Myers Weekly Prayer Letter

It is a very warm and windy day in Tshaneni.  It has rained this week and now with the sun trying to peak through the clouds, it is quite humid.  We are thankful for every drop of rain, especially this time of the year when farmers are trying to plant their crops and families their mealies (corn).  Swazis always hope the rains will be plentiful and frequent.  Pray there will be plenty of rain throughout Swaziland.  Pray the fields will receive enough rain to provide food until the next growing season.

It wasn’t raining Saturday when the church and community of Phuzumoya met for the 12th wedding anniversary of Pastor Mandla Sigwane and his wife Philisiwe.  It was quite hot with a strong breeze whipping the tents.  The Swazis did not seem bothered by the uncomfortable conditions (like I was!!) and stayed to witness this special event in the life of the church and the Sigwanes.  Swazi society allows a man more than one wife and most do not understand what God expects of marriage and the marriage relationship.  Pray for strong Swazi Christian marriages that follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.

--Wayne left this morning for the Shiselweni region and to attend the Shiselweni Baptist Association meeting at the Velebantfu Baptist Church tomorrow (Saturday).  This meeting was postponed last month due to our vehicle difficulties.  On the agenda will be discussion of the ordination service in December for Nkhosingiphile Dlamini, pastor of the Thunzini Baptist Church.  This will be a big event in the life of the Shiselweni region, Thunzini Baptist Church and Nkhosingiphile.  Pray for the planning of this special event in December.  Pray for Nkhosinigphile as he continues with his education and pray the Lord will provide for his needs.

SWAZICAN CITRUS FARM UDATE:
As I sit here and type our weekly prayer letter, we still do not know the fate of the 190 employees who were given their notices effective October 30th .  A company has brought the farm and will take over sometime in 2012.  There is to be a meeting today and the employees will hear whether they will have to pack up and leave or stay temporarily or indefinitely.   Pray for these who may lose their homes and jobs.  Please pray for the Lord’s provision.
Our situation:  We did receive a notice that the lease to our house will expire the end of the year. We will then renew monthly until the new owners take over and a new lease will then be discussed.  Our plan at this time is to stay in this house until we are told we cannot or until our stateside assignment begins in September 2012.  Please pray for our peace concerning this situation. 

PRAYER EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER:
-November 2-4 the “Hands On” missionaries with enjoy their time in the Kruger National Game Reserve.  Pray the group will see many wonderful sights. Continue to pray for these missionaries as their time in Swaziland is coming to a close. 

-Pray for the executive committee meeting of the Swaziland Baptist Convention November 5th. Pray those attending will come with an open mind and a desire to have unity between the convention and missionaries.

--November 5-13, an IMB team will be in Swaziland to spend time with Kim and Brandi (Tshaneni/Mafucula) and Sienna and Heather in Mbabane.  Stories from this visit will appear on AfricaStories.org the first appearing on the 30th of November.  Pray for this group’s visit with the “Hands On” missionaries on the Swazi Team.  May wonderful blessings occur while making these stories.

-November 18-19, the Mgamudze Baptist Church has scheduled an overnight ladies’ retreat. I (Barbara) will lead this special time of study and fellowship. One of the sessions will be door-to-door visitation in the community.  Pray the Lord will reap great benefits from this ministry.

AIDS UPDATE:
Perhaps you remember the story of the pastor and his wife (Shiselweni) who experienced marital difficulties for years.  At one point, the husband sent the wife home to her mother’s homestead and he took another wife in the Swazi traditional way.  He left the pastoral ministry.  The husband and wife did reunite (he sent his traditional wife back to her home) and were attending the Sigwanes’ anniversary service.  I was a shocked to see how his condition has deteriorated since I saw him two or three years ago.  He was very thin and sickly.  At one time he was on the antiretroviral drugs but ceased to take them because he felt the Lord had healed him. I don’t know if he has resumed taking them.  Even though his wife is also HIV positive she looked well.  Their three daughters are also HIV positive.  Please pray for this family. And pray for many families like this one throughout Swaziland.

Congregationalists Adoniram and Ann Judson and Luther Rice sailed from American shores for Burma in 1812.  Along the way both Adoniram and Luther felt drawn to the Baptist position on baptism. After agonizing over the situation for three months, all three were baptized by one of William Carey’s associates.  They resigned from the Congregational Board leaving them without support.  Carey offered to support the Americans through the English Baptist Missionary Society.  However, they all agreed the best plan would be for American Baptists to provide the support. Rice returned to America to stir up the Baptists and encourage the formation of organizations for the support of foreign missions in general and the Judsons in particular.  (From the book The Life That Prays by Minette Drumwright).  As your church gives, prays and goes, unreached people—like the Manga Kanuri of West Africa, the Huishui Miao of China and the Uzbeks of Uzbekistan—gain access to the life-giving Gospel of Jesus Christ.  They hear and respond because your IMB missionaries go with full support and because you give generously and sacrificially.  Please support and give to the 2011 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering so missionaries can be sent to minister to many lost and dying people and nations.