Alyssa Bolles - Serving The Kingdom

A Time for Everything

Sat, 9 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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!!

Mozambique

Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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!

Blessing in Disguise

Fri, 3 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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."

Psalm 67

Unforgettable Memories

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"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"

Proverbs 27:1

A Divine Appointment

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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.)

Ok fast forward...so we began this revamped fast/prayer thing Tuesday, March 10. That morning we begin to pray for God to open doors for us to be able to have a conversation with the King or someone who has great influence on him. We asked God to give us opportunities to have intentional conversations that may also lead to the King. We really are praying for the heart of the King to be changed so that he can see the hurt and turmoil his country is in. Well, sure enough, the very next morning, Alene, Jess, and I were at one of our school with the three other Cherish girls getting ready to start teaching. The man who owned the school, Mr. Mavuso, was there disciplining the kids that had received marks the previous day. When he finished, he walked over to our car because he noticed the three Americans observing him. We got out of the car and began a comfortable conversation with him. Long story short, he owns 5 schools in Swaziland (making him extremely wealthy), and is part of the king's regiment. During the conversation he mentioned how he knew the king and was in communication with him, so we casually asked him if we could meet the king. He said "of course!" So we had to get traditional Swazi outfits to be respectful of the king and his country. Mr. Mavuso gave us his phone number and we planned to meet the next morning to go to one of the palaces in hopes of meeting the king and one of his wives.

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

What's Your Obsession?

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"The American church is a hard place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity"

Further in Chan's book, "Crazy Love," he offers the profile of the opposite lifestyle of that of a lukewarm person. Here he talks about obsession and how the life of an obsessed person looks like. (Side note: just in this trip, I have learned that since we are everything that is opposite God, than our thoughts and definitions are also opposite of God's. For example: "jealousy" has a negative connotation and is often interpreted as a bad thing, however, God is a jealous God, and everything about God is good. "Selfishness" is another example, we tend to think badly about a person who is selfish, but God is a selfish God who wants ALL of us and our attention.) So when I began to read this chapter on obsession, I immediately thought about that little tid-bit I had learned. Normally we think of obsession as a bad thing, unhealthy and unwanted; but when it comes to God, he wants us to be completely and utterly obsessed with him and no one or nothing else.

Obsessed: to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic!

As I did in the last blog, I am also going to just type up the main points that Chan made in this chapter (I just couldn't do it justice!) The bold words are categories of people and then the short definition that follows is the example of what a person's life, who is obsessed with Jesus, should look like.

"Lovers" People who are obsessed with Jesus give freely and openly without censure. Obsessed people love those who hate them and who can never love them back.

"Risk Takers" People who are obsessed with Jesus aren't consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God's kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.

"Friends of All" People who are obsessed with Jesus live lives that connect them with the poor in some way or another. Obsessed people believe that Jesus talked about money and the poor so often because it was really important to him.

"Crazy Ones" Obsessed people are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. A person who is obsessed with Jesus will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth.

"The Humble" A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. Obsessed people know that you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.

"Servers" People who are obsessed with Jesus do not consider service a burden. Obsessed people take joy in loving God by loving His people.

"Givers" People who are obsessed with God are known as givers, not takers. Obsessed people genuinely think that others matter as much as they so, and they are particularly aware of those who are poor around the world.

"Sojourners" A person who is obsessed thinks about heaven frequently. Obsessed people orient their lives around eternity; they are not fixed only on what is here in front of them.

"The Engrossed" A person who is obsessed is characterized by committed, settled, passionate love for God, above and before every other thing and every other being.

"Unguarded Ones" People who are obsessed are raw with God; they do not attempt to mask the ugliness of their sins or their failures. Obsessed people don't put it on for God; He is their safe place, where they can be at peace.

"The Rooted" People who are obsessed with God have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day because they know that forty minutes on Sunday is not enough to sustain them for a whole week, especially when they will encounter so many distractions and alternative messages.

"The Dedicated" A person who is obsessed with Jesus is more concerned with his or her character than comfort. Obsessed people know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment; it is a gift that ultimately comes from God.

"Sacrificers" A person who is obsessed with Jesus knows that the best thing he can do is be faithful to his Savior in every aspect of his life, continually saying "Than You!" to God. An obsessed person knows there can never be intimacy if he is always trying to pay God back or work hard enough to be worthy. He revels in his role as child and friend of God.

Are you obsessed with Jesus Christ?

Are you obsessed with the one who laid down his life, so that you, a sinner, could be an heir to His throne?

If you think you are, does your lifestyle reflect that you are obsessed with Christ?

Do We Get It?

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This whole trip, God has been challenging me to want more of Him. I am quickly finding out that by wanting more of Him, I have to want less of myself and my own desires. I can no longer live the life I had before this trip if I truly want more of Christ. I am realizing the higher life he has called Christians to live and how I need to submit control of myself over to him. How I need to live as Jesus taught us to live 24/7, not just when I am with my Christian friends, or at church. Without doing this I can never truly receive everything God wants to give me. I just read "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and this short book blew my mind. Every word that he wrote convicted my spirit about how I so easily become complacent in my walk with Christ. He made a statement about the lives Christians live saying that "something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers." This one little comment really made me think...and it is so true. Nothing Christ did was normal or accepted by the Pharisee's. So why do we, as Christians, try so hard to be politically correct, to not stand out in a crowd, to not rub someone the wrong way, and all the other behaviors we perform to appear "normal" to the unbelieving world?

In this book there is a chapter titled "profile of the lukewarm" where Chan gives examples of what it looks like for a Christian to be lukewarm. Instead of trying to summarize the points and what not, I decided to just type everything from the book...so please read as many, or as few as you want (the scripture under each statement is proof against that lifestyle choice). As you read them, I will ask you to do the same thing Chan asked of me the first time I read through them...take the time to evaluate your life right now. Not the person you think you should be or want to be, but the person and life that you are currently living everyday!!

"It is not scientific doubt, not atheism, not pantheism, not agnosticism, that in our day and in this land is likely to quench the light of the gospel. It is a proud, sensuous, selfish, luxurious, church-going, hollow-hearted prosperity."

Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly. It is what is expected of them, what they believe "good Christians" so, so they go.

Isaiah 29:13

Lukewarm people give money to charity and to the church...as long as it doesn't impinge on their standard of living. If they have a little extra and it is easy and safe to give, they do so. After all, God loves a cheerful giver, right?

1 Chronicles 21:24; Luke 21:1-4

Lukewarm people tend to choose what is popular over what is right when they are in conflict. They desire to fit in both at church and outside of church; they care more about what people think of their actions (like church attendance and giving) than what Gos thinks of their hearts and lives.

Luke 6:26; Revelation 3:1; Matthew 23:5-7

Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they only want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one.

John 10:10; Romans 6:1-2

Lukewarm people are moved by stories about people who do radical things for Christ, yet they do not act. They assume such action is for "extreme" Christians, not average ones. Lukewarm people call "radical" what Jesus expected of all His followers.

James 1:22; James 4:17; Matthew 21:28-31

Lukewarm people rarely share their faith with their neighbors, coworkers, or friends. They do not want to be rejected, nor do they want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private issues like religion.

Matthew 10:32-33

Lukewarm people gauge their morality or "goodness" by comparing themselves to the secular world. They feel satisfied that while they aren't as hard-core for Jesus as so-and-so, they are nowhere as horrible as they guy down the street.

Luke 18:11-12

Lukewarm people say they love Jesus and He is, indeed, a part of their lives. But only a part. They give Him a section of their time, their money, and their thoughts, but He isn't allowed to control their lives.

Luke 9:57-62

Lukewarm people love God, but they do not love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. They would be quick to assure you that they try to love God that much, but that sort of total devotion isn't really possible for the average person; it's only for pastors and missionaries and radicals.

Matthew 22:37-38

Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves. Their love of others is typically focused on those who love them in return, like family, friends, and other people they know and connect with. There is little love left over for those who cannot love them back, much less for those who intentionally alight them, whose kids are better athletes than theirs, or with whom conversations are awkward or uncomfortable. Their love is highly conditional and very selective, and generally comes with strings attached.

Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 14:12-14

Lukewarm people will serve God and others, but there are limits to how far they will go or how much time, money, and energy they are willing to give.

Luke 18:21-25

Lukewarm people think about life on earth much more often than eternity in heaven. Daily life is mostly focused on today's to-do list, this week's schedule, and next month's vacation. Rarely, if ever, do they intently consider the life to come.

Philippians 3:18-20; Colossians 3:2

Lukewarm people are thankful for their luxuries and comforts, and rarely consider trying to give as much as possible to the poor. They are quick to point out, "Jesus never said money is the root of all evil, only that the love of money is." Untold numbers of lukewarm people feel "called" to minister to the rich; very few feel "called" to minister to the poor.

Matthew 25:34, 40; Isaiah 58:6-7

Lukewarm people do whatever is necessary to keep themselves from feeling too guilty. They want to do the care minimum, to be "good enough" without it requiring too much of them.

1Chronicles 29:14, Matthew 13:44-46; 1Timothy 6:17-18; Matthew 10:28

Lukewarm people feel secure because they attend church, made a profession of faith at age of twelve, were baptized, come from a Christian family, vote Republican, or live in America. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament warned Israel that they were not safe just because they lived in the land of Israel, so we are not safe just because we wear the label Christian or because some people persist in calling is a "Christian nation."

Matthew 7:21; Amos 6:1

Lukewarm people do not live by faith; their lives are structured so they never have to. They don't have to trust God if something unexpected happens-they have their savings account. They don't need God to help them-they have their retirement plan in place. They don't genuinely seek out what life God would have them live-they have life figured and mapped out. They don't depend on God on a daily basis-their refrigerators are full and, for the most part, they are in good health. The truth is, their lives wouldn't look much different if they suddenly stopped believing in God.

Luke 12:16-21; Hebrews 11

Lukewarm people probably drink and swear less than average, but besides that, they really aren't very different from your typical unbeliever. They equate their partially sanitized lives with holiness, but they couldn't be more wrong.

Matthew 23:25-28

After I read through this chapter, I heeded the advice of 2 Corinthians 13:5 to "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves" and with the help of Chan's profiles, I evaluated the life I was living and realized that in many areas I am quiet lukewarm. Here I thought I was doing such a great job following Christ and giving my life to him, but after reading through these profiles, I find that didn't get it. What I thought was enough, doesn't even begin to be enough. When God says He wants everything, he means EVERYTHING, not just the things that are convenient for us... So now that I know, it is up to me to make that decision to live my life the way Christ intended for me to live it, not as lukewarm!

"So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

Revelation 3:16

The Angels are Singing

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Luke 15:7

So this past week was an extremely important week for Cherish. We went to all of our schools and talked about Christ and the amazing life each of them can have if they decide to give it up to Christ. The read all about relationships in their packet, which emphasized the most important relationship in our lives, is the one with Christ. We read several scripture verses with them and really explained what it means to live a life for Christ. In this culture, everyone grows up in church and knows who God and Jesus are, but they don't know who they are. Our goal was to really make them see that someone who truly gives their heart to God will also have an outward change in behavior and attitude. We stressed that, as Christians, we should be different and set higher standards for ourselves than the world does.

The girls in the different schools all had crazy questions about things their culture has told them Christians DON'T DO. Some of the questions were... "Can you be a Christian and have a boyfriend?" "Can Christians wear earrings and rings?" "If I have already had sex with my boyfriend, do I have the right to tell him I no longer want to?" "Can Christians wear trousers?" It is sad how it seems the whole culture has missed the point of what it truly means to be a Christian. A lot of these girls feel like there is still a list of things we can't do or God will not accept us, when in reality all he wants is for us to love him and love others. I felt that is was so neat to be able to crush some of these myths they believe in hopes that they will become more intimate in their relationships with the Lord.

In all the schools we go to (which is 5), every group, that Phumlile and I had, either committed their life to Christ for the first time, or recommitted their lives. Praise God...with every group of girls, I felt the Holy Spirit hovering over the group and speaking to them. The girls were so receptive to what we taught them and really seem eager to want to change their lifestyles so that they are good trees bearing good fruit. The other two groups also had great success. Most of the girls in their groups had already committed their lives, some accepted him for the first time, and some had seeds planted that day. Regardless the number, we count this week as a victory for the Lord since his good news was spoken and heard.

Thank you all for your prayers, they are working and God is answering them here every day. For these girls, can you please pray that the Lord continues to touch their hearts and speak to them on the upcoming issues we will be talking about? Next week we converse about virginity and the precious gift that it is, we then will talk about redemption from past sexual sin, we will then go on to discuss HIV/Aids, and then we help them make a plan on how they are going to abstain from sex until marriage. The road up ahead is very bumpy, but we are trusting solely in the Holy Spirit to work in these girls...they are willing!

Why The Difference?

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"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!!

Mage Peggy

Sat, 7 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Last Friday I had the opportunity to meet one of the most amazing women of my life. Mage Peggy is a lady who has been taking in orphaned children for some years now. She has anywhere from 9-15 children at one time. Now she has 12 children, ranging from infant to eighteen, who all have been abandoned by the death of their family members. When I met Mage Peggy (mage is "mother" in siSwati), she had the most joyful smile on her face. She is not at all young and she only has the help of one person, but she was so grateful to have us come play with the children and work on her garden. She doesn't have the money to feed all the kids, so a garden would enable her to have fruits and vegetables at no cost to her. For dinner, she sends the children up the road to a care point where they get millipop and red beans to eat (their main meal for the day). She has been struggling each day to be able to provide just basics for these children, much less pay for their schools fees and other things children need.

Well we arrived at her place and there are three small, one room flats that all 15 people are living in. The children came running to us excited to hang out with new people and color or play tag, or whatever we wanted to do with them. They just swarmed to anyone who paid attention to them. They were so precious...very well behaved and thoroughly appreciated the effort we made to come see them. While some of us played with the children, some of us went to work on Mage Peggy's new garden. We were picking up trash, tilling up the land, pulling weeds, digging holes for fence posts, and many other things. However, in the middle of our work, a huge rain storm came through and slowed down work for a bit; most of us when inside to hang out with the children, while others stayed out in the rain trying to get more work accomplished.

There are a few children I wanted to mention in this blog. All the children were so sweet and also very shy around us since we are white. There was one little girl who had not been with Mage Peggy long, but she suffered greatly from malnutrition. She was four years old, but only the size of a skinny, healthy one year old in America. It took so much in me so to cry when I heard her story. I mean I feast every night and over eat everyday, yet there are people out there who can't afford feed their children anything, not even a slice of bread. It sickens me most of the time because I want to do something about it, but in reality, what can I do? How will changing my eating habits directly effective starving children? It won't and that is the problem I struggle with every single day since I have been here in Africa. Even though this girl was super tiny, she still had a huge heart. Once she warmed up to me, I would play silly games with her (like throwing a crayon at her) and she would crack up. Her laughter filled my heart with so much joy and happiness, it was unbelievable. God definitely has great plans for her and will use her for his kingdom work.

Another girl I met is a bit older, her name is Priscilla and she is 18 years old. She is in form 4 (which is equivalent to grade 11) and only has this year and one more year of high school before she graduates. She has only been with Mage Peggy for two months. Her brother died two months ago and he was her only remaining family, so she has no where else to go. She is a hard worker and had been going to all the high schools around to see if any of them had room for her. Once she found a school that has room for her, she has to pay the school fees (for her they are E 4,200 > U.S. $420.00), which cover books, tuition, uniform, and anything else the school issues her. She was the sweetest girl and just talking to her encouraged me to be a better person. There was something about her that drew me to her and we just couldn't stop talking. I asked her if she wanted to come help us, and Swazi's hate the rain, but she put on a hat and came out and worked in the mud and rain with myself and some other people. It was one of the most humbling acts of service I have witnessed in a long time. She had such a dazzling spirit; I didn't want to leave her at all. I was burdened by all her hard work to get into school and then depressed thinking about how an orphaned girl, with no family or job, was going to get E4,200 to pay for this year of school. But I have been praying for her and hope to see her again while I am here to see how the Lord worked in her life.

We ended up leaving early that day since it was too nasty to work at all. We went back Monday to finish up the garden for Mage Peggy. We got the fence up and planted carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and some other things. The other half of the garden will be corn at some point. It was a beautiful sight seeing this barren piece of land turned into a flourishing new garden. Mage Peggy was so delighted with our help, she couldn't say "thank you" enough.

Just knowing how little most Swazi's have, it still breaks my heart knowing that there are people out there like Mage Peggy who still care about the well-being of people other than herself. She doesn't have much to offer, but what she does offer the children greatly need: love. She cares for these children like they were her own. Her peace and happiness in Christ shows with every word that she speaks and every action that she takes. I was inspired by her and her story...I hope you are too!

"Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you have me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you have me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' Then there righteous one will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will say, I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sister, you were doing it to me!'"

Matthew 25:34-40

Are you feeding Jesus? Are you quenching his thirst? Are you clothing him? Do you invite him into your home and share the blessings he has given you? Do you see him in the hospital or jail and go to visit him?

Are you one of the blessed??

Cherish is Underway

Sat, 7 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Just a quick update with my ministry...

Nothing real big has happened yet, but just this past week we started going into the schools and starting the program. We started it in three schools and we are waiting to hear back from some other schools as to when we can come. So hopefully by the end of next week we will have started all our schools (5 or 6 in all). Please continue to be praying for brokenness, openness, vulnerability, trust, curiosity, and so much more for these girls. We have already had great connection with some of them...they are all excited about the program and the chance to remain pure. Please also pray for us, as leaders, that we won't put our opinion into the mix, but trust the that Holy Spirit will guide our lips and words, to best reach these young women.

Thank you again to all of you who have been praying and show an interest in what God is doing here in Swaziland!!

I will be sure to write more as the program continues to unfold in these next few weeks...

"They will fight against you, but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord." Jeremiah 1:19

What Are You Holding on To?

Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Romans! It's one of the toughest books in the Bible to swallow. Paul begins telling us everything that is wrong with mankind and the world around us. All the sin that we fall into is listed out and Paul just reiterates how far we fall from the feet of God. Then he brings the good news in chapter 5 of how God loved us before Jesus and he had a plan for us. It is said that "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (vs. 8). Meaning that there was absolutely nothing we could do or can do, that Jesus died for us just because God loves us so much. However, I do not tend to think of God in that way. In my head I know that there is nothing I could possibly do, or not do, to make God love me any less; but my actions show otherwise. Deep down I feel like I have to give God a good name in my life, that I need to do things to please him, and the list goes on and on. In reality, I should fear absolutely nothing (rejection, humiliation, failure) because God has PERFECT love for me, meaning that no matter what he will always love me and never turn his back on me. But for me it just hasn't clicked yet, I don't live my life fearless for Christ: I worry about what others think of me, I need to have relationships with many people to feel loved, I avoid circumstances where I know I may fail, I don't live as dangerously as I could. This is only a few of the things that I hold on to that keep me from giving everything up and living the life God ordained for me to live. While discussing this chapter, one of my leaders told a sweet story that really shows the relationship we have with God.

He compared our relationship with God with that of an orphan and an adoptive child. Let's say this parent's name is Mary and she adopts a young boy named Joseph. Well Joseph has been an orphan, living on the streets since he was 3. He was accustomed to the lifestyle that he had to live in order to survive each day that he encountered. Well, being adopted at the age of 11, he was not used to the life Mary was about to give him. Mary loved Joseph unconditionally. She bought him clothes for every season and some extras just for fun. She bought so much food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even some for afternoon snacks. She gave him a cozy bedroom with several toys and other things to keep him busy. Well one day Joseph was away at school and Mary went into his bedroom to get his laundry and in the corner of his closet she found a whole bunch of food stashed away. The reason Joseph stored this food is because for his whole life he never knew when the next time would be that he would get food to feed his hungry stomach, so he wanted to make sure that he would have food in case Mary ever stopped making him meals.

Right after Matt finished giving this illustration I realized that I was storing things up in my closet "just in case," just like Joseph was doing; which is hindering my relationship with my Father. God loves us so much and will give us EVERYTHING, and more, that we need to survive in this world. However, we have lived so long in this fallen world, where Satan is king, being lied to all the time that we don't know which way is up anymore. We have so many things we hold on to so that we can ensure that we will survive "just in case" God doesn't come through for us. It's almost impossible for us to wrap our minds around the idea that God is going no where; that he will catch us when we fall; that if everyone turns against us here on earth, it doesn't matter because he will open his arms for us to run into; that if we fail, he will still love us as much as the times that we succeeded; that if we turned our backs on him for years, the second we glance his direction, he is there to save us and bring us back to him; even when we fall in love with the world and never acknowledge him, he still loves us.

I don't think I have ever met someone that lives like they truly believe God loves him or her unconditionally and that was all that mattered. I sell myself short everyday when I don't let Christ love me the way he does. God has put the offer right in front of me, it is up to me to take it and live KNOWING that he will always be there for me and that his love is all that should matter to me.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die." Romans 5:6-7

I know that I am not the only person who has a problem with letting Christ love them, but the shocker to me was that I never really thought about it until the other day. I thought that I was doing things right...heck I gave up 9 months of my life to live in a foreign place away from all that I know, and all for God. I do quiet times every morning, I pray to him about all sorts of things, I do my ministry 5-9 hours a day, I tell others about God, I do all these things that I am thinking God wants me to do. In my mind everything is going great with God... What else do I need to do? Right? WRONG!! Regardless of all these things I do for Christ, I don't do the one thing he really wants me to do...let him love me. Such a simple thing you would think, but it is so hard to live having complete trust is someone I can't see and someone who is not physically in my presence. The ironic thing to all this is that God is the only thing that will NEVER let me down or hurt me. I can't say that about anyone else in my life...

So my challenge to you, and myself, is to ask God to show you what you are holding on to "just in case" and then to give all that up to God. Let him free you from burdens that you have been carrying around for no reason at all.

A Chance for Purity

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If we could do it all over again, how many of us would choose to stay, "one hundred percent," sexually pure until marriage? I know there are several women and men who would love to have to chance to be physically pure, if they could. Here in Swaziland, there is an organization called "CHERISH" where young women my age teach high school girls the importance of staying sexually pure. The leaders go into the local high schools and create small groups with girls who wish to participate, and then they go through a biblical based curriculum that teaches the girls about the importance of virginity and purity from God's perspective. It is an eight week study that empowers the girls in the high school to become leaders of their peers in this topic.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."

1 Timothy 4:12

After praying about this ministry and the other ministry opportunities that were available, I felt God leading me to this ministry. I would like to think that if I had some older girls pouring into me when I was that age, I would have made very different decisions. I feel that in the world we live in today, it is so important for young women to feel accepted by Christ and view their virginity/purity as a priceless gift that they will one day give to their husbands. Knowing all this, I couldn't imagine my time being better spent than investing in these young girls lives and giving them advice about situations they will face in the future if they haven't yet. So I have decided to spend the next 10 weeks of my time here in Swaziland, totally devoted to this program, the women who run it, and the girls who will participate. There are three women in charge of the program right now...Swazie (24), Phumlile (22), and GuGu (18). These girls have participated in the program and have been trained in teaching the curriculum. These girls have such a passion for the "next generation" and their goal is to have an HIV free generation. They are such a joy to be around and have already begun to help us with the language and culture differences. Alene, Jess, and I are the girls who are helping out the Swazi's in the Cherish program. In addition to running the bible study, we are also taking it upon ourselves to disciple the female leaders (Swazie, Phumlile, GuGu) to teach them some of what we have learned and to learn from them and their experiences as well. I am so happy that God is giving me this opportunity...I know it will be great experience for working with girls in the future and practicing discipling others, which I plan to continue doing for the rest of my life.

Prayer Requests:

For Swazie, Phumlile, and GuGu to grow as leaders and prepare them for this upcoming session
For the high school girls who are going to be in the study-prepare their hearts to be broken and rebuilt by their heavenly Father
For the schools that were chosen to allow us to come in and do the bible study
For Alene, Jess, and I to follow the Holy Spirit in our words and actions and to prepare us to teach as well and empower the Swazi leaders
For our discipleship with the Swazi girls

Cherish

Mission: producing a generation of cherished women who are faithful to God and will be faithful to their husbands.
Purpose: to create a safe place for young women to study and follow God's instruction for sexual purity
Vision: to see all "tinkhundlas" (communities) have a cherish group led by a female Swazi, who has finished high school
Goal: to have an HIV free generation
Life Verse: Isaiah 61:1-3

Satisfied

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But God, to a Christian says: No, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled and content with being loved by me, to have an intensely personal and unique relationship with me alone, discovering that only in me is your satisfaction to be found, will you be capable to the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings.

I want you to stop planning, stop wishing, and allow me to give you the most thrilling plan existing, one that you cannot imagine. I want you to have the best. Please allow me to bring it to you. You just keep watching me, expecting the greatest things, experiencing that satisfaction that I give, listening and learning the things I tell you. You just wait. That's all. Don't be anxious. Don't worry. Don't look around at the things others have gotten or that I give them. Don't look at the things you think you want. You just keep looking off and away up to me, or you'll miss what I want to show you. When you are ready...I'll surprise you with a love more wonderful than any you would dream. You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready, (I am working even this moment to have both of you ready at the same time.) Until you are both satisfied exclusively with me and the life I prepared for you, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with me, and is the perfect love. And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with me, and to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection, and love that I offer you. Believe it and be satisfied.

Weekly Schedule

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I know a lot of you have no idea what my days look like here in Swazi, so I thought I would give a short abbreviation of our weekly schedule. This could also help you pray for my team and the Kingdom of Swaziland throughout your day if you know what we are involved in and when we are involved in it!

Sundays:

10:30-2:00 Church

2:30 Lunch

3:30-7:00 Ministry Prep/Free Time

7:00-8:00 Dinner and Dishes

8:00 Team Meeting

9:00-?? Worship then bed

Mondays/Wednesdays:

7:00-8:00 Showers and Breakfast

8:00-9:00 Quiet Time

9:00-5:00 Ministry

5:00-7:00 Chores/Free Time

7:00-8:00 Dinner and Dishes

8:00-?? One-on-One Discipleship with our leaders/Free Time

Tuesdays/Thursdays:

7:00-8:00 Showers and Breakfast

8:00-9:00 Quiet Time

9:00-11:30 Large Group Discipleship

11:30-12:00 Lunch

12:00-5:00 Ministry

5:00-7:00 Free Time

7:00-8:00 Dinner and Dishes

8:00-?? One-on-One Discipleship with our leaders/Free Time

Fridays:

7:00-8:00 Showers and Breakfast

8:00-9:00 Quiet Time

9:00-5:00 Team Ministry

5:00-6:00 Team Time Sharing Timelines (our stories)

6:00-7:00 Dinner Prep

7:00-8:00 Dinner and Dishes

8:00-?? Family Fun Night (whole team activities)

Saturdays: FREE DAY

Just remember we are 7 hours ahead of East Coast time until day light savings...then we will be only 6 hours ahead!!

A Miraculous Day

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to SAVE the world through him." John 3:17

Ok, so today was one of the most amazing days of my life. I can't believe how much God worked on my heart today. Right now, my team is going to the various ministry opportunities to check them out and see if there is one we feel God is leading us to. Today, we went to a place called Hope House. This facility is a place where AIDS and terminally ill patients come to receive care and medication until they pass, or by the grace of God recover and can go home. However, the patients rarely have enough money to stay there (even though it is only 10 rand a night... $1.00 U.S.), so Hope House is not able to have a large staff. Sister Elsa is in charge of everything and there are two nurses and one gardener. So to compensate for a lack of staff, each patient is supposed to bring along some to take care of them, i.e. change their clothes, bath them, cook for them, change their linens, and so on. The patients each get there own apartment with two beds and a kitchen. One bed is for the patient and the other bed is for the family member or caretaker that comes with him or her. They have room for 25 patients and currently they have 18, most of whom can speak pretty good English. Oddly enough, there is one guy who can only speak German, so they have had a hard time being able to have conversations with him and get to know him. But it is a really neat place where people are finding hope...

My team went there this morning and we got a little background information from Sister Elsa, then she turned us loose and we had two hours to go around and meet some patients and talk with them. The first place we visited the lady was alone and could not speak or understand any English. She only knew SiSwati, her native language, so it was very difficult to have a conversation with her. But we were able to play with her little baby boy and pray for her before we left. The next person we came to was doing some wash and she as the caretaker of two of the patients. Apparently some of our teammates were with one of her patients, so she took us to the other one so we could talk to her. The lady she brought us to was Margret and she was a precious "go go" (grandmother.) She had been at Hope House for only a couple weeks, but has been sick for a very long time. When she arrived at Hope House she could not even roll over in her bed. She has been bedridden for a long time unable to move much.

Margret is a beautiful 68 year-old with has one child and several grandchildren and great grandchildren. She has the most precious smile and was delighted that we had come to spend some time with her. After talking with her for awhile, her caretaker came back in and asked us to pray for her and her family, since she is from Zimbabwe (which is being destroyed by a cholera epidemic) and she has been looking for a job since she arrived in Swaziland. So we gathered around her and prayed for her, then we gathered around Margret and prayed for her. Margret only wanted us to pray that some day she would be able to get up and walk again. After we finished, Naomi, the caretaker, left again to finish up some more chores. One of the girls with me asked Margret if she wanted to go for a walk and she looked at us like we were crazy and said she couldn't. I felt the urge to push her and remind her that if she has faith, Jesus has the power to heal her and be her strength, but I was nervous that it was just me thinking that and not the Holy Spirit. Well, the third girl with me asked Margret if she wanted to try to stand up...then I knew it was the Holy Spirit so I joined in on the encouragement and told her that Jesus WOULD help her stand. Eventually we convinced her to try and stand up...and guess what?? That's right, God was so faithful and healed her. She stood up right before our eyes and took two wonderful steps. Then she just stood and savored the moment, I think realizing that God is more powerful than she ever gave Him credit for. PRAISE GOD!!! I was in tears because I could just feel the Holy Spirit there helping her stand and holding her up in her weakness. It was the most wonderful thing I have seen in my life.

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be SAVED." Romans 10:9

But the good news doesn't stop there. Finally she said that her legs were tired, so she sat down. Melissa asked her if she died today if she was going to Heaven and she said yes because she knew who God was. So I was nervous that maybe she didn't truly know Jesus Christ... Well the Holy Spirit decided to do some more work and He forced me to ask her if she knew why Jesus came. She said she didn't know, so I asked her if I could tell her and she said yes. The Holy Spirit spoke through me and explained to her that He came so that we could have a relationship with God and by believing that Jesus came and died on the cross for us and then was raised three days later than we are saved and guaranteed a place in Heaven. She agreed with everything I told her and I asked her if she would like to pray those ideas to Jesus in her heart telling Him that she believes and wants to live her life for Him. She did and is now walking with the Lord. PRAISE GOD!!!! This woman got healing and eternal life all in one day... I still can't believe it. As soon as Naomi came back in, she was even testifying for God's glory, telling Naomi that she stood up because of Christ. It was such a beautiful, perfect moment.

I am still in shock of everything that happened. Ministry hasn't officially started, so I was not ready for God to move so vividly yet. I know God stretched me today and I was out of my comfort zone more than I was in it, but God was faithful and showed up in the moments that we asked Him to. I learned to always be prepared for Him to move in BIG ways. This moment also showed me to NEVER question the authority God gave me to call on His name and to NEVER doubt the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is always faithful and always there, we just have to have enough faith to recognize it!

"For it is by grace you have been SAVED through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God..." Ephesians 2:8

A Conviction of the Heart

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is how Donald Miller, as an alien, views the world...

"Humans, as a species, are constantly, and in every way, comparing themselves to one another, which, given the brief nature of their existence, seems an oddity and, for that matter, a waste. Nevertheless, this is the driving influence behind every human's social development, their emotional health and sense of joy, and, sadly, their greatest tragedies. It is as though something that helped them function and live well has gone missing, and they are pining for that missing thing in all sorts of odd methods, none of which are working. The greater tragedy is that very few people understand they have the disease. This seems strange as well because it is obvious. To be sure, it is killing them, and yet sustaining their social and economic systems. They are an entirely beautiful people with a terrible problem."

When I first read through this it struck me as an interesting way to view mankind and an alien, that was only observing earth, could easily make assumptions like that. But when I went back and read it again, I was convicted! I realized that this made up alien was correct. This is how humans have been living for centuries, since Adam and Eve sinned. This is how I have been living my life as long as I could remember. In this particular chapter of this book, Miller points out how since the fall, we have a void in our lives that we try to fill by others standards. We seek the approval of our peers, wanting to be accepted and praised for our looks, behaviors, occupations, lifestyles, and everything else, instead of seeking the approval of our Lord. As I continued to read this chapter and then the next and the next, God just kept telling me that this is the reason I have so many problems in my life; that I desire others to like me and accept me for who I am. I know in my head that God made me just the way he wants me to be, looks and all; however, there is some glitch in the communication between the head and the heart. I thought, for the longest time, that I was content and only needed God's approval, but that was far from the truth. I thought about my behaviors day in and day out, and I found out the most shocking news ever, that I lack confidence I who I am because I need others to tell me that I am beautiful, funny, intelligent, hard-working, etc. I was looking in all the wrong places for comfort and acceptance. Scripture tells me that God "made man in his own image, in the image of God he created them..." (Genesis 1:27) since God would not make anything unpleasing to himself, than it is assumed that we would NEVER be unpleasing in his sight. I am learning that when I think badly about myself I am putting down God and telling him that he messed up on the creation somehow. Logically that is not possible for God to make anything ugly or imperfect, so it is just a matter of me being able to believe it enough in my heart to look in the mirror and appreciate the beauty that God put within me and on the outside.

I know that I am not the only person to suffer from this and I just want to encourage you that if you are one of those you constantly compare yourself to others, to at least recognize "the disease", so that you can pray through it and ask God to help you see otherwise. I have only begun this process and so far it is a lot harder than I would have expected. It's so easy to put ourselves down and see the negative and it is so hard to accept that God thinks I am gorgeous and that is ALL that matters. As you do this, please keep me in prayer asking God to help me break out of the mold and see myself the way my Father sees me!

The Kingdom of Swaziland

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

My team and I have arrived safely in the Kingdom of Swaziland. We are in the process of settling into our home adjusting to the extreme heat temperatures in a non-air-conditioned house. The past two days have gotten up to 100 degrees and since we are in the mountains, there is no breeze from anywhere. But slowly and surely we will hopefully get used to this weather (haha). Our house is very nice...there are a few bedrooms. All ten girls share a room and sleep in bunk beds on the first floor. The guys are upstairs in a smaller room with all the closets and their own bathroom. The leaders occupy the other smaller bedrooms. The girls have a toilet next to their bedroom and then two showers upstairs that they share. We have a kitchen and a common room, but no furniture or anything. We have entertained ourselves with fun games from home so far. All I can say is it's going to be a long 5 months :0) The rooms are very hot and it makes it hard to sleep, but we are thankful that we have a roof over our head and beds to sleep in. We got a fan the other day and it helps out a lot...however, there is talk of everyone investing in personal fans as well. The one amazing thing here is there are thunderstorms every night. Just the other night we were all our on the balcony watching the lightening far off come closer to us. It was the most gorgeous thing ever. The loud thunder rattles the house and the rain just pours down on the tin roof, while lightening lights up the dark night. And the rest of the country is pretty green and mountainous...it's beautiful. Another benefit to living here are the mango trees. We have half a dozen mango trees in our yard, so free mangos ALL the time; it's a nice snack in the afternoons.

Our leaders are going to check out all the possible ministry sights tomorrow and then they will give us a run down and let us pray about where God wants us and hopefully soon we will begin ministry.

Please continue to pray for my team and the Kingdom of Swaziland. If you don't know the king here is pretty much destroying the country by selfishly hoarding all the money for himself and not paying attention to the needs of his people. Please pray specifically for the people in Manzini (the city I live in) for boldness and the desire to break out of this molds they are stuck in. Thank you for all the prayers you have already spoken and the ones to come. God is always working and preparing the way for us...I know he hears and honors all of your prayers. You are amazing, faithful stewards of the Lord, continue to follow in the ways he leads you!!!

"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners..."

Isaiah 61:1

MY ADDRESS:

(make sure it looks like this or it will go to Switzerland instead)

JULIE ANDERSON

CARE OF ALYSSA BOLLES

P.O. BOX 5526

MBABANE, SWAZILAND

AFRICA

Lord Save Us From Your Followers

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Lord, Save Us from Your Followers"

"It's one thing to write a check to your favorite charity; it's one thing to speak in sympathetic terms about the plight of those less fortunate; it's one thing to hand out blankets to homeless people; and it's another to get down on your hands and knees and lovingly wash the feet of a homeless person. To pour yourself into a simple act that says, "I love you, you are special to me and to God."" This is a small exert from a book by Dan Merchant called, Lord Save Us from Your Followers. In case you are like me and have never heard anything about this man or his cause, I will give you a short background lesson. Dan took two years of his life traveling around the U.S. trying to figure out "Why the Gospel of love is dividing America?" He went from wearing a bumper sticker suit in the middle of Times Square to interviewing Sister Mary Timothy in San Francisco. To find out all the details of his amazing adventure interviewing and conversing with big, and little, names throughout America, you will have to read his book. But to find out the bigger picture, all you will have to do is read the rest of this blog!

The whole point of the book is how Christians seem to wean away from having actual conversations with non-believers about their faith. A lot of times, we would rather just shout the truth at them and call it a day. We would rather post a bumper sticker on our car that says "WWJD?" or "Jesus Loves You", than approach a random person in the street and tell them these truths. We would rather condemn homosexuals and tell them what they are doing is wrong, rather than sit down and have a conversation with them about the hurt they have experienced and the struggles they deal with everyday. We would rather throw money at a homeless person, than take them out for coffee and hear their story. We would rather write everyone who believes different from us off as wrong, than to sit down and try to understand their views and opinions. I know when I read ALL of these statements; Dan wrote about, I was guilty of all them and more at several points in my life. The way Christians act now and have acted in the past doesn't give us such a good reputation. For a culture that is supposed to love above all else, we sure do find lots of time to judge, and very little, if at all, time to love. I feel like Jesus made it so simple for us..."My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12 I know that we can never achieve the perfect love that Christ has for us; I mean how many of us would take a bullet for Osama bin Laden or the B.T.K. Killer? But we CAN love each other by selflessly serving one another daily. By dying to ourselves and our desires, we can start to conform to God's will for our lives helping people seek His kingdom. So by taking time out of our busy, often self-centered, days to talk to others who are different from us would speak volumes about the love of Christ.

I challenge you to seek out someone, someone you would normally avoid at all costs, this week and engage them in a conversation and just LISTEN. Show them that you care enough about them to hear what they have to say and to be open to their points of view whether it's on religion, or their favorite brand of cereal. There seems to be this unspoken culture war...Christians vs. Everyone Else...I don't believe that is how Christ wants us to live, nor does He want the word "Christian" to have a negative connotation attached to it. Making this one small change would really help non-believers see us (Christians) in a new light. We need to do our best to represent Christ the way He really is and not how we want Him to be. If we, as Christians, become more aware at how our actions affect the bigger picture of Christianity and people's perception of Christians, than we would hopefully choose to live more like Jesus.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."

Psalm 51:10

Oh America

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, as a lot of you know, i have been here in America for two weeks now and i am getting ready to head back to Africa tomorrow afternoon. It was so amazing to be able to come here and see everyone. It means so much to me that there are several people who are praying for me and are excited about the ministry God is doing over in Africa. I hope that you all will stay tuned and look for more blogs as my time continues over in Swaziland. I promise to try and keep more posts coming on frequent occasions...just know that internet is harder to come by in Swazi than it was in Jeffreys Bay. However, i do enjoy writing these because they keep you informed and they are a good way for me to process the things the Lord is taking me through.
One quick thing i wanted to share was about my experience back here in America after living in Africa for the past four months...
It was a very unexpectedly hard transition, almost like i had culture shock coming home. Something i was definitely not prepared for. When i first arrived, i went down to Annapolis with some friends to go shopping at the mall. It literally appalled me to see the "richness" of this country and how people were choosing to spend their money. I wanted to tell everyone how big a difference a few dollars could make in third world countries...i wanted to ask them why they were "wasting" their money on material things when in reality "stuff" doesn't really matter. For some reason i was so bitter and angry with America that i came to the conclusion that i no longer wanted to live here. I knew that the thoughts and feelings i had, maybe were legitimate, but were not Christ like and definitely did not need to leave the inner workings of my mind. That evening i had a long conversation with the Lord trying to figure out how he rationalizes all this in his head and how America and her society are a part of His great plan. So kindly God reminded me that he has called everyone to a different standard and how his plan is different and unique for each individual. Some people he has called to live a comfortable lifestyle able to support others who are called to live off of much less going to places like Africa, or China, or South America. Everything he graciously reminded me of immediately made me think about the body of Christ and how each member plays a special and unique role that in turn will help further Christ's kingdom. If everyone thought they were called to live with less than it would be very hard for Christians to travel to the ends of the earth spreading the good news because there would be a lack of funds and on the other hand, if everyone felt called to live a comfortable lifestyle in the states than there would be nobody to fulfill the callings of Acts 1:8. So after that long and wonderful conversation with my Father, i am more content with America and how people are choosing to live and spend their money. I still think that EVERY Christian has things that they can improve on in following the will of God in their lives, but that is why we have Holy Spirit to remind us that every moment of every day should be focused on Jesus Christ and his love for his children.
It was an experience i needed to go through and work through with the Lord. Now i know that i need to prepare my heart spiritually to return to the states to live full time when i come home in May. I am excited about the challenge to live radically in a society that does not require it.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and thoughts...i really appreciate every one of you who is partnering with me in this ministry!! I will send out an address for Swazi ASAP :0)

I love you all and pray for you to be bold with your actions every day!!

" IN THE SAME WAY, FAITH BY ITSELF, IF IT IS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY ACTION, IS DEAD."

James 2:17

Ministry Update

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Talhado Children's Haven is now closed for the holiday. In the past when they have stayed open through November and parts of December they would get way too many out of town children and things just got out of hand, so they are forced to close down until January. However, our ministry has not stopped in St. Francis Bay. My ministry team and I got together and prayed about what to do about our ministry and wondering what the next chapter would look like. We decided that God wanted us to stay in St. Francis, since no missionaries ever go there, and minister to the families in the township and go meet the mothers and grandmothers of the children we have been interacting with for the past month and a half.

So far this ministry has been interesting. I cannot say it was what I expected, but when are God's plans ever the same as mine? Our team has met a lot of unexpected obstacles out in the town doing house visits. We have built several great relationships with some people, and then have been deterred by others who are highly oppressed and even demon possessed. We did not realize the reality of the spiritual battle going on in this township until we got out into it and began listening with our Father's ears and looking with his eyes. We were shocked at a lot of the people we met who were always drunk and just sitting around doing nothing but talking with friends. Then we walk to a different part of the township and find women who work and are happily married to a man who also works and provides for the family they have built together. It is very bizarre that there is such a drastic dichotomy within one town of people.

The colored people occupy one part of the township and the blacks live in the "slums" of the township. The colored speak Afrikaans and tend to be more educated, speaking a bit more English than the blacks. The blacks speak Xhosa and it is harder for us to communicate with them since they do not speak much English at all. Both groups of people seem to know who Jesus is and what God is all about, but they have no relationship with him and they have just lost all hope in the promises that he makes. Most of them wake up in the morning and see where they live and the reality that they cannot afford food for themselves and their children, so the little money they do have they spend it on alcohol so that they won't have to face their problems and they can just be drunk all day avoiding their problems. The men in the community are a huge influence on this too, since they sit in the house drinking not working, leaving the women to worry about everything and when they can't figure out any solutions they just join in the drunkenness. Everywhere I look in this township, all I see is bondage. There is so much bondage that I never know where to begin or what to do. I know that I cannot do anything and that God has a plan for this township and these people and that he will fulfill that plan with my ministry team and others that he will bring to them. It is so hard to talk to these people and try to explain to them the hope that Jesus Christ has to offer, knowing that they are more worried about getting money for their children to be able to attend school. If it's not one problem, than it is another.

A couple families we have met, out of several, seem to have their act together and are able to provide decently for the needs of themselves and their children. It is a real encouragement to spend time with them and hear how Jesus has been a blessing in their lives, knowing that it wouldn't be possible without him. When we go to a broken family, it is amazing how open they are about their drinking problem and wanting us to pray for them to stop drinking. The only thing that doesn't seem to register with them is that God won't magically just take their desire to drink away from them; but that it is a process and journey they must enter into with their Father and lean on him for strength when the urges come.

We are lead by the Spirit everywhere we go in the township. Some days it seems more dangerous than others, but we are always confident in the promise that God will protect us. We absolutely love this community and would not choose to do ministry anywhere else. We now feel part of it since we can walk down the streets and always have someone we have met motion us to come inside and meet some of their friends they are visiting for the day. We just meet more and more people every week and God presents us with so many opportunities to bathe this community in prayer for the hours we are there.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 4:8-11)

This scripture has been something I have come back to several times on this trip to help me remember what I am doing here in Africa and how I should be doing it. God keeps reminding me that the most important thing we could do to further his kingdom is to LOVE. I cannot tell you how much "love" is mentioned in the bible and how important it is to becoming Christ like.

"If I give up all I possess to the poor, and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing... And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:3&13)

The commandment is so clear and short, but in reality it is so hard to love others and put them before ourselves. When you are faced with the situation where God is calling on you to act out of love and kindness just remember this: "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10) Now that is TRUE LOVE :0)

A Week of Fasting

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hello Everyone!! There was so much that went on these past two weeks I have no idea what to write a blog about. Two weeks ago was extremely intense and this past week was great, but not as intense. Two weeks ago our whole team participated in a "25 Hour" fast for the whole week. For the team fast, they ate breakfast Monday morning, then nothing until lunch on Tuesday, then nothing until dinner on Wednesday, then they ate nothing on Thursday, Friday they ate breakfast, and Saturday we all "broke" the fast with brunch. I say "they" because after a lot of prayer and consideration, God called me to do a complete fast that started Sunday after dinner and lasted until Friday morning at breakfast.

I wasn't really sure what the point of my fast was yet. The whole goal of the team fast was to be praying over our three outreach sites and asking where God wants each of us to go in January. Every minute of the week that we were fasting people were praying. Our leaders set up a prayer room and everyone signed up to pray for an hour at a time at various times throughout the day and night. I have been doing that since I found out about the trip so it felt kind of empty for me to fast over because I already knew where God wanted me. So I sought guidance from the Lord and He told me that I really needed to focus on self-control and that was the reason He called me to do a WHOLE fast for those days. After realizing the goal and purpose to my fast, I really dug into the word looking for scripture about fasting and self-control. I read over Isaiah 58 every single day during the fast to remind me what I was doing and why I was doing it. Every time one verse constantly stuck out in my mind and that was Isaiah 58:11 "The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." This verse is all the assurance I need to wholly trust in my Lord to provide for my every need especially when I am fasting in order to seek His will in my life.

This was the first fast I have ever done and it was the most remarkable experience. I learned so much about the art of fasting and that it should be a part of my spiritual life just like prayer and worship are. With the gaining of this knowledge and my desire to become closer and closer to my Father, He asked me to commit to fasting one day a week for the next two years, so I am. I am excited to see what great things I will discover through this experience and how it will draw me nearer to my Papa. Also the weekly fast will remind me of the lessons that God taught me through this longer fast. "Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They get do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." (1 Corinthians 9:25) I will live a self-controlled life so that I may obtain that crown that God has waiting for me when I get to heaven.

Fasting is a hard discipline to practice on a regular basis, but Jesus calls us to do so ("But when you fast..." Matthew 6:17) in his sermon on the mount. He didn't say "if you fast", but Christ said "when" expecting fasting to be a regular part of our walk with him. It is important to be able to give up things that we tend to overindulge in so that we can take extra time to seek guidance from our Father. Please take the time to pray about fasting and what part it plays in your spiritual life.

"...But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love." -- Galatians 5:13

Janurary Outreach

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Delight yourselves in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" -Psalm 37:4

Ok...so before I left for Africa, I told almost everyone that I would be most likely going to Swaziland for the second half of my trip. Well there were a total of three options for outreach in January: Jeffreys Bay, Port Elizabeth, and Swaziland. This past Thursday our leaders finally came up with the three teams and where each team would be. Drum roll please................SWAZILAND it is!! Yes, I will be doing my outreach in Swazi from January 6^th, 2009 - May 15^th, 2009. I am so excited about the ministry opportunities that I will have there and the brand new angle I will receive on Africa. So please pray for me and my team as we prepare to bond and get focused on the next step for this trip.

"If we are the body, why aren't his arms reaching?

Why aren't his hands healing?

Why are his words teaching?

And if we are the body, why are his feet going?

Why is his love not showing them there is a way?

There is a way..."

Team Members: Matt and Isabel (team leaders); Alene, Gail, Sara T., Mary, Jillian, Loretta, Layne, Jessica G., Me, Davie, Blair, and Ryan!

Please keep all of us in your prayers :0)

These are my friends, Meghan J. and Ellen A., and the random penguin that washed up on shore last Saturday at the beach :0) He was sooo cute!!!

Going Deeper

Sat, 1 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have been telling you all about the wonderful things that God is doing here in Africa and in our ministries and our team, but I feel like I haven't shared too much about how God is working in my heart through discipleship and small groups. Our leaders are so terrific and know how to challenge our thoughts on who God is and other aspects of our spiritual life. In our large group discussion we are going over 6 major aspects of our faith and by next Friday we will be writing our own statements of faith based on the research we have been doing about God, the bible, the church, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I am learning so much and our sessions are always so intense, it is great. The last session we had was about the church and it really spoke to my heart and God convicted me to write a blog about it. I have always hated "religion" since it is mans way of trying to compartmentalize Jesus and His teachings. I feel too often we get caught up in what religion we are instead of just focusing on scripture and learning and teaching from it. Tag did an excellent talk on the church and how people have made it into an organization, which it is not.

To begin the session we made a list of things the church is and does...it was a LONG list. After we made this list, we took it and in smaller groups dug into scripture to see what God has to say about the church and what it is and is not. Not to my surprise, the list of what God commands us to do is so much shorter than the list of what we actually do and think we must do. So often the church gets distracted on what it's purpose is. Congregations will spend hundreds of dollars on new buildings so that people can play Christian basketball, or drink Christian coffee, play on a Christian playground, etc. when there are people are there struggling to raise money for missions trips, who are living homeless just around the corner, who go to bed every night with hunger pains, and so much more. Church is not a building; church is us, people, and children of God. The church is the Bride of Christ and it shouldn't be made into anything else.

If we did church right it would be a community where no one needed anything, every one's needs would be met. In Acts, Luke writes about such incidents:

"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." Acts 4:32-35

The funny thing was that right before this happened, 4,000 people came to know Christ, so out of 4,000 people none were in need of anything. Is there any church anywhere where all the attendants are need free? I couldn't think of one either...Wouldn't it be so amazing to be in that kind of community? Where people take physical action to care for one another, instead of hearing needs (and being able to provide) then just saying "ok I'll pray for you". How many of us are guilty of that? I know I am...on several occasions. It's so easy to pray for someone, but God has given us so much and in reality NONE of it belongs to us, it is ALL God's, so why do we hold on to money, clothes, and things so dearly? God doesn't just work through miracles, but he works through his people and the things that he has blessed them with. I challenge you to dig into scripture and really find out what the church is...and then ask God to help you understand that everything you own is not yours and that you can be at peace with giving away money, or things, when God calls you to do so. We have been practicing it here and it is really hard to do even when God smacks you in the face with the truth and what he wants you to do.

We did an experiment in our community where for 3 days we could not buy ANYTHING for ourselves and anything we wanted we had to ask someone to buy it for us. It was really hard to go around asking people to buy you a soda, or some ice cream; it was even hard to ask someone to pay for your laundry to get done. I really didn't have any immediate needs those few days, so I really didn't ask for much, but boy did I get asked to buy a lot of people stuff. Every time someone asked me, I was bitter about giving my money away and I always thought how the person really didn't need what they were asking for, but they asked anyway. I was judging them for asking me to help them out in getting something they wanted. How could I? I thought they were being selfish, when they whole time my heart was not in the right place. I came to the realization that it's not even my money to begin with, so what does it matter if I spend it on someone else? It's so easy to spend money on ourselves, but the second someone wants us to buy something for them we want to make sure it doesn't cost too much, or that they ACTUALLY need it, its not just something they want as a luxury. Even now I have a hard time "letting go" of the idea that the stuff that I currently have in my possession are not mine and God can and will take it away, but the great thing about that is that he will give me just as much, if not more back. We just need to trust in Him and the promises that he has made to us in scripture.

He is really challenging me to be at peace with knowing that everything I own really belongs to him and for me not to be attached to the things here, but to really be focused on his Kingdom.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Our Glorious Savior

Sat, 1 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6

Hello to everyone...I am so encouraged that you all are reading my blogs and responding to them. It is so nice to know that people are keeping up with what God is doing here in Africa. This past couples of weeks have been so good since God has really been showing me how important it is to bathe my days in prayer and fully rely on Him to make changes in peoples lives, and not myself. God has made this realization evident in my ministry at Talhado Haven.

My teammates and I have been struggling with running effective programs and relating with the older kids. One day we decided we just needed to take the 4 hour ministry block and have a meeting and just pray and figure out what we are doing wrong and find out what Gods wants us to do. Last Friday, our ministry was closed, so we were allowed to stay in J-Bay and meet with each other. Our team has been having some rough times getting along and being on the same page, so we decided we just needed to put everything out on the table and admit the things that we, individually, were doing wrong that hindered our teams effectiveness. I was nervous about it at first, but it worked wonders, after I spoke up and said how much "I sucked", to my surprise two of my other teammates did the same thing. It was so encouraging and it really helped us figure out what we need to do differently to work as a team and for each of us to be one hundred percent in our ministry. The Holy Spirit was working in this meeting and none of us had any idea what great things He was doing for us. We decided that we should appoint one person as leader to make sure we stay on track and that we are always prepared for our ministry. We only have one guy on our team, so we thought it would be amazing if he stepped up and took the leadership role so that he could have practice being a spiritual leader and us girls really wanted a MAN to take control. After that we decided that none of us gave our ministry the time and dedication that it deserved, so we made some plans to make that happened. We all vowed to pray for the children that we knew by name in our own time and that every morning we would eat breakfast together and pray over our day and our ministry. Let me tell you how well that planned worked...everyday last week we met for breakfast and talked some about our nights and how we were feeling and such, then we prayed for each other and for our day. Every single thing we asked for, God would deliver into our hands. It was so amazing how well behaved the children were and how open they were to the activities we planned to do with them. God blew me away this past week and I am so happy that He did. We have talked about prayer in our small groups and how important it is to be in constant communication with our Father so that we can always be in His will. I fell away from it for a few days and it really showed in my attitude and my ministry. But after this past week, I am back into the routine and really encouraged to do nothing except talk with my Father every chance I get.

"I lift my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. The Lord watches over you-the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over you coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121

After such an amazing and productive week, sadly next Wednesday is our last day at the Haven. It closed this past Thursday for the holidays, but we have our Christmas party on Wednesday. As a team, we feel that God is really calling us into the townships in that community to build relationships with the mothers and grandmothers of the children we have met and have ministered to so far. Friday, we helped the lady who opened the Haven and one of her friends, who helps her raise money to sustain it, put labels on soup cans that are set out all over the place for people to put their spare change into. It was a ton of work, but we prayed for efficiency and not to our surprise, God blessed us with that. Once we finished that task, we decided to try and visit a few of our friends in the township that we have already met. One lady, Ellen, was not home, so we left the message that we stopped by. But another couple that Leah (teammate) met a couple days before were home, so her and I stopped by to see them and have a follow up conversation. Their names are Samuel and Christina and they both love Jesus and know that He is their savior. However, we are not sure they truly understand WHO He is and WHAT He did for them. We asked them if they would like us to buy them a bible and Christina got so excited when we said that we would bring her one in Afrikkaans (their language.) Another wonderful thing that happened with this couple is that the last time Leah saw Samuel he had this huge cist on his right arm that was just oozing puss everywhere and he said that he has had it for 4 years now and he has been to the hospital and all they can do is drain it...nothing else has worked. So Leah and our leader who went with her prayed over Samuel and his arm. When Leah and I were there, he said that he had no pain and he showed us his arm and it was dried up and so much smaller than it had been. Praise God that He has started healing this man. Although it is not completely gone, Leah and I have faith that God is going to heal him so that he can go back to work and help get more money for him and his wife. They were so joyful when we left; they walked us all the way to our car and were waving and thanking Jesus for us. It was such a touching experience, we knew then that we were right where God wanted us to be.

In light of all this, we feel God calling us to continue building relationships in this part of the townships and really just seeking out new people to meet and pray for. This is going to be our new ministry starting Thursday of next week. Please pray for our obedience to God and His will...we will be doing several ATL's (Ask The Lord) searching for the voice of God leading us one way or the other. I am really excited about this new opportunity and can't wait to see what God is going to do. Thank you for all your prayers and words of love and affirmation.

God put a verse on one of my roommates' heart and I want to share it with you all because it really spoke to me this past week:

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Hospitality of South Africans

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Most of our team and the other teams in Somerset East stayed with a host family where they would eat and sleep and hang out in the evening since there was no where else for us to stay while we were in town running Beat the Drum. I was so looking forward to it, but unfortunately God had other plans. I ended up staying at the Family Church with some of my teammates from Cookhouse. I was a little saddened by that, but it was nice to be able to just come home at the end of the day be able to just go to bed. For those of you who do not know, my grandma passed away last week while I was in Somerset East. It was really hard being away from my family and grieving the loss of my grandmother. Once I got the news that m grandmother was gone, I was broken and I just knew that I needed time alone and to myself. Being in the church with ten other girls wasn't going to cut it. One of my good friends on the team, Meghan, stayed with me that evening while everyone else was at a youth rally, and she offered to ask her host parents if I could stay in their spare bedroom that night. Thankfully they said yes and I was able to have a room to myself that night to cry and just grieve alone. It was extremely helpful and it made the next day easier to face. Well that morning when they sent us off for the day, Johanna offered that if I needed I could come back again that evening. And I felt so welcomed there I decided to go back that night and then the final night after that. God placed Louis and Johanna in my life that week for a reason. They were like grandparents, so it was nice being able to spend the mornings and evenings in conversations with them talking about their adventures all over South Africa. It helped me keep my mind off of things, as well as, helped me grieve in a healthy way.

They recognized the good work we were doing in their town and I just pray that they were moved enough to make sure that the community of Somerset continues to help the change that has been made there. Please also pray blessings over them, if it hadn't been for them last week would have been a whole different story and not for the better.

"O God, you give us words to live by each day. Help us to remember that the highest dignity is in humility, hospitality, and service to one another. May we welcome others as you welcome us to your place of worship."

There is also a blog titled "Thank You Grandma" it's a poem that I wrote to help calm my spirit and remember the wonderful things my grandma had taught me over the years. Since I couldn't be at her funeral, my sister read it for me to everyone that was there. I loved her very much and I am happy that she is now with our Lord and reunited with her husband, my grandpa.

Thank You Grandma

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Thank You Grandma, for showing me how to laugh until I cry;

Thank You Grandma, for always being there to bandage me up after, I returned home from yet another long adventure;

Thank You Grandma, for entertaining all my crazy "tea parties" and just "playing house";

Thank You Grandma, for teaching me how to cook your mouth-watering recipes (even though yours was always better);

Thank You Grandma, for taking me to your strawberry patch to pick beautiful, red, ripe strawberries.

Thank You Grandma, for showing me how to be a strong, independent woman;

Thank You Grandma, for all the good night kisses you used to give me right before I laid my head down to sleep;

Thank You Grandma, for taking me on the numerous shopping sprees and teaching me how to spend Grandpa's money;

Thank You Grandma, for all the deep and encouraging conversations throughout the years;

Thank You Grandma, for coaching me on how to look completely innocent, even though I wasn't!

Thank You Grandma, for showing me the power of a genuine hug and a few kind words;

Thank You Grandma, for loving Grandpa so dearly; because of that I know that true love does exist;

Thank You Grandma, for showing me what it means to have pure joy in my life;

Thank You Grandma, for telling me that it is alright to cry uncontrollably when I am sad;

Thank You Grandma, for being a woman of Christ and challenging me to be the same.

Grandma, now that you are gone, thank you for showing be how to leave a legacy...

I love my Family :0)

"Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love." - Lamentations 3:32

Dancing with Jesus

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Dancing with Jesus

Psalm 45:11 "For your royal husband is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him for He is your Lord."

So one day last week, when we were in Somerset East, I had an amazing experience with Jesus that I wanted to share with all the girls (if you are a guy reading this you may appreciate it, but it is mainly for the girls.) So every morning last week we had morning devotions as a large group and usually got about ten to fifteen minutes alone to spend with God before we started our next activity. Well this particular day I sat down to meet with God and as soon as I closed my eyes He said, "Meet me at the beach." So, being the obedient lady I am, I went to the beach and looked for Jesus (in my mind.) I showed up at the beach and it was empty, but felt completely serene and majestic. I started looking around for Jesus and when I looked to my right I saw Him kneeling with His arms open wide waiting for me to run into His arms. Naturally I did just that. I took off and sprinted into my Father's arms. I was struggling with feeling lonely lately, so it was just what I needed at the time. (Amazing how God knows exactly what we need when we need it.) So I am in His arms and I love every minute of it and of course the lady running devotions that morning comes on the microphone and says time is up. I was so angry at her because I just wanted to spend some time in my Father's arms, but I obeyed and left Jesus to move on to the next activity.

As we planned for and went to our ministry later that day, I still had not forgotten about my wonderful meeting with Jesus that morning. That evening, like we did every night, we had worship, prayer, and reflection. I was complaining earlier to Mary about how I didn't want to go to worship that night since it had become such a routine and was beginning to feel forced and not spontaneous and genuine. Well as usual, God had a much better plan for me than I did. I decided just to sit in my chair and pray when the first song was played. As I was praying I remembered that morning and decided I wanted to go back to the beach to see if Jesus was still there. Sure enough He was waiting just as He had been that morning. I was overjoyed and could not contain my excitement. I heard our worship leader go into a moment of prayer so I ran to my Savior's feet and bowed down and prayed to Him as the leader spoke the words. When she was done praying she began the next song and the most breathtaking thing happened to me. Jesus gently put his fingers under my chin and lifted me up to my feet. Then we just started dancing...that's right I said DANCING. I was dancing with Jesus on the beach, oh it was the most romantic thing I have ever done in my life. I could not believe how wonderful it felt to be captivated by my lover. When I had arrived that the beach that night I was wearing black pants and a hoodie, but when I glanced down to see what I looked like (while I was dancing), I had the most gorgeous gown on that I had ever laid eyes on. It fit me perfectly and flowed in the breeze every time Jesus twirled me around. My hair was down, long, and so beautiful. I felt like a stunning princess right out of a fairy tale, it was like a dream come true. It was as if I was as gorgeous as the bride described in Song of Songs:

"How beautiful are your sandaled feet, O queenly maiden. Your rounded thighs are like jewels, the work of a skilled craftsman. Your navel is as delicious as a goblet filled with wine. Your belly is lovely, like a heap of wheat set about with lilies. Your breasts are like twin fawns of a gazelle. Your neck is as stately as an ivory tower. Your eyes are like the sparkling pools in Heshbon by the gate of Bath-rabbim. Your nose is as fine as the tower of Lebanon overlooking Damascus. Your head is as majestic as Mount Caramel, and the sheen of your hair radiates royalty. A king is held captive in your queenly tresses. Oh, how delightful you are, my beloved; how pleasant for utter delight! You are tall and slim like a palm tree, and your breasts are like its clusters of dates." - Song of Songs 7:1-7

The evening continued with worship music and every time a new song would come on, I pleaded with Jesus to not stop and to just keep dancing with me, and He did. We danced all night to like five or six songs. It was the most wonderful experience I have ever had. Everything was so perfect...the warm night air, my dress, the sand between my toes, the sunset on the beach, my lover capturing my heart, the waves gently crashing in the background, the dancing, the few stars in the dark blue sky, the cool breeze off the water, the empty beach, I mean EVERYTHING. Girls, let me tell you, that night I fell in love with Jesus all over again and it was the most amazing feeling ever. Too often I know we, as girls, want to be romanced by the men in our lives, but this night showed me that there is only one who can romance us like we so deeply desire and that is Jesus, our lover, husband, and friend. Girls, if you have not "danced with Jesus" lately I urge you to...let Jesus captivate your heart and give you a night that you will remember for the rest of your life. This isn't just for single girls; every woman can experience the love and romance of her "knight in shining armor".

I just know that when I find the man God has intended me to spend the rest of my life with, he will dance with me on the beach just like Jesus did that one night :0)

"My lover is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others! His head is the finest gold, and his hair is wavy and black. His eyes are like doves beside brooks of water; they are set like jewels. His cheeks are like sweetly scented beds of spices. His lips are like perfumed lilies. His breath is like myrrh. His arms are like round bars of gold, set with chrysolite. His body is like bright ivory, aglow with sapphires. His legs are like pillars of marble set in sockets of the finest gold, strong as the cedars of Lebanon. None can rival him. His mouth is altogether sweet; he is lovely in every way. Such, O women of Jerusalem, is my lover, my friend." - Song of Songs 5:10-16

Beat the Drum

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

So all last week, the AIM team along with a few other organizations all met up in a little town three hours east of Jeffreys Bay, called Somerset East. We all went to this town to run the "Beat the Drum" program, which is an HIV/Aids awareness program and a call for abstinence among teenagers. The program is based off the movie, Beat the Drum, which is about a little boy named Musa who lost his whole family to the Aids virus and was courageous enough to start talking about this "killer" among his people. We formed 6 teams out of one hundred and twenty people. Five teams went into high schools (Johnson, Aeroville, Gill, Cookhouse, and Pierston) and the sixth team was our community team that went and did the program in a prison, on farms, and in an orphanage. The first day of the program, everyone showed the Beat the Drum movie to the school where they were assigned. Then the rest of the week we had 5 lessons to get through in 4 days. Then on Friday we had a free testing going on where ALL the students and community members could come and get tested to see whether they were HIV positive or not. Most schools gave each team a period (about 50 minutes) of teaching time with the various grades that were allowed to participate. This time normally was not enough, so it was very difficult to try and teach a lesson that should take two hours in fifty minutes, but God provided a way for the learners' (students') hearts to be touched and changed.

I was on the Cookhouse team, a little town about 20 minutes outside of Somerset. This town has the highest HIV rate in the whole world. They say the reason for that is that there is a truck stop right there in town and the truckers stop and then sleep with the prostitutes who wait for them on the side of the road. Pretty much everyone who has had sex in this town has had sex with each other because it is so small and there is no where to go. As soon as we drove into this township, I could sense the evil there. The look of hopelessness was upon everyone's face walking through the community. It broke my heart to see such brokenness in such a small town and that fact that the devil seemed to have a good grasp the people in it. Well we show up on the first day to show the movie and the hall we were showing it in was a short walk from the high school, but the students were supposed to be escorted by the teacher's to the hall for their last period. It was about time to start the movie and we had no children in the hall, apparently the teachers told the students to go home first and drop off their bags then come back for the movie, well we all know how well high school students listen, so we ended up with maybe two-thirds of the 302 students we were supposed to have viewing the movie. But we knew that the students who needed to see this movie were present, so we started the two-hour movie. When we were about 20 minutes from the end (the most important part) our DVD froze and we could not get it to play. So the students started leaving and eventually we had to dismiss them without them being able to see the end of the movie. Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong on our first day. Our team had a rough night, but after digging into scripture and praying about it, we knew that God had a different plan than we had for Cookhouse, so we cheered up and decided to go with what God gave us for the net day.

Well to our surprise, the head mistress was now on board with our ministry there (when the day before she was rather reluctant). When we showed up, she had cleared the whole schedule for the afternoon and had three classrooms ready for us to set up sound systems and show the WHOLE movie to the entire school. What a blessing, we were so excited and praised God for this opportunity. Well we showed the movie to everyone and barely had 5 minutes to try and have some conversation with the students about the movie, trying to cover some of lesson one since we were so far behind. The next day our goal as to have the children write a letter to Francis, a lady in the movie who opened an orphanage in Johannesburg for street kids, about their troubles and hardships that they have to deal with on a daily basis. They wrote the letters and then dropped them in a box and we were able to read them later. It was tragic and oh so hard to read the letters. One girl's parents were divorced and her dad left them and then her mother is never around so she feels like no one loves her or has ever loved her and she wanted to know what to do about it. Then another girl said that she had been raped by her teacher just like one of the girls in the Beat the Drum movie. In another letter, a girl said that her brother and her dad raped her, but she couldn't tell anyone and she had no idea what to do. One boy wrote that if he found out he was HIV positive that he would to kill himself because he no longer have a reason to live. And the letters went on and on...these children are only in Grade 8, meaning they are 12 and 13 years old. It was so hard reading these letters feeling a burden of wanting to make it all better, but knowing that there is absolutely nothing you can do; only God can jump in and save them. Once we jumped over that hurdle we had many more in front of us, but we knew that it was God's battle against the evil one and we were just there for Him to use.

"This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up you positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.' " - 2 Chronicles 20:15, 17

We finished the week and God has so much success by the end. The class I was teaching (grade 8), all 25 of them accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior and they all committed to abstaining from sex until they get married. Not only that, but of the 302 students in the school, 108 went to go get tested to see if they were positive or not. I know some of these students were horrified to find out their status, but at the same time they wanted to be courageous and make a stand in their community. I was so proud of my class and it was really wonderful to see how they changed from the first day we arrived to the day that we left. I left knowing that Satan no longer has a strong hold on this town, but that it is now in God's hands and He has great plans for that little community. Please keep Cookhouse, along with the other schools, in your prayers. Even though we made an impact this week, the devil will still try to creep in and feed these people lies and get them to turn away from the decisions they made this past week.

I have another very important prayer request...the girl I taught with, Abongile, is from Somerset East and she is not saved yet. She is really looking for the Lord and trying to figure everything out, but she is also nervous that she may be infected with HIV. She had unprotected sex at least once and does not know the status of the guy who she had sex with. But she went to go get tested and since it was her first time they couldn't tell right away, so she has to get tested again in a couple weeks and then she will be able to know if she has Aids or not. I could see in her eyes that she was very scared about the possibilities of having HIV, so please pray for her and pray that she is not infected with the virus. She was such a wonderful blessing and her testimony really motivated most of our kids to go get tested. I love her very much and I am praying that God continues to reveal himself in her life and that from there she will accept him in her heart and continue the work we started in Somerset East this past week.

This is the verse that got me through the week:

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." - Deuteronomy 31:8

My Desires for Africa

Wed, 8 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

My Desires for Africa

I desire to grow intimate with God

I desire to serve people for God's sake, not my own

I desire to be bold in sharing the gospel

I desire to relate with the many people I will encounter in Africa

I desire to share hope and love with children in need of it

I desire to love everyone and anyone

I desire to leave my biases and prejudices at home and go with an open mind

I desire to follow Jesus' footprints

I desire to be a light in the dark places

I desire to engage in fellowship with my teammates

I desire to learn from others

I desire to question things that I don't agree with and to find the truth

I desire to fulfill my missions

I desire to be one hundred percent selfless

I desire to change my way of thinking

I desire to find God's voice in the silence

I desire to lead by example

I desire to not let my fears prevent me from doing anything

I desire to hold on to my faith through thick and thin

I desire to represent Christians in a new, refreshing light

I desire to be a blessing to those I meet

I desire to change someone's life

I desire to plant several seeds in various people

I desire to see fruits of our labor

I desire to only speak words of encouragement

I desire to share my testimony

I desire to have total and complete faith in God at all times

I desire to change

I desire to share my experiences with others

I desire to show gratitude to those who have supported me

I desire to have an impact

I desire to change the world one person at a time