Sanibonani from Nsoko, Swaziland!!
My first day here consisted of me and another girl on my squad getting dropped off on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere in the dark because our bus had passed our stop. We didn’t know where to go or what to do, so we just stood there for a bit watching the last bit of the sun go down. After multiple calls and talking to a police, we were finally picked up by the staff from our ministry and taken home to our teams with fresh burgers waiting. It was a bit of a stressful night to begin our time in Swaziland, but I’m thankful we made it!
This month has been filled with bugs, sweat, bucket showers, 19 girls in one house, precious (and quite crazy) children, amazing sunsets, salty water, dirt everywhere all the time, star filled skies, no wifi, and beautiful worship. Though chaotic and overwhelming at times – I have loved it.
Nsoko is a little town in the southwestern corner of the country, kind of in the middle of nowhere. There are a lot of flat plains and quite a few mountains (big hills?) in the surrounding area – at the top of the one that is closest to us is the border of South Africa! We were able to hike up and into it which was pretty cool. It has been refreshing being in a little village away from the city and jumping into the more laid back flow of life and the culture here.
In our little corner of Nsoko lived three teams of all women living in one house with two rooms of bunk beds and three-ish bathrooms. We have a functioning kitchen, lots of room to hammock, a big open room to eat, play games, and chill in, and a perfect view of the sunset and stars every single night. In a way, it has come to feel like home to me. Which is ironic because the is the first month that I have felt homesick on the whole race. Mostly because I’ve really been missing my peeps at home. It’s hard to see all of the life that is continuing to happen there with people who I’ve been through the most with, and not be able to be there with them. And along with that has come learning the balance of thinking and praying into life after the race, which is important and something I don’t want to neglect just because I don’t want to think about it, while still being present here and taking in all the moments that are left on this incredible journey, because I really do love it.
This month, we are partnered with the World Race’s umbrella organization, Adventures in Missions, which has been such a neat experience. We are paired with different ‘care points’ in the area that we go to throughout the week as well as helping out with administrative tasks in the office, assisting at the preschool on the compound, and making different English learning sheets for schools in the area.
The care points are a really awesome ministry in Swaziland. They provide food (rice and beans) for children every day, many times with enough to take home for later or for their families, and at each one there is a ‘shepherd’ who is a local who cares for the flock of children and will check in will families when needed. The shepherd also teaches a bible lesson every week that leads into follow up and application and small groups. The heart behind the small groups is one of my favorite parts about it, because each small group has a leader who is one of the local students who is responsible for facilitating group discussions and keeping track of the answers in order to follow up on what they are learning. So in this maybe somewhat small way, they are training and raising up Christian leaders within the communities, and I love that.
At the care points there are always children. Always. When we arrive, the little ones are there and we just get to play and hang out and love on them for a while. They usually can’t speak English at all. But we have seen again and again how love goes beyond language. They eat their lunch and we sing songs and play games and pour love and words of blessing over them. It’s so wonderful. During this time, we also get to hang out with the shepherd and the Go-go’s (grandmas) who make the food! A little later in the afternoon, the older school kids come to the care points on their way home from school. The shepherd accounts for the students who are there and then begins the lesson or discussion or activity for the day. It almost always consists of songs and some kind of game, too! During our time here, we were able to help teach the lesson, be with the small groups in their discussions, and lead the songs and games! Afterward, they line up for food and we get to hang out with them for a bit before they head home. It’s been sweet getting to build relationships with children and shepherds during our time here and get to see how the Lord is working here.
Another incredible part of our time here has been getting to know and spend time with our hosts! They are a wonderful family from America and Canada with four kids and we love them so much. They invited us over to their home for a braai (African barbeque – best thing ever) and for Easter, and have just been so intentional with us in encouraging us and loving us and showing us more of our Father through how faithful He has been in their lives. They have lived in Swaziland for about three years, and this is home for them. As of now they aren’t planning on going anywhere else. It has been so inspiring to see their obedience to the Lord and to hear their hearts for this country. We love every chance we get to spend time with them and learn from them. I am so thankful.
In between our time at care points and such, I loved getting to spend time with the 18 lovely ladies in our house. Making yummy dinners, having cool conversations, roasting marshmallows (and sometimes dinner) over a fire, watching lightning shows across the sky, getting surprise desserts when we had the supplies, having dance parties, and laughing until we almost pee our pants. It has been full of life.
& with the end of Swaziland, comes the end of our time in Africa! And the end of month 7 ahhhhhhh! It’s crazy!!! It is so hard to believe that the Africa part of the journey is over and there are only four months left. Africa has been incredible, I will definitely miss this place.
On April 28, we head to our next and final continent: South America!
Our next country: Argentina!
Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we jump into the final four months of the race in South America!!
Love you all so very much, and sure do miss you a lot – you are in my heart
All to Him I owe
