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Prayer Book Helps "Join Hands" Around Malaria and Other Diseases

by Elaine Richardson

(NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 24, 2009/GBOD) -- -- Siyabonga, which means "thanksgiving," is a 24-hour-care-center run by Sister Chrisna du Plessis. The facility is situated in a rural district on South Africa's West Coast.

For most of them, Siyabonga is their permanent home. Their poverty stricken families are unable to care for them; and distance and cost prevent regular visiting.

In 2006, Dr. Donald Messer, after discovering 10-year old copies of The Upper Room daily devotional guide still being used in the waiting room of Maua Methodist Hospital (MMH) in Kenya, contacted Upper Room Ministries about publishing a special collection of prayers for persons suffering with HIV/AIDS and other diseases, including malaria.

Messer's initiative led to the publication of Prayers for Encouragement: Hope for Persons Suffering with HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Other Serious Diseases. Prayers for Encouragement--especially the issues that are now available in Xhosa and Afrikaans -- have been used for many months at Siyabonga, contributing so much to bringing comfort to these destitute people.

Although many of them have been totally rejected and abandoned by their families, they are connected through Prayers for Encouragement to the larger family of Christ, and thus have a sense of love and belonging.

Elaine Richardson with local Lucky Star Fish Factory Representatives

The continual demand speaks for itself about the wonderful way this little booklet has helped bring comfort in the midst of their suffering, their questions of "why?" and their feelings of helplessness.

Prayers for Encouragement is our mighty God's love shown to them through the caring words of others in similar situations.

An exciting new project called "Masibambane," which means "Joining Hands" and deals with the AIDS situation and unemployment has been started in Laingville, a rural town on the West Coast. A farm has already been purchased where training and projects are underway, creating desperately needed training and employment. A member of an American Health Organization has visited to advise and make recommendations. Another overseas based company is assisting with the Wind Power Project and expertise from a Cape Technician is providing the industrial sewing skills needed.

I am in the process of making contact with them to make them aware of Upper Room and Prayers for Encouragement and to see how we at Upper Room can contribute to this project, which already shows signs of God's powerful hand at work.

Published by Upper Room Ministries, a ministry of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, Prayers for Encouragement is now available in Afrikaans, English, French, Kiswahili, Korean, Portuguese, Setswana, Sotho, Spanish, and Xhosa.

Upper Room Ministries is an ecumenical organization that produces resources for encouraging deeper spiritual formation, including The Upper Room daily devotional guide, five other magazines, and a line of books and programs for youth and adults. For more information contact, Dale Waymack at dwaymack@upperroom.org.

The General Board of Discipleship’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, The General Board of Discipleship is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at (877) 899-2780, ext. 7017.

Elaine Richardson works part-time with Africa Upper Room Ministries (AURM) and lives in Western Cape, South Africa

News Media Contact: Jeanette Pinkston, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 340-7017 or jpinkston@gbod.org