Hello from Eswatini aka Swaziland!
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a blog but I think it’s well overdue. The past month has been, simply put, my favorite month of the race. The Lord has been working so deeply in my heart, revealing what’s next, and showing me so much through this ministry.
Here in Swazi we are ministering at care points, these are places located within communities where kids can come to receive a meal (sometimes the only meal they eat for the whole day). We have also had the opportunity for the guys teams to be split up amongst the girls teams (for cultural reasons) and join us for the month! It’s been so sweet to do ministry and build relationships with them. Our care points specifically the kids don’t come until around 2:00-2:30 so we spend every morning in worship, reading the Bible with some of the adults that come throughout the morning and sometimes house visits. Once the kiddos come our only job is to show them the love of Jesus! So sweet!! Often the kids will fall asleep, and just want to be held, while some also want to play “tosh” their version of tag.
I have one friend specifically who each day after she receives her food come to find me and we read the Bible while she eats. She understands a bit of English from school so we read anything from the Old Testament to the New! We’ve read the story of Noah, Jonah, and the stories of Jesus healing people. It’s so sweet to see her excitement toward hearing the stories and learning more about Jesus!!
Swazi has been such a season of peace and growth. Jesus has been breaking down lies in my identity and replacing them with His truth, fanning the flame He placed in my heart during our previous debrief in South Africa, and since we are all squad again (after being split up for 3 months) growing relationships so beautifully! This month here has FLOWN… and to think we are leaving next week makes me heart sad. Some things just can’t be described through words and Swazi is a country that the experience can’t be.
Some insight into what’s next: last night we found out our ministry/city placements for South Africa. The 3 options were Johannesburg, Jeffery’s Bay, and the country located within South Africa, Lesotho. Harvest is located with another girls team in Jeffery’s Bay, which if I’m being honest, was not my first choice. But I have no doubt that the Lord work so much during this this month of on the field ministry. I was really hoping for Johannesburg knowing that is a city that is dark and has its struggles. I crave shining the light in dark places, doing ATL (Ask The Lord) ministry. Hitting the streets alongside Jesus and just obeying His call, which we haven’t done since Guatemala activation days. However, despite being discouraged last night the Lord actually used that to reveal what post race might look like! That’s something I can’t wait to share with you all, but I’m still praying into it and asking the Lord about it deeper! Praise Jesus that He set my heart back on track last night and has instilled such an excitement to work with a team we haven’t yet, and do ministry in Jeffery’s Bay! (It is a 20 hour travel day to get there… but it will be so worth it)
You may be thinking how the title of this blog relates to anything I’ve said so far… and I’m here to answer! Swazi has been such a healing time for me, the Lord has healed so much in me, during PVT (parent vision trip) where my mom got to come get a glimpse of what my past 7 months have been, and through this last week here. Then, yesterday, I was sitting with a sleeping nugget on my lap, and was talking to one of the older girls who comes to the care point, one of my teammates and I were also talking about how we want SiSwati names so we asked her to name us. She gave me the name Lulama, which translates to “God heals”, she has no idea that this has been a season of healing for me and Jehovah Rapha (God our Healer) has been a name of God near to me heart. What a God moment!
Anyways, I hope this little update brings some joy to your Good Friday! Happy Easter, He is risen! He shed His blood for you so that you can live, live for Him!! I love you all!
Also: the 23rd marked exactly 2 months on the field left, so I will see you all so soon!
