A Letter to You…
From Sarah West:
Dear Family and Friends,
I am in Swaziland!! It has been quite a rollercoaster of emotions on the journey here and while settling in. I miss everyone so much, but I know I have found a second family in my squad. After four days of planes, airports, and van rides we arrived at our base in Nsoko. There is running water, bunk beds and fingers crossed there will be electricity! We had a few days to rest and get acquainted with the space before we started ministry. My team’s ministry is a care point named Mahangeni. The shepherd who runs the place is Bongiwe, a sweet woman who loves the children so much. We have a three mile walk to ministry every day with a killer view which makes it much more enjoyable. The food has been great and living in community has honestly been pretty cool too. There is so much to tell you but I will save it for the rest of my team to share below.
I love you all SO much and am so thankful for your prayers and encouraging texts. Just know I am alive and already growing in my relationship with the Lord. Hugs to everyone!!
Love,
Sarah
From Annalise Hite:
Dear Family & Friends,
I am alive and well!! When we got to the ATL airport, that’s when our day began… It was a 4-day travel day that felt like a never-ending one. The airplane in the Middle East was incredible. The food was good, the movies were killer, and they gave us refreshment towels as we sat down. Really- it was incredible… all 11 hours of it. Anyways, when we got to South Africa, we drove 6 hours to get to our sight. We stopped on our way at a gas station that looked like a mini mall. There were zebras, ostriches, rhinos; every African animal you can imagine was there. Anyways, we crossed the SA border and eventually made it to Nsoko. It was dark… and there is no power. It sounds bad, but it isn’t as bad as it seems. We have showers and bunk beds. Really a win here in Africa. We started to build relationships almost immediately. The people here are so cool. Their hearts are huge and their love for Jesus is even better! They’ve made the most amazing food for us for dinner and it really has been more than I could have ever imagined. Ministry has been amazing and the Lord has worked in some incredible ways.
I see the Lord in everything, sunsets, mountains, people, my community- EVERYTHING!!! I love and miss you all and already can’t wait to hug you!
Love, Annalise
From Bekah Troyer
Dear Family & Friends,
Good news I am alive! And I am loving it here in Nsoko, Swaziland. We arrived to our base Saturday afternoon! I immediately fell in love with this country and its people. The view from the porch of the compound is absolutely gorgeous. The mountains stretch across the countryside and I wake up every morning to a gorgeous sunrise, and the sound of children laughing, and the birds singing. We started ministry on Tuesday, we walk an hour each way to our care point. My days are filled with the laughter of children and their beautiful smiling faces. I feel beyond blessed to show these children and their families God’s love. I am already building relationships that I know will last a lifetime. The Lord is working here, and he is changing hearts and lives everyday!
Please continue to pray for my team and I as we go to ministry each day.
Love, Bekah
From Sophie Raymond:
Dear mom and dad, im alive and okay. It’s been only a week but its felt like 2 months already. The compound we’re staying at is getting finished by the builders so we have no power or wifi. We have bunk beds & running water along with pb&js everyday. I miss you guys a lot and love you dearly.
Dear macy, I miss your funny self over here in Africa. When we worship here it makes me think of you on Wednesday nights. The sunsets in Africa also reminds me of us driving while the sun is going down with mamma mia blasting. I miss that! Africa sunsets are the prettiest thing ever. I miss you a whole lot. P.s. I read your letter and it was so clever and the best thing. Love you dancing queen.
Dear friends, thank you for the support that you have given me to get me here! It’s amazing and I cant wait to blog all about the great times here! Our ministry here is working with kids. We walk an hour to get to our care point but it’s so worth it seeing the kids. God is doing big things here. Love and miss you guys.
Dear john, I miss you a lot and im praying for you every night. I know you’re having fun and killing it in college. The kids in swazi give us a thumbs up handshake and it makes me think of you and A&M. love you always
I miss and love you all, Soph
From Jordan Louise Shea:
Dear Family and Friends,
I made it to Africa! I would love to say I’m here blessing the rains down in Africa, but it’s currently in a drought… Life in Africa is great! Aim is currently working on building a base here so we’re living in a construction zone. We have working (cold) showers, bunk beds (why did I buy a tent?), and soon to have electricity. We have been fed well and as of recently I have been given the opportunity to oversee breakfast. Our ministry is working at a care point, which I will explain in a different post, but I am holding kids all the time. I’m in love with everything here. Africa is beautiful.
Here’s what is hard here… My peanut butter is running low, there’s no wifi (probably not for the next 3 months), spiritual warfare is crazy real (a lot of us wake up in the middle of the night thinking something dark is next to us), my team has a walk to ministry and back everyday, and my back feels like it’s on fire. Like I said, Africa is great, but it’s a lot of growing pains and a lot of trials. It’s hard living in community. It’s hard working as a team. Spiritual warfare is scary.
I miss home. I miss you guys. I am homesick. But I love Africa. Until I have contact again, please keep praying for my team, squad, leaders and for the spiritual attacks here. God is doing amazing things, but it doesn’t come without trial.
I love you guys.
Until next time,
Jordan Louise
From Sarah Johnson:
Dear Mom,
I know it’s been awhile but I’m alive. I made it to Swaziland Friday and started ministry Tuesday. Swaziland is so beautiful with its long mountain ranges, grassy plains, and fiery sunsets. And the people are equally as beautiful. Tuesday through Friday I serve at a care point from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and it is a three mile walk each way. I have little kids hanging on me all day long and next week ill be helping to teach them and coordinate sports and activities. The kids are poor, dirty, and starved for affection but they are some of the most joyous people I have ever encountered. Today I walked home with two girls and we sang and danced the whole way. My heart was singing! But with the highs there have also been the hard nights and moments of growth. God is certainly stretching me and putting me in places where I have to fully rely on his strength to get me through the day. But he is so faithful and I’ve been able to walk through the tough spots still rejoicing in Him.
It’s so surreal that I’m actually here and I’m still processing so much! I can’t wait to see your face and tell you everything “in person”. I love you SO MUCH! <3
(Give a kiss and hug to buddy for me)
Love,
Sarah
From the team:
We ask that you pray for our community that we are living in. With all the spiritual warfare around us, it has been a tough first few days here. Pray for emotional, mental and physical health over us.
Please pray for our ministry and that their hearts would be softened as we share the Gospel with those who we encounter.
Lastly, pray for authentic and genuine relationships as we walk through this next three months in Nsoko, Swaziland.
