My Daughter is a Missionary: A Parent’s Perspective.

I’ve been home, back in the good old USA, for a little over 2 weeks and I’m still processing my trip to South Africa and Swaziland (now called Eswatini).

 

How can I begin to describe the experience of traveling 16+ hours to meet my 34 year old daughter, Alissa in Johannesburg, South Africa? She asked her Dad and I to come. To see her in her role as a World Race Squad Mentor. To work along side her, to meet these wonderful people some 8,000 miles from home. We did go, and this is my story.

 

The experience was incredible, eye opening, some parts were devastatingly sad, but at the same time, joyous.  The day we arrived, we drove to Pretoria to visit some friends of hers, that she met on a previous mission trip to South Africa, 3 years ago. Pastor Renier, his wife, Ronel, and their teenage daughter, Marezaan, welcomed us into their lovely home, treated us to a delicious traditional Afrikaans lunch of oxtail stew. They showed us around the Church grounds and made us feel like family.

 

 

Our next stop that afternoon, was in Middleburg, where we visited with more friends, Pastor Jan and his wife, Marisca. They had invited us to spend the night with them in their home and cooked a traditional Braai (South African BBQ) to highlight the local flavor! We felt blessed by their hospitality!

 

 

The thing that struck me most about this trip, even that first day, was that Alissa had made genuine friends in South Africa! People who obviously cared about her, who welcomed her back, and welcomed us in. They cooked a meal for us, spent an afternoon and evening sharing stories, prayed with us and gave us a comfortable place to stay the night, before we journeyed on.

 

We spent 4 days with her while she did her debrief with her squad in Nelspruit. 

 

 

If I had any doubts about what Alissa was doing through her mission work, over the last 4 years, they were quelled by the fact that she seemed to be in her element. She definitely had “a way” with people and their reaction to her was awe inspiring. The easy way she had of showing people she cared about them and their stories. The gentle way she comforted them and prayed with them over their concerns. 

 

It involved some long, sometimes intense and sensitive discussions with her squad leaders, and also individual, one on one talks, with each squad member. Making sure they were in a good place emotionally, spiritually and even physically. Each day started with an hour of worship…sitting out in the warm African sunshine, singing along to worship music, praying and just being in the moment, sitting quietly with the Lord. Alissa usually had a Bible passage prepared to read and afterwards there would be some discussion about it and a teaching. It was all so good. She took all the time needed to spend with each person in her squad. She made them feel heard and she imparted words of encouragement to finish the race strong. They have 3 months to go.

 

 

Listening to her speak to her squad made my heart swell with pride. She had come such a long way. She had become such a good leader, a compassionate listener, a trusted peer, a wise guardian to these young adults. I could see how they were inspired by her and looked to her for guidance, wisdom and help in resolving personal conflicts and concerns. She worked hard over those 4 days, never complaining that she had no time for herself, always available to “talk it out”, whatever the “it” happened to be. I couldn’t be any prouder of her.

 

When we traveled into Swaziland, now called Eswatini, some of the parents met us there for the Parent Vision Trip. This is where parents come to participate with their son/daughter, doing the mission work along side them. Also a chance to have some time “catching up” with their racer after 9 months on the Race, in the field.

 

 

It’s a pretty eye-opening experience for most. We are spoiled, we have so much, we take the comforts of our homes, our clean water, our soft beds, our jobs, our health and our well being for granted…. and yet we still want more. 

 

If you could only see how people in Swaziland live, you would be in shock. The level of poverty is overwhelming, yet the children we played with, laughed with, sang songs with, were dusty and dirty, shoeless, most were malnourished, but they had the audacity to love us! Wanted us to stay close, hold their hands, take their pictures and dance….they were HAPPY. They didn’t know any other way to be. They were joyful knowing we were there to pour into them, and love them.

 

 

 

I was again in awe of Alissa when she prayed over a woman, who was grieving for a young daughter she recently lost in an accident. (We knew this because we had an interpreter with us who spoke siSwati). This woman could not speak English, but that was not a barrier, as Alissa held hands with her, lead us in prayer and prayed peace over her and her young son. I sat there with tears in my eyes witnessing the unconditional love my daughter gave to this woman and her child.

 

 

How can a person not be changed by witnessing such things? My daughter is forever changed, as am I, and so are ALL these young people who have stepped out of their comfort zones on this journey to meet people where they are, to pray with them and for them, to get down to hard work, planting gardens, painting orphanages, digging ditches for irrigation, fixing up safe shelters for victims of sex trafficking, teaching English and sign language, doing whatever is needed wherever they are, and showing that sometimes all you need to do is LOVE one another.

 

 

I am one proud MOM. Thank you Alissa for allowing your Dad and I to see you as others have seen you on this journey, as one incredible woman sharing your unyielding Faith and bringing light and joy to those who need it most. You lead with an open heart and that’s a great way to live. You lead by example.

 

I am blessed to have such a wonderful daughter, who’s shown me how to open my heart too.

 

XO Mom