Sunday January 1: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
December 29-January 9 Deborah Hoskins’ family (Yawn Family) are visiting Todd and Deborah in Manzini. Please pray for safety during their travels and an enjoyable stay in Swaziland. They will be helping with ministry during their time with the Hoskins.
Monday January 2: Today Todd and Deborah Hoskins will conduct a training on how to use the In-Home Health Care Kits from BGR (Baptist Global Response) at the Bethel Baptist Church. Pastor Steve Allen presented the possibilities of using the buckets a few months ago. Please pray the church will take the initiative to use these kits as tools to minister to those in their community.
--The Mgamudze Baptist Church (Shiselweni region) begins revival services this evening. Pray these services will touch the heart of a many hurting and loss people. One ministry during the revival will be homestead visitation and delivering In-Home Health Care Kits to AIDS victims in the community. Pray for interest among the members of the Mgamudze Baptist Church in providing the buckets to those suffering from AIDS.
Tuesday January 3: The Hoskins hope to conduct a training on how to use the In-Home Health Care Kits at the Manzini Baptist Church. Please pray the congregation will take advantage of this opportunity.
Wednesday January 4: The Swazi Team will gather at the Swazi Candle Factory to fellowship and meet the Yawn Family visiting Todd and Deborah Hoskins. Pray for a wonderful time of sharing and eating together. J
Thursday January 5: The Mabelani Baptist Church meets on a homestead in northwestern Swaziland. House churches struggle in Swaziland because they are often associated with Zionism (African Traditional Religion) or thought to belong to specific families. This month (January) weekly Bible study groups will begin to try to increase awareness of the church in the community and to help disciple church members to develop lay leadership. Pray these Bible studies will be well attended and will reach additional community members.
Friday January 6: The Swazi Team enjoyed three days spent in Durban and their end-of-the-year retreat (December 12-15). It was a great time of fellowship as well as planning and discussing present and future work. Pray members of the Swazi Team will seek the Lord’s guidance as they look forward to 2012 with joy, love and the desire to make their lives count for Christ.
Saturday January 7: Pray for Carroll Yawn (Deborah Hoskins’ father) today on his birthday!!
The executive committee of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland meets today. Please pray for this meeting. Pray for the leadership who in recent months have displayed an anti-missionary movement and attempted to impose a non-Biblical (as well as Baptist) hierarchal leadership structure in order to exercise control over the churches and missionaries. Pray for wisdom for the missionaries to know how to work with the convention.
Sunday January 8: Sundays are difficult for the Allen children (Lacie and Nathan) as they do not know enough of the siSwati language to participate in a meaningful way in the siSwati worship services. They have occasionally enjoyed attending an English-speaking church in Mbabane which has an age-graded Sunday School. Please pray Steve and Monica will have wisdom to know how to balance support for the Swazi Baptist churches while meeting the spiritual needs of their children.
Tuesday January 10: The Nthutwakazi Baptist Church (Shiselweni region) has requested a date for a baptism service sometime this month. Pray a date can be set by missionary Wayne Myers and the church. The Swazi Baptist churches look to the missionary to help with their baptismal services since most do not have a way of baptizing. The missionary usually brings the portable baptistery and in some cases two barrels of water so the baptism can take place.
Wednesday January 11: Thank you for praying for the Bible study material in which Todd and Deborah Hoskins have been working with several Swazi friends over the course of the last few months. The materials are completed. Pray Swazi Baptist churches will take advantage of the opportunity to use these materials. May wonderful blessings flow!!
Thursday January 12: Pray for Steve and Monica Allen on their 10th wedding anniversary!!
Steve recently announced his intention to discontinue the weekly Bible study group at Hawane Baptist Church in order to try to work on strengthening leadership at Mabelani and Sympathy Baptist Churches. Both churches are without pastors or consistent lay leadership. Pray the members of Hawane will be faithful in continuing to meet for Bible study and that strong leaders will rise up to continue leading this group.
Friday January 13: Pray 2012 will be the year salvation comes to the house of the King of Swaziland. May his wives and children as well as himself hear the true Gospel message. Pray there will be a change in beliefs and lifestyles in the royal family.
Saturday January 14: Today is the scheduled ordination service for Nkosingiphile Dlamini. Pastor Dlamini has been a faithful and committed pastor of the Thunzini Baptist Church for many years. He has also been a very strong leader with the Shiselweni Baptist Association. Pastor Dlamini is currently attending teacher training college in Manzini. Pray for Pastor Dlamini especially during the “question-answer” time. May the Lord provide His comforting presence. Pray the Thunzini Baptist Church will continue to support their pastor.
Sunday January 15: December 18th the Maphangwane Baptist Church (Lubombo region) conducted a baptismal service with Wayne Myers baptizing 10 new believers. It was a wonderful day for this church. Please pray those who committed their lives to the Lord will be faithful in following His footsteps.
Monday January 16: A recent survey of Swazi Baptist Churches in the Hhohho region revealed that several have discontinued Sunday School due to lack of consistent leadership. Please pray the churches will see the need for Biblical training for children especially and that leaders will arise to take the teaching responsibilities in these churches.
Tuesday January 17: Deborah Hoskins’ youngest sister starts her last semester of her sophomore year of university today. Please pray she has a wonderful semester.
Wednesday January 18: The Jesus Film was shown in the Lesibovu community (Manzini region) during the Christmas party for the church. A handicapped young man and his mother both prayed to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Please pray these new believers will continue attending the Bible study group and will become strong in their faith. Pray others who watched the film will think about the Gsopel message which was shared and come to faith in Christ.
Thursday January 19: December 7th the first Biblical Education Program (BEP) training occurred at the Peace Baptist Church. Approximately 20 attended and learned more about the beginning of the Bible and sharing their own testimony. The church provided a wonderful lunch. Thank you for praying for this first time event. Pray other Swazi Baptist churches will schedule a time for their leaders and church members to be trained using the Biblical Education Program (BEP).
Friday January 20: Many in Swaziland do not have the promise of eternal life. For some their belief in Islam keeps them from knowing the true Son of God. The poverty of Swazis leave them open to promises of jobs, money and security if they convert to the Muslim faith. Pray Swazis will not be led by a false sense of security outside the Christian faith. Pray for Christian renewal throughout the country.
Saturday January 21: Todd and Deborah Hoskins are leading a Bible study with the youth at the Mpembakati Baptist Church (Manzini region). Please pray for dedication among the youth at Mpembakati and pray for Pastor Lloyd Dlamini as he leads the church.
Sunday January 22: Revival services were held in December at the Zikotheni Baptist Church (Shiselweni region). The services were well attended. Please pray for this church that meets on the Vilane Homestead. The church has experienced problems with pastoral leadership. Currently Pastor Nkosingiphile Dlamini (Thunzini Baptist) and Pastor Patrick Gamedze (Nhlangano Baptist) are taking turns in leading Sunday worship. A young man of the church also helps when needed.
Monday January 23: Special prayer request from Todd and Deborah: As we begin the new year, please be in prayer for direction for us. We will be finishing our time in Swaziland the beginning of September and are not quite sure of what God has in store for us. Please pray we will finish strong and for God to show us the next steps when we need to know them.
Tuesday January 24: February 22-March 6 a volunteer team from the First Baptist Church, Washington, North Carolina is scheduled to minister in both the Hhohho region and the North Lubombo region. Ministries include revivals, Bible studies as well as homestead visitation. Pray for the members of this team as they prepare for their time in Swaziland.
Wednesday January 25: Several years ago Nathi came to know Jesus as His Savior while attending the Nhlangano Baptist Church. At the time Nathi was living with Fikile (not married) and they had two sons together. Fikile accepted the Lord also at Nhlangano and was baptized. Both desire a relationship that is acceptable to the Lord. Nathi informed Wayne Myers that he and Fikile (with the approval of both families) desire and are ready to have a Christian wedding. Please pray a date can soon be reached for this special event. Because of the high price libola (bride price) as well as other issues, many Swazi are not legally married but continue living together and producing children. Pray as many come to know Jesus as their Lord, they will understand what God expects of the marriage relationship.
Thursday January 26: SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA UNENGAGED PEOPLES: The Wara people live in a remote area of Burkina Faso. They are a very small people group with a population of approximately 4,500 and live in a small, highly concentrated area. The Wara people are animistic, and there is no evangelical work being done among them. Please pray for the Gospel to be taken to the Wara people and for God to prepare them to leave their animistic practices to follow the one true God.
Friday January 27: Saturday February 11th Pastor Lizwe Nsibandze of the Velebantfu Baptist Church (Shiselweni region) will be ordained to the Gospel ministry. Pray for Pastor Nsibandze as he prepares for this special service. Pastor Nsibandze has been a faithful and committed leader of the Velebantfu Baptist Church for quite a few years.
Saturday January 28: Todd and Deborah Hoskins are leading Bible studies for the youth and women of the Big Bend Baptist Church. Please pray they will have wisdom in teaching the Truth of God’s Word.
Sunday January 29: March 5-9 is the first session of the 2012 South Coast Bible School hosted by the Phuzumoya Baptist Church. 2011 was the first year for this school for the pastors and leaders. The school meets for one week four times a year. Pray as the organization of the curriculum and teachers begin. Pray many students will be able to attend this school.
Monday January 30: The 2012 Sub-Saharan African Peoples Summit (for Southern Baptist Churches) is scheduled for February 29-March 2 at the First Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama. This is a great opportunity to explore opportunities to impact unreached, unengaged people groups. Participants will have opportunities to speak with missionaries from Sub Saharan Africa, as well as dialogue with pastors and lay leaders of churches who are already engaging a people group in Sub-Saharan Africa. More information/registration: www.imbafrica.org/summit. Pray for this important meeting and for those attending. Learn how churches can get involved in taking the Gospel to unreached, unengaged people groups (UUPGs) www.call2embrace.org
Tuesday January 31: The date for the Two Oceans Cluster Strategy Meeting (includes your Swazi Team missionaries) is March 31-April 5 at the Riverside Lifestyle Resort in South Africa. Pray for the continued preparations/logistics for this meeting. Pray for spiritual preparedness for the missionaries attending, volunteers ministering and leadership that is leading.
NEW YEAR’S PRAYER
In this new year, Lord, please help me
Be the kind of person You’d have me be.
Will You, dear Lord, hold to my hand,
And help me through the year to stand
Against temptations that I may face,
And may I by Thy loving grace,
Serve You, with humbleness and love.
May I, oh God, be worthy of
The blessings You give day by day,
The love You share in every way.
So through the year, Lord please help me
Grow more and more each day like Thee.
--Janice Mizelle Taylor
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