Whoa! As of today I’ve been in Africa for 8 days, it honestly feels like I’ve been here for 80! We are settled in at the AIM base here in Nsoko and have began ministry this week. We are all at different care points around the area and are relatively doing the same thing; going to the care points everyday where children come to get a meal, we play with them and love on them, we serve our Shepherd (a native appointed by AIM to be over that care point), and get to know our Gogo’s (usually an elderly Swazi woman that cooks for the children). My team and I are working with an awesome shepherd named Gabi, she is really involved in her community so we also go with her to visit families homesteads and will eventually be visiting the military housing to pray for soldiers. This week we have mainly been at a homestead of a family that very recently lost their 11 year old daughter very unexpectedly. We have been helping serve food, cutting grass, talking and praying with family members and just bringing peace. Often times loving people well during really hard things looks like coming into their space, sitting with their family and laughing, or sitting with someone individually and crying with them. We’ve seen a lot of hurt but also a lot of sweetness and compassion in these visits.
On Wednesday I got to go to the local shopping area, market thing called Mattata and do some ATL evangelism. On the Race we practice going to wherever the Lord asks us, and as we walk asking him who we should talk to. We first talked to a couple of women at the furniture store and prayed for financial breakthrough. Then we saw my friend Patrick, who I met previously at Mattata. Patrick works at the bus terminal there and loves Jesus! The first day I met him we became friends, and he gave me an African name; Se Pesilee (probably not how it’s spelled) which means beautiful gift. We encouraged Patrick by affirming in him that he is a pastor, that he has a pastoral heart and that by him blasting his worship music through the speaks in the parking lot, he is showing people Jesus. God also told me that Patrick and I will be great friends by the end of these three months, be in prayer for that!
Swaziland is so different that Guatemala or Asia, but I’m so excited to be here! The people are STUNNING, they’re always ready for a conversation on the side of the road, more interested in talking to a friend then being somewhere on time, I love that. They’re intentional and patient, kind and attentive. Crazy to think I’m spending my last few months here, crazy to think my mom will be joining me for ministry here in 10 days!
God is moving and I’m stoked to see the fruit!!
