Welcome to Swaziland.
Month 6 of the World Race.
Halfway done.
Weird.
Things I never expect: anything that happens to me on this psycho crazy mission trip.
Instead of living in the middle of a lion-infested mud hut village with only sour porridge to sooth my hunger pains, all 26 of the C squad women are residing in a big house in the middle of Manzini, Swazi(Fancy)Land, with nearly every modern convenience at our disposal. Almost everyone here speaks English, so communication is typically much smoother than we’re used to. In fact, it’s easy to forget I’m in Africa at all, especially that day I walked into the nearby Nazarene church wearing my Mozambican capulana and found myself surrounded by Swazis donning contemporary church clothes and even (gasp!) jeans.
Speaking of Nazarenes, I ran into Evan and Andrea Mosshart, the onsite coordinators for The Swaziland Partnership, a ministry founded by my home church. It was fun to get a little breath of Oklahoma fresh air as we chatted about mutual friends and various happenings at BFC. They invited me and two squadmates over for a Bible study at their apartment, which included homemade chocolate chip cookies and introductions to a South African named Tracie, Australian named Rachael, and another American named Alexa. We sang a traditional African song in four different languages, prayed for Michelle to get fully funded, and heard about how depending on God for everyday needs during a two-month road trip across the continent actually works out. Michelle, of course, learned that she had raised her remaining $3,200 the following morning. Delicious, multicultural, inspiring.
Alexa had mentioned she may be interested in going on the Race once she finished college, so we invited her and Rachael over for dinner the following weekend to meet the girls and learn about all things World Race. As we shared about our experiences on the Race, Rachael shared incredible stories about the children she works with at New Hope Centre, an orphanage here in Manzini. One 2-year-old girl had been orphaned by three different sets of family members and was the size of a newborn infant when she was brought to NHC. Having been moved around and transferred to different villages so many times, her last name became a mystery, meaning that she had no true identity in Swazi culture. X-rays revealed that she had been eating dirt and gravel to stay alive and was so malnourished that she should have been severely handicapped. She is now a joyful, thriving eight-year-old who preaches like nobody’s business. So many other stories. So much redemption.
Our God is good.
Having said all that, no fear: we do ministry, too.
Most of our females are divvied up among four different care points in the area to teach preschool and serve food to kids from the community.
A typical day in the life:
Show up to the care point between 9 and 10am
Get greeted by a thousand screaming 4- to 6-year-olds.
Say hello to the teachers and cooks we have come to know and love.
Teach/assist in the classrooms as the kids recite Bible verses and color in their workbooks.
Play with them on the playground and/or hang out with the teachers.
Dish out a lunch of either porridge and beans or rice and veggies.
Lead a Bible club meeting afterwards (Wednesdays and Fridays only).
Dish out more food to the kids who show up for Bible club.
Go home and collapse.
Repeat.
It’s exhausting, but it’s gotten more fun as we’ve gotten to know the kids better. They’re becoming pros at singing and motioning songs like “I’ve Got a River of Life,” “Rock, Sword, Shield” (yes, the Echo Ranch Bible Camp one!), and “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” Since their actual names are almost impossible to pronounce, some have received nicknames like Curious George, Bully, Denzel Washington, and Cookie Monster. They just call us “Teachah!”
It’s (Wo)Manistry month, so the boys are off somewhere in the mountains of Mbabane doing construction at El Shaddai.
Other goings-on:
Safari.
Pants.
Hannah’s birthday.
Down time.
Thank you all for the continual thoughts, prayers, love, encouragement, financial donations... Everything. I am almost officially fully funded, and I can't wait to post my third "favorite blog to write" to announce it! Please continue praying for my squad as we finish up ministry this month, meet for our month 6 debrief, and head to South Africa next month along with our World Race Exposure students. Thanks!
UPDATE: I'm fully funded! Praise God! I couldn't be here without you. Thank you so much for your willingness to give!
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