Myers Weekly Prayer Letter

The week before the Maphungwane children’s camp, the pastor phoned to say 42 children had paid their camp fee and he was expecting just a few more to attend. To be sure I had plenty of supplies I prepared for 60. When the total was taken approximately 65 children attended the third children’s camp October 22-24. Numbers are nice but unfortunately, the church did not provide enough workers to help with the camp. Even so we did survive!! We praise the Lord for His blessings and continued presence throughout the 2 ½ days of camp. Sunday morning was very special as the children were the worship leaders for the service. They did a great job and were so excited to have such an important part in the worship.
Pray the members of the Maphungwane Baptist Church will support a strong discipleship program for their children.
--Another highlight of the Sunday morning service at Mphungwane was a baptism service. Three adults were obedient to the Lord in baptism. Pray these will understand the importance of following Jesus even though the Christian lifestyle will conflict with the Swazi culture and traditions.

--During our holiday at the Kruger Game Reserve October 26-29, we were able to see all the BIG FIVE (elephant, cape buffalo, white rhino (we also saw the black rhino), lion and leopard)!! Being an avid bird watcher I was also thrilled with the many varieties that we saw and able to identify. Our drive around the park was so relaxing and it was easy to enjoy God’s beautiful creation. We never tire of visiting the park and are never disappointed!!
--One thing I noticed was the dry condition of the park. The rains have not begun and upon our arrival on Tuesday we saw fields of burnt grass from a fire the day before caused by lightening. The grass and food for the animals was brown (or black from the fire) and many of the smaller drinking pools were dry. Pray the rains will start and will replenish the grass and drinking pools. Pray soon everything will be green instead of brown.
---Please continue to pray the rains will be plentiful throughout Swaziland. Pray the Swazi’s field of mealies will receive enough rain to provide food until the next growing season.

THIS WEEK’S EVENTS:
--The Swazi Team meets on the 2nd of November (minus the Hoskins attending 40/40). This is the first team meeting in several months. Pray as the team discusses future ministries and other business.
--The executive committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland meets Saturday Nov. 6th. Pray for the committee as they continue to discuss and plan future ministries and events.

NOVEMBER MINISTRY EVENTS:
-November 13th, the Shiselweni Baptist Association will meet at the Velebantfu Baptist Church. Pray as this association continues to organize to meet on a regular basis.
--November 14th, the Thunzini Baptist Church will host a licensing service for their pastor, Nkosingiphile Dlamini. Pastor Dlamini has led this church for many years and is a strong leader and committed Christian. Pray for this very special service and the Lord will continue to bless Nkosingiphile and the Thunzini Baptist Church.
--THANKSGIVING DAY November 25th. The Swazi Team will celebrate this special day at the Myers.

SWAZI TEAM PRAYER CONCERNS:
-- Continue to remember Wayne’s sister, Patsy suffering from COPD and on oxygen. His brother Terry recently had his gall bladder removed. Pray his quarterly tests for the return of stage 4 cancer will show his cancer in remission. Pray for Wayne’s oldest brother having health issues related to his diabetes. Pray for Barbara’s brother-in-law as he continues to recover from his herniated disc surgery in 2009.
--Pray for Todd and Deborah Hoskins currently attending 40/40 (October 21-November 19). Please pray this will be a productive time of study and orientation.
--Please pray for the Allen family each Sunday as they worship with their Swazi brothers and sisters in the different Baptist churches. Swazis do not always attend church as a family and Steve and Monica want to be a strong example to those around them. The hard part is Nathan (2-year old) does not like to sit still very long and it can be quite challenging.

***Do You Know?
What country has been served the longest by Southern Baptist missionaries?
Answer: Nigeria, entered in 1850. In fact, Nigeria was Southern Baptists only mission field in Africa for 100 years.

It was a different Lottie Moon—Miss Moon—who sailed for China on November 8, 1877. In contrast to the eager neophyte run by faith alone four years ago, this woman was clothed in skill and confidence. She was a thoroughly professional missionary both in mind and emotion. Among the thirteen other missionaries on board the Tokio Maru, she was the object of respect.
She would settle in her private home, pick up a definite work as a schoolteacher, walk calmly in the face of danger, and speak and mingle comfortably with the Chinese people. With the ship gliding smoothly across troubled waters, Lottie Moon had a delightful trip. (From the book, The New Lottie Moon Story, 1980 Chapter 6)
It is time for your church to start promoting and setting a goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Pray for the faithfulness of Southern Baptist churches to give to the 2010 LMCO so missionaries can be sent to minister to many lost and dying people and nations.

PRAYER REQUESTS FROM IMB OFFICE OF GLOBAL PRAYER STRATEGY:
--Please continue praying for the IMB’s Presidential Search Committee as they seek God’s man to lead our organization.

AIDS UPDATE:
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 continue to dominate the lives of both Christian and non-Christian Swazis.
--Remember www.inhomecarekits.org or info@gobgr.org are your contact sites for information to help fill kits that help families care for their loved ones with AIDS. You or your church’s help is needed in 2011 to supply enough kits to meet the requests from IMB missionaries ministering to AIDS victims. Please pray about this critical need.

This week’s country focus: CHILE:
- Pray for unity amongst the fragmented evangelical congregations. There are estimated between 1500 and 5000 denominations, with one or two new ones starting each week. There is a need here also for reconciliation and humility.
--There is an attitude of contempt in the church for theological training and message preparation before services, resulting in poor teaching, legalism and a lack of appreciation for the Word. Pray for humility to recognize the need for training, and dependence on God for pastors combined with hard work and preparation.
--Pray for forgiveness in this deeply divided nation. The political problems of the past continue to be painful issues for many people. Christians are also divided on some of the issues; pray for reconciliation and unity.
- (Information from The Ultimate Goal (TUG) a project of SASCOL and is the outreach initiative taking place during June and July 2010.)

O God in heaven, you love us so completely that you even provide a means by which we can be released from pain and discouragement through laughter. How mind-bogglingly creative! Help us to rise up out of the dark corners of our soul and believe you have indeed provided medicine for joyful healing. May we take at least one dose every day. Amen --Marilyn Meberg
For you to revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Malachi 4:2