“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,
whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
So we’ve been in Swaziland for just about a month now, and sorry to say I’ve been intentionally avoiding writing a blog about what exactly it is that I’m doing here. Sure I’ve written about reflections of the past 5 months, insight into what God’s been teaching me, and fun pictures of my new hair color, but no information on what in the world is actually happening here in Swaziland. This is in part because I don’t feel like there’s really much to tell, and also in part because I feel that what I am doing isn’t exactly “blog worthy.”
Our first two weeks here were filled with debrief of our month in Mozambique, training the “new recruits” (June Racers), being trained by Gary, Tom, Andrew, and Seth, countless games of speed scrabble, Yatzee, and Greedy, and eating ice cream…we ate lots and lots of ice cream. We went on a safari, visited the cultural village, and spent a couple days on the “Race Planning Committee.” Those two weeks were crazy and hectic with 80+people living in one house, but it was great to get to know the June Racers a little more, and hear more about our options for ministry here in Swaziland. We were pretty much given a blank slate for ministry this month…they sky was the limit. Each team was free to do whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted, with whatever contacts they could find. Our team decided to stay here in Manzini, Swaziland, but I didn’t have a clue what kind of ministry I wanted to do. The first couple options I pursued fell through, and I was out of ideas. I prayed about it a lot and really felt like God was telling that it was ok to not be going out and doing something
“great” this month. I feel like God’s kind of given me permission to rest in Him and not try so hard to do all those
things that make those great blogs. It hasn’t been the rough, hard missionary lifestyle, I’m not playing
with orphans, holding AIDS babies, or teaching in schools. My life for
the past month has been pretty ordinary. I’ve spent the last 10 days doing a lot of cleaning, a lot of praying, and a lot of time just “hanging out” with God. It’s nothing spectacular, nothing heart wrenching, and really nothing very exciting, but it’s been wonderful. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed making our current home as homey as possible (as this is the longest we’ve been on one place all year.) We are currently living in AIM’s 6 bedroom guest house, we have normal beds, hot showers, and a full kitchen. Kari and I have added touches of home to our room by hanging our sarongs as curtains, taping random things to the walls, putting my airplane blanket over a plastic covered matress calling it our “couch”, and lighting candles. We read, talk, watch movies, and pour over bridal magazines planning her big day next March. It’s been fabulous.
Last weekend I finally felt a nudge in my heart that I was supposed to get out and start doing something again. I had no idea what, and figured that I would just head out to the care point in Thembeni with Jon and Eric on Monday and do what they’ve been doing out there for awhile. But then Kari came home from the AIM office on Friday and said that Kriek, one of the AIM staff members, was going to need extra help this week doing orphan profiles out at some of the care points. They needed someone who could “babysit” the kids while they took pictures and recorded biographic information for all the orphans. Kari had somewhat volunteered me to help, and I was excited for the chance to be contributing again. As much as I’d like to follow that with all the awesome stories of helping out at the care points, the truth is…Kari and I have been sitting behind a desk for the last 4 days inputing data into a computer. Kriek hasn’t had the chance to go out to the carepoints yet, so for now the greatest thing we can do to help relieve her burden is to type…and type…and type. 7-8 hrs a day we input orphan names, parent and caregiver information, personalities, hobbies, and anything else that has been recorded about each individual orphan at the care points. It’s tedious and time consuming, but Kriek is continually reassuring us that we are filling a great need. And it’s also freeing her up to have time to take food out to the care points and help in other areas where she’s really needed. We volunteer to sit behind the desk so she doesn’t have to. Kari and I have come up with creative ways of entertaining ourselves while we sit across the desk and stare at each other for 7 hrs…it’s really quite fun. 🙂
I’m once again realizing that ministry this year (and probably for the rest of my life) is going come in many shapes and sizes…some glamorous and dramatic, some small and unnoticed. Am I working to earn man’s approval, or am I working to bring glory to God? I’m learning to be content where ever God has me, and I’ve found remarkable peace in that.
Much Love!
Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
