Monthly Prayer Calendar - October

Friday October 1: After serving six months in Swaziland for missionaries Steve and Monica Allen, Al and Belinda Jordan leave today from Jo’burg for the states arriving in Austin, Texas tomorrow. Pray for a safe flight and fast adjustment back to life in the states.


Saturday October 2: The executive committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland meets today. Pray each committee member will understand his or her job description. Pray this meeting will be a time of discussion and planning for the 2011 budget and other ministries.


Sunday October 3: “My own conversion is the result of prayer, long, affectionate, earnest, importune. Parents prayed for me; God heard their cries, and here I am to preach the Gospel.” (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1834-92). Pray the Lord will be able to draw strong spiritual leaders from the congregations of the Swazi Baptist churches. Pray many Swazis will truly understand what it means to be a Christian.


Monday October 4: Steve, Monica, Lacie and Nathan Allen arrived in Swaziland on the 28th of September after six months in the states (stateside assignment). Pray for an easy adjustment to Swazi life and the Lord will direct them to the right ministries over the next couple of years.


Tuesday October 5: Winter is over as well as the dry season in Swaziland. Swazis anticipate the arrival of the refreshing rains and the beginning of planting crops and gardens. Pray the rains will be plentiful and adequate this season to meet the basic needs of the people and sustain their crops and gardens.


Wednesday October 6: Continue to remember members of the Myers’ family dealing with medical problems. Pray for Wayne’s brother Terry, currently in remission from stage 4 cancer, sister Patsy with COPD and Barbara’s brother-in-law in recovery from herniated disc surgery (last year).


Thursday October 7: Pray for Lacie Allen as she finishes her Kindergarten year. Lacie will be taking an entrance exam in the next couple of weeks. Pray she will do well and there will be no complications in her starting school at Sifundzane Primary School for 1st grade in January 2011.


Friday October 8: Pray for Deborah Hoskins’ sister, Susanna today on her birthday!! Pray this day will be a time of celebration and quality family time for Deborah and her family before the Hoskins leave for Swaziland.


Saturday October 9: Please continue praying for the IMB’s Presidential Search Committee as the seek God’s man to lead our organization.


Sunday October 10: Continue to pray for Hawane and Lesibovu Baptist Churches as both congregations strive to reach their goals needed for the construction of their church structures. Pray weekly giving toward these projects will allow construction to soon begin.


Monday October 11: The BGR (Baptist Global Response) In-Home Care Kits are provided for terminally ill patients with AIDS. The kits are centered around a five gallon heavy duty bucket with a lid that seals. Inside the bucket are items that will assist in keeping patients clean and dry, items to protect their mat and mattress from soiling and vitamins to help keep their immune systems strong. Pray the use of these items by loving care givers will show the love and compassion that Jesus Christ has for the terminally ill. Southern Baptists have an opportunity to participate in this project through local churches and associations in partnership with BGR. If you or your church would like to help fill the In-Home Care Kits please contact www.inhomecarekits.org


Tuesday October 12: Pray for Barbara Myers today on her birthday!! Todd and Deborah Hoskins leave for Swaziland today. The Hoskins are 2-year missionaries serving as church planters and developing rural church training schools for pastors and lay leaders. Pray for a safe journey and easy adjustment to life in Swaziland.


Wednesday October 13: Pray for Todd Hoskins’ mother today on her birthday!!Pray the Lord will give Todd’s mother peace and joy on her special day, especially with Todd and Deborah leaving for Swaziland the day before.


Thursday October 14: “Evening and morning and at noon I will pray and cry aloud. And He shall hear by voice.” (Psalm 55:17) October 14-16 is the National Swazi Baptist Women’s Retreat at the Manzini Baptist Church. The theme is “I Will Cry Unto the Lord” and the scripture verse is Psalm 55:17. So many Swazis do not know the importance of a personal prayer life or that they can even pray outside the church. Pray for missionary Barbara Myers as she leads four sessions on the importance of prayer in our lives. Pray those attending will understand the true meaning of prayer and the need of a daily time of talking and listening to the Lord. Pray each attendee will learn to cry unto the Lord anytime and anywhere.


Friday October 15: September 10-11 missionary Wayne Myers led a training event for the pastors/lay leaders of the Swazi Baptist churches in the Shiselweni region. Approximately 20 attended the two-day training. Pray those who attended will utilize what they were taught in their churches. Pray every Swazi Baptist church in the Shiselweni region will be led by a strong pastor or leader.


Saturday October 16: Who was the first executive director of the Foreign Mission Board? James B. Taylor, a former Baptist minister in Richmond, Va., who served 1846-1871.It is time to set your 2010 church goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Pray for faithfulness of Southern Baptist churches to give to the 2010 LMCO so missionaries can continue to be sent to minister to many lost and dying people.


Sunday October 17: Pray the Lord will burden the hearts of the Swazi church leaders to develop strong prayer relationships with Him. Pray prayer will be an important ministry in every Swazi Baptist church.


Monday October 18: Pray salvation will come to the house of the King of Swaziland, his wives and children. Pray true revival will take place in this country.


Tuesday October 19: Pray for protection for girls living in situations that are not safe and lead to sexual abuse and possible death. Pray the Swazi government will take notice of the plight of women and children and will seek to pass laws that protect them. Pray for a safer place to live for children that will allow them to have a future.


Wednesday October 20: The Hoskins leave today to attend the on-field orientation 40/40 in Burkina Faso (West Africa) October 21-November 19. 40/40 is an extensive time of training to live in Africa as well as developing relationships with the African people. Pray Todd and Deborah will be prepared for this type of training and wonderful blessings will occur.


Thursday October 21: Trying to start and sustain homestead churches is difficult. Challenges include not wanting to be identified as Zionists (African Traditional Religion), feeling the church is not “theirs” but belongs to the homestead family and feeling the church imposes on the family by meeting each week. Pray Christian Swazis will understand the need to reach their neighbors for Jesus. Pray these challenges will not keep them from organizing and meeting on a regular basis.


Friday October 22: Today begins the first Maphungwane Baptist Church children’s camp (Oct. 22-24). The theme is “Let Us Talk to God.” The children will study stories on Christ, Daniel and Hannah who were great prayer warriors. Pray the children will be able to take home the stories and their significance. Pray each will go home touched by the Lord.


Saturday October 23: Ramadan is over and those of the Muslim faith have returned to their normal routines as life goes on. Pray during their time of spiritual seeking and fasting (Ramadan) their hearts were open to hear the voice of the Lord. Pray many will begin seeking to know the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.


Sunday October 24: Pray the Lord will provide a pastor for the New Hope Baptist Church (without a pastor for over three years). Pray the faithful will continue to be fruitful and the adults will strive to teach the youth and children the ways of God.


Monday October 25: SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES: Please pray for the Luyana of Namibia. The Luyana, who live in the northern part of the Kalahari Basin and speak Kwangali, experience abundant wildlife and blooming plant life during the rainy season but also watch the dry season blow in, parching everything that remains. Pray that Luyana will come to know the majesty and splendor of our Lord and call on Him for eternal salvation.


Tuesday October 26: October 26-29 the Myers are taking a holiday and visiting the Kruger National Game Reserve (South Africa). Pray for a restful time of enjoying God’s creation.


Wednesday October 27: Please pray as the trends of pregnancy out of wedlock, several sexual partners, more than one wife and relationships, and a disregard for God’s Word continues to dominate the lives of both Christian and non-Christian Swazis.

Thursday October 28: Understanding the importance of a Christian lifestyle, several older ladies in our Swazi Baptist churches have requested to be married the Christian way. Many in Swaziland are married in the Swazi Traditional Way (condoning unchristian practices) or not at all. These who wanted to make things right in the eyes of the Lord, walked down the aisle dressed in their white wedding gowns on the arms of their (non-believing) husbands. Pray for these who have committed their marriages to the Lord. Pray many more Christian weddings will take place in our Swazi Baptist churches.


Friday October 29: The Shiselweni Baptist Association is in the process of meeting on a regular basis and understanding proper procedures in discussing business matters. Pray for Pastor Nkosingiphile Dlamini as he organizes and leads the meetings on a regular basis. Pray for Wayne Myers as he continues to train the association on how to conduct their meetings and discuss their business. The next Shiselweni Association meeting is November 13.


Saturday October 30: Pray those of the African Traditional Religion/Zionism will come to a true understanding of their need for a personal relationship with Jesus and will be able to separate themselves from the pagan practices of traditional religion.


Sunday October 31: “It is the heroes and heroines who are out of sight and who labour in prayer who make it possible for those who are in sight to do their work and win.” G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) pastor of the Westminster Chapel, London. Thank you faithful prayer warriors who pray for us missionaries and the Swazi people. Pray we will continue working and praying together for the many lost Swazis who do not know the Lord as their Savior.