Thank you for joining in the prayer journey to Swaziland with us! It has been a joy to partner with you in prayer over every aspect of this mission trip to the eS’Khaleni CarePoint.

Currently, the return flight is approximately 4.5 hours away from the Atlanta airport over the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The team has been on this flight from Johannesburg for over 11 hours. Pray for continued safety as they make a connecting flight in Atlanta and return to Birmingham around 8:30 a.m. this morning. Pray for each team member as they recover from long hours of travel. Pray also for each team member as they process the experience and adjust back to their everyday routine here. Pray that we will all be supportive and reaffirming as friends and family members.

Philippians 1:3-53 “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now"

Our mission team is well into their 10th day of the journey to Swaziland and back, having traveled thousands of miles. They have covered a lot of ground geographically, culturally, economically and spiritually. What they have seen and experienced will undoubtedly change their lives forever. While we are so eternally grateful for what God has done in and through them, the exhaustion may make the journey home quite challenging.

Pray for complete strength for our family members & friends traveling home today. Pray that they experience spiritual and emotional renewal as they mentally “unpack” the experience. Pray for continued safety as they head to the Johannesburg airport this evening for the flight home.

Psalm 51:1-12

“10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, 
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence 
or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation 
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.“

Exodus 20:8 reminds us to “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”  Let us start our day in prayer, lifting up the Journey mission team as they pack up to leave the eS’Khaleni CarePoint and begin their journey home:

Heavenly Father, Creator, Redeemer and Friend...we praise your precious and holy name! You are an awesome God and we thank you for this Sabbath day.

Thank you for our husbands, wives, dads, moms, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters & friends that committed this past week to service in Swaziland for your honor and glory. Lord they have sewn the seeds of your Word and we ask that you would reap the harvest in accordance with your will. We ask that you would bless each team member as they begin the long journey home today. As they travel out of the Nsoko Region and into South Africa for a worship service with You, lift their hearts. Fill them with a peace about leaving by knowing that you are in control. Meet with them, oh God, in a powerful, mighty way this morning as they worship You!

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.”

Today is the last day at the actual CarePoint for our team.  It will be the “Celebration Day” for all of the kids and the "community" in the area. It is the culmination of a week spent planting seeds and training workers for the harvest. All of the preliminary reports sent through wi-fi connection this week convey that God’s love and word have been and are continuing to be planted at eS’Khaleni!

As exciting as the good news is, the reality of the situation is difficult to wrap our minds around. When we consider that 2/3 of the world lives on $2 per day, we begin to wonder why we were born where we were. Or why these children whose faces we have grown to love were born where they were. Although we will never know the answer to that question here on earth, our Heavenly Father reminds us in Proverbs 22:2 “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all.”

Let’s pray today that our experience and interaction with the people at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint will cause us to do all we can to help our friends in need. Pray that we would be much more thankful for the abundance in our lives; and that we would use the overflow to bless others instead of keeping it for ourselves.

Hebrews 13:5

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 
“Never will I leave you; 
never will I forsake you.”

The Journey Mission Team is entering the fourth full day of activities with the children in Swaziland today, Friday, July 29th.  Undoubtedly, their entire being has been shaken to the core by the very experience.  The team has been busy teaching, playing, constructing and loving since they arrived on Monday.

While we pray that an intense mission trip like this one would be life-changing, as friends and family we worry at the same time about the toll on the body, mind and spirit.  As some of the group members continue to labor at the CarePoint today, others will embark on a journey alongside some of the children to experience their "commute" on foot to school and back.  It has been reported that this trip/hike will take hours.

Pray that each person would press on through the physical, mental & spiritual exhaustion.  Pray that they would focus on Jesus as they continue to share the love of Christ with the men, women and children of Swaziland.  Use the following passage from Isaiah as you pray for renewed strength for the team.

Isaiah 40:28-31

28 Do you not know?

Have you not heard?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,

and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the Lord

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

In Psalm 62 God is described as a fortress where we can take refuge (v.2 “He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken”). This chapter also talks about depending on God at all times and trusting Him always (v.5 “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; 
my hope comes from him” and v.8 “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge”).

The awesome news is that in addition to this strong and mighty comforter that we can take refuge in, we get to experience life knowing God loves us! The love and comfort God shares with us is so overflowing we can’t keep it to ourselves!

As you read through the scripture below, pray that our Swaziland mission team members would find ways to share God’s comfort with the people they encounter during this trip as a result of the love of Christ flowing through them.  Pray that lives would be changed in Swaziland as God uses our friends and family to convey His love to them!

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."

Over the past 3 weeks we have prayed together as a group for many different aspects of the Journey mission trip and team as they minister to the men, women and children of Swaziland. As the team approaches their second full day of service, their devotion time focuses on one of the most essential virtues when sharing the love of Christ with others -- humility.

Some of the definitions of humility include “lowly, weak, modest; not lofty, not pretentious, not proud, not arrogant.” Jesus was the ultimate example of true humility and only when we follow His example can we serve others in a way that will convey the love of God.

Let’s join together today and pray that each team member would humble themselves before the Lord seeking his guidance in what they say & do to spread the gospel. Also pray that each team member would serve with true humility so that others would come to know Christ as their Savior.

Philippians 2:3-8 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, 
he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!"

Psalm 25:8 “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”:

When we offer ourselves for service, we have the opportunity to be used by God for His purposes. In service to Him we often plan for the expected circumstances, but what do we do when things change dramatically? Hopefully, we would be receptive to change and flexibility and continue to persevere.

God has called each of our mission team members to serve in the unique place that is Nsoko at this specific place and time. If you have read the Facebook post from Todd in Journey Bham this morning, you know that today it is raining. It has not rained in this part of Africa since January and when it does, the children typically stay inside. Additionally, the team cannot make it to the CarePoint on this first day of planned activities because of the mud. They will, however, be able to share, teach, sing and play in one of the local schools in the Nsoko region.

Today, pray specifically for

**patience and flexibility as the team faces challenging circumstances and a complete change of plans.

**strengthened trust and dependence on God for knowing what to say and do and for providing everything that they need.

**wisdom and courage in knowing the right things to say and do as they continue to be visible testimonies of the love and compassion of Christ.

1 Timothy 4:11-16  Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.  Watch your life and doctrine closely.  Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

Children’s HopeChest and Adventures in Missions are two organizations that partner together in Swaziland to create self-sustaining ministries that are Swazi run and initiated. According to their website: “Both organizations collaborate daily with local Swazi pastors to ensure that the orphan’s medical, physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs are met.  Pastors in Swaziland oversee many of our ground programs and are the fire behind development.  (We) highly value these relationships with local leaders.”

Pray specifically today for the local pastor(s) at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint. Pray that the local leaders would be encouraged and feel supported as our mission team members work alongside them this week. Finally, pray that everyone would serve with humility so that the love of Christ would shine!

Philippians 2:1-4 “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like‑minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

We all know it; we all believe it; we all readily claim it.   “God is in control.”  Yet how often do we find ourselves frustrated and fearful when plans don’t unfold the way we think they should? A case in point would be the experience that our Journey mission team encountered at the Birmingham airport yesterday.  The flight that they anticipated would take them to make the connection in Atlanta was completely cancelled due to “mechanical difficulties.”   Wow.

Most of the team members probably expected encounters with obstacles and challenges in the midst of this journey, just as we do each and every day in life. But as God’s people, how do we handle them? Do we grumble about how things didn’t go as planned or do we focus on discerning God’s will for the given situation? What a way to start a mission trip! Plans were made to fly to Atlanta but God had a much different plan in mind -- shuttle bus it would be!!

Let’s pray this morning that the team members and those supporting them from home will ask God to reveal what His good and perfect will is for the trip to the eS’Khaleni CarePoint. Our human nature would automatically point toward a smooth, easy ride when that may not be what God has in mind at all!

Jeremiah 32:27  “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?"

During our 30 Day Prayer Emphasis for our Journey mission trip to the eS’Khaleni CarePoint, we have prayed and submitted to the Lord twenty days of affirmation, thanksgiving and supplication. Today we confess our worldly fears: stepping foot on an airplane; traveling long hours; being in a land so far away from home & family; contaminated water; lions; spiders, etc. Today, let’s ask God to take total control of the entire journey.

The team was given a mission journal with a devotion and lesson each day. Today’s title is “Fear Not!” While the team is on the very long flight to South Africa, the devotion will be a reminder that we often worry unnecessarily when, in fact, we should be relying on our perfect all-knowing God. Pray for safe travel and for hearts that are not anxious or afraid.

Joshua 1:7-9  “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

The countdown is almost over – the team heads to the airport tomorrow to begin the journey to Swaziland.  We’re thankful for and excited about the opportunities we will have to serve Christ; but a million questions go through our minds about preparation, packing, schedules, safety, our families, our homes, our jobs, people we will meet, wild animals we hope not to meet, HIV, and everything else in between.

Praise God for providing the single answer to all of our questions and anxieties: Christ. Pray for the hearts of the team to be filled with the peace and comfort of Christ, confident in the knowledge that God has gone before us and prepared everything we will need.  Ask that each team member be given patience and wisdom to trust in God’s plans and schedules, rather than our own.  Pray that we will put our trust solely in God and be completely dependent on His provision.  Praise Him for inviting us on His journey to Swaziland.

Philippians 4:7  "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

We praise God for the people who hear God’s call and “go.” We should also, however, give thanks to God for the people who “send.” While we are all commanded to help spread the good news to all nations, not every person is called to go on every single mission trip. Instead, God calls some to go and invites many others to help send them by supporting, equipping and praying for them.

The opportunity to serve at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint would not be possible without the support of many people who are staying behind.  Pray for each of the wives, husbands, children, parents, siblings, etc. who are sending their loved ones to Swaziland. Pray that their hearts are comforted by the knowledge that God is in control and that He will watch over and care for the team during their journey. Pray also that they will feel the joy and fulfillment because they have enabled others to be obedient to God’ s commands.

Acts 13:3 “So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.”

Who will care for the widows and orphans in Swaziland?  When surrounded by the comforts and blessings of our homes and our country, it would be easy to say:  Africa is too far away; it’s too hard to get to; there are other things to spend time and money on; the problems there are too big and we’re too small; a small group from Birmingham, Alabama can’t make a difference on the other side of the world.  These are not, however, the views of Christ.

The 30 people traveling to Swaziland have been given the honor and blessing to be the hands and feet of Christ in Swaziland.  God is already at work at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint and He has called these people to go in His name and join in.  He has provided the resources for the trip and will overcome the obstacles that might stand in the way. 

Pray that each person on the trip will feel and experience God’s love and direction and that, in turn, they can reflect the image of Christ to the people they encounter.  Praise God for allowing this team to participate with Him.  Ask that God will guide the team throughout the week and that God’s handiwork will be visible in all they do. 

Matthew 28:19  "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

The needs of the children at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint in Swaziland are overwhelming.  God has placed people and organizations in place to help but they do not have the resources and funding necessary.  A mission team from our family of faith visited the CarePoint last year and saw first hand the wonderful activities taking place for the children and the hard work being done by the Gogos.  They also witnessed the harsh conditions and weather at the CarePoint.  Simple structures that provide shade and shelter would enable the locals to serve God in even mightier ways but the cost for construction of these structures is far out of reach for them.

Earlier this year, our family of faith asked our community to consider making sacrificial gifts and donations toward two construction projects at the CarePoint -- a covered area for children's discipleship activities and a shelter for the Gogo’s cooking area.  We hoped to raise $20,000 to help pay for these projects, an optimistic goal considering that these gifts were to be in addition to regular tithes and existing commitments to church projects.  God’s spirit touched many generous people and our small family of faith gave approximately $25,000, enough to pay for both projects.  Construction began on the new area for the children’s activities several weeks ago and should be completed when our team arrives next week.  We will be able to help dedicate and commission the new area and perhaps help with the construction for the cooking area.

Praise God for providing both the call and the resources to give.  Give thanks for the people who were willing to make financial sacrifices to help God’s will be revealed at the eS'Khaleni CarePoint.  Pray for the workers who labor at the CarePoint and, most of all, lift everything being done at the CarePoint up to God and ask that it be used for His honor and glory. 

2 Corinthians 9:7  Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

A sponsorship through Children’s HopeChest is a small monthly financial commitment of $34.00 per month, approximately the cost of one dinner out for a family of four. The money is used to provide for the physical, medical, educational, emotional and spiritual needs of an orphan at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint in Swaziland. In addition to the daily nutrition and spiritual support, a Christmas gift and a birthday gift are provided for the child through the sponsorship funds. Our family of faith currently sponsors more than 30 children at the CarePoint; there are many more children waiting for sponsors.

New sponsors through Children’s HopeChest are given a photograph and some basic demographic information about the child. Sponsors are encouraged to write occasional letters of encouragement and, if possible, support mission opportunities at the CarePoint.

Please pray that God will use sponsors to help provide for the orphans. Pray that the children will see the demonstration of Christ’s love through the sponsors. Praise God for providing the current sponsors and pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the hearts of many new sponsors.

John 21:17 “Jesus said, Feed my sheep.”

With the anticipation & excitement of the mission trip growing, it would be very easy to get lost in all of the activities, plans and programs focusing on “doing good” rather than staying focused on serving God. The purpose of the Devotion Team is to develop and share devotions and prayer guides to help ensure that the team remains focused on God and His will for the team and His will for the people at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint.

The first responsibility of the Devotion Team was to put this 30 Day Prayer Emphasis in place so that team members and supporters could participate in lifting up every aspect of this trip to God. The second responsibility of the Devotion Team has been to write and compile a Mission Journal to be given to each team member so that they might be unified in their focus, prayers and thoughts.

Pray that the team members would be receptive as God's Word is revealed to them.  Pray for changed hearts that are drawn closer to Him.

Colossians 3:16  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

Our Journey faith family has partnered with Children’s HopeChest in Swaziland to provide more than 30 children with daily feeding, medical treatment, training and Christian discipleship to help address medical, physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs.  During the visit to the eS’Khaleni CarePoint, our team hopes to make personal connections with the children being sponsored and provide them with letters and pictures from their sponsors.  The Swaziland Sponsorship Team hopes to bring back new information about all the children at the CarePoint and help match each child to a sponsor.

Pray that the Sponsorship Team is able to express to the children the love and compassion of Christ and their sponsors.  Praise God for the opportunity to help support the children through the programs with Children’s HopeChest.  To help find sponsors for all the children at the CarePoint, pray that the team is given both the opportunity and the discernment to gather information about each child in ways that are always respectful and appropriate.  

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

In his or her own way, each person going on the mission trip will tell the story of Christ and His love for the people at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint.  The Swazi people, in turn, have a story to tell us.  These stories will be told through the faces seen, through the planned activities and through the unexpected experiences along the way.  “A picture paints a thousand words”, especially when language and cultural differences make speaking and writing difficult.  To help bring back the story of the Swaziland mission trip and to help us communicate the experience of watching God’s plan unfold throughout the trip, a team will bring video and photography equipment to paint the words of God’s love for all of us to see and remember.

Pray that the team is able to capture images that reflect God’s glory and compassion.  Pray that all of the equipment works as needed and pray that the team is given the wisdom and discernment to use our technologies at the right times and in the right manner so that our efforts are always respectful and appropriate.  May God grant each team member pure, prepared hearts for service. 

Psalm 34:5  “They looked to Him and were radiant”

God has provided several new additions to the CarePoint during the past year: a fence around the property, a well for drinking water and a “kitchen” area for storing food supplies.  Recently, our family of faith has helped provide some of the resources and funding for a new structure that will provide a large covered area that could be used as space for a church plant and on-going activities for the children.  Our team hopes to work alongside the local laborers to finish the new structure and plans to help build a new covered area for the Gogos to use as a shelter from the elements while cooking.

Pray that the team will have opportunities to work with the locals on projects for the CarePoint.  We ask God's blessings and safety for the local laborers and also pray that our team may be able to encourage and strengthen them.  Praise God for the opportunity to use hard work as a way to bring Him honor and glory in Swaziland.

Proverbs 16:3  “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

 One of the teams going on this mission trip to Swaziland is working on plans to specifically serve, love and teach the women at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint.  They are making the intentional effort to make the Gogos and the women caregivers feel special and appreciated.  They bear a heavy burden each and every day and the intent or goal of the Women’s Team is to show them in a special and personal way not only our appreciation for what they do but also the love of Christ that sustains them.

Please pray for wisdom, compassion and discernment for each member of the Women’s Team.  Also pray that the Gogos/women of the CarePoint will have receptive hearts.

Deuteronomy 10:18  “He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.”

The primary purpose of the entire mission trip to Swaziland is focused on the children they will meet at the eS’Khaleni CarePoint.  To help with the planning and preparation for the trip the group was broken down into teams, each with a specific area of focus.  Everyone, however, is going to be directly involved in showing the love of Christ to the children.  

The Children’s Ministry Team is responsible for the planning and preparation for five days of Bible School at the CarePoint.  Team members have volunteered to help lead activities for teaching, crafts, art, drama, music, and recreation. The volunteers in each of these areas need your prayers.  Please pray that the Children’s Ministry Team is able to show the love of Christ to the children.  Pray that God guides their preparations and gives them the discernment to follow His direction.

Mark 9:37  “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” 

As each team member continues to prepare physically, emotionally and spiritually for the mission trip ahead, pray that each person would be ready to go without preconceived notions or expectations about what God wants them to accomplish.  Our prayer would be that each person would come from a place of humility, ready to serve as God leads without regard for agendas, schedules or checklists.

Pray for a spirit of flexibility to face any challenges that may arise, as well as the ability to realize that what we might perceive to be an obstacle may actually be God directing the team down a different path.  May God grant each team member a pure, prepared heart for service. 

Psalms 51:10  “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Many people are working hard making final plans for the upcoming trip.  With less than two weeks left, planning preparing and packing are at full throttle!

Pray today that each team member would remain first and foremost focused on Jesus as they work through the final details for the mission trip.  Pray that the following prayer from the book Moments with the Savior by Ken Gire will be the prayer of each team member as well as each of us praying for them.

"Forgive me for being so much distracted by my preparations and so little attracted by your presence.  For being so diligent in my service and so negligent in my devotion.  For being so quick to my feet and so slow to yours."

Luke 10: 38-42  As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.  But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.  She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?Tell her to help me!"

     "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Please pray for the planning & provision for the constructed structures that the mission team will work on at the eS'Khaleni CarePoint. Since last year, other visiting teams have worked on a large, outdoor covered area that will be used as a space for a church plant and on-going discipleship for the children.  Additionally, the constructed "kitchen" has become more of a supply hut and plans are underway for the team to construct a small, covered outdoor cooking area for the Gogos to use.  Ideally, concrete flooring would be included in this cooking area if many factors come together to make it possible.

Obviously, there are many things to pray for:  wisdom for the planners of the group; strength and safety of the laborers; suitable weather for working; durability of the construction; etc.  Join the team in prayer as they seek Gods direction regarding construction.

1 Corinthians 15:58  "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Lift up your prayers of thanksgiving and praise for all of the work already accomplished at the eS'Khaleni CarePoint.  God brought together leaders, workers and volunteers at the right time and provided the resources to accomplish His greater purpose.

Over the past year or two, God's people have:

--built a fence around the CarePoint

--dug a well providing water for the community

--constructed a "kitchen area" providing daily feedings for the children

--finished outhouses

--provided leaders for weekly discipleship

--made plans for a church to be planted

--provided financial sponsorships for the community

Thank the Lord our God for all of the seeds previously planted and for the opportunity to witness the fruits of those labors.

1 Chronicles 16:8  "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done."

The eS'Khaleni CarePoint is in the Nsoko region of Swaziland.  The team from last year reported that it was one of the most beautiful, scenic areas they had ever seen.  Unfortunately, the area also suffers from a long list of hardships and problems.  

The area continues to suffer the effects of a multi-year drought.  Nsoko is also one of the regions in Swaziland that has been hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, exacerbated by the shortage of healthcare in the region. Other challenges are the amount of child prostitution due to the proximity of a nearby army base and on-going hunger and unemployment in the area.

In the midst of this harsh environment, the eS'Khaleni CarePoint is an approximately 4 acre refuge at the base of a mountain that until now had been greatly underserved.  Pray that God will allow the eS'Khaleni CarePoint to grow and to become more firmly established so that the people of the area will receive physical and spiritual nourishment.

Psalm 24:1  "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

Our Journey family of faith now sponsors 30+ children at the eS'Khaleni CarePoint through the "community-to-community" program of Children's HopeChest.  According to the organization's website "....the goal is to give every orphan the chance to succeed in their home culture and know God through a personal relationship with Jesus."

Last year, an average of 44 children came to our CarePoint each day for food, games, crafts, songs, and Bible stories.  Over 100 children attended the celebration party at the end of the visit.

Please pray that the children will experience the love of Christ as our team ministers to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.  Also pray that these children will be receptive to the message of love and hope through Christ.

Mark 10:14 "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." 

Gogo...... [goh-goh] –noun.

               grandmother

In her book "Gogo's Dream: Swaziland Discovered," Linda Neas refers to the Gogos as follows:

 ".....I had been moved by the stories of the Gogos (grandmothers) who have suffered so much in watching their children die of AIDS. Too often, they are left with their grandchildren to raise with little to no income, their own health issues, and inadequate housing, yet they persevere."

Please pray today for the physical, emotional and spiritul health of each of the Gogos not only at the eS'Khaleni CarePoint but all across Swaziland as well.

James 1:27 "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."  Matthew 9:37-38

Pray for the local missionaries we will be partnering with, including Jumbo Gerber, whose father passed away recently.  Jumbo is part of the Children's HopeChest team and serves as the Country Director who oversees the finances and the development within the sponsored communities in Swaziland.

Pray for Jumbo's wife Kriek, who serves as Sponsorship Coordinator managing all of the Disciplers and the ministry with the children on a daily basis.

Pray for more locals to become followers of Christ and actively involved in the eS'Khaleni CarePoint.

7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  Matthew 7:7-8

Please join us for thirty days of prayer for the works God is doing for the children at the es’Khaleni CarePoint in Swaziland.

Swaziland is a tiny African country with a population of approximately 900,000. Because of the HIV/AIDS pandemic and abject poverty, the average life expectancy in Swaziland is 28 years and has left an orphan population of approximately 120,000 children. Our Journey faith family has partnered with Children’s HopeChest in Swaziland to provide more than 30 children with daily feeding, medical treatment, training and Christian discipleship to help address medical, physical, educational, emotional, and spiritual needs.

From July 23 through August 2, a team of 30 people will be traveling from Birmingham, Alabama to the es’Khaleni CarePoint to spend time with the children and to help with several construction projects.

Please lift up your praises to God for leading us to intersect with the people in Swaziland. Give thanks that he created the opportunity for us to serve at this unique place and time. We are grateful for the chance to be found faithful to God’s call on the other side of the world.