Africa. Oh Africa. We are finally here. I’ll have to mention that I didn’t really have much of an opinion on Africa before coming here. I was more excited about South and Central America. But this place is special.
Right now, Team Ignite is preparing to leave for Nsoko, Swaziland in about 3 hours. We have been in Manzini, Swaziland for the past week and a half receiving teaching from Mike Pascal, Gary Black, and Tom Davis. We’ve discussed spiritual warfare, claiming our inheritance, and what it looks like to bring kingdom to different places. Its been incredible.
This place is not how I envisioned it. I spent the first week working out at a nice gym and eating somewhat American food. I imagined a desolate brush area, which from what I understand, is what we’ll experience in Nsoko. Still, it was a pleasant place to be for a week and a half before ministry.
During this short time, I’ve had the opportunity to make great friendships and minister in some unique ways. One of the first people I met here was a little boy named Sanjo. He is 10 years old and we played soccer a couple of times together. One thing that Swazis like to do is give foreigners Swazi names, so Sanjo decided to give me one. He named me Sabelo. I asked him what it meant and he didn’t know, he said it was just a name. So using my Spanish background, I tried to decipher it. In Spanish, it would be a command that meant “know it”. Know it? Know what? So obviously, languages do not transfer so easily…or do they?
Our ministry contact for this month is a man named Pastor Gift. His name fits, he is truly a gift and a blessing to those who know him. I asked him for the meaning of my new Swazi name and he informed me that it meant “inheritance” or “my share”. Inheritance, eh? He then proceeded to give me a verse to claim with my name.
Psalm 2:8
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
Interesting.
Throughout the entire World Race, one of our theme songs has been “You Said” by Shane and Shane. The chorus goes:
Ask and I’ll give the nations to you, oh Lord, that’s the cry of my heart. Distant shores and the islands will see your light, as it rises on us.
It blows my mind how God works. How He uses the simplest things to remind us of who we are. He combined my Spanish knowledge, a name, a song, and a verse all to remind me of who I am. Inheritance. To claim and know that I am inheriting his kingdom as a prince. To “know it”. As the psalm says, to ask him and he’ll make the nations our inheritance. To know that we are traveling around the world on this crazy thing with purpose. To make it the cry of my heart to see the nations come to know him. Wow. Overload on the brain. I’ll never understand how God orchestrates things. But I’ll enjoy the ride.
On a lighter note, I decided that I would really assimilate into society and African culture. So through one of our friends that we met at the Hope House (a care center for AIDS patients), I had dreadlocks put in. My teammates tell me that I am able to fit into different cultures very easily(remember Geoff Eigenmann and the Philippines). So that’s good to know. I know I’m not designed for just one place. The nations. Everywhere. Its awesome!
Check out some of my other teammates blogs under the left-hand section “My Team”!
