutely critical in impacting the whole of Spanish society; pray that the Lord would make a way for this to happen.

-Over 13 million Spaniards live in towns, villages and districts where there is no evangelical church. Pray for more church growth in Spain. Pray that missionaries and church leaders working in Spain would be able to build churches that really reflect indigenous Spanish culture.

(Information from The Ultimate Goal (TUG) a project of SASCOL and is the outreach initiative taking place during June and July 2010. TUG is a network of local and international churches, para-church organizations and ministries all working together on one common goal: to bring hope and change to South Africa.)

Check out www.worldsoccerjourneys.com.