HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY- FEBRUARY 14TH!!
WHAT ARE VALENTINES?
Valentines are GIFTS of LOVEAnd with the help of God above
Love can change the human race
And make this world a better place
For love dissolves all hate and fear
And makes our vision bright and clear
So we can see and rise above
Our pettiness on “wings of love.”
--Helen Steiner Rice

We hope each of you had a wonderful week even with the snow, ice and cold. It has been shared with us that temperatures in Kentucky are to warm up and possibly see 60 by next week. What a blessing for those who have a hankering for warmer temps!! It is summer here in Tshaneni and up until the last couple of weeks had weekly rains. Even though heavy rains in parts of the country may have caused damaged to crops and gardens, Tshaneni needs a good rain to keep everything green and producing. Pray the rains will continue until April or May. Pray many Swazis will have wonderful crops and gardens this year!!

--Thanks for praying for the executive committee meeting of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland on Saturday. Wayne said the attendance was good and plans are continuing for the National Easter Services April 21-24. A committee has been checking out venues for the event but at this point we still do not have a venue. Pray a site will be acquired this week for this very important annual meeting. Pray the Lord will be glorified in all the planning. Annah Thwala and I have been asked to develop a children’s program for the Easter services. We are in the process of getting the schedule finalized and begin putting everything together. Pray for Annah and myself as we seek the Lord’s direction for Bible studies and other activities for the children. Our theme is “Following Jesus” with stories that deal with salvation and what it means to be a Christian.

--February 17th, Wayne, Steve and Todd will meet 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.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN MY COMPUTER SITUATION AND EMAIL CAPABILITIES!!
Good news!! We have purchased a graphics card for my computer (still in the shop) that the volunteer team arriving February 21st is bringing. Hopefully, within the next month I will be reunited with my computer. I do appreciate Wayne’s old Dell that I have been using the last 6 months even though it is quite bit slower and more cantankerous than my newer Dell. More Good News!! We have switched from MTN Swaziland (modem) to MTN South Africa. With the Swaziland MTN we paid E2,00 per MB and it was a bit slow and at times could be quite unpredictable. With the South Africa MTN we pay by bundles and it is so much faster!! I believe this will improve my email capabilities but still ask that you don’t send extremely large files (over 1MB). Even with this new faster modem, larger files may tend to “clog up the works.” Thank You!!

SPECIAL PRAYER REQUESTS:
--Douglas Mavuso, pastor of the Vuvulane Baptist Church received word that his mother may have suffered a stroke. He is on his way to Nhlangano as I type this prayer letter. Pray Douglas’ mother will receive adequate medical care with a good recovery.

--Thank you for praying for my great-nephew JC as he continues to recover from chronic pancreatitis. Pray for a steady recovery that will enable him to eat, drink and be his normal self.

--Continue to pray for my Aunt Aldean as she recovers from a broken hip and arm.

--Continue to remember Wayne’s brothers and sisters dealing with medical issues, Terry, Patsy and her husband Jim and Lynda.

--Monica Allen has been ill this week with headache, nausea and chills. Pray she will fully recover and Steve, Lacie and Nathan will not catch the offending illness.

AIDS UPDATE:
Wayne received a phone call this week from Smanga Ndlovu a former youth leader from the Thunzini Baptist Church. Smanga is a fine Christian young man who completed training for the Swazi Police Force and is currently stationed in the Hhohho region. He is able to come home two weekends out of the month. He told Wayne he was searching of ways to continue helping with ministry and especially True Love Waits. Smanga is a trained presenter of the TLW message and asked Wayne if he could present the message on Saturday to the youth during the Shiselweni Youth Retreat (February 25-27). The Lord continues to bless us with reports and calls from former youth leaders and pastors who are burdened for the lost and suffering in Swaziland. Please pray for Smanga as he presents the TLW message during the youth retreat. Pray the Lord will be able to continue using him to touch the lives of Swazi youth.

---February 21-March 3, the volunteer team from the Atlantic Association in North Carolina arrives to minister in the Shiselweni region of Swaziland. Schedule includes a Ladies’ Retreat February 23-24 at the Thunzini Baptist Church; Shiselweni Youth Retreat February 25-27 at the Oslo School (Mgamudze); Children’s Day Bible Study February 26 at the Mgamudze Baptist Church, and homestead visitation. Pray for this team as they prepare spiritually, emotionally and physically for these ministries and events.