Swaziland: Month 2
It’s our last week in Swaziland and I am already mourning the loss of this month. This month our entire squad was together living in small spaces, worshipping, and doing ministry on top of a mountain. We have been at El Shaddai, a children’s home in Swaziland.
The back drop is something you see in National Geographic, gorgeous mountains surround us, blue skies above and red dirt below. I was in awe of the beauty of South Africa and Swazi tops it.
With this new month we gained new family. We grew closer to our squad and teams, we were loved on by the people who run El Shaddai and we each got a buddy. My buddy is Esi she is 15 and in 7th grade, she is beautiful and strong, she likes to sing and dance. It has been such a joy of mine to spend time with Esi everyday and as the time come for us to go I know my heart will be broken to leave her.
Ministry this month was a melting pot of goodness. There are so may projects and needs at El Shaddai that all 50 of us were kept busy. I surprisingly didn’t feel drawn to the baby house or to work crew and had signed up to help with the animals.. little did I know what I was in for.
Each day from 8 am to noon I cleaned pig pens. 1. Shovel the poop. 2. Shove poop through the hole with a stick. 3. Scoop dirty water from the trough onto floor. 4. scrub floor. 5. fill water trough. 6. Marvel at clean stall.
Yes this happened every day. about 20 stalls.
I can’t begin to describe what Jesus did this month, because I loved working with these animals. Katie C., Katie L., Laura, and me and Doris cleaning singing and getting to love on pigs. I can only say it is Jesus because it has been a blast. All the pigs now have names specific to their personality and we are getting more racers to fall in love with these guys. Eltina John is going to have her babies soon too!! ( Back story I named her Elton John then found out he was a she.. oops.)
This month I have grown and been challenged even more than last month and if this continues I may just do the race over and over again. I am in awe of who Jesus is and what he is doing in me. I don’t want to romanticize this adventure, becuase it has been filled with challenge and questioning, homesickness, and valleys.. But at this moment I am relishing in the mountain top experience.
P.S.
I miss you all more than you know. I think of my loved ones fondly in the random moments. I see Lance in boy boy the awesome 6 year old in grade 1. I think of Brooklynn after seeing frozen for the first time and knowing without a doubt she will be obsessed. This happens daily- little glimpses and reminders of home that make my heart smile and make this possible. Aimee I am halfway through the journal you gave me, and last month I lost it for a three days and was a mess…
If I haven’t gotten to text you or face time you or connect since I have been gone it is not because I haven’t wanted to- just so you know.
Love you all…. to India we go!!!
