Sunday 15 March

Psalm 139:14-17

“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works. And that my soul knows very well. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, o God! How great is the sum of them!

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

SHASHE RIVER SECONDARY SCHOOL
NORTH REGION
Shashe

Background information gathered in 2008

• Received some resistance from staff.

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Self worth The most common and overwhelming feedback suggests that students generally have little or no sense of self worth or an individual and unique identity. Most of these other problems are just symptoms of this problem. Pray that as the youth turn to Jesus, they will know and understand that they are a unique and special creation.

Saturday 14 March

Psalm 32:1,2&5

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit is no deceit. I acknowledge d my sin to you and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgression to the Lord” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. “

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

TUTUME McCONNELL COLLEGE
NORTH REGION
Tutume

Background information gathered in 2008

• Staff were not very welcoming of FTN volunteers
• Positive response and support from the Guidance and Counseling Department
• Students were very open to the message of FTN
• Serpentine spirit

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Abortion The killing of innocent babies by teenagers who rarely understand the full consequences and aftermath of their decision is on the increase. Pray that God will have mercy and open the eyes of these girls who take the desperate action of taking life and death into their own hands.

Friday 13 March

Titus 2:11-12

“For the grace of God brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”

NB: The word ‘soberly’ translates the Greek word ‘sophronos’ It signifies acting in a responsible manner, sensibly, prudently, being in self control and in full possession of the intellectual and emotional faculties

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

FRANCISTOWN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
NORTH REGION
Francistown

Background information gathered in 2008

Double shift school: Extra curricular activities were disorganized and this made it difficult for the volunteers to spend time with students outside of the classroom
Students were rowdy and uncooperative
Drug and alcohol abuse, teenage pregnancy
Average response to the abstinence message
No support from teachers

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Lack of sexual values In the important area of sexual values, there are very few positive role models in the community. There is no plumb line, no yardstick to measure what is good and wholesome and what is God’s plan. Pray against the myth that sexual change is impossible. Pray that there is an understanding that abstinence from sex and faithfulness in marriage is both viable and realistic.

MATER SPEI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
NORTH REGION
Francistown

Background information gathered in 2008

Volunteers had a very warm welcome from staff and students
A Christian based school meant that staff and students were open.
Students needed help with study skills.

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Drug abuse Drug abuse amongst teenagers is on the increase. It is still largely the use of marijuana but other drugs are more readily available in the more urbanised communities. Pray that the forces of evil that promote this will be bound and stopped.

Thursday 12 March

Psalm 121:1-2&8

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

OKAVANGO SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
WEST REGION
Maun

Background information gathered in 2008

A private school run under the auspice of Love Botswana
Accommodated the volunteers and were very supportive.
Students confided in and were counseled by the volunteers

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

HIV+ family members
There is hardly a family in Botswana that has not been affected by HIV. The stress that this brings in the lives of teenagers is enormous. The fear of facing life without a family, the socio economic factors and stigma that still prevail is enormous. Pray that the teens in such families will find their security, identity and hope in Jesus.

Wednesday 11 March

1 Corinthians 11:1

“Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

MAUN SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
WEST REGION
Maun

Background information gathered in 2008

Despair and hopelessness
Students have low self esteem
Double shift school: inadequate time for mentoring

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Pregnancy rate
Teenage pregnancy in Botswana is rife. There is a high drop out rate from high school by pregnant girls. Teenagers give little consideration to the educational, emotional, financial and spiritual consequences of these pregnancies and they give little regard to the fact that the vast majority of these babies will grow up without a father figure in their lives. There is a growing belief that “So long as the baby is not HIV+ then it is okay.” Pray that girls will be sensitised to the risks and consequences associated with teen pregnancies and will change and be convinced that sex outside of marriage is not the best thing for them

Tuesday 10 March

Heb 12:1-2

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

MATSHA COLLEGE
WEST REGION
Kang

Background information gathered in 2008
Despair and hopelessness
Spirit of vandalism

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Pornography
With the wide use of cell phones and access to the Internet pornography is on the increase amongst teens. Pray against this disgusting exploitation of people and the degradation of God’s view of sexuality and intimacy

Monday 9 March

Psalm 16:11 Psalm 119:130

“You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

GHANZI SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
WEST REGION
Ghanzi

Background information gathered in 2008

Students faced problems of low self esteem
Sexual immorality
Ancestral worship, witchcraft and alcoholism
Some teachers were reluctant to give up their classes

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Lack of hope and vision The Bible tells us “My people will perish for lack of vision.” The experience of the volunteers was that very few students in the schools had any long or medium and even short-term plans. There was a sense of hopelessness and lack of vision about their futures. This creates a lack of motivation in the schools and little consideration of the possible consequences of engaging in risky behaviours. Pray that the hope and vision of the youth of Botswana will be firmly set on Jesus.

Sunday 8 March

1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

“You are witnesses and God also; how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; as you know how we exhorted and comforted, and charged everyone of you, as a father does his own children, that you walk worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

MASUNGA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
NORTH REGION
Masunga

Background information gathered in 2008

Challenge of accommodation: in 2007 volunteers were withdrawn due to the challenge, in 2008 volunteerswere staying far from the school and had to walk a long distance to and from school
The school is in a bad state of despair
A spirit of despondency was felt
Witchcraft

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Need for positive role models in the community The effectiveness of the FTN programme lies in the power of positive peer mentoring. Teens need positive role models. Pray that Christians in the community would be above reproach and so be the godly role models to the teenagers that they need.

Saturday 7 March

Psalm 10:17-18

“Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear; to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

LETLHAKANE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
WEST REGION
Letlhakane

Background information gathered in 2008

Students are vulnerable because of: dysfunctional families, broken homes and abuse
Some students live with their boyfriends
A lot of alcohol and drug abuse in the school
Prostitution rife in the school
Ancestral worship in some sectors of the community
Witchcraft and demonic activities

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

Lack of father figure and positive male role models This has been identified as a huge problem in this country. This is closely tied in with a poor sense of self worth. Our experience of FTN and the feedback that we got from our volunteers was that the involvement in risky behaviours, looking for love in the wrong places, anger and frustration largely stemmed from this problem. Many teens have a problem as recognising God as their Father because they have no positive experience to measure this against. Pray that teenage boys will be challenged to stand up and raise the standard and so take up their future positions as the head of the home.

Friday 6 March

Psalm 119:9,39-40

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed to your Word. Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. Turn away my reproach, which I dread. For your judgments are good. Behold I long for your precepts; revive me in your righteousness.”

SCHOOL PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

SWANENG HILL SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
CENTRAL REGION
Serowe

Background information gathered in 2008

Students had a problem with discipline.
Staff especially G&C department very welcoming and supportive
Headmaster welcomed the prayer team heartily and asked them to pray freely
School in a bad state of despair
Both students and teachers demonstrated by the environment
One house was named “Black mamba and another one “Green mamba” Suggestive of the existence of the serpentine spirit
Scripture Union not recognised and not respected

Even staff Christian fellowship suffered the same fate
Double shift has a lot of logistical challenges
Lust and witchcraft.

COUNTRY WIDE PRAYER FOCUS FOR THE DAY

HIV+ teens There are such teenagers in the schools where we are ministering. Many of these teens are ignorant about their status. There are many responses to being HIV+. There is a sense of hopelessness and a strong stigma still attached to those who are HIV+.. Pray that these teens will see that their hope and an abundant life can be found in Jesus.