OTHER PRAYER REQUESTS:
-May 21-30, a 23-member university team from Wilkesboro, North Carolina and Mississippi arrive to minister in the Hhohho region (Mbabane), staying in the rural area with the help of ACTS (African Christian Tours and Safaris). Ministries include speaking in schools/teaching True Love Waits, children and youth ministries, homestead visitation, prayer walking and revival services. Pray for safe travels, good health and many opportunities to share with the Swazi people the love of Jesus.
-Saturday May 24th is the scheduled training/workshop for the teachers of the Swazi Baptist churches’ preschools at the Phuzumoya Baptist Church. Pray all the teachers will plan to attend this time of training and working together. Pray the training will be very beneficial to the work of the preschools.
-Saturday the 31st of May, the Shiselweni Baptist Association is scheduled to meet at the Velebantfu Baptist Church. It has been a while since the Association has met and there is much to discuss. Pray for a good representation. Pray there will be unity in fellowship and much will be accomplished!!
-Plans continue for the volunteer team from the Smith Association in Texas scheduled to be in the Shiselwleni region June 18-28. The team will conduct medical clinics as well as lead a pastor/leader training event. Pray for the team members as they prepare spiritually for ministry with the Swazi people.
AIDS UPDATE:
N grew up in the Thunzini community and attended the Thunzini Baptist Church. Her mother was not married to her father and after many years did marry an older man and move to Piet Retief, South Africa without N and her three brothers. Three years later, when N was 10 she moved to Piet Retief to help her mother with a new baby brother. Like most Africans, N’s mother and step-father rented extra rooms in their house . One of the renters was a young man. During the 2007 school break (December/January) N was left with other children at home while her mother went to town. During that time the young man returned and tricked N into taking something to his room. While in the room he attacked N and raped her. He told her not to tell anyone or he would kill her. 5 months later, N is 13 years old and pregnant. The young man has been arrested but it is uncertain whether he will be prosecuted. A study of the UN Children’s Fund confirms that one out of three Swazi women has suffered some form of sexual abuse as a child. Now N is one of those statistics that may include AIDS. One wonders when the nightmare of continual abuse and AIDS will end. Unfortunately for some it is just beginning. Pray for N’s health as she deals with a pregnancy and pray she will not have contacted the HIV virus through this encounter. Pray for the many female children/youth/adults in Swaziland that deal with the fear of abuse on a regular basis.
PM
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