November Prayer Calendar

Monday November 1: Many Swazis are hoping the rains will be plentiful this growing season. After the planting of their corn (mealie), strong and frequent rains are needed. As long as there is mealie, there is food. Pray there will be enough water in the rivers and streams to meet the people’s needs. 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.

Tuesday November 2: The Swazi Team meets today (minus the Hoskins currently attending 40/40). This is the first team meeting in several months. Pray as the team discusses future ministries and other business, the Lord’s presence will be felt.

Wednesday November 3: Pray for Todd and Deborah Hoskins currently attending 40/40 (Oct. 21-Nov. 19). Please pray this will be a productive time of study and the Lord will use the Hoskins to reach those He has prepared.

Thursday November 4: What organization sets the goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering? Answer: The Woman’s Missionary Union
Has your church set the goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering? Every penny given to Lottie Moon is used to support your Southern Baptist missionaries as they share the gospel overseas. 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.

Friday November 5: 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.

Saturday November 6: The executive committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland meets today. Pray for the committee as they continue to discuss and plan future ministries and events.

Sunday November 7: The Allens report many Swazis are waiting baptism and ask for prayer for the right weather and opportunities for different churches to have their new believers follow Christ in believers baptism. One special person also waiting to be baptized is their daughter, Lacie. Lacie wanted to return to Swaziland to be baptized. Pray Lacie understands the importance of baptism in her life.

Monday November 8: She shared of her life as a young girl/woman before she became a child of the King. The details were chilling to those listening. While discussing the session that dealt with forgiveness she admitted that there was someone she has never been able to forgive until now. She mingled with the other ladies and everyone enjoyed getting to know her. This was her first Women’s Retreat but will probably not be her last. The Lord is working in her life as well as many Swazi Baptist women. Blessings were given during the Swazi Baptist Women’s Retreat October 14-16. Thank you for praying for this event. Pray each lady understood the importance of prayer and the need for a daily time of talking and listening to the Lord. Pray the Lord will continue to bless the lives of those who attended this year’s retreat.

Tuesday November 9: Missionary Wayne Myers has begun a TEE (Theological Education by Extension) class with the Mafucula and Vuvulane Baptist Churches. Approximately 15 individuals have shown an interest in this study. Pray the study will go well and will help those attending become strong committed leaders.

Wednesday November 10: For 2010 BGR (Baptist Global Response) requested help from SBC churches to fill 6,000 Home Health Care kits (5-gallon bucket that contains items that help patients keep clean and dry, items to protect their mat and mattress from soling and vitamins) but only were able to fill 1,500. Since Swaziland has one of the highest AIDS rates in the world, the Swazi Team requested 300 kits to help families care for their loved ones with AIDS but were only guaranteed 25-30 kits. BGR needs your help. If you or your church is interested in helping provide Home Health Care Kits for AIDS victims please contact www.inhomecarekits.org. Pray the use of these items by loving caregivers will show the love and compassion that Jesus Christ has for the terminally ill.

Thursday November 11: Planning has begun for a new Bible study group at the Swazi Citrus Farm in Tshaneni. Pray for this new area of work and for the Myers as they seek to glorify the Lord in this ministry

Friday November 12: Imagine every Sunday arriving to church to find no one to lead the service or preach the sermon. The faithful few that continue to attend every Sunday try to encourage others to come and support the church. Youth and children programs suffer or are non-existent. Pray for godly, strong and faithful leaders to take a stand for Christ and press on against deep rooted cultural beliefs as well as expectations from the family. Pray for a strong leader for every Swazi Baptist church.

Saturday November 13: Today the Shiselweni Baptist Association meets at the Velebantfu Baptist Church. Pray as this association continues to organize to meet on a regular basis.

Sunday November 14: Today the Thunzini Baptist will conduct a special 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 pray the Lord will continue to bless Nkosingiphile and the Thunzini Baptist Church.

Monday November 15: I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 Pray that the high appreciation of Jesus Christ as a prophet and miracle worker can be used of the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of the Muslims of Swaziland to accept Him as their Savior.

Tuesday November 16: Pray for God’s direction as the Allens seek an area to start a new outreach group in the Hhohho region.

Wednesday November 17: Pray for the person the Hawane Baptist Church paid to clear and grate the plot of land for building of their church structure. This individual has not begun the job he was paid to do.

Thursday November 18: Approximately 80 percent of the Swazi people claim to be Christian but true allegiance is more often to Swazi Traditional religion. Swazis are open to the gospel as long as the approach is culturally sensitive and respectful. Pray many Swazis will truly understand who Jesus is and follow Him completely putting aside traditions that conflict with the Christian way of life. Pray the King of Swaziland, his wives and children will have a chance to hear and understand the gospel message and what it means to be a Christian.

Friday November 19: Continue to remember Wayne Myers’ sister 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.

Saturday November 20: Today Todd and Deborah Hoskins return to Swaziland after attending the intense missionary training 40/40. Pray for the beginning of new ministries and a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Sunday November 21: Pray for the controversy and conflicts that are happening at Victory Baptist Church due to leadership by one person. It is causing the folks to leave the church. Pray for the Allens as they seek the Lord’s direction in dealing with this sticky situation.

Monday November 22: It is acceptable in the Swazi culture for a man to be intimate with his fiancé before marriage to determine if she is fertile. If she cannot produce children he is not obligated to marry her. Pray the Swazi people will see this kind of cultural practice leads to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Pray the heart of the Swazi people will turn to the Lord.

Tuesday November 23: With the upcoming holidays, pray for missionaries all over the world not able to be with their extended families. Holidays are probably the times most missionaries can be homesick and missing family gatherings. Pray especially for the Hoskins as they face the holidays being overseas for the first time.

Wednesday November 24: Plans have begun for the Swazi Team’s end-of-the-year retreat. In the past, the time has enabled the Team to not only have great fellowship together, but also praise the Lord for His blessings the past year and a time of prayer for future work. We thank the Lord for this special time of celebration. Pray as the Team selects a date, venue and agenda for 2010’s retreat. Pray in all things the Lord will be glorified. (Update: Swazi Team Retreat will be in Nelspruit on 13-15 December.)

Thursday November 25: Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the wood,
To grandfather’s house we go;
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh
Through the white and drifted snow.
We will not be going to grandfather’s house or traveling through drifting snow, but the Swazi Team will meet in Tshaneni to celebrate Thanksgivng Day. Pray for a time of fun, fellowship and giving thanks for the blessings the Lord daily provides us.

Friday November 26: SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN UNENGAGED PEOPLES:
Pray for the Jahanka people of Mali. There are not many of them and they are dying out. They are extremely strict Muslims, believing Muhammad to be their uncle. They are very proud of their strong Muslim heritage. Pray they will come in contact with believers and they will turn to the truth.

Saturday November 27: Too many lives are being lost to the Kingdom: About 25,000 people die every day—one person every three seconds--from hunger or hunger related causes, according to the United Nations. God cares about people in need—so many of them are His lost children. Pray God’s people will meet the challenge of addressing the many hunger needs around the world. Check these websites: www.gobgr.org and www.worldhungerfund.com.

Sunday November 28: WEEK OF PRAYER FOR INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS AND THE LOTTIE MOON CHRISTMAS OFFERING (Nov. 28-Dec.5)
The sun shining on the sparkling waters of the San Francisco Bay when the Costa Rica steamed out at noon September 1, 1873. A cluster of long-faced missionaries of several denominations, all bound for the Orient, waved good-bye from the rear of the ship. These missionaries never expected to see the shore of America again or to embrace the loved ones left there.Lottie Moon, although on board, did not stand with this group. She had measured the realities of her departure weeks before. She was commissioned to stay in China until total breakdown or death. So she had cut her ties in Virginia and shed her tears along the central railroad route to the Pacific. Now the pain of leaving dimmed behind the future’s bright glow.
--Tuesday December 24, 1912, Harbor of Kobe, Japan Miss Lottie Moon age 72 died.
Both Christians and non-Christians wept at the news of her death. Those in Tengchow felt that injustice had been abused because she had not been allowed to die in the city. They hastened to erect a monument “to bequeath the love of Miss Lottie Moon, an American missionary. The Tengchow church remembers forever. (From the book, The New Lottie Moon Story, 1980)
Remember to lift up your IMB missionaries this week as they minister in various areas with many different people groups. May Lottie Moon’s legacy continue to live through the over 5,000 IMB missionaries throughout the world.

Monday November 29: Please continue praying for the IMB Presidential Search Committee as they seek God’s man to lead our organization.

Tuesday November 30: Pray for the new church, Jikwene Baptist and pastor Musa Mamba. Last month Wayne Myers was introduced to the pastor. The church began about 5 months ago. Pray the Lord will be glorified in this new work.