July Prayer Calendar

Friday July 1:  Last month the shipment off 648 In-Home Health Care Kits (BGR buckets) arrived in Swaziland!!  The Swazi Team praises the Lord for allowing these kits to come into the country customs free.  Each kit is packed in a 5-gallon bucket filled with items such as multivitamins, sheets, a towel and wash cloths, soap for sensitive skin, gloves for caregivers and much more.  Pray many Swazis will be touched by the giving and sharing of these kits.

Saturday July 2:  Today the EC committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland meets.  Important issues need to be discussed that include understanding the convention’s relationship with the Council of Churches and the need to make decisions as a group.  Pray for a good time of discussion and hopefully understanding.  Pray there will be unity in today’s meeting.  Election of new officers was held in May.  Pray for these new officers as they begin serving as leaders of the convention.

Sunday July 3:  The pastor of the Thunzini Baptist Church has recently been accepted to a teacher training college in Manzini.  This is great news for Nkosingiphile Dlamini who has been a strong committed Christian pastor as well as leader of the Shiselweni Baptist Association. It is unsure how often Pastor Dlamini will be able to return to Thunzini for Sunday worship.  Pray for the Thunzini Baptist Church during this time of change.  Pray leaders within the congregation will able to lead the church in the pastor’s absence.  Pray for Nkosingiphile as he begins a new chapter in his life.

Monday July 4:  HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!
THANK GOD, FOR AMERICA
We thank you God, for America,
For the freedom and peace we know;
And we pay for your continued blessings
On this land that we love so.

We salute our flag, we honor those
Who fought to make us free;
For all the good things we enjoy;
We give the praise to Thee.
                 --Janice Mizelle Taylor
Pray for the Swazi Team and Hands On missionaries celebrating this special holiday in Mbabane.

Tuesday July 5:  Praise God for the First Baptist Church, Washington, NC youth team that served in the Hhohho region with the Allen family in June.  They were able to serve through homestead visitations, Bible studies and revival services.  Pray all the seeds planted will grow and produce much fruit.

Wednesday July 6:  Four “Hands On” missionaries, Sienna, Heather, Brandi and Kim arrived in Swaziland June 15th.  Sienna and Heather are staying in Mbabane and Brandi and Kim in Tshaneni.  Due to college classroom requirements, Brandi and Kim have begun a month’s stay on a Swazi homestead (Mafacula).  They will also be involved in culture and language study.  Pray for these four missionaries as they begin their stay and ministry in Swaziland.  Pray Brandi and Kim’s experience on the homestead will a time of learning and developing relationships with the Swazi people.

Thursday July 7:  Pray for Deborah Hoskins’ mother today on her birthday.  Pray she has a fun time of celebrating her special day with her family.

Friday July 8:  His Name Means Gift
Sipho’s name means gift but Sipho feels anything but a gift.  Sipho is 17 years old and lives on the streets.  He sleeps in the roadside market and baths behind the grocery store.  At one time a man from Australia was helping Sipho attend school but the man moved on.  Sipho had to leave school because he could not pay the school fees.  He has learned to do wood working and desperately wants to be a carpenter.  Sipho says, “My life is not good.” The unemployment rate in Swaziland is 40 percent and it is very hard for Swazis such as Sipho to find a job.  Please pray the homeless and jobless in Swaziland will have hope for their future.  Pray Sipho and others like him will know that life is a gift from the Heavenly Father who can supply all their needs.

Saturday July 9:  The Shiselweni Association meets today at the Velebantfu Baptist Church.  Continue to pray for this association that strives to meet together for encouragement and unity.

Sunday July 10:  The lack of pastors continues to be one of the biggest problems facing our Swazi Baptist churches.  Many of the churches continue to meet under lay leadership (often the women) who get discouraged that God has not provided them with pastoral leadership.  Please pray God will develop leaders for these congregations.

Monday July 11:  July 11-13 is the third “Get Away” for the six summer missionaries hosted by Todd and Deborah Hoskins.  These scheduled Get Aways allow a touch of civilization to the missionaries staying in areas where such luxuries as electricity and clean flowing drinking water are limited. Pray each will have a great time of fun and fellowship during this “Get Away”.  Please pray they will be energized and able to have a strong finish to their ministry in Swaziland.

Tuesday July 12:  The Muslim call to prayer sounds five times a day from the mosques in Swaziland.  Ritual cleansing—washing arms, face, legs and feet three times—must precede prayer.  Ask the Savior of the World to open the blinded eyes of the Muslims in Swaziland to see Jesus, the Light of the World.

Wednesday July 13:  The theme of this year’s National Youth Camp August 25-28 is “Walking Righteously In Christ Through Faith”. (Theme scripture is Colossians 2:6, 7.)  The youth are very fortunate to have missionary Steve Flippo (KwaZulu Natal Evangelism Team) as camp leader/speaker. Every year youth from the Swazi Baptist churches come for an enjoyable time of Bible study, worship and fellowship.  For many it is the highlight of their year.  Pray the planning of the camp will continue to go well.  Pray a venue will also be secured.

Thursday July 14:  After worship services the adults of the Vuvulane Baptist Church visited a very sick lady in the community.  As the group entered the room the emaciated body of the lady was almost overlooked.  Perhaps it will be a matter of time before she succumbs to her illness (AIDS). The sign of loss is everywhere.  Homesteads are either caring for a sick loved one or burying a family member. The only occupants of some homesteads are children with no one to care for them. What is there hope?  Pray those dying from AIDS will have a chance to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior before it is too late.  Pray the victims and families of victims will not be abandoned but will have someone to care for them.

Friday July 15:  The Swazi Team praises the Lord for ALL the people He has sent to serve in Swaziland in the last couple of months.  God has moved all over the country in various ministries and lives are being changed for God.  Please pray God will continue to send His chosen to work among the Swazis of Swaziland!

Saturday July 16:  She was the smallest of the children that assembled in a group.  She kept her eyes on the white teacher reading the Biblical story with so many colorful pictures that held the attention of all the children.  Questions were asked but she was too young to really understand or know the answers.  After the story the children enjoyed coloring and working on activity sheets given them.  Everyone was busy working (even the most rowdy were involved in their task). The little one took her crayon and quickly made marks on her paper.  When class time was over she left with the other children to return to their homes.  Pray the Swazi Baptist churches will see the need to teach and train Swazi Baptist children.  Pray these children one day will be strong committed leaders of Swazi Baptist churches.

Sunday July 17:  There are several churches that have been given land for building their church structures.  Some are in the midst of planning and building while others are waiting to begin. Pray as these congregations plan towards their building projects.   Through tithes and offerings may these new structures be completed.

Monday July 18:  Sharing God’s Word on a Wednesday night in semi-darkness and shoeless, the volunteer missionary can only begin to wander what her friends would think if they could see her now.  With lanterns, small flash lights and one candle to light the room, she can not see faces, only images as she shares from the book of Joshua.  Everyone listens and flash lights bob up and down as pages are flipped in the Bible.  There is always exciting and new experiences for volunteers coming to Swaziland such as Hunter and Katy who ministered with the Swazi Team in June.  Pray Hunger and Katy will remember their time in Swaziland with fondness and the thrill of knowing the Lord used their gifts and talents to enhance His Kingdom.

Tuesday July 19:  July 19-26 the Myers will enjoy a holiday/vacation at the Kruger National Game Reserve.  Pray for a restful and enjoyable time for the Myers!

Wednesday July 20:  Today Deborah Hoskins is having minor foot surgery in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Please pray for safe travel and for the operation to go well.

Thursday July 21:  When the True Love Waits International film crew came to Swaziland June 12-14, they were able to hear the True Love Waits presentation by the six summer missionaries, first at Velebantfu and in the afternoon at the Oslo Primary School in Mgamudze.  The crew also conducted interviews with a few who heard the presentations as well as host a “Tea” on the 14th for Swazi Baptist TLW leaders.  It was a good time of fellowship and discussion concerning the importance of spreading the TLW message throughout Swaziland.  Pray for strong TLW presenters that believe the True Love Waits message and live their lives as God expects.

Friday July 22:  Pray the King of Swaziland, his wives and children will be set free from cultural bondage by the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Saturday July 23:  SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA UNENGAGED PEOPLES:
The church is alive and growing in many parts of the Zambezi Cluster.  However, there remain large areas where the Gospel has had little to no influence on the people.  This is mainly due to extremely isolated areas within these countries, a lack of laborers, and the strong influence of Islam.  Please pray God will put it on the hearts of choice servants to come and live and serve among the Muslims of these countries.  Pray especially for the few Muslim-background believers who struggle to live out their faith among their own people.  Pray for the Koti, the Mwani and the Nahara coastal peoples as well as the Makonde, the Yao and Makhwua-Meeto who are mainly inland agriculturalists influenced by Islam.

Sunday July 24:  August 10-18 a 16-member volunteer team from the Euto Baptist Church (Marshville NC) led by Bert and Lisa Warren will minister in the northeast section of Swaziland.  The volunteer team’s ministries will include prayer walking, hut-to-hut visitation, ladies and youth retreats, children’s Bible study, AIDS orphan ministry and other spirit led ministries.  Pray for Bert, Lisa, Matthew, Zach, Landon, Keith, Jen, Nathan, Lisa, Harley, Kimberly, Brooke, Kathy, Kara, Amanda and Jenna as they prepare to work with the Swazi people.  Pray for the Myers as they prepare for the team’s arrival.

Monday July 25:  Pray for Deborah Hoskins’ sister on her birthday today.  Pray she has an enjoyable day with family and friends.

Tuesday July 26:  July 26-28 the Swazi Team will meet with the six summer missionaries for a time of debriefing on their two months of True Love Waits ministry in Swaziland. Pray Tiffany, Jonathon, Elizabeth, Adam, Tori and REH will remember their time in Swaziland as one full of wonderful blessings, new relationships and a sense of accomplishing the task the Lord set before them.  Pray the message of True Love Waits and God’s plan for student’s lives will continue to spread even after these missionaries leave.

Wednesday July 27:  After enjoying good and substantial rains in the spring and early summer, some areas of the country did not receive the continued rains and are now facing a possible famine situation.  Just when the crops needed rain the most, the rains stopped.  Many will suffer when their food supplies run out before next year’s crops are ready to harvest.  Pray those facing a hunger situation will be able to find assistance in feeding their families.  Pray the next growing season will be one of plenty.

Thursday July 28:  Begin praying for the planning of the 2011 Swazi Baptist Women’s Retreat October 13-15 at the Manzini Baptist Church.  Pray for the National Women’s Committee to begin making preparations for this annual event.

Friday July 29:  What missionary worked for 40 years in China literally giving her life to her work?  Lottie Moon is famous for her desperate appeal in 1888 for more missionaries (resulting in the annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering).  Funds were so scarce Lottie once spent 14 continuous years on the mission field.  Thank you for giving to the 2010 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  Last year’s giving was one of the largest on record.  As plans begin for the promotion of the 2011 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, pray the faithfulness of Southern Baptist churches to give to this annual offering will continue.  Pray the Lord will be glorified as planning begins and goals are set!!

Saturday July 30:  Pray for the Camp Worldlight camp staff mission team arriving today (July 30-August 10) to serve in the Hhohho region ministering to Swazi Baptist children.  Pray for Jill, Mindy, Ashley, Rachel, Aarika, Brooklyn, Laura and Anne as they work and serve in Swaziland.

Sunday July 31:  Pray the Lord will provide pastors for the New Hope and Peace Baptist Churches (without pastors for several years).  Pray the faithful will continue to be fruitful and the adults will strive to teach the youth and children the ways of the Lord.