October prayer calendar

UPDATE ON MONICA ALLEN’S MOM: Wanted to let you know that I received more information about my mom not too long ago. The colonoscopy tests found a large mass. Surgery was scheduled for Monday but moved to Tuesday morning (27th of September). I have talked to my mom and her spirits are quite high. We know God is in control but not easy news to hear when we are so far apart. Please pray for this family as they deal with the uncertainty.  Pray for Polly as she prepares for surgery and for Monica as she is so far away from her mom.  Pray for good news and good outcome.

Saturday October 1:  Pray for the executive committee of the Swaziland Baptist Convention.  On the agenda is the discussion of how the convention and the Swazi Team should work together.  There is not a consensus among the group on how this should be accomplished.  Pray those attending the meeting will come with an open mind and a desire to have unity between the convention and the missionaries.  May the Lord be glorified in this situation.

Sunday October 2:  Pray for Kim Hultgren (Hands On missionary) today on her birthday.  May her special day indeed be special!
Kym Coe, True Love Waits International consultant arrives in Swaziland today.  During her time with the Swazi Team she will continue to lead TLW trainings and follow-up with TLW presenters.  Pray Kym’s time (10/2-12) in Swaziland will be very beneficial to everyone.  Pray the True Love Waits message will continue to be shared with schools, care centers and churches in 2012.

Monday October 3:  The pastor of the Mgamudze Baptist Church sent a phone message to missionary Wayne Myers a couple of weeks ago requesting prayer for his young wife who suffered a mild stroke.  Pray for healing for “S” and for her family as they deal with her illness.  Pray her recovery will be quick and complete.

Tuesday October 4:  Monica and Lacie Allen travel to Jo’burg today for Lacie’s follow-up visit with her ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) doctor as well as complete hearing test with the audiologist.  Lacie underwent corrective ear surgery in August to correct a 30% hearing loss due to an extra bone near the ear canal.  Please pray trusting and believing that her hearing has improved due to her surgery. J

Wednesday October 5: The BGR (Baptist Global Response) In-Home Care Kits are provided for terminally ill patients with AIDS.  The kits are centered around a five gallon heavy duty bucket with lid that seals.  Inside the bucket are items that will assist in keeping patients clean and dry, items to protect their mat and mattress from soiling and vitamins to help keep their immune systems strong.  Pray the use of these items by loving care givers will show the love and compassion that Jesus Christ has for the terminally ill.  Pray for the Swazi Team as we continue to work with the Swazi Baptist churches in distributing the In-Home Care Kits to victims and families of AIDS patients. (If you or your church would like to help fill the In-Home Care Kits please contact http://www.inhomecarekits.org/.

Thursday October 6:  Revival services were conducted at the Luhhwahhweni Baptist Church in September.  Several accepted the Lord and there were many rededications.  Pray for these who made the commitment to follow Jesus.  Pray their lives will be a witness to others.  Also pray for the church that has experienced leadership difficulties in the past few months.

Friday October 7:  The pastor of the Thunzini Baptist Church is currently attending a teacher training college in Manzini. He requests prayer to receive the scholarship the government had promised the students for food and rent.  Unfortunately, the government had to reduce the number of scholarships due to lack of funds.  Pray the Lord will provide the needed funds so the pastor can stay in school.

Saturday October 8:  Pray for Deborah Hoskins’ sister, Suzanna today on her birthday.  May her special day indeed be special!
Swazis hope the rains will be plentiful this growing season (Oct.-March).  After the planting of their corn (mealie) strong and frequent rains are needed.  As long as there is mealie, there is food.  Pray there will be enough water in the rivers and stream to meet the people’s  needs.  Pray the rains will be plentiful throughout Swaziland.  Pray the Swazis’ fields of mealies will receive enough rain to provide food until the next growing season.

Sunday October 9:  Continue to pray for the outreach ministry at Ngowane as the group desires to start Sunday services in the near future.  Pray for leaders to rise up and be trained to lead this possible new church.

Monday October 10:  So many pastors and leaders desire training to be better prepared for the work the Lord has given them. The South Coast Bible School (originates in South Africa) began earlier this year at the Phuzumoya Baptist Church and meets for one week four times a year.  October 10-14 begins the last session in 2011 for the school.  Pray for those attending to find the classes helpful with their ministries.  Pray for the Swazi Team missionaries (Todd and Wayne) assisting with teaching and other administrative duties.

Tuesday October 11: Please continue to pray for the Bible study at MaCethuka.  Pray helpers will be able to assist with the teaching of children and youth/adults on a regular basis.

Wednesday October 12:  Pray for Barbara Myers today on her birthday.  May her special day indeed be special!
There is a siSwati word the Swazis use for wife or women that means “One who dies without speaking what she has endured.”  Living in a polygamous society that allows husbands to have more than one wife as well as numerous relationships is very difficult.  Many women are left to support and care for the children without help from the spouse.  It can be a very lonely life.  Coming together with women (in like situations) for a time of Bible study and fellowship is a great enjoyment for our Swazi Baptist women.  October 13-15 is the scheduled National Swazi Baptist Women’s Retreat.  Missionary Monica Allen will be the guest speaker.  Theme is “God, our Father”.  It will be a time for the ladies to be refreshed, renewed and strengthened as they return to their homes and families who depend upon them for daily needs.  Please pray for our Swazi Baptist women to find true hope in following and depending upon the Lord for their familes’ needs.  Pray many ladies will be able to attend this time of fellowship and study and will leave refreshed, renewed and strengthened.

Thursday October 13:  Pray for Todd Hoskins’ mother’ s today on her birthday!!
Pray her special day will indeed be special as she celebrates with family and friends.
--Thank you for praying for Todd’s parents’ visit with the Hoskins August 29-September 9.  They were able to participate in ministry as well as enjoy a family vacation to the Kruger National Game Reserve.

Friday October 14:  Pray Swazi Baptist churches will become burdened concerning the spread of AIDS in communities, schools, and among friends and families.  Pray each pastor will lead in teaching the congregation the importance of remaining spiritually pure and true to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Saturday October 15:  Today Todd and Deborah Hoskins are leading a Bible study for the youth of Mpembakati Baptist Church.  Please pray this Bible study will go well.

Sunday October 16: Today missionary Steve Allen flies to the states in order to renew his  US drivers’ license (North Carolina).  Steve will also visit with family.  Pray for Monica, Lacie and Nathan as they remain in Swaziland.  Pray for safe travels, and great times with  family.  Steve will return to Swaziland on the 27th of October.

Monday October 17:  Pray the Swazi Christians will understand the customs and traditions that are a normal part of life are not always acceptable to the Lord.  Pray new Christian Swazis will give their lives in obedience to the Lord and His ways.

Tuesday October 18:  During the ladies retreat in August at Mafucula a little girl attending with her mother caught the missionary’s attention.  She stayed with her mother during the sessions, sleeping most of the time.  She was very small in stature and when held was very light, almost weightless.  She had the look of a child older than her years.  The missionary had seen that look before when a mother brought her baby to the house after visiting the clinic.  The mother admitted the baby was HIV positive.  The child died a few weeks later.  Pray for the children in Swaziland touched by the AIDS pandemic.  Many will live short lives due to the illness attacking their bodies.  Pray this one will be able to live a long and fruitful life.

Wednesday October 19:  I Timothy 2:1-2 commands us to pray for kings and those in authority.  Please pray the King of Swaziland, his wives and children will come to understand what it means to be a Christian.  Pray their lives will show the love of Christ.

Thursday October 20:  Sub-Saharan African Unengaged People:  History repeats itself.  Over and over in scripture we read about people worshipping the creation instead of the Creator.  Among the Heikum Bushman of Namibia, fire is considered sacred.  Pray that the people’s eyes will be opened to the truth.  There are more than 27,000 Heikum Bushman in Namibia, and currently, no one is intentionally starting churches among them.  Pray that the Heikum Bushman believers, no matter how few, will boldly proclaim the Gospel to their families and friends, and that the Heikum Bushman will see their need for Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers.  Pray that a strategic plan will be developed to plant biblical churches among the Heikum Bushman in Namibia.

Friday October 21: In 2011 volunteer teams from Southern Baptist churches ministered alongside the Swazi Team conducting retreats, Bible studies for adult, youth and children, revivals, hut-to-hut visitation (witnessing), prayer walking, AIDS orphan ministries,  sharing the True Love Waits message, and more.  What a blessing Swazis, volunteer team members and the Swazi Team received.  Pray as planning begins for the ministry of volunteer teams with the Swazi Team in 2012. May God’s wonderful blessings continue to flow.

Saturday October 22:  Today Pastor and Mrs. Sigwane (pastor of the Phuzumoya Baptist Church) invite many of their friends to celebrate with them their 12th wedding anniversary.  The service will begin at 9:30am at the Phuzumoya Baptist Church.  Pray for this special event in the life of this family and church.  Pray the Swazis will understand what God expects of marriage and the marriage relationship.  Pray for strong Swazi Christian marriages.

Sunday October 23:  My own conversion is the result of prayer, long, affectionate, earnest, importune.  Parents prayed for me; God heard their cries and here I am to preach the Gospel.  (Charles Haddon Spurgeon, 1834-92)  Pray the Lord will be able to draw strong spiritual leaders from the congregations of the Swazi Baptist churches.  Pray many Swazis will truly understand what it means to be a Christian.

Monday October 24:  Pray the high appreciation of Jesus Christ as a prophet and miracle worker can be used of the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of the Muslims of Swaziland to accept Him as their Savior.

Tuesday October 25:  Who is the first executive director of the Foreign (International)Mission Board?  James B. Taylor, a former Baptist minister in Richmond, Va., who served 1846-1871.  It is time to set your 2011 church goal for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  Pray for faithfulness of Southern Baptist churches to give to the 2011 LMCO so missionaries can continue to be sent to minister to many lost and dying people.

Wednesday October 26:  The couple had the attention of the entire family gathered in a house with the children and grandchildren almost filling the living room.  A chicken had been killed earlier and cooked for the guests.  With everyone situated, singing began. Afterwards the couple was able to share the story of the Bible from Creation to Christ.  What a blessing.  Pray for this family who heard this wonderful story.  Pray more opportunities will be taken by missionaries on the Swazi Team to share with those who do not know Jesus as their Savior.

Thursday October 27:  November 2-4, the “Hands On” missionaries, Kim, Brandi, Heather and Sienna are treating themselves to a much deserved trip to the Kruger National Game Reserve with missionary Wayne Myers.  Pray the group will see many wonderful sights and will enjoy their time at Kruger.  Continue to pray for these missionaries as they share the True Love Waits message as well as participate in other AIDS related ministries.

Friday October 28:  Saturday November 5-Sunday November 13, an IMB team that includes a photographer/graph designer, journalist and videographer 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.

Saturday October 29:  Todd and Deborah Hoskins is leading a Bible study for youth and women of the Big Bend Baptist Church.  Please pray for good attendance and the study will go well.

Sunday October 30:  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 October 31:  We loaded up the portable baptistery, two fifty gallon drums of water and other supplies and headed to our destination, an hour earlier than usual to allow us time to get the baptismal pool set up and before services started for the day.  The baptismal candidates gave a brief salvation testimony and a sermon was preached about the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  During the service we had a brief interruption as we had to chase away some cows that discovered the baptismal pool and thought it was a drinking trough.  Eleven people were baptized.  It was a joyous celebration for all those present.  Pray new Swazi Christians will grow daily in their faith.  Pray the Lord will bring a spiritual harvest among the Swazi people.