February 27, 2011

February prayer update

We realize it has been awhile since you have heard from us but we are still pressing on. In the past several weeks, our family has been adjusting to the new school schedule/activities (feel like Mom's taxi!), three out of four of us were hit with the flu for several days, busy with ministry and dealing with life in Swaziland (phone out, internet down, getting things fixed, learning to wait). We look foward to all God has planned for our lives in the coming weeks.

Praises:
- God is continuing to bring folks across our paths that need to accept Jesus into their lives. May all these new believers press on in their new walks with Jesus.

- We were able to baptize 9 people in the last month and several more are awaiting baptism, including our own daughter, Lacie.

- Steven started a new discipleship group with one of our churches to encourage them each week. The group consists of about 12 women that faithfully keep Peace Baptist Church going each week.

- Steven finally was able to do a prayer drive to check out a couple new areas for ministry. He came to a fork in the road and asked the folks along the road which was was better to go. He ended up on a road that took him about 1.5 hours away from our house. He said it was a good prayer drive but no open doors at this time. Steven hopes to check out another area soon.

- We have had LOTS of rain and enjoying cooler temps!

- Thank you to everyone that sent birthday greetings to Monica!

- Lacie and Nathan are enjoying their new schools and meeting lots of new friends. Nathan only goes Monday and Wednesday mornings, although he would love to go every day. Not yet!

Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Steven as he is currently teaching at three different Bible studies each week as well as a different church each Sunday to encourage our Swazi believers. Pray he is able to get the "office" time he needs to accomplish all God wants him to do each week.

- We have a few volunteer teams coming to serve with us in Swaziland in coming months. Pray for their preparations as well as open hearts for the Swazis during their time in Swaziland. Clear Creek Baptist College is coming in May, Hunter Johnson and Katy Hallock are coming in May/June, First Baptist Church of Washington, North Carolina are coming in June, Pastor of FBC Washington, NC and his wife (Jimmy and Karen Moore) are coming to Swaziland in July for part of his sabbatical leave, some of the camp staff of Camp Worldlight (Florida GA/Acteens camp) are coming in late July/August and there might be more! :)

- We will be attending our annual missionary meeting in Johannesburg March 30 - April 4 (our family is leaving on the afternoon of April 3 so Lacie does not miss another day of school). Pray for all the missionaries traveling from various parts of Southern Africa, including some of the islands, to this important meeting. Pray for First Baptist Orlando as they bring their pastor and team to share in worship as well as teach classes for all our missionary kids.

- Pray for our Baptist Convention of Swaziland as they are busy planning for our National Easter Services in April. A venue has been located, which is usually one of the hardest items to accomplish. The services are from Thursday - Sunday and a chance for many of our churches to come together for the Easter holidays. May the true meaning of Easter be shared and lives changed for eternity. Pray for all the logistical items still needed to be finalized.

- Nathan will have his 3rd birthday on March 7. Pray for a special day for our little bubba!

- Our crate from the USA has made it to African soil but it is in a warehouse in Durban. There has been a trucker strike in South Africa and we need one of those trucks to deliver it to Swaziland. Pray it is resolved soon and if possible, in time for Nathan's birthday!

- On March 2 and 3 (this Wednesday and Thursday), Lacie and I will be going to Johannesburg for updated appointments for Lacie's ears. She will be having an updated hearing test, CAT scan on her left ear and an appointment with the ENT doctor. Pray all the appointments go well, safety as we travel and our boys do well staying back in Swaziland. We plan to schedule a corrective surgery for Lacie in April. Side note: Lacie was born with an extra bone near her eardrum in her left ear causing what the ENT doctor thinks is her 30% hearing loss. It is now enough of a different in Lacie hearing similar words as she is reading more.

As alwasy, thank you for your faithful prayer support!