Saturday 28 Feb

Ezekiel 34:2b-4

“…thus says the Lord to the shepherds; Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

KGARI – SECHELE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Molepolole

Background information gathered in 2008

Students had problem with low self esteem
Some students had sexual relationships with teachers in order to get good grades.
A double shift school

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Sexual exploitation by teachers Sexual relationships between the young and the old (sugar daddies and sugar mummies) is becoming common. Pray that these perpetrators will be exposed and brought to book.

Friday 27 Feb

Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

MOLEFI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION
Mochudi

Background information gathered in 2008

A warm welcome from the staff
Students had an attitude problems especially lack of respect for teachers. This made it difficult to teach the students
Pray for cooperation between teachers and students.
There are a number of deaf students in this school. This created a challenge in making the lessons effective for these students
Female volunteers faced challenges from male teachers who were making moves on them

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Homosexuality This largely goes against Setswana culture but is definitely in existence and more prevalent in some areas than others. It is not out in the open, as in many western countries. Pray against this sin that God clearly hates. Pray that God’s view of sexuality would be restored.

Thursday 26 Feb

Romans 12:9-10

“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honour giving preference to one another”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

MOEDING COLLEGE
SOUTH REGION
Otse

Background information gathered in 2008

Students had many relationship problems. (Sexual immorality)
Students felt hopeless about their future
Boarding students, in particular, faced problems of peer pressure
Some students opened up to the volunteers about rape experiences.
A club called “Stitch the Wound” was established in 2007 and revived in 2008
The school was in the news with wide reports of bullying
Volunteers were not given enough classes and were not allowed to counsel with students; they ended up moving to Goodhope
Sunday services are short and the Chaplain is not allowed to preach for more than 15 minutes.

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Sexual exploitation by family members This is a wide spread problem in the extended family. While none will actively condone it, few will confront it or even report it. It is a secret that must be shamefully borne. Pray that victims and community leaders alike will speak out against and deal with this practice.

Volunteers’ applications has Stated!
Planning is well under way. Our teaching curriculum for our volunteers, to take into the schools, is complete. Application forms for volunteers are now available at the Baptist student Centre or at Open Baptist Church. The closing date for application is March the 31st 2009.

Funding
We have however faced some challenges. We are working with NACA (National AIDS Coordinating Agency) to receive funding from the government. Please be in pray about this, as the next few weeks will be decision making time for the powers that be.

Reduced Training Period For The Volunteers
Several weeks ago the students at the University of Botswana (UB) went on strike and the university was closed for 2 weeks. The vast majority of our volunteers come from UB. Due to class time missed, the year end semester has been extended. This has had a direct impact on FTN, as we start with the School of Discipleship as soon as exams finish. This has meant that we have had to condense a 5 week program into 3 weeks.

3 former Volunteers Become Facilitators!
Our leadership training for our 5 new Facilitators and 2 new Rally Team leaders began on Monday 23 February and will conclude on 6 March. Three of leaders being training were FTN volunteers in 2008. We are so encouraged by this!

We are excited to have some ardent supporters of Face The Nation here with us to conduct the bulk of this training. They are Donna Chisam (TIME Ministries) Terry and Mary-Lou Herald (Whiteburg Baptist Church, Huntsville, Alabama) and Joel Carwile (Valley View Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky). Please pray for us and this training over the next 2 weeks.

Director Retires and Ushers in a New Director
In December David Odhuno, who has ably led the program for the past 2 years resigned. This was not unexpected. David was seconded to Face The Nation by Navigators, Botswana. Their work has grown sufficiently that he is now needed full time developing this ministry. We praise God that he has raised up another godly man to take David’s place. Modise Mokgwathise, a citizen of Botswana, was a facilitator with Face The Nation in 2008 is fitting in well as the new Director.

Additional of a Facilitator to Office Staff
We also welcomed onto our staff Maria Phiri. Maria was also a facilitator in 2008. She is an experienced teacher and has come on board to develop the curriculum, teaching kits and to help leader to the newly appointed facilitators for 2009.

Wednesday 25 Feb

Psalm 68:1-3

“Let God arise, let His enemies be scattered; let those also who hate Him flee before Him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away, as wax melts before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God; Yes let them rejoice exceedingly.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

KAGISO SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
SOUTH REGION
Ramotswa

Background information gathered in 2008

• There was a report of Satanism in the school.
• There are some students with disabilities in the schools. They could not necessarily gain the full benefit of the lessons. There is a need to sensitize our volunteers to work with these students, as persons with disabilities are much more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS
• Received extremely favorable welcome from the village chief.
• Alcohol abuse
• Sexual immorality was reported

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Witchcraft Pray against witchcraft, which is still very prevalent in some communities. The volunteers saw the crippling effects that cursing has on families and individuals.

Tuesday 24 Feb

2 Timothy 4:3-4

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

ST JOSEPHS COLLEGE
SOUTH REGION
Gaborone

Background information gathered in 2008

• School authorities supported FTN and invited us after active phase to address staff members on behavioral change and marriage
• Some teachers felt that volunteers were teaching impractical if not impossible methods
• Students asked lots of questions not really wanting to know the truth but wanted to know if volunteers had their facts right.

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Humanism and New Age With the fairly recent wide exposure to TV and sense of the global village there has been an increase in the thinking and practices of humanism and New Age. Both of these philosophies promote that there is a god in each of us. This thinking is far more prevalent in the urban areas. Pray that the lies of these teachings will be exposed and replaced with the truth of the gospel.

Monday 23 Feb
Ezekiel 36:26-27

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you will keep my commandments and do them”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

NALEDI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
SOUTH REGION
Gaborone

Background information gathered in 2008

• Many students expressed a lack of care and support at home
• A number of female students have “sugar daddies”
• Students needed people that they could trust and open up to for help.
• Peer mentoring made a difference in many students’ lives
• Abstinence club was started and a good number of students registered
• Volunteers often had to forego their classes because they were given to UB interns for assessment.

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY
Passion killings Pray against the rise of passion killings amongst the youth of Botswana. Pray that there would be an understanding that violence and death are not answers to unresolved conflict and misplaced love. Ask God to give youth a new spirit and cause them to walk in His statutes.

Sunday 22 Feb

1 Corinthians 6:13-18

“Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for the food, but God will destroy them both. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

LEDUMANG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
SOUTH-CENTRAL REGION
Gaborone

Background information gathered in 2008

• The school was welcoming and supportive to the students.
• Many students felt they could replace sex with masturbation.
• Students faced problems with their studies and felt they needed extra tutorials
• Many students were rebellious and angry. They blamed difficult family circumstances to this, especially a lack of family support

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Masturbation Masturbation is a growing problem, which is being promoted by some youth organisations. The thinking is “Well at least I’m not getting someone pregnant, getting or passing on an STI.” In some Senior Secondary Schools there are DIY Clubs (Do it yourself/ masturbation clubs) Research has shown that masturbation can have devastating effects on a persons view of sexuality. It may provide some physical protection but not emotional, spiritual or psychological protection of one’s sexuality. Pray that the lie that it is safe will not be perpetrated. Pray for the volunteers as they address this tough and sensitive issue.