We’re in Africa! Swaziland is amazing. We live on a ranch surrounded by plains in every direction. Mountains form a bowl around us in the distance, marking the border between us and South Africa. The skies are clear, clouds are heavy and defined, stars are bright and crisp. The culture is loud here, perfect for our team. Church services are relaxed and the worship is pure and beautiful. This place is awesome.
On Tuesday we began prison ministry. We drove with our host, Leo, to what will be our ministry site on every Tuesday for the next 3 months. The prison is outside and more closely resembles a military barracks—with its courtyard, watch towers, and surrounding dorms—than a traditional prison. It was a really cool and humbling experience to be brought into the lives of the people there. Leo gave a message, then we got to share our testimonies leading up to our being in that room with them. They led two worship songs, then invited us up. I played guitar as we sang a few American worship songs together.
Leo told us it wouldn’t matter much what we said, so long as we said something. A lot of our ministry here will just be being here. Building relationship, investing in people. During the week we’ll spend time at two different Care Points, places local kids go to for food and education during the day. We’ll help out there during the week and show the kids love before they go home. Ministry here is very relational. For a lot of the kids at our Care Points they don’t have whole families to go home to. Sometimes they don’t go home to meals, sometimes they don’t go home to parents. We’re here for three months with the chance to love them and invest in them.
Swaziland is going to be hard. But I’m really excited to be here! It’s the last leg of my Race which is crazy! In under 90 days I’ll be home. Until then, home is Nsoko, Swaziland.
