Myers Weekly Prayer Letter

Love to pray. Feel often during the day the need for prayer, and take trouble to pray. Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of himself. Ask and seek and your heart will grow big enough to receive him. - Mother Teresa

Saturday Wayne received a phone call from the young man that preaches at the Luwhhawhhaweni Baptist Church each Sunday that he would be unable to attend Sunday due to his job. This young man is not the pastor of the church but a member of the Phuzumoya Baptist Church. He comes every week because the pastor is in a situation that the community views of inappropriate. His family sent him to live in the home of his deceased brother’s wife to care for the property when she is not there which is often since her job is in Big Bend. Even though the couple claims not to have a sexual relationship, to the community this is not how a pastor should live. He does not have a job and until he can provide for himself he can not leave this home even though he knows he needs to have a good witness. Therefore Mandla comes every week to preach to the congregation. The last time we had attended Luwhhawhhaweni, we had to wait thirty minutes until someone arrived to unlock the small house that serves as a church. It was a rather warm day with few in attendance. Sunday was also a very warm day but with many in attendance. At the end of the service five people came forward to accept Jesus as their Savior. What a blessing for these and this little church and what a blessing for Wayne to have a part in this service. Please pray for these to understand what it truly means to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the situation with the pastor—he will be able to find a job that will take care of his needs and still lead this congregation. Pray the church will be a lighthouse in a community that lives in darkness.

I did not attend Luwhhawhhaweni on Sunday with Wayne but felt my place was at the Vuvulane Baptist Church. This church also meets in a home in the middle of sugar cane fields. For several months we have taken a lady (Gertrude) that lives on the farm and works in the office with us to church. She was baptized at the last baptism service at Vuvulane and loves to read her Bible and attend worship services. When we arrived Sunday to the church, we stayed and Wayne left for Luwhhawhhaweni. It was a dismal group that sat on the floor in the lounge (living room) of that home waiting for people to come. We finally started singing and by the time Sunday School had ended we had approximately 15 people. For the last several weeks there have been very few children attending. Even the children on the homestead that hosts the church do not come. The children on the homestead next to the church do not come either even though their grandmother is there every Sunday. When asked why the children do not come, she says, “Oh they didn’t have any clean clothes. I didn’t get the chance to wash them.” The host grandmother says, “I tell them to get ready to come to church but they do not do it.” These children will play outside during our worship time causing the children inside the church to want to come out and play with them. Also the children do not have a Sunday School class on Sunday morning because it is too far for the teacher to come every Sunday. The normal noisy children were not noisy Sunday, but it was two of the children that had been inside that went outside supposedly to go to the bathroom that were in the midst of beginning to be quite disruptive. I sat there for a few seconds. I did say, “Lord I won’t do anything you do not orchestrate.” But to be honest I don’t know if it was the Lord’s urging or whether I just had enough of this behavior, but before I knew it I had my shoes on marching outside to bring those children inside!! Through all of this I knew something needed to be done to encourage the Mavusos (pastor) who were quite discouraged and to ensure the church has a future. Without the spiritual instruction of the children there is no future. I prayed concerning this situation and we invited the Mavusos over Tuesday night to talk. They were more than happy to accept any help we could offer. From this meeting, I committed to leading the children’s Sunday School. Gertrude will help me and when I can’t be there she will continue with this ministry. Hopefully I will be able to train her to accept this ministry as her own. Wayne feels led to start working with the youth, although at this point I only know of one. A youth/children outreach has also been scheduled for March 13. Pray soon the Vuvulane Baptist Church will have a strong children’s and youth program that will ensure a strong future for this struggling church. Pray the youth/children outreach event planned for March 13th (9:00-3:00) will attract many neighborhood youth and children. Pray this will be a “new beginning” for the Mavusos and the Vuvulane Baptist Church.

Update on my computer….Going next door to ask if they knew when the computer shop would open, Wayne was told the shop had moved. When he found the shop he was able to get information concerning the graphics card from my computer. A new card has been ordered and will be brought by the volunteer team in February. Thanks for praying.

FEBRUARY CALENDAR:
--Saturday February 5, the executive committee of the Swaziland Baptist Convention meets to continue the planning of the 2011 Good Friday/Resurrection (Easter) Services April 21-24. Pray for the members of this committee as they actively plan this very important event.

---February 17th, Wayne, Steve and Todd will meet (Manzini) to discuss logistics and curriculum for the Swazi Baptist Rural Training Schools. The first school is scheduled for May 10-13 and the second school is September 20-23. Pray for Wayne, Steve and Todd as they seek the Lord’s wisdom concerning the particulars of the school.

--February 21-March 3 a volunteer team from the Atlantic Association in North Carolina will minister in the Shiselweni region of Swaziland. All six of the team members have been in Swaziland before on a volunteer team and most have been several times!! Plans include an overnight ladies’ retreat at the Thunzini Baptist Church, a weekend youth retreat at the Mgamudze Baptist Church and homestead visitation/Bible studies. Pray for this team as planning continues for their trip to Swaziland. Pray for Wayne and I as we prepare for the team’s arrival and ministry.

FAMILY PRAYER CONCERNS:
-Please remember JC as he recovers from his pancreatitis. He still is not feeling well. His labs will be checked today (Friday). Pray he will soon feel like eating and recovery will be complete.

-My Aunt Aldean (mother’s sister who broke her hip and right arm) was able to have the bones set. She is recuperating. Please pray for her full recovery.

-Please continue to pray for Wayne’s siblings: Terry currently in remission from stage 4 cancer, Patsy suffering from COPD and Lynda dealing with health issues as well as Patsy’s husband Jim. Pray the Lord will wrap His loving arms around this family.

Thank you for your prayer support!