Climb Every Mountain

One of my all-time favorite movies is "The Sound of Music" and hoping my kids will enjoy the movie one day as well. This past Sunday on our way to church a song from the movie came to mind several times. It is "Climb Every Mountian" because we literally climbed a Swazi mountain to attend church services with one of our churches. Ntsintsa Baptist Church has been a church since the mid-1990's but has always met in the Red Cross Building in the community "center". Until just recently, the church now has their own building for church and the people are so excited. The church was full and the worship was sweet with these precious believers in Christ. The weather was hot, kids were crying (including my own little Nathan!) but it did not dampen the spirit of the Lord filling this place for worshipping Him. We look forward to visiting with this church again soon! Enjoy the photos that tell the story better than words can this time.

Small, twisting road we had drive to in our truck to get to the bottom of the mountain path near the church. I must admit I was glad Steve was driving to church! :)

Steve, Lacie and Nathan almost making it to the top of the mountain path

Just a small part of the mountain path we had to climb up and down to get to church. NO way the truck was going on this path!

The new building for Ntintsa Baptist Church!!!!

Nathan hanging with some of his Swazi friends. Notice that Nathan loves to sit and squat just like a Swazi! :)

Steve preaching for the first time in the new church building, althought the church does have a pastor. It is typically tradition to have a visiting "mfundisi" pastor preach for services.

Beautiful scenery of a nearby homestead from the top of the mountain outside the church doors.

Steve was asked to pray for the newly elected church committee along with Pastor Maseko.

Church is over and making our way back down the mountain path

Ntsintsa Baptist Church literally up near the top of the mountain

Steve, Lacie and Nathan with Pastor Saiko (pronounced "psycho") Maseko

Nathan walking between the two pastors. Mmm...could be a third pastor one day?!?!?!

Praises and Prayer Updates - February

Dear Prayer Partners,

Greetings from Swaziland!
We have much to be praising the Lord for and we want to share with our faithful prayer partners. The month of January literally flew by us and we are busy trying to catch everyone up on things with our family and ministry.

Praises:
- Hawane Baptist Church FINALLY received their plot of land for their own church structure this past Sunday. Praise the Lord!
- Wayne and Barbara Myers, our team leaders, returned from their stateside time at the beginning of January and are getting settled into their new home in Tshaneni. It is great to have them back with us, although we do not see them too often as they are still about two hours away from us.
- Al and Belinda Jordan will be coming to stay in our house and cover some of our ministry while we are in the USA for our stateside time from March - September. The Jordan's have served in both Swaziland and South Africa previously. We are thrilled they are willing to return to Swaziland to assist us, our team and ministry!
They will be arriving March 17 in Johannesburg and then coming onto Swaziland on March 19. Pray for all the logistics they need to finalize on their side before coming to Swaziland for six months.
- The National Youth Committee had a great meeting last month and began plans for the National Youth Leader's Retreat in late May as well as discussing ways to keep encouraging our youth in our churches. Continue to pray for the NYC as they faithfully lead throughout Swaziland.
- Lesibovu is being faithful each week, despite the many rainy days we have had the last few weeks. Their numbers are growing every week and we are excited to see what God has planned for this new church.
- We have had LOTS of rain!!! We keep saying this is the most rain we have ever seen in a rainy season.
- January 10-14, the Helgren family, who serve in Zambia with our company, came for a holiday to visit Swaziland and be with our family. We had a blast and enjoyed being with these precious friends very much!!! The kids loved playing together for four days straight! :)
- On January 12, Steve and I celebrated eight years of marriage and had the opportunity to get away to another part of Swaziland for about 24-hours without the kids a couple weeks after our actual anniversary. Thanks to Jacci and Janet and Gogo Shandu for all their help in watching the kids during that time!
- Our family had a wonderful visit with Don and Pam Lynch, our new associate strategy cluster leader. We have known Don and Pam for several years but our paths do not cross often with them. However, with the many recent changes of our company, Don is the ASCL for town/rural/country areas. They had never been to Swaziland so it was our pleasure to show them our beautiful country and the ministry God has for our family here. Pray for Don and Pam as they are moving from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town this coming week.
- Thank you to all those that generously gave to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering!!! We are hearing great reports of many churches that reached or exceeded their offering goals. God desires to accomplish much through the gifts given for others all around the world to hear about Him!
- Today, 11 years ago, Steve and I met here in Mbabane when he was on a volunteer mission team and I was just starting to serve my two-year missionary term. Steve had developed a kidney stone and I was asked to drive him to Nelspurit, South Africa, for more medical assistance. Little did we know all God had planned for our lives!
- Lacie started Grade 0/kindergarten and is loving being in school! I will be homeschooling Lacie while we are in the USA for our stateside this year and then she will re-join her class in Swaziland when we return in late September.
- I managed to catch tick bite fever this past month but praise the Lord, I did not experience the high fevers that usually occurs. I was able to rest for a few days and then get back into the normal routine of life again quickly.

Prayer Requests:

- Lesibovu has their first official work day to begin clearing their new plot of land on Saturday, February 13. Pray much is accomplished and the weather will be nice as the church starts their journey to building their own church structure.
- Pray for the Baptist Convention of Swaziland as they meet on Saturday, February 6, to make plans for the Easter services coming up the beginning of April. The Easter services is the biggest event for our all our Baptist churches and there is much to be discussed and planned. Pray for unity with decisions and God's leading on the venue, schedule, speakers, food plans, etc.
- Pray for First Baptist Church Belton, Texas, as they are considering coming to lead our National Youth Camp in August. This is the church where Al and Belinda Jordan are coming from and they are praying to finalize plans before they leave the USA in mid-March.
- Continue to pray for our churches to be faithful in serving the Lord in their lives daily among their families, churches, schools and communities. Many of our churches are without pastoral leadership and we are believing the God is going to raise up spiritual leaders for these churches.
- We are praying about where to start the next new work when we return towards the end of the year. Pray for God's direction on where He wants us to begin a new ministry for His glory.
- Our family will be leaving Swaziland on March 25, flying to the USA on March 26 and landing in Charlotte, North Carolina on March 27. We will be spending the first three months in northwestern North Carolina with Steve's family and then July - September in West Palm Beach, Florida. Pray for us as we are finalizing our speaking schedule with partnering churches as well as visiting with family. Our biggest prayer need is a place to stay while we are in West Palm Beach. The missionary housing we used last time is no longer available and there is not another option. If anyone knows of somewhere in the WPB area we can house sit or rent not too high for three months, please contact us ASAP. We know God is in control of everything! Plus, churches in the WPB/South Florida area, please contact us soon if you want us to speak at your church, Bible study group or other groups as our schedule is starting to fill quickly.
- Pray for Barbara Myers' mother, Shirley, as she recently fell and broke her hip. Surgery went well and she is in rehab now. Pray she is able to heal well and has no further complications from the fall.

Lacie starting grade 0/kindergarten and Nathan wanting to go with her!

Lacie and Nathan with the Helgren kids (Lily, Easton and Lauren) on one of the big rocks in our backyard on their recent visit.

Crossing the river to reach Lesibovu for weekly Bible study. (shows how much rain we have had - usually a dry piece of land)

Community elders marking the plot of land for Hawane Baptist Church

Updated family photo from this past Sunday

You have WHAT?!?!?!

Our five-year old daughter, Lacie, just started Grade O in school. It is like kindergarten and she loves being in school. She attends The Little Brown Hen Preschool, where she has been since she was in the 3-year old class so she with many of her friends each day. She attends school 8am - 12:30pm each day.

Last week, we had missionary colleagues visiting us as they had never been to Swaziland and wanted to touch base with our family before we left for our USA furlough time. We were busy with showing them ministry areas as well as local tourist areas, too, as well as keeping the family and home going each day.

Lacie came home from school on Wednesday and announced that she had "HOMEWORK"! I was like, what??? You are in kindergarten! :) Sure enough, she had homework and we had fun doing it together, along with Aunt Pam. Lacie had to cut out items in a magazine that went along with the short sound "a", like apple, animal, ant, etc. It was fun and Lacie was way excited to cut and then paste them in her "homework" book. I thought...girl, you have many, many years ahead of you for homework! :) I hope you stay excited as you are about learning and loving school. I work with Lacie at home, too, and preparing to homeschool her through part of kindergarten while we are in the USA for six months.

I thought it was just too funny that homework is already starting...wow! However, I must admit it will be fun to have yet another time to spend with Lacie watching her grow and learn new things in her life. I thought...mmm, I wonder how that is with our Heavenly Father in that He cannot wait to spend time with each of his children watching us grow and learn each day?!?!

Church plot FINALLY marked

Hawane Baptist Church was our first church plant that started as a Bible study at a local roadside curio market back in 2004. The doors opened for the group to begin meeting on Sunday mornings in 2005 and quickly, the group formed a new church, Hawane Baptist. It has been a great joy in our lives to watch this church grow and grow, not necessarily in numbers, but in their walks with the Lord. The church has waited and waited for their own land so they could begin building their own church structure. Praise the Lord, they were approved to use a community building that also serves as a preschool during the week. However, the church quicky was outgrowing this temporary structure. Steve and several members of the church tore down a wall that was dividing two rooms to add more space.

The church began requesting their own plot of land in 2007 but it has taken until yesterday to "officially" have the land marked as their own. Amazingly, their new land is plot of land just up from the temporary structure so the church is not moving far from its current location. On their new land, there is a run down structure that can be refurbished and part of their new church building. It has been a long road of "waiting" for Hawane Baptist but they never gave up. They kept their heads up and seeking God's direction for their church daily. The main reason for such a long delay, which is not the usual case here in Swaziland, is that the chief in the Hawane area passed away a few years ago now. The chiefdom is an area of five communities coming together. The communities have not been able to agree on a new chief so much is placed on the indvuna's shoulders in the different communities. The indvuna is like the assistant to a chief.

Steve collected the indvuna at his homestead at 7am to take him to the church to start the meeting. The meeting ended up starting at around 9am or so as they were waiting on one of the community elders to arrive at the church meeting. It did not take long once the meeting started and then the church fed the indvuna, community elders and church members at the meeting. Steve was asked to take the indvuna and community elders to the next community, Nkhaba, for another meeting and then Hawane Baptist was ready to start their Sunday morning worship service. Services yesterday was filled with much celebration, singing, praising God, shouting (literally), testimonies and preaching on Nehemiah (Steve did a wonderful job!). I actually got to hear most of the sermon, which is rare these days with an almost two-year old wanting to run around during the service. The church asked me to share with them at the end of the service and the biggest challenge I gave them was to continue to, "press on" in their journey as a church, their walks with the Lord, with their families and with their community. God has done much through Hawane Baptist Church and although they do not have a consistent pastor, they have sweet spirits that truly love the Lord with all their hearts. I look forward to seeing all God has planned for this precious church in the near future.

So, we challenge you...."PRESS ON"!!!!

Lacie helps to end the church service by singing, "Building Up the Temple".

The indvuna in the Hawane community leading the meeting for the

church to have their land "officially" marked as their own.

Hawane Baptist Church in their temporary structure.

It was a great day of celebrating all God has done through His church so far!

The indvuna and community elders "marking" the new plot of land granted to Hawane Baptist Church. The church is excited to start building their own church building very soon!

As with any "meeting", food is always served! :) It is custom to serve the community elders after any special meetings and Hawane Baptist did this graciously and with a servant's heart.

That time of the year....

January is a tough time of the year for us as it is the neverending flow of people asking us to assist them or their family with school fees. School officially opens tomorrow for all the government schools, although some private schools and preschools opened last week. For any age of school children, preschool to form 5 (grade 12), school is not free. There are costs for school fees, uniforms, school supplies, extra activities (sports, arts, etc) for each child. I cannot imagine what it is like for families that have many kids. Most of the time, boys are kept in school longer because girls can help out at home more and also help to watch the younger children still at home. Education is needed to further someone in life here through a job or going onto university. I just wish it was not so difficult for any child that wanted to attend school to be able to do so.

Monday is typically the day we try as a family to be our "day of rest" as Friday, Saturday and Sunday are quite busy for our family, especially Steve, with ministry opportunities. Lacie does attend school on Monday mornings but we attempt to keep our gate closed, cell phones on silent and not work on business items all day long.

Well, this morning, we had visitors at our gate by 9am, which is not too bad because folks have stopped by much earlier in the past. We knew that it would be about school fees and it was. Fortunately, this issue has been a huge matter of prayer for Steve and I in recent months and we felt the Lord leading us to a solution that fits our situation as well as our finances. Unfortunately, we had to tell the people sitting in our lounge (living room) that we could not help them with school fees. If we helped every person that asked us for help, we would have run out of money in our second week of our time in Swaziland! The needs are overwhelming in many ways but we also know that we have to teach our Swazi brothers and sisters how to save their own money, look for resources that are available to them, build within the church support and on and on. It broke my heart to see this young girl, probably age 15, starting to weep in my home because she is not sure how she will attend school this year. In the past much jealousy and tension arose in many of our churches when folks would find out that so and so was helped by this missionary or so and so was helped by that missionary and so on. We know that for now we cannot give to direct individuals because this cycle of dependency has to be broken. God has blessed us with different resources and we are being led to give through our Baptist churches.

This youth girl also has been ill and somehow we are looked upon as medical folks sometimes, too. We are comfortable in sharing Tylenol with people but we are not doctors and nurses. How I wish we had a bank account that never ran out of money but that is just not reality! For the orphans, there is supposed to be money that they can attend school for free due to outside contributions and government scholarships. However, corruption gets in the way and the funds are not available to all those that desire to attend school. The process is ongoing and a solution does not seem to be one that can be "fixed" with our own hands.

God, give us wisdom to know how to deal with this stressful time of the year and to wisely share resources and finances you have provided for our family to those in need.

This is by no means a blog post asking for folks to contribute but rather a window into the daily happenings of our family during January and part of February. Thank you for your prayers!

BGR Haiti updates

Please help us spread the word! Do you know other believers who care about helping people in need? Why not forward this e-mail and encourage them to subscribe by visiting gobgr.org!

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The five-member BGR assessment team is on the ground in Haiti, driving toward Port-au-Prince. They are accompanied by Mark Rutledge, who has 26 years of experience serving as an International Mission Board worker in Haiti. The team will be connecting with Haitian Baptist leaders, surveying earthquake damage, and delivering relief supplies.
A strong aftershock measuring 6.1 in magnitude struck Port-au-Prince at 6:03 a.m., Jan. 20, according to news reports. The shock sent people scrambling for open ground as buildings damaged by last week’s quake shuddered and rubble began falling to the ground. Eyewitnesses said people already traumatized by the horrors of the past week cried and screamed at the new tremor. More than 40 significant aftershocks have hit since the Jan. 12 quake.
Members of the assessment team reported they did not feel the aftershock at their base in the Dominican Republic. However, Steve Leach, a member of Round Grove Baptist Church in Miller, Mo., who operates an independent hospital in northwest Haiti, reported the aftershock “brought down some of the damaged buildings that were still standing and will keep anyone from going back to what buildings are still standing for many days to come. With so many severe aftershocks over the last week and now another new quake, who knows when people who have a place to go will feel safe to return there.”
Leach said about 1,200 refugees have come to the hospital for treatment and he has been sending trucks into the capital to look for survivors with family who live near the hospital.
“We live in a place that is about as far from the capital as you can get and still be in Haiti and yet we have watched these very poor people trying desperately to figure out a way to get their family members out here so they can take care of them,” Leach said. “The truck drivers are less and less willing to [drive into the city] as the situation in Port deteriorates.”
Relief efforts are struggling to get essential relief supplies to hundreds of thousands of desperate people, but destroyed infrastructure and disorganization are hampering the effort. Officials are concerned that the desperation people feel will boil over into violence. Looters by the hundreds have been fighting each other with broken bottles, clubs and other weapons over whatever goods they can still find in damaged stores.

“Pray specifically for God to give those in control wisdom to direct the relief effort,” Leach said.


HAITI CONDITIONS BAD, BUT RELIEF PIPELINE OPENING

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Conditions on the ground in Haiti are very difficult, a member of Southern Baptists' joint assessment team reported from Port-au-Prince Jan. 20. A U.S. military commander, however, said important progress has been made on enlarging the conduit for relief shipments into the quake-ravaged island nation."We've seen quite a bit of damage – more so toward the center of the city," reported Jim Brown, U. S. director for Baptist Global Response, in a terse e-mail sent from his cell phone. "We've helped with a couple of deliveries. Helicopters everywhere. People still being found alive!"In another report, relayed to a meeting of the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Network, team member Bruce Poss indicated that traffic in Port-au-Prince is terrible and milling crowds are making travel and security serious concerns. He reported seeing 5,000 or more people lined up outside the US Embassy in the capital.The five-member team delivered relief supplies – water, plastic sheeting, bottled gas, beans, rice, eggs, diesel fuel, canned goods – to a couple of churches and orphanages, Brown said. They were planning to connect with a Florida Baptist assessment team later in the day.A U.S. military commander said the flow of relief supplies into Haiti would be helped by the opening of three new airfields and the country's seaport, news services reported. Gen. Douglas Fraser, who heads the U.S. Southern Command, told the Miami Herald newspaper the capital's seaport would reopen Jan. 21 and could accommodate about 150 shipping containers per day. The port's capacity is expected to grow to 250 containers per day by Jan. 22.The main airport in Port-au-Prince, which has one runway and one loading ramp, has been a bottleneck for the arrival of humanitarian aid, even after it was reopened. A total of 1,400 flights are backlogged to land at the airfield, Fraser said. Because congestion on the roads has been hindering delivery of relief supplies, 63 U.S. helicopters have been dropping water, food and medical supplies into the most inaccessible areas, he told the newspaper.The U.S. Military has distributed 1.4 million bottles of water, more than 700,00 meals, and about 22,000 pounds of medical supplies directly to people in need, Fraser said.As many as 2 million Haitians are homeless because of the Jan. 12 earthquake, relief officials say, with vast numbers of people living in makeshift tents made of sheets and sticks. The estimated death toll stands at 200,000, but humanitarian medical groups warn that number will continue to grow as people die of untreated injuries and disease that infects the ramshackle camps, news services report.Southern Baptist medical personnel who are willing to help in the relief effort can e-mail haitiresponse@imb.org to register their availability. Baptist state convention disaster relief offices also will be organizing teams of volunteers to help once the assessment teams have returned with strategic recommendations for the response.The Southern Baptist relief effort, like the one mounted after Hurricane Katrina and the South Asia tsunami, will be focused on the long term, Mickey Caison, who directs disaster operations for the North American Mission Board, told the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Network Jan. 20. Previous strategies have focused on short-term help for people being missed by large-scale humanitarian projects and a long-term emphasis on helping people rebuild their lives and communities.

Pray for Haiti

Dear Prayer Partners,

As many of you have watched the devastation of what happened in Haiti this past Tuesday, January 12, many of us have felt helpless and asked ourselves, "What can I do?" We wanted to share with you resources and prayer requests that we are receiving from our own mission organization. To our knowledge, all of our personnel are safe but dealing with much heartache in Haiti. I, Monica, have been to Haiti back in 1998 with Florida Women's Missionary Union as part of a Florida Baptist partnership and Haiti has definitely touched my heart in many ways. It was by far the worst devastated country I have ever seen personally (and yes, I live in a third world country even now in Africa) so I cannot imagine how this earthquake has devastated the country of Haiti even more. We know that prayer is the biggest support we can give to Haiti right now but we know they need financial and manpower resources for those that are able to assist them.

Here is an excellent website and related article that we highly recommend for folks to check out as well as prayer requests for Haiti:

Haiti relief assessment underway after quake
Jan. 13, 2010
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Southern Baptists are mobilizing to assess disaster relief needs after the largest earthquake in more than 200 years rocked Haiti the evening of Jan. 12.
The initial Southern Baptist disaster relief effort will be led by Florida Baptists, who have had ministry relationships in Haiti for more than 20 years and currently have six staff members who live and work in the country, said Jim Brown, U.S. director for Baptist Global Response. The Southern Baptist International Mission Board does not have long-term personnel stationed in the country.
The North American Mission Board’s disaster relief office is organizing an emergency consultation with state disaster relief directors to coordinate response to the catastrophe, Brown said. Disaster relief teams in Mississippi and Kentucky are on standby for immediate response.
An assessment team is being organized by Baptist Global Response, International Mission Board, North American Mission Board and state convention disaster relief directors to enter the country as soon as possible, Brown said. They will work with Haitian Baptists to identify immediate needs that must be addressed and will draft mid- and long-term plans for an ongoing relief effort.
Initial funding for the relief effort will come from the International Mission Board’s disaster relief fund. Contributions toward the relief effort also can be made at gobgr.org.
The 7.0 magnitude tremor hit 10 miles from the center of Port-au-Prince, a city of 3 million people, at around 5 p.m. Jan. 12, according to news reports. One source said the quake could be felt more than 200 miles away. The earthquake triggered a tsunami watch for Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
Multiple strong aftershocks continued to rock the country after the initial tremor, said David Brown, who with his wife, Jo, directs Baptist Global Response work in the Americas. Reports from inside the country indicate infrastructure and many buildings suffered catastrophic damage. The main airport is closed; power and communications are down and security is a serious concern. Specialized search and rescue teams and military units from several countries are being rushed into Haiti to help secure the situation and begin relief efforts.
Apart from donating to the disaster relief fund, concerned individuals can help greatly by joining in focused prayer for Haiti’s 9 million people, more than 80 percent of whom live below the poverty line, David Brown said.
“Please pray for us as we assess and monitor the situation in Haiti after the 7.0 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks this evening,” Brown said. “The initial information indicates 2 million people in Port-au-Prince are directly affected. Please pray for victims and their families. Pray for wisdom as responses are initiated.”
The situation in Haiti is very fluid and additional information will continue to flow in on a daily basis, Brown said. Updates will be released as new information becomes available.

-----To donate to BGR's Disaster Response fund, click here. or www.baptistglobalresponse.com - an excellent resource of information on keeping up with Haiti as well as needs all around the world!!!

Or you can always check out our mission organization's main website for more information as well: International Mission Board - www.imb.org

Prayer Requests:
HAITI. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust’” (Psalm 91:1-2, NKJV). With the devastating situation in neighboring Haiti, personnel in the Dominican Republic have requested help in post-trauma counseling and training in the area of spiritual support. Since this is such a critical need in Haiti, training will be held next week in the Dominican Republic. Please pray for the trainers as they travel and prepare the materials for the conference. Ask God for the emotional health of personnel as they confront the dire needs. Pray also for those who will receive counseling and training as they share God’s love with a nation that is in deep spiritual darkness.
INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS PRAYERLINEIMBFriday, January 15, 2010
"The LORD reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He is enthroned above the cherubim. Let the earth quake. .Exalt the LORD our God; bow in worship at His footstool. He is holy" (Psalm 99:1, 5, HCSB).

What is different about us? About Christians? Just like our neighbors this week, we have heard numerous stories about the horrendous events in Haiti. We watch news clips, read twitter and blog reports-we gather information to be aware of what is going on in the world. Just like our neighbors, our hearts have been broken for the people of Haiti. But what is different about us?
The difference is that we know the One who is able to help. We all have opportunity to give and many will be able to assist physically by going. But we Christians do not have to wait a single minute to send aid. We don't have to look in our wallets to see if there is any money to send. We can talk to our Lord immediately, begging for His mercy throughout these days of recovery.
Please take every opportunity to lift the Haitian people to our heavenly Father, asking in these earliest days that He will fill the people with a sense of calm and unity of purpose. Gunshots have been heard on the streets, but violence will obviously not improve the situation. Ask the Lord to comfort the frightened. Many are sleeping on the streets even though their homes have not been damaged. They sense no hope for the future.
Intercede for the initial responders who have worked diligently through the long hours, praying that they will find rest in Him. Ask God to provide unexpected ways for aid workers to get through the destroyed roads so that they can provide necessary supplies.
Lift up Haitian Christians who are striving to serve others while grieving their own losses. Plead for them to have God's mighty endurance and vision as they love their neighbors through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Exalt the Lord our God and pray that His holiness will be demonstrated throughout Haiti.

Thank you for your faithful prayer support!!!
Serving Jesus in Swaziland,
Steven, Monica, Lacie and Nathan Allen