Monthly Prayer Calendar - January

Saturday January 1: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!Pray 2011 will be a wonderful year for members of the Swazi Team as they minister to the Swazi people. Pray many Swazis will accept Jesus and put aside culture and traditions that conflict with the Christian way of life.

Sunday January 2: The Allens plan to start a new outreach group in the Hhohho region sometime this month. The “Jesus” film will be shown. Pray Steve and Monica will have a clear direction where to begin this Bible study. Pray many will desire to study God’s Word regularly and grow in their knowledge of the Lord and His ways.

Monday January 3: Todd and Deborah Hoskins are scheduled to move to an apartment (owned by TransWorld Radio) in Manzini this month. Pray as they make this move and pray for a continued desire to follow the Lord’s will in Swaziland. The Hoskins are 2-year church planters and will help develop the rural training schools.

Tuesday January 4: A few years ago a missionary was given a couple of pineapple tops to plant. After planting the tops he waited for about three years until finally he began to see evidence of a pineapple growing on one of the plants. It was another six months before the pineapple was ready to pick. What a joy it was to pick that first pineapple. Using this example of the growing pineapple one can see the growing of leaders and workers for the harvest field in Swaziland takes a long time. Working with youth and young adults in a culture that promotes an unchristian lifestyle can be emotionally trying but the reward can be so sweet. As missionaries on the Swazi Team struggle with disappointments, pray in 2011 they will look to the Lord for guidance, His wisdom and assurance that the outcome will be worth the wait.

Wednesday January 5: Last month Wayne Myers lost his oldest brother, Rusty due to complications of diabetes. In the last three years Wayne has lost four of his siblings. Pray for Terry currently in remission from stage 4 cancer, Patsy suffering with COPD and Lynda dealing with various health issues as well as Patsy’s husband, Jim. Pray the Lord will wrap His healing arms around this family.

Thursday January 6: Pray the Allens will soon receive the crate they packed prior to leaving the states in October. The crate was expected to arrive in Swaziland in December but the Allens received word last month that the crate had not left the states. Friday January 7: Today is Carroll Yawn’s birthday (Deborah Hoskins’ father). Pray Carroll will enjoy a special day with the family.

Saturday January 8: The executive committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland meets today in Manzini. Planning has begun for the 2011 National Easter Services. Pray for the committee as they plan for this very important event.

Sunday January 9: In December two from the Bethel Baptist Church accepted the Lord as their Savior and are waiting to be baptized. There are others in the Hhohho and Manzini regions also waiting to be baptized including Lacie Allen. Pray Steve Allen will soon be able to schedule baptism services. Baptisms are held outside and rain has been on the forecast for most Sundays.

Monday January 10: Mary Alice and Susanna Yawn (Deborah Hoskins’ sisters) begin their spring semester today at Georgia Southern. Please pray their classes will go well. This is Mary Alice’s last semester before graduation. Tuesday January 11: The Allen family will take a holiday January 11-12 to the Kruger National Game Reserve. Pray this will be a fun time for Lacie and Nathan. Pray they will see many animals and other interesting things.

Wednesday January 12: Pray for the Allens today on their anniversary!! Steve and Monica asked you to pray for the family as they worship with their Swazi brothers and sisters in the different Baptist churches. It is hard for Nathan to sit still very long. Thank you for praying. Monica reports that Nathan is beginning to sit still throughout an entire service. Please continue to pray for the Allen family as they try to set an example of family worshipping together to the Swazis in which they work. Swazis tend not to worship together as a family.

Thursday January 13: For the last few years the development of rural training schools for male pastors and leaders has been a prayer concern for the Swazi Team. So many of our pastors and leaders desire to be trained in the work in which the Lord has called them and have asked the missionaries to provide this training. It is a big undertaking that will help strengthen our Swazi Baptist pastors/leaders and churches. The first school in 2011 is scheduled for May 10-13 and the second school is September 20-23. Pray for Todd as he works out the logistics of the school and Steve and Wayne as they outline the curriculum. Pray the participants will come with a heart to learn and be trained. Pray wonderful blessings will touch the heart of each participant.

Friday January 14: The rains have been good throughout Swaziland thus far. Pray the rains will not stop just when crops and gardens need it the most as usually is the case. Pray the rains will continue until April and May and there will be enough water to fill the streams and rivers and provide food for all Swazis.

Saturday January 15: True Love Waits International consultant, Kym Pennington is scheduled to be in Swaziland January 15-27. While in the country she will meet with trained True Love Waits presenters, different pastors and discuss plans for TLW ministry in Swaziland. With the AIDS pandemic continuing to devastate the country of Swaziland, pray leaders will rise up and stand strong in sharing the message of purity. Pray for Kym as she begins her time of ministry with the Swazis and Swazi Team.

Sunday January 16: Pray for the new church, Jikwene Baptist (Lubumbo region) and Pastor Musa Mamba. This church began in May 2010. Pray the Lord will be glorified in this new work.

Monday January 17: Today Lacie Allen begins 1st grade at the Sifundzani Primary School in Mbabane. Pray for Lacie as she begins a new experience. Pray she will adjust well. Nathan Allen will attend preschool two mornings a week (Monday and Wednesday) beginning the 19th of January. Pray Nathan will do well and adjust to the structure of school.

Tuesday January 18: Please continue praying for the IMB Presidential Search Committee as they seek God’s man to lead our organization.

Wednesday January 19: The Ntuthwakazi and Velebantfu Baptist Churches conducted revival services in the last few weeks. The services were well attended. Pray the seeds of salvation were sown in the hearts of those who attended the services and do not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Pray soon the seeds will be able to take root and many new believers will bloom!!

Thursday January 20: One of the biggest problems facing many of the Swazi Baptist churches continues to be the lack of pastors. Many of the churches continue to meet under lay leadership who get discouraged that God has not provided them with pastoral leadership. Pray for godly and strong fruitful leaders for every Swazi Baptist church that will commit to faithfulness to the church and its members.

Friday January 21: Pray 2011 will be the year the King of Swaziland, his wives and children will hear the true Gospel message. Pray for a change in beliefs and lifestyles in the royal family.

Saturday January 22: Recently the Myers were asked to pray for a young lady of the Mafucula Baptist Church who was very sick. They were told she had TB or possibly pneumonia. Usually when missionaries hear the word TB they automatically think of HIV/AIDS since TB is a symptom of the disease. When they arrived they found the young lady struggling to breath and were told she had started coughing up blood earlier in the day. She was scheduled to see her doctor the next day in Siteki. The Myers and other church members prayed with this young lady. We are happy to say she has recovered enough to return to work, but we do ask you to pray if this one is HIV positive she will soon be able to receive the ARVs (anti-retro viral drugs) that will prolong her life. Pray she and others like her will know what the Lord expects of His children and may they be comforted to know He is walking beside them.

Sunday January 23: Pray for the controversy and conflict in the Victory Baptist Church due to leadership by one person. People are leaving the church. Pray for the Allens as they seek the Lord’s direction in dealing with this sticky situation.

Monday January 24: Many in Swaziland do not have the promise of eternal life. For some their belief in Islam keeps them from knowing the true Son of God. The poverty of Swazis leave them open to promises of jobs, money, security if they convert to the Muslim faith. Pray Swazis will not be led by a false sense of security outside the Christian faith. Pray for Christian renewal throughout the country.

Tuesday January 25: A testimony from a Swazi: “I accepted the Lord in October 1994. Before I was a Christian I didn’t know I was a sinner. I thought I was perfect. I didn’t fight with others or drink. I saw other people going to church but I didn’t know why they were going. The Baptist missionaries who came to Swaziland helped me change. Through their teaching I came to know I needed Jesus in my life. I learned I was a sinner and I needed Jesus to change me. I asked Him for forgiveness of my sins. Before the Baptists, I never had a person talk to me about Jesus or ask me if I was a Christian.” Because of your giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering we are able to share the Gospel with many Swazis such as this one. Pray giving to the 2010 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering will be enable the missionary force on the field to continue with the work of evangelizing the many lost people of the world.

Wednesday January 26: Pray Swazi Baptist pastors and laymen will see the need to start new groups/churches so many Swazis will come to know Jesus as their Savior. Pray barriers will be overcome and more Swazi Baptist churches will be started.

Thursday January 27: Sub-Saharan African Unengaged Peoples: The baboon is one of the larger apes found across sub-Saharan Africa. Baboons are not only very clever, but also dangerous, able to hunt small antelope with their speed and powerful jaws. The baboon is also the totem chosen by the Bahananwa Pedi people. The Bahananwa live in the northwestern part of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. There is currently no missionary sharing the Gospel with the Bahananwa. Pray that they will know of God’s love for them and His plan or their salvation through Jesus Christ. Pray that their eyes will be opened to the danger of rejecting God for false gods. Pray their hearts will be penetrated by the Gospel, resulting in the Bahananwa bowing before His Throne.

Friday January 28: February 26-March 3 a volunteer team from the Atlantic Association (NC) will minister in Swaziland in the Shiselweni region. Plans include an overnight ladies’ retreat as well as a weekend youth retreat. We are thankful for this group of volunteers giving of their time and money to help evangelize and disciple Swazis. Pray for this team as planning continues for their trip to Swaziland. Pray for the Myers as they prepare for the team’s arrival and ministry.

Saturday January 29: March 30-April 4, 2011 is the scheduled Cluster Strategy Meeting. Those attending will stay at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. The First Baptist Church of Orlando will provide the volunteers to work with the missionary children (MK-missionary kids) program and lead in the worship services. Your missionaries on the Swazi Team will attend this meeting. Pray for the continued preparations/logistics for this meeting. Pray for spiritual preparedness for the missionaries attending, volunteers ministering and leadership that is leading.

Sunday January 30: “Pastor, here are my tithes which I have been owing my Jesus Christ. Please pray for me for doing that, the situation was too bad. From now I swear I won’t owe him.” These words were spoken by a member of the Vuvulane Baptist Church who realized she was sinning against her Lord by not giving him a tenth of her earnings. Pray the Swazi Baptist churches will teach their members the importance of tithing to the Lord. Pray for great spiritual fruits from these teachings.

Monday January 31: The Allens are hosting a volunteer team from the Clear Creek Bible School (Pineville, Ky.) March 13-19. Ministries include revivals, studies with children, youth and adults as well as homestead visitation. Pray for this team as preparations continue for their ministry in Swaziland. Pray for the Allens as they work with this team.