Prayer book helps ‘join hands’ around malaria and other diseases

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

The patients, many completely bedridden, are AIDS sufferers, paraplegics and stroke victims. At Siyabonga they not only receive the physical care needed but also the love of Christ through the tireless work of Chrisna and her fellow care-workers who make each one feel special.

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 Living with HIV & AIDS, Malaria, 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, "Prayers for Encouragement" has connected them, in their physically isolated situation, to the larger family of Christ, bringing a sense of love and belonging.

The clinic at the Oceana Fishing factory in the little fishing town of Stompneus Bay, where unemployment and poverty are rife, continues to distribute "Prayers for Encouragement," in Xhosa and Afrikaans. The patients, many AIDS and TB sufferers, continue to ask "When are more of the little books coming?"

The continual demand speaks for itself as to 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 under way creating desperately needed training and employment. A member of an American Health Organization has visited to advise and make recommendations, in addition to another overseas based company that is assisting with the Wind Power Project and expertise from a Cape Technickon 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.

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