If you read my last blog you know that I had expectations for a mountaintop experience on the World Race and it didn’t come. Something better came instead, but God has a funny sense of humor because I literally spent month 2 with my entire squad on top of a mountain in Swaziland at the El Shaddai children’s home. It was the most beautiful place I have every seen, it was breathtaking.
The place consists of several small houses, a chapel, two playgrounds and a primary school. They also have several farm animals and a huge garden where they grow some of their own vegetables.
While at El Shaddai I painted a roof, held a baby goat and caught a runaway baby pig, shoveled some poop, helped dig a huge hole for a septic tank, cooked dinner in the dark, helped paint a mural in the baby house, jumped off a waterfall, jumped out of a moving car while trying to get up the muddy mountain road, changed a tire in the rain, painted the school, hiked up the mountain, ran a 5k, sorted buckets and buckets of clothes, and fell in love with the most beautiful children in the world. I loved it!
God moved this month, and I mean moved. It was incredible. My squad experienced some pretty intense spiritual warfare throughout the month. The enemy was trying so hard to get a foothold in my heart and for a brief time had me believing some lies about myself. But they were just that, lies. I believed that I needed to arrive at some predetermined destination to meet with God, but that’s not true. God meets me right where I am – no matter how messy that place is. I don’t’ have to have it all together to be able to be used and to bring God glory. God is big enough to take the darkest places and make them shine so bright with His light. I saw that in the children at El Shaddai. Many of them have horrific pasts that have landed them without parents who can or will take care of them. It broke my heart. But God is the ultimate redeemer and through His amazing grace, these children have been placed on top of a beautiful mountain in a place that is filled with His spirit and love. They learn about Jesus and learn that He died for them simply because God loves them. These children really are an army rising up for God’s kingdom and I truly believe they have the capacity to win Swaziland for Jesus. God showed once again that He is bigger and stronger and more powerful than anything, including the enemy. The battle has already been won for our hearts – Jesus did that when He died on the cross for our sins. Because of that love, I don’t have to believe the lies of the world or the enemy. I can rest in the truth of my Savior, who is the perfect expression of love that casts out all fear.
That mountaintop is a divine place where you will come face to face with your creator and it will leave you speechless. I know that God has big plans for this place and I am so thankful that I was a small part of it. My life will forever be changed because of El Shaddai.
Check out the website that some of my squad mates made this month for El Shaddia…
http://elshaddaiswazi.org
-J
