Welcome to the family Baby Violet ...

Congratulations to my cousin Chad, and his wife Lorie, and the entire Jordan Family, on the birth of their new daughter, Violet Jane Jordan, weighing in at 8 lbs. 13.5 ounces. Baby Violet is also blessed to have an older brother and sister who will take good care of her!

Warren's Update - April 2009

Greetings from warm and sunny Tshaneni!

It's hard to believe April is already here, and that Easter is just around the corner ... seems like yesterday we were celebrating Christmas! It's been almost 3 months since moving to our area of ministry, and God continues to keep us in awe. He has opened so many doors here in such a short time. We are now "settled in" you could say, and feel at home here, but at the same time still experiencing many "firsts" .... I'm sure we will continue to have those as long as we are here!

This past month found us taking our first trip to the US Embassy in our capital city, playing "hide and seek" with a giraffe on the way home one afternoon, Bert being invited to become part of a local businessmen's weekly bible study in Simunye, and in preparing for our next volunteer team, visiting a new area in the Lubombo region, Siteki, and meeting a wonderful man of God, Pastor Sigwane. There will be many more "firsts" to follow in April too .... we will have the opportunity to meet with Ms. Kelly Woody, Swaziland's True Love Waits International consultant (April 6-8), attend the Swazi Baptist National Easter Services (April 9-12), travel to Johannesburg for our first Southern Sectional Meeting (April 15-20), and last but not least, welcome and serve alongside new friends from the South Roanoke Baptist Association's volunteer team from North Carolina (April 22-30). We will also have to say goodbye to one of our friends and fellow teammate, Kimber Ringler, as she finishes her term here in Swaziland and returns to the States on April 30.

Looking ahead into future HIV/AIDS Ministry The statistics say that 40% of the one million people living in Swaziland are infected with HIV/AIDS. This means that 4 out off every 10 people that we meet are infected with this d
evastating virus. Statistics also report that the average life expectancy now is 30 to 32 yrs of age, this is leaving a huge gap in the population. These are school teachers, policemen, community leaders, doctors, nurses, farmers and the like. There are many, many children left behind without a mother or a father, or both, with no choice but to try and survive without any or little help. Reaching the ones here that are infected is proving to be difficult as it is a shameful thing to reveal that one is infected. The Lord is burdening us with the fact that they are right here in our backyard, and that they are dying every day without the knowledge of His saving grace and mercy. Before arriving in Swaziland, neither of us felt this call or even equipped to minister to AIDS patients and their families. Funny how God changes and re-directs our plans, and uses us where we are the weakest. He is leading us to research ways that we can reach into this culture in a way that brings spiritual hope through Christ and physical relief from their sufferings. We have learned that in each community/village there are older ladies (makes) and grandmothers (gogos) that know these that are sick and are not physically able to get to the local clinic for help. We have learned that these ladies are already serving their neighbors and caring for the sick. Please join us in praying for avenues to be able to connect the local church with these community servants, and that together we can minister to the physical and spiritual needs of these communities through this grass roots level. Please pray for the millions of people affected by this deadly disease, and that God would direct our steps as to how He would use us here so that the Hope of Jesus Christ can be revealed and shared with those who are dying without any hope.
For more information on HIV/AIDS, and other epidemics around the world, and their relief efforts, please visit the Baptist Global Response website, www.gobgr.org, or www.baptistglobalresponse.com.

"God wrote His name on you when you gave your life to Christ. He invested Himself in you. That's why YOU can make a difference. God wants to use you, and He has a place for you—a part for you to play, a seed for you to sow, a call for you to answer." Greg Laurie

Each time I think about that, it is so humbling to me ... to know that God WANTS to use such a regular, ordinary person as myself. He wants to use YOU and ME ... isn't it great to know that He has the perfect plan for each of us, no matter where we may be in this world!

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March 30th, what a special day ...

Happy 14th Birthday Hunter!

It's been a long time since the daisy dance, but I know you still have the moves! We hope that you have the best birthday ever, know that we love you so much!

Happy 14th Birthday Hunter!!!!!!!!

Great Day in Hazyview

This weekend we traveled to White River, South Africa to spend some good times with our friend, and teammate, Kimber, before she returns back to the States in April. What a great weekend we had ... memories that will last forever!

This included some "flying" lessons for Bert, Matthew and Kimber ~ watch out, next time they're going superman style! Matthew was even singing "I believe I can fly" as he came by! Hoping to have some video on Facebook soon!

Parent Day at Sarah's School

We had the privilege to attend Parent Day at Thembelisha Pre-Prep and "see" the kids in action. What a fun morning it was!!! I enjoyed playing games with Sarah and her friend Ashley.

Thank you Auntie Donna and Sisi!!!

I Spy .....

I spy with my little eye an answer to prayer ... can you "see" it????

Answer to be posted soon :)

Warren Family Update - March 2009

“Again, I observed all the oppression that takes place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, with no one to comfort them …”
Ecclesiastes 4:1


Sawubona from Tshaneni, Swaziland!

We are all doing well, and are continuing to adjust to life in Africa. It is so true, you live and learn something new EACH day here! The kids have just celebrated their "mid-term" at school, wow ... where does time go!?!? They all received good mid-term reports, and are doing well! Jessie has also made the school cricket team, and is enjoying this new sport ... I am still trying to understand the game myself!


During the month of February, we welcomed our first volunteer team here in this area. What a privilege it was to serve alongside the South Roanoke Team from North Carolina ~ thank you to each of you for allowing the Lord to work through you here in Swaziland and for the love you have for these people. We saw God work in such big ways during our time together, opening doors for future ministry, and lives given to Him! All praise and glory to God!!!!


Today, we'd like to share some stories with you from that week, and give you a glimpse of how God is answering YOUR prayers ....

Before the team arrived, we felt the Lord drawing us to an area "beyond the sugar cane", a village known as Mafucula. The doors were opened wide to minister here with the team. Permission was given to speak at their school's opening assemblies, and also to hold revival services in one of the school buildings in the evenings. Upon arrival there, we met a local pastor in the community. The pastor shared that he had been praying about how to minister to this community, and was having an all-night prayer service that week. He shared that this team was an answer to his prayers. During the following days, the team was able to visit several homesteads in this area, and there were several professions of faith. Many came to the revival services as a result of these visits also. The home of a Zionist woman, the predominant religion here, was visited and she allowed the Gospel message to be shared. She was given a Bible, and could read it for herself in English. Everyone listened and watched as she read God's word, and the Holy Spirit came upon her. The entire countenance of her face changed as she shared, "Now I am saved, NOW I understand." Another testimony comes from an older man in the Vuvulane community, where revival services were also being held this same week. He shared that he wanted to "see" what all this was about, so he came to revival one night. The Lord touched his heart and he came forward to give his life to Christ. He shared testimony, and a story from when he was a young man. His story told of him being on a hunting trip one day and crossing paths with a lion that had a thorn in it's paw. He shared how the lion had laid down and allowed them to remove his thorn. The lion then went away, but later brought back a deer in appreciation of the kindness. He shared that he too was like this lion, that God had removed his thorn and now he was ready to serve the Lord in appreciation for all that He had done for him. By the end of the week, there were a total of 98 professions of faith. Praise God!


These are just some of the amazing things that we saw the Lord do in this ONE week here in our area of Swaziland. Please pray for these new believers, that they would seek the Lord's face every day, and stand strong in Him against the traditional beliefs and customs here, especially among family members who do not believe. Also continue to pray for the many, many more who are still without Him in a world that has become so complacent at the constant sight of death.



Thank you for continuing to hold the rope of prayer and battling the front lines, interceding on behalf of the Swazi people, and our entire team.

Praises, Blessings, and Thanks:
~ For the many dedicated prayer warriors who are committed to pray for our family, the Swazi team and the people of Swaziland
~ For the many cards, care packages, emails and encouragement for our family, and for Matthew as he celebrated his 11th birthday
~ For the children's quick adjustment to school here, and for good progress reports
~ For volunteers that allow the Lord to use them in His ministry here, and for the MANY lives that were given to Christ!
~ For restored good health, all the strange " virus bugs" have subsided!


Prayer Requests:
~ For God to open doors for ministry in the Siteki area, and to prepare the hearts of the Swazi people and the volunteer team coming to minister here April 22-30.
~ For Lisa's dad, Lloyd Claiborne, as he undergoes surgery on March 17th to unblock a carotid artery in his neck
~ For Jessie to have a safe trip, and enjoy time with his classmates as they take their first field trip to Durban, South Africa (March 16 -20)
~ For the Lord's direction for follow-up ministry in the Mafucula area
~ For Sarah's teacher, Sisi, has she mourns the loss of her Gogo (grandmother)
~ For the Swazi people who are steeped so deep in bondage to their traditional beliefs
~For God's will in the sale of our home in the States