I’m back in Africa!
As I left this beautiful continent two years ago, I knew I would return one day. And now that I’ve returned, God has reminded me time and time again why I fell in love with this place.
Swaziland is the country I was looking forward to the most when we began our 11 month journey in July. As we flew from Phnom Penh to South Africa (and made stops in Vietnam and Qatar), I reflected on my four months in Asia and started looking forward to my time in Africa. Honestly, Africa snuck up on me. We kept plenty busy teaching English in Cambodia and there wasn’t much time to think about what the next month would bring.
On our flight from Qatar to South Africa, I looked out my window as we flew over Tanzania and remember scenes from the month I spent in that beautiful country. I remembered the children’s smiling faces at the church services. I was reminded of the kids at an orphanage and how they just wanted to spend a few moments held in someone’s arms. I had memories of dusty roads, crowded buses, and a never ending amount of rice and beans. I pictured Swaziland being quite similar and I was ready to embrace whatever this month had to offer.
When we arrived in Manzini the following day, I could already see that my first Africa experience on the Race would be much different than Tanzania. Manzini is one of the nicer towns in Swaziland and it offers several comforts we would find at home. The men are tenting this month in the backyard and the women stay in a beautiful home. We are fortunate to have access to clean tap water, warm showers, and a full-sized kitchen where we cook our own meals. These may seem to be a given from an American perspective as most of our homes in America have these things. Going four months without these things, however, reminds me how grateful we are to have these things.
Although the living conditions are different than I expected, the people in Africa are just as amazing as I remember. Greeted by a welcoming smile, I have already met so many great people during my time here. Our ministry contact, Xolani, is great and I loved joining him and Sam on a run through the hills throughout the city. Our team has found a great church a few blocks away from our house and felt welcomed from the time we walked through the doors. We have had wonderful conversations with people living at the hospice home and with their families, too.
Each month on the Race, I have learned the beauty of a culture doesn’t come from what the people have or don’t have. Rather, it comes from the love they share with their guests and each other despite their circumstances. I’m looking forward to experience more of this culture throughout the rest of my time in Africa and throughout the rest of the Race.
Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me and my team throughout our time on The World Race. Your prayers make more of a difference than you (and even myself) would ever know. Please continue to pray for our ministries here as well as our health. Also, new teams were formed as we left Cambodia and I am now part of Team Intrepidus. Pray for unity among my team as well as the other teams so we can make the biggest impact on Swaziland and each other possible.
My final support raising deadline is just over 6 weeks away and I need to raise $2,857 by January 1st to remain on the field and finish The World Race. God has been so faithful throughout the support raising process so far and I have no doubt that He will provide once again. Please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry financially. Gifts can be given by clicking “Support Me!”on the left side of this page or at Hope Wesleyan Church in Independence (please write “Joshua Beebe”in the memo line). Thank you so much for your support!
