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MGAMUDZE
BAPTIST CHURCH
Mgamudze Baptist Church was begun in 1995. This was the home of one of the members of the Nhlangano Baptist Church. After a very small feeding
project in this area, we asked if we could begin a Bible study on the Sibandze
Homestead and after meeting a year under a tree, the Bible study became a
church. 
Mgamudze is approximately 60 kilometers from Nhlangano, the
beginning of our journey. We have made our way to the “esiphambanweni”
(cross road) an area of shops (pictured), a school (Hlushwana Primary) and a bus
stop. We make our first turn.
We
turn right on the road (pictured) and make our way to Mgamudze Baptist Church.
Many people walk on this road to the bus stop by the shops to catch the
bus. It is about 5 kilometers from the bus stop to Mgamudze Baptist Church.
Along the way we will see
a Catholic Church and an Evangelical Church. Both of these churches are not well
attended. Most of the people in
this particular area are AmaZionis. This
form of worship involves ancestor veneration, polygamy and some forms of
witchcraft. The Swazis believe the ancestors talk to God for the people and the
ancestors must be kept happy. Pray
for the Swazi people to hear a clear presentation of the gospel.
Many AmaZionis think they are Christian because they use the Bible.
Pray many will understand what it really means to be a Christian. 
Along this road are quite
a few homes. Pictured is one of the
nicer homesteads and the home of a young woman who attends Mgamudze.
She currently lives with her boyfriend and his parents and has two
children from two different men. Pray
for this young woman and many others like her to understand this is not the way
God intends for Christians to live. Pray
she will understand it is more important to follow the Lord than to adhere to
culture.
Swazis do not live in
villages but homesteads. These
homesteads are comprised of one or more huts or concrete houses and may house
one or more families.
We
have come almost 5 kilometers and can see the Khumalo homestead.
Make (Mrs.) Khumalo is a
charter member of the Mgamudze Baptist Church.
After accepting the Lord as her Savior she was reluctant to be baptized.
Prior to becoming a Christian she was an AmaZioni and had been baptized
by a “priest” and strange things happened.
She said, “the demons entered and made me do crazy things.”
The true meaning of baptism was explained to her and after much prayer
she consented to be baptized. What
a joy it was for her to realize Christ controlled her life and not the demons.
We have arrived at the Mgamudze Baptist Church that is near the
Nsibandze homestead. Behind the
church is an area on the side of the mountain called Lombiako. Many of these
people do not know who is Jesus.
Pray for all the resident s of Lombiwako to come to know Jesus as their Savior.
Mgamudze Baptist Church
has many needs.
Many still need to know Jesus as their Savior.
Many still need to commit their lives totally to Jesus and not allow
culture to dictate their lifestyles. Pictured is the future of Mgamudze. Pray for the young
children/youth to become the leaders and pastors of tomorrow.
Pray for the Mgamudze Baptist Church to become a lighthouse in a very
dark land. Pray for a true revival
in the hearts of the Swazis in this community.
