Their faces are seared in my memory. My heart.
Although I came on the Race hoping that I would have one month that was clearly my favorite, I didn’t really expect it to happen. But it did.
I’ve written about my month in Swaziland before in a blog called Rugged Love, but since then, my love for Swaziland has leaked out of my heart so consistently that I had to write again.
My time in Swaziland was bigger than a stereotypical trip with all the fixings of pictures with little Black babies and rhythmic worship. It was an encounter with Love—uninhibited, unrestrained, unlimited.
The children loved us lavishly, even though they knew we would only be there for a month.
They did not block their hearts like I do.
They did not limit their love like I do.
They did not label me unworthy as I do to others.
The children of El-Shaddai are beautiful; absolutely and incomparably beautiful.
In their smiles, I saw the joy of God.
As we drove away at the end of the month, I read notes from some of the girls and I began to cry and I couldn’t stop.
I knew that I had been changed. I knew that what had happened on that mountainside would have a permanent and profound mark on my life.
In an HIV-ridden country full of corruption, sexual immorality and witchcraft, I encountered God.
These children were abused and mistreated, but not forgotten.
My God engraved their names on His hand and He rescued them from the dominion of darkness. His grace is sufficient. His love is tangible. His compassion is overwhelming. And His goodness is incomprehensible.
That is my God. The God of Swaziland. The God of Earth. The God of the universe and yet He knows my name.
He loves me and He showed me His love through the beautiful children of Swaziland in such a way that now their faces and their names are love markers that point me to Him.
I’ve learned that real love is going to cost you and it’s going to hurt in all the right ways, but it’s worth it.
I’ll end with a short dialogue between one of the older girls and myself.
Me: “Do you have any sisters?”
T: *shakes head* “No.”
Me: “From today on, never answer that way again.”
T: “Why?”
Me: “Because I’m adopting you as my sister. So the next time someone asks you if you have a sister, you say, ‘Yes, an older sister, Rachelle.’”
T: (with a wide smile) “Ok.”
That’s what we get to do.
That’s what the kingdom is about.
That’s what love looks like.
***
Thank you, Adventures in Missions for changing our route.
Thank you, El-Shaddai Children’s Home for welcoming us into a whirlwind of love.
Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ for saving me and searing my face into your heart.
If you can, please support this ministry: http://www.elshaddaiswazi.org/support-us.html
