Yesterday during my quiet time I happened to look out my window in time to see a black-shouldered kite (bird) swoop down to the ground.  It stood on the ground for a moment and suddenly flew away with a small snake in its grasp.  For me it was awesome!!  Thank you Lord for allowing me to see and experience small wonders each day!!

 A blessing from one of our prayer warriors:

Our church is small-usually about 75-80 in worship and we had a LMCO goal of $3200.  We have passed that and are at $3700 and money is still coming in. PTL. 

Thanks to every church that participated in the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.  Your faithful support keeps your IMB missionaries on the field doing what God has called them to do.  With each soul won to Christ, each new believer’s baptism and each church-planting movement started, you are a faithful partner in the harvest. J

--Wayne left this morning for the Shiselweni region to attend the Shiselweni Baptist Association at the Velebantfu Baptist Church tomorrow (Sat. 28th of Jan.). Planning will continue for Pastor Liswe’s ordination as well as discussion of business matters.  Pray for a good representation of the Swazi Baptist churches in the Shiselweni region.  Pray for a continued spirit of unity and fellowship.

Sunday (29th of January) the Ntuthwakazi Baptist Church will conduct a baptismal service.  Pray for the members of the congregation as they prepare for this special time in the life of the church.  Pray these new believers will commit totally to following the Lord Jesus Christ.

Wayne received a surprise phone call this morning (while in route to Nhlangano) from one of the King’s representatives.  He requested to meet with Wayne today.  Since that was not possible he then asked Wayne if they could meet on Monday at 9:00am.  Please pray for this meeting.  The only thing the representative told Wayne was he appreciated the Gospel that we (the Baptist) preached and wanted to meet with him. 

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR FEBRUARY:

--Last month the executive committee of the Swaziland Baptist Convention began planning for the 2012 National Easter Services April 5-8.  Pray for the members of the committee as they actively plan this very important event Saturday the 4th of February.  Pray there will be a spirit of unity and consensus in the decision making process.

--February 4th at the Mphembakati Baptist Church teachers of the Swazi Baptist preschools (not related to Sunday School) will meet for fellowship as well as instruction on the use of teaching aids they will receive.  Pray teachers of these preschools will make a special effort to be at this meeting.  May 2012 be a wonderful year for teachers and students.

--February 11th, the second ordination service will be conducted at the Velebantfu Baptist Church for the church’s pastor, Lisze Nsibandze.  Pray for the members of the Velebantfu Baptist Church as they host this special event in the life of their church.  Pray for Pastor Nsbandze during the “question and answer” time.  May the Lord provide His comforting presence.

--In recent months there has been increasing tensions between the leaders of the Baptist Convention of Swaziland and missionaries.  On the 18th of February a special meeting is scheduled to continue with the discussion of the purpose and responsibility of the convention and its relationship to the missionaries and Swazi Baptist churches.  Pray for this very important meeting.  Pray for unity in discussion and a chance for everyone to speak and ask questions.  Pray whatever is done, will be to the glory of the Lord.

--February 23-March 5, a volunteer team from the First Baptist Church, Washington, NC will minister in both the Hhohho and North Lubombo regions.  Pray as the volunteers conduct revivals, Bible studies as well as homestead visitation. Pray for a great time of fellowship and ministry for the Swazis, volunteers and missionaries.

AIDS UPDATE:

In December a home-based care kit (BGR bucket) was given to a son in the home where the Mabeleni Baptist Church meets.  The son is ill with symptoms of HIV/AIDS and received one of the BGR kits at the family request.  Despite his illness he attended the church service on New Year’s Day and prayed to receive Christ during the invitation. What a blessing!!  Pray the distribution of these kits throughout Swaziland will continue ministering to families dealing with the affects of AIDS and other terminal illnesses.

Throughout 2012 special stories from the book More Than Conquerors by John Woolridge (general editor) will be included in our weekly prayer letters.   More Than Conquerors is a treasury of stories of more than sixty Christians from this century and the last whom God has made “more than conquerors.”  By letting their lives touch yours, you can be confident when you walk that victorious path. 

This week’s selection is:  Bringing in the Sheaves-Cyrus McCormick

Before Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanical reaper, the harvesting of grain was a grueling and slow process.  Using a sickle, a person could at best harvest an acre a day.  Even with a cradle, no more than three acres of grain could be cut in that amount of time.  Many people had previously tried to create a mechanical reaper.  But it was not until McCormick had reworked his father’s defective model that a successful one was invented.  As a result, farmers can now harvest more acres in an hour than a farm hand could cut by hand in whole day. When Cyrus McCormick was elected to the French Academy of Science, one of the speakers said he had done “more for the course of agriculture than any other living man.”  McCormick’s invention of the reaper was one of the most revolutionary in all of history.  This is well known.  What is less well known is that McCormick was a convinced evangelical Christian who, among other things, helped Moody Bible Institute get started.

The McCormicks were deeply religious (background of Scotch-Irish Presbyterian). Cyrus attended church services on Sunday and Wednesday evening all through his life and generously supported seminary education as well as Christian publishing.  Cyrus McCormick was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia in 1809.  He died in Chicago in 1884. After his death in 1886 his ties to Moody led to a $100,000 gift to get Moody Bible Institute started. His son, Cyrus Jr. was to become the first chairman of the school’s board. 

McCormick may have been a product of his times but he was also a devoted Christian and a great inventor who was able to pass his faith on to his oldest son and successor, Cyrus Hall McCormick, Jr., who with the financial support of J. Pierpont Morgan was to become the first president of a combined reaper firm, the famed International Harvester Corporation.