Swazi’s aren’t really known for being super chatty. One of the first things we learned was that long silences are not only normal, they’re to be expected. For mile- a- minute, get in and get it done, go- getter types like myself, this is a bit of a culture shock and certainly a barrier to ministry. But another thing I learned this week is that Swazis have a fierce sense of pride. When people die of AIDs, neighbors often say, “there was an accident,” or “he was sick” at their funeral rather than allow the memory of their friend to be tainted by shame.
Here in Nsoko, my team is working with a group of Swazis dubbed ministry partners. These are men and women who are engaged in full time ministry and discipleship, coming with us to Care Points and on home visits, helping translate for and guide us as they in turn learn what they can from us and the AIM missionaries. One of the younger MPs, Sanele, is still in high school. He’s lively and energetic and just a joy to be around.
Yesterday he was around all day, and when Kacie asked why he wasn’t in school, he calmly answered that he wasn’t feeling well. Today we found out that he hadn’t eaten a meal in 2 days, and that was really why he didn’t go.
When Eric and Jen heard this, their first reaction (after we got him a sandwich) was, “Why didn’t you tell us??” Swazi pride. Their second response was to head right to the grocery store and buy enough food for his homestead.
The matron of this homestead is an old woman named Go Go Flora, a big African lady with an even bigger heart, whose 7 children have died and who now cares for her grandchildren… when she has the means to feed them. When we delivered the cornmeal, rice and beans to her, she was sitting in a chair outside, praying for the Lord to provide. As we showed her the bags of food, she broke out into songs of praise, thanking God for His answer to her desperate prayer as she told us that if she hadn’t eaten that day, she would have surely died, and there would have been no one to care for her grandchildren.
As we prayed over her, Jen made a powerful point: we have never really known want. We’ve never prayed for things because we were so desperate that if God didn’t provide, we would die. We don’t know what it is to know our need for the Lord on such a real and tangible way, and likewise when He’s answered our prayers, we’ve never recognized how seriously we owe Him our lives.
In our Bible study this past week, we studied the Pharisees’ reaction to Jesus healing the blind man. These self-proclaimed men of God were so sure of their own righteousness that they weren’t willing to accept the miracle, and they were condemned for their pride and, ironically, spiritual blindness. What struck me about the story is that, though this man probably spent his whole life questioning why God would allow him to be born blind, the blindness was actually a blessing, because it allowed Jesus to show up and work a miracle, healing the spiritual state of the man’s soul as He opened his physical eyes as well.
Sanele and Go Go Flora didn’t eat for 2 days, and that’s hard for anyone to endure, but I have to wonder if they’re infinitely more blessed than we are, because their hunger drove them to call on the Lord with everything they had.
Jesus [asked the man born blind], “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
“Who is He, sir?” The man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in Him.”
Jesus said, “You have no seen Him; in fact, He is the One speaking with you.”
Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and worshipped Him.
John 9:35-38
pop and beans– the African way
