Our team has been taking time to reflect and process the past four and a half months of our time here in Swaziland and to recognize the areas where God has really impressed us. One night, while in St. Lucia, we all were at the beach for late night worship. After a few songs, we circled up and just began testifying to remarkable things that Christ did in our lives over the time we spent here. As I was sitting there listening to others, I began to ask God to reveal to me what he really wanted me to learn/gain from this trip and this family he has given me. I closed my eyes and the only thing I could see were my teammates and leaders. No matter how hard I tried to picture people I had met, starving children, poverty stricken streets, or dying mothers; all I could see were the girls, guys, and leaders that I have been living with for the past few months. Then it hit me...this is the community I have been longing for, for so long. My heart has cried out to God with the request for people my age that can encourage me in the word and challenge me to seek more of Christ and the Holy Spirit's presence in my life. After all the years of empty relationships, falling away from God, flirting with disaster, and walking aimlessly into the night, I have been blessed beyond all measure with the people on this team. I finally have girlfriends who hold me accountable for my thoughts and words; who encourage me to seek the Lord in prayer over every decision I have to make; who drop everything to listen to my problems; who tell me I am beautiful; who don't gossip or spread rumors; who genuinely love me despite my faults and failures; who I can call my sisters. And I have guys who protect me from the dangers of this world (physical and emotional); who set the example of what a godly man should act like; who love me when I am at my worst; who can see past my physical features and deep into my soul; who have set the bar higher; who make me laugh when I want to cry; who sought out godly fellowship over anything else; who are remarkable and full of wisdom; who I can call my brothers. 

Please take a minute to read a little about each member of my family here in Swaziland, they mean the world to me:

Loretta: The one and only Asian on our team who never gets tired of hearing our silly Asian jokes! She has one of the most loving hearts I have ever come across. If you ever need to witness an example of true servant hood, this girl has it down. Any time anything needed to get accomplished, Loretta is always there to get it down without grumbling or complaining. She always has a cheerful smile on her face and wholeheartedly receives joy in her heart when she serves others.

Alene: She is like a younger sister to me. Since the first day we met, we connected with each other in a very special way. I have watched her grow from a clueless girl fresh out of high school, into a knowledgeable woman who fears the Lord. She is continually seeking the Holy Spirit to direct her path and set her feet straight in the direction that God wants her to go. She never settles for an easy answer, but continually digs deeper to get as much out of scripture and her teammates as she can.

Jillian: She is our little bundle of spunk. One of the smallest girls you will ever meet, but she comes complete with a very large heart. Getting to know Jillian is like getting to know Jesus. She has the purest love for the people and children that she comes into contact with. She gives all her time and devotion to spending quality time with people so that they feel a small portion of the love that Jesus Christ has for them. She brings laughter and excitement to our family in a very refreshing way. 

Gail: Another girl who has become like a sister to me. God has really blessed our relationship this part of the trip. She is much younger than me, but often I feel myself yearning for the passion that she has in seeking out the Spirit in her walk with God. If Gail isn't in her bed journaling, reading, studying, or praying; than she is in another part of the house doing one or all of those things. She constantly reminds me to always turn to prayer and God when I need answers. She is a real example of the dedication it takes to be completely focused on God at all times throughout each day.

Layne Carson: I have to tell you her whole name because one day she will be a famous journalist. Layne has the prettiest smile I have ever seen and her whole face just lights up when she laughs. I can see the joy and peace that she has inside of her because her Heavenly Father loves her so much. She challenges me with the standards she sets for herself in ministry and within her own private, spiritual life. I can't wait to see how the Lord will change all those around her because of the way he has personally perfected her. 

Jessica: Jessica came on this trip leaving behind a very ugly past. She has been through more in twenty four years, than some people experience in a lifetime. However, we all know God is bigger than anything in this world and he has shown her that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Jessica is now a God fearing woman who knows more and more about his Spirit every single day. She encourages everyone every chance she gets and she has allowed herself to open up to all of us girls and really show her true colors. God will use her for greatness.

Sarah T: This girl is someone I have come to admire more and more every single day. I didn't get the chance to get to know Sarah really well until Swaziland, so I praise God for putting us on the same team. She has a spirit of determination, meekness, love, compassion, wisdom, fire, joy, and so much more. Seeing her in ministry and being allowed to work along side her has inspired me to labor harder serving others and God. She also hopes to one day be a competitor in the Women's Iron Man competition, and I know that she, if anyone, will complete it with great victory. 

Mary: Wow, I don't even know where to start with Mary. We have been so close since September, first being roommates in Jeffrey's Bay and then moving to Swaziland together and being roommates yet again. Mary has shown me what it truly means to be a prayer warrior. The confidence she has through Christ blows my mind each and every day and makes me wonder how I can have the peace that she does about it. If there is ever a need, Mary is always the first to volunteer to pray and the Holy Spirit always gives her the right words at the right time. I have learned so much about chasing the heart of God from her and I know that she will teach many young women the same important lessons with the help of the Father. 

Sarah K: Sarah was voted the most loveable member of our team and I couldn't imagine giving her a better compliment. She gives hope to purity and innocence, something I thought was hopeless in the world we live in today. Being a fellow volleyball and basketball player, Kepp and I made a great pair for bunkmates. Sarah really understands the meaning of Christ's command to love one another. Never once did I hear a harsh or ugly word leave her mouth. She has always shown each of her teammates love and kindness, the way Christ commands us to. I pray that God gives me the same heart to love people with the same passion and commitment that she did the whole year. 

Davie: Well every family has to have a "class clown" and sure enough, Davie was ours. If we ever needed to laugh or plan something outrageous last minute, he was our man. But that is not the thing that sticks with me the most about Davie. When we first started our journey together, he lacked discipline in several areas. However, God has been so faithful and turned his world upside down; he took Davie and molded him into a MAN seeking after the heart of his Father. I have not met a guy so selfless, caring, genuine, loving, joyful, compassionate, wise, witty, humble, entertaining, and the list could go on and on. I now look to him for advice and encouragement through Christ. People back home will not recognize him!

Blair: Since the first day at training camp, Mr. Nightingale has challenged me with questions, scripture, lifestyle, words, and love. I have never seen a man so determined to meditate on his Father every minute of the day. Whenever I see Blair, he is either reading his Bible, reading systematic theology, reading a book about the Bible, listening to a sermon, or memorizing scripture. Man, I have never been so convicted by someone else's actions in all my life. When I look at Blair I want what he has, I want the passion and drive that motivates him to choose Christ over everything else. I know God will use his unique character and dedication to influence many others toward seeking the kingdom of heaven.

Ryan: Peace and Love! These are the words that describe Ryan and his thoughts on life. He was once a boy who would sit around and smoke, but now Christ turned him into a man who speaks truth boldly into the lives of others. He has the special and rare gift to always see the good in others. No matter how people treat him, he always responds in love and with words of affirmation. The compassion he showed for the people of Swaziland really touched my heart dearly; and getting to cook with him every Monday night, God allowed me some sweet insight into this wonderful creation he made. Peace and Love!

Tyler: What can I say about Tyler? He is like a little brother to me. Tyler is another one of our guys who God worked in tremendously and really showed him the value of pursuing His heart. Tyler has a passion for young boys and he really desires to show them the beauty of having Jesus Christ in your life. He has worked hard over the eight months of this mission trip and I know that he will be rewarded greatly for his labor in Africa. God showed Tyler a whole new kind of love...

Melissa: She joined us this semester all the way from Florida. Melissa did not know any of us and she came determined to lead our team closer to Christ no matter what the sacrifice would cost her. This girl understands what it means to live with the joy of Jesus Christ in her every single day. I have never seen anyone take such delight in our Savior and you can just tell that she feels privileged to be in his presence every moment of the day. I hope that when I get home to America, I can learn to live each day with the desperateness of sharing the gospel. Melissa is one leader I will never forget...she made a huge impact on my life!

Caroline: She is our leader from the south and she will never let us forget it. Caroline has the most precious laugh and most wonderful voice. God has blessed her immensely with the ability to counsel and speak truth over others. I am touched every time she opens her mouth to pray. She always volunteers to pray for the team and individuals when needed. I can see that she has surrendered it all to God and knows that God is enough for her in her life. I just pray that I can have that peace soon so that I can receive the wonderful blessings and gifts God has in store for me.

Isabel: I would say that Isabel is Queen of the Giggles. She is laughing every moment I see her and her joy just fills up our house and brings smiles to everyone's face! Over this past semester, she has put up with some of the hardest jobs ever and she has never once complained. Isabel was sick for a lot of the time, but never once did she let that slow her down. She seeks after individuals on the team each day to spend time with and invest her wisdom and knowledge in. If nothing else, Isabel taught me what it means to serve relentlessly when God calls you to do, even when you doubt his purpose for you. Her obedience has finally paid off and she gets to come back to Swaziland in January to be on AIM Staff full time! Please put and keep her in your prayers...

Matt: He is our fearless male leader who never left us with a dull moment. Matt was a phenomenal teacher during discipleship times and his wisdom spoke to me each and every day. He always looked at life through a different window; which helped many of us reevaluate our spiritual lives and make the necessary changes God was calling us into. Matt's charisma, humor, creativity, talent, spontaneity, and randomness kept our team together finding new ways to entertain ourselves while being stuck in a big house with not many options, in a country where it isn't safe to be out after 6 pm. It was such a blessing having a male leader and influence on the team this semester!

And there you have it...I couldn't imagine these past few months without any of these individuals, without my family. God has filled my heart up with so much love for each and every one of these people that I think it might burst. I hope that you can see glimpses of Christ in all of them just this once because I am lucky enough to see it everyday, and what a sight it is!

As I leave this part of my life and move into something I have yet to know, I only feel that this passage from Ecclesiastes is highly appropriate:

There is a Time for Everything

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,

a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

Thank you all for your support and prayers over the past nine months. God really used each and every one of you to display his power in my life and in those lives around me! I can't wait to see you all very soon!!

As some of you may know, last weekend about 10 members from my team (myself included) tagged along with the youth, from one of the churches we attend here in Swaziland, to a new country: Mozambique. The pastor of the church we go to, Pastor Sambo, is originally from Mozambique and he wanted to take a special trip to support his home church as they had a huge celebration for the first Sunday of April. We were supposed to head out on Friday evening, but as always, plans change in Africa. We ended up leaving at 5:15 am on Saturday and made several random stops along the way. We still aren't sure what we needed to stop for all those times, but usually the bus driver hopped out and ran away then came back ten minutes later. (We have learned to not ask questions and just go with the flow!) So we eventually arrive in Mozambique and major culture shock. I don't know if you know, but they speak Portuguese there and the whole country looks nothing like the rest of Africa we have been too. It was like we arrived on a totally different continent, it reminded me of Havana, Cuba. Craziness all over the place...the city was so alive. 

We got to the church we were staying and fellowshipping at and it was a very big church compared to what we have been attending. It was spacious and very clean and orderly. As soon as we got off the bus, they ushered us into a room where they had prepared fish, chips, rice, beans, milli pop, and some other food for our lunch. We ate quickly then hopped back on the bus and headed for the beach. We swam for about 10 minutes and the Pastor called for us to load up the bus again. He was trying to tour us all over the city in two hours...it was a tight schedule. After the beach we boarded a ferry and road across the river to the other side, where we could buy raw fish!! Again, we don't ask questions, we just go. So we got to the other side, then turned around and headed back. Once we were on the side where our bus was, we hopped back into and rushed to the church for the evening service. We got there late, but somehow everything worked out and we enjoyed the 3 hour service. Around 8 pm they fed us dinner and then we got our sleeping arrangements. Some stayed in the church and some stayed in the pastor's house...Caroline and I were lucky enough to get our own room at the pastor's house without electricity, but with two cots! 

The night was rough, but finally it was time to get up and head back to the church for breakfast. We road in the back of a truck on chairs...didn't workout too well, but it was a clever idea. Then the truck ran out of gas on the dirt road, so someone else picked us up and we finally got to the church. After breakfast, we were ushered into the various Sunday school classes to be presented to the children.  Each class was so full of life and excited that people from North America were in their country. Then the service begun and four hours later it ended. Whew!! I thought an hour and a half was long...but those people really know how to praise the Lord. The thing I will miss when I leave Africa is the worship, although it doesn't vary much, when the Africans worship the Lord, they worship intensely and with passion. No one is sitting down and they all have their hands raised and are praising the one who created them. Then when the pastor speaks, he speaks with such authority and enthusiasm. Even though I don't always understand what is being said, just the way it is said speaks volumes about the urgency of the message of Christ. We partook in communion with our brothers and sisters and then they took up some offerings to end the service. 

All and all it was a phenomenal weekend. Nothing went the way we thought it would go, but the experience we got fellowshipping with this other church was worth everything. Praise God we were able to build stronger relationships with the youth members of the church we attend here in Swaziland. Now that I look back at the weekend, it is very evident that God's hand was in everything that we did!

 

Last Friday, March 27^th, our team went into Mbabane for our family ministry. We met up with a Pastor that we are friends with and he hooked us up with some people that need help getting their church building completed. The church is called "Bride of Christ" and has about 80-100 people attend each Sunday. Our task for the day was to continue digging this trench around the back of the building and move the dirt that we dug up into the building to level out the floor. We worked from 10 am until 3pm...just imagine 18 people working non-stop, which is a lot of wheel barrows full of dirt. We had some people shoveling, some people moving wheel barrows back and forth, and some people patting down the dirt. As the day went on, every job began to get tiresome even though we switched off every now and then. Somehow, it seems that the wheel barrows multiplied throughout the day, but the people who were shoveling did not! It was a great experience to be able to serve these people in that way.  

However, I think the best part of the day was when some of the members (a couple girls) came to pitch in. They went to that church every Sunday and wanted to see it done as much as we did, so they got dirty with us and helped out. One of the girls' names was Landiwe and she and I hooked on to each other as soon as we met. She had brought her three-year-old son with her, Thando, and he was just so precious, running and jumping all over the place. Landiwe was my wheel barrow person as I shoveled mounds and mounds of dirt into her wheel barrow. She and I got to talking and it turns out that she just got saved a year ago and she was raving at how her life is so much better because of Christ. It was so refreshing to have this conversation with a girl my age. As I was talking and working along side of Landiwe I realized that I had been talking and working along side Christ. Have you ever had those moments when you feel like it was Jesus you were interacting with instead of the person you saw on the outside? Well this was one of those times for me. The pure joy that Landiwe had could only come from Christ and just her selfless ambition to jump in and so more work than we did, spoke volumes about her servant heart. I loved spending those moments with Christ, it was so phenomenal. And Christ is continuing to use this young lady as means to speak into my soul. Ever since that day in ministry, Landiwe has called me everyday to just say hello and ask me how I am doing. Then she finishes every conversation with "I love you" (and Swazi's never make phone calls longer than they need to be because it uses up their airtime, so it's a huge thing that Landiwe uses her own money to call me and tell me these things). It breaks my heart every time because I can just hear Jesus in her words! There is no way I could go somewhere and just meet someone for a few hours and love with no questions asked...that is ALL God. Here I go to Mbabane thinking God is going to use me to bless these people and this church, but in reality he used Landiwe and the others to bless me. I just love it when God surprises me and throws me for a loop...it reminds me to keep myself out of his work and his plan!!

So don't forget to look for Jesus today...he could be sitting in the cubicle next to you, or eating at the table across the way, or talking on the cell phone passing by, or at home cooking you dinner, or any number of other places. I feel like so often Jesus is right there next to us, but we are too busy to notice. Don't be too busy today, look for the hundreds of blessing God gives you each and everyday...I don't know about you, but that is something I don't want to ever be too busy to accept.

"May God show us his favorand bless us!May he smile on us!

Then those living on earth will know what you are like;

all nations will know how you deliver your people.

Let the nations thank you, O God!

Let all the nations thank you!

Let foreigners- rejoice and celebrate!

For you execute justice among the nations,

and govern the people living on earth.

Let the nations thank you, O God!

Let all the nations thank you!

The earth yields its crops.

May God, our God, bless us!

May God bless us!

Then all the ends of the earth will give him the honor he deserves."

 

 "As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to LIVE a life worthyof the calling you have received. Be completely humble  and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in LOVE. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is ONE body and ONE Spirit-just as you were called to ONE hope when you were called- ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

Ephesians 4:1-6

This past week I was granted the most amazing opportunity I could have been for my trip to Africa. God made it possible that our leaders gave us a week off (spring break) to do whatever we wanted to do. Four of my teammates and I decided to go back to South Africa where we lived last year so that we could be reunited with the rest of our teammates and revisit our past ministries. Through Christ, I had made some really great relationships with families and children in the township of St. Francis Bay. I was eager to be able to see them again and see how Jesus has been working in their lives in my absence. The hardest thing to convince the people we build relationships with over the months is that just because we leave, doesn't mean that Jesus leaves with us. By going back, I was granted the opportunity to see God being their stronghold and holding them up even when I was not there. 

            The very first person I went to see was my dear friend Mandy. She is the mother of two and has a wonderful, loving husband. I still remember the very first day I met her. My ministry team and I had met her babysitter and her children, but she worked until 4, so we had yet been able to meet her. One day, I noticed that she was sitting inside nursing her baby and thought that since we were occupying her yard with children and ourselves, that we should at least introduce ourselves and say hi. She was so beautiful, sitting there with Zadia (her now 15 month baby) smiling at me and inquiring about my mission to Africa. After brief conversation, I told her that I really liked her necklace and that it looked so gorgeous on her. (I thought I was being a blessing by giving her a compliment, however, I had yet to be informed that in Africa when you tell someone you like something, it is code for telling them you want it.) So long conversation short, Mandy gave me her necklace. Oh, I felt so guilty, taking something so beautiful from someone who clearly had less than I did. But she felt so blessed to be able to give something to me...by accepting her gift I was allowing her to bless me. Well, for our next encounter, I made sure to go out into town and pick out another necklace of equal beauty to replace the one she had given me. She gracious accepted the gift and I saw her wear it several times throughout the rest of the semester. The weeks went on, and I only sought to go to Mandy's and continue this amazing bond that I had with her. Every time I left the township I wondered what her and her family was doing. I eventually got to meet her husband, and he asked such great questions about Christ and the guidelines of the old vs. new covenant. They are so in love with each other, and even more in love with Christ and raising their family to follow in his footsteps. Every time we would visit, I was filled with so much joy and happiness. Mandy and Johnny (her husband) had their first child, Jade, before they were married. So they hadn't begun their relationship in Christ, but Christ has redeemed them from their past and they walk in the glorious light of his forgiveness and grace. I saw her and her family at least once a week, if not more, throughout the whole semester. When I moved to Swaziland I missed her companionship so much. She is such a precious, kind, generous woman...so when I had the opportunity to see her again, I seized it.    Last week I saw her three times and every time it was harder and harder to drive away knowing that it would be the last for a very long time. But I know that God has their family in the palm of his hands and he will protect them and provide them with everything they could ever need. We exchanged email addresses and Johnny was talking about getting internet at their house just so that they could skype me. Oh what a blessing it is to feel that you could be loved so much by someone. There are few occasions in my life when I have felt so wanted and loved, they don't knock on my door everyday. I left on the last day, knowing that I would see Mandy, Johnny, Jade, and Zadia one day again, but until then I had peace knowing that they are safe from any real danger!

            The other blessing I had was revisiting the after school program I was involved in earlier in the semester. I showed up one day when the younger kids were in session and so many of them remembered my name! I walked in and immediately started hearing "Alyssa" "Alyssa" and little children running up to me as fast as their little feet would carry them, jumping into my arms. WOW! Definite tear moment...most of these kids barely speak any English, but that doesn't matter because no matter what language they speak, they understood the love of Christ. For no other reason did I show up every single day last semester to spend time with these children. I praised God so much for being able to use me to love these children for the time he allotted. They were so precious...the children I got really close to just started playing with me as if no time had passed. I am not sure if they really knew all the details of my journey, but they did know that I came back for them. There is no greater joy than seeing the fruit from hard labor and faith in Christ. When I was in the ministry, there were days that I wondered if anyone even cared that we showed up. However, after this encounter, I am one hundred percent sure that every minute counted with these children. I could barely move I had so many kids around me at one point. It was such a beautiful experience...

            There were also several others whom I had built relationships with over the time I was in St. Francis Bay, but none as strong as the ones I just listed. The rest of the trip I spent time in Jeffry's Bay and Port Elizabeth with my other teammates. For those of you who don't know, the team of 40 I was with last year got broken up into three smaller teams: Swaziland, Port Elizabeth (SA), and Jeffry's Bay (SA). I hadn't realized how much I had missed all of them. I missed the bond I had with the girls who shared the same cabin as I did. I missed the other close relationships with other friends. I missed so much about last year, I hadn't even realized until I had the opportunity to go back. It's funny in life how we grow weary trying to always reach the goal set before us, but when we take that moment to look back on where we have come from, we are often surprised at how far we have already come. 

            I just want to challenge everyone to not take today for granted. As this trip is coming to an end, all I can think about is the future: where will I work this summer, how will I pay the bills, what am I going to do to further the kingdom, and the list just keeps going. I have to stop and remind myself that God has me here, in Swaziland, on this particular day to accomplish something. What I am asking you to do is take some time today to find out what that something is...and do it!!

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not now what a day may bring forth"

 

Well, as some of you know, a couple weeks ago (March 12) two of my teammates and I had the opportunity to meet the men in the King's regiment, here in Swaziland. So rewind to the beginning of the story...

The Swazi team got this vision of praying big this semester and really wanting the opportunity to be used by God in big ways for the Kingdom of Swaziland. We prayed over doing a team fast, along with team prayer for the king and his country. We started this at the beginning of the semester and we were fasting one day a week and praying occasionally. It got to the point where most of the team was not fasting, but we still had a day that we didn't officially make dinner for the team. Well, one night we decided to talk about it, since some people still had this vision for Swaziland, but others seemed to have lost interest. We had a meeting one night for people who really wanted to commit time to fasting once a week and praying everyday for big things to happen. About 7 of us got together and decided that we still had plenty of time and that we want to show God that we truly care what happens to the people here in Swazi. We fast every Sunday and have prayer throughout the week. Monday-Friday we pray together from 7:30am-8:00am every morning. Saturday's we pray in the evening together and Sunday's we pray for an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening as a group. We thought that it was important to cover this vision in prayer every single day, not just the day that we set aside to fast. (If you would like to jump on board with us, please feel free to do so...it is not limited to just the people here.) 

 

            We show up at Engabezweni in our Swazi outfits and Mr. Mavuso brings us back to where the regiments are. There are two, one for younger men, and one for the older ones. We first went into the living area of the younger regiment. They live in huts surrounded by a large circular fence made of thin tree trunks. When we got inside, we learned more about the culture than any book could ever hope to tell us. The men sat on tree trunks, while the women sat on the floor as a sign of respect to the men. Every time we gave them a gift (Mr. Mavuso bought beer to give them and gave us some money to give them), we had to kneel in front of them and put it in a wooden tray they had sitting out. Every time we did something wrong, they would all laugh at us, so it was rather nerve wrecking, but fun nonetheless. After we got several marriage proposals, Mr. Mavuso took us to the other regiment, where the older men lived. It wasn't far from the one we went to first, just a short walk across the royal grounds. When went in there and the older men went crazy. They were asking us questions and telling us how we were beautiful and wanted to marry us. They were so cute in their traditional Swazi outfits, sitting outside their huts with their cell phones :0) The man in charge of everyone explained to us how things worked and how the men slept in their huts and a whole bunch of other random information. After some small talk about where we came from and why we are in Swaziland, they took us to see the hut that the king sleeps in when we stays with them. It was in the back corner and we got to go inside and learn all about the huts and how they are perfect for living in. Apparently the king normally brings women there to sleep with and while he is present, there are three guards guarding his hut as he occupies it for the night. 

            When it was all said and done, we found out that the king was at a different palace that day (no one ever knows which one he is going to, just when the palace has a flag of a lion raised, than it means the king is present.) We were not able to meet with him or the queen that day, but Mr. Mavuso said that he is going to make an appointment so that we can meet one of his wives, the one that resides at the palace, and then after we meet her, we will bring donations for the men in the regiment since they are volunteers and don't have any money. The king apparently loves it when people donate food and clothes to his regiments, so with that act, he will WANT to meet us and then we can set up a time to meet with him, instead of hoping that he shows up at the palace the same day we do. 

            This was a very long story to affirm that God is doing big things here in Swaziland. We feel so privileged to be chosen and the one's to possibly have this conversation with the king and to build this relationship with Mr. Mavuso. Please, please pray for things to work out. For Mr. Mavuso to follow through on making the appointments and that Satan will have no power in preventing any of this from happening. Please pray that the 7 of us can be effective in our ways of reaching out for the heart of God in this place. Pray for a united spirit and dedicated heart in reverently seeking the Lord's will in these circumstances. 

            Thank you for all who prayed for the meeting, I know it is going to happen; we just have to be patient. 

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should."

Colossians 4:2-4

"Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited." 

Romans 12:16

The other day in discipleship class we got into a conversation about going back home to America and what that would look like. We were talking about all the different things we would have to take into consideration and the list was endless. It seems that we all have these fears about going back to a place that is so familiar. Some people are afraid of being sucked back into their old habits that God has brought them out of; some people are afraid of putting things into practice that they learned here; some people are afraid of going home thinking they may not have changed at all; some people are afraid of the things God will have them do when they get home; still others are afraid to leave this amazing community of support. Whatever the reason is, it seems that everyone on this team is more comfortable here in a foreign country than they are back home. I thought that to be very interesting and have been spending a lot of thought on it the past few days. Why is it that we are all afraid to return to a place that we know so well? 

The first thought that came to my mind was that it is harder to witness to people we know out of fear of rejection, or humiliation, or failure. However, that answer did not seem to bring me peace about the situation. So I decided to dig deeper and really think about the differences of America and Africa. I thought about scenery, living accommodations, material possessions, government, environment, economy, situations, and then it hit me: PEOPLE. That was the major difference. I couldn't believe that it took me so long to realize that, but I am glad I did. I thought about the interactions I have here in Swaziland with complete strangers. How I can walk up to someone on the street and begin a genuine conversation about that person's life. How I can drive down a dirt road and wave at every single person, male or female, adult or child, and they will wave back with a huge joyful smile on their face. How I can walk up to a stranger's home and they will invite me in to know more about me and why I am in their community. How I can go to church on Sunday mornings and feel more comfortable and at home, than I have ever in the US. Or how the very people that I have come to minister to, seem to minister more to me and show me Jesus more than I could have ever imagined. How can all these scenarios be true in a place that I don't know the culture, language, rules, customs, government, and way of life? How can it be? 

If you think about it, I have lived in America 19 out of the 23 years of my life. I could go to any state and fit in knowing the culture, language, and way of life. I should be able to visit any church in the US and feel accepted and welcomed. I should be able to drive through my neighborhood, where I have lived for the past 9 years, and wave at people and receive a friendly smile and wave back. However, none of that happens...how is it that Americans have become so cold to human interactions? Do we forget that a simple smile can make somebody's day? How one minor act of kindness could make a world of difference to a complete stranger? Are we really so caught up in ourselves and our own lives that we really don't care about the person walking down the street beside us? Part of me doesn't want to return to America because of these things...not because of the fears listed in the beginning of this blog, but for the very reason that in large American's no longer care about each other. I know there are wonderful, selfless people in America who try to bring joy and love into a darkened place, despite the unresponsiveness of everyone else, but is that enough?  How did we get to this place and is it a healthy place to be? I know Swaziland is a lot less developed and has its own share of problems, but friendliness and kindness towards fellow man is not one of them. If 80% of Americans claim to be Christians, than we are failing miserably (I have no idea if that stat is true, I just know there is a large majority that are.) Jesus' number one commandment is to love on another...that's it, just love one another. Jesus doesn't call us to see how much money we can make before we die, or how many women/men we can sleep with, or how much we can drink in one night, or how many people we can beat out with our high SAT scores, or having the latest fashioned outfits, or living in the biggest house, or driving the best car, or even spending hours at church...NO Jesus calls us to love. I feel like it's such a simple concept, yet it is so hard to live out. Why is it easier for non-Christians to love than it is for Christians? Why are the people in a country that is destined for destruction so much kinder than the people in a country that has everything? I honestly don't have an answer and that is what is killing me. I feel like every time I avoid eye contact with someone or refuse to give them a friendly wave I am failing God and letting him down. I don't know about you, but that leaves me with such a sickening feeling in my stomach.

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: we know it by the Spirit he gave us."

1 John 3:16-24

Please pray through these verses with me...I think they are so strong and if we, as Christians, start living this out, than we could seriously change the world. Ask the Lord to show you areas of your life where you are too busy to say "hi" to a stranger and pray that he will give you the opportunity to randomly show his love to someone you don't know today!!