During Month 2 of the World Race, Team God’s Magnolias, Team Firebrand, and Team Daughters of Grace are working in Manzini, Swaziland with the Swaziland Ministry Partnership. We have been here for 4 weeks working along the Swazis who are the feet on the ground for this amazing organization. The two organizations that make up the Swaziland Ministry Partnership are Adventures in Missions (based out of Gainesville, GA) and Children’s Hope Chest (based out of Colorado Springs, Colorado). The vision of this ministry is to transform communities through discipleship and asset based community development, using a holistic approach towards addressing the complex issues of poverty.
As a ministry, Swaziland Ministry Partnership has three main objectives that are displayed throughout the Adventures In Missions base: Survive, Thrive, Succeed.
Survive:
To support the survival of Swazi children and orphans as demonstrated by increased physical wellbeing. They will not do anything without the buy in from the community, a real drive for change, and a letter of agreement between the organization and the community in place.
Thrive:
To establish thriving Swazi children who exhibit strong growth in their spiritual, cognitive, and socio-emotional life.
Succeed:
Build on community based programming to increase the likelihood of either the ability, opportunity, or skill to make a living wage, and to spitball leadership to plow back into the community.
As an organization, they run 38 carepoints that feed 7,200 children PER DAY!! In 2016 the Swaziland Ministry Partnership had over 33 carepoint parties, completed 765 home visits, and delivered 450 school packages, 720 care packages, 1,807 shoes, 606 t-shirts, 300 blankets, and 350 uniforms! WOW! Here in Swaziland this organization functions with 58 local Swazis, 12 missionaries, and 22 Leadership Academy Apprentices.
Their primary focus is children’s ministry. Through children’s ministry, sub-ministries were born: Music Ministry, Sports Ministry (dealing with the issues of fatherlessness), Timbali Crafts (an outreach for women who cook at the carepoints), and Sustainable Agriculture (for example, community gardens). At their core, they value child focused love, servanthood, stewardship, and diligent discipline.
This leads me to the reason for this Fundraising Blog. Our host, Xolani Moyo, is the head of the Sports Ministry branch at the Swaziland Ministry Partnership. He has a passion for empowering young men through discipleship and mentorship. I have had the pleasure of serving along side of him doing Manual Labor Ministry this month. It is not surprising that the Sports Ministry guys stop by and visit daily. Their stories inspire us all as they share their journeys to the cross, and how God is working through them and through the Sports Ministry program, Sport for Christ.
One of the programs that Xolani is very passionate about is Sport for Christ, specifically the “academy.” He has spent $800 USD already buying supplies for the Sports Ministry Academy. The Academy is a place where sports minded children and young people learn, grow, develop, and educate through soccer. A Christ-centered ethos is the basis for this holistic model of growth and development for the sports minded child. Xolani’s vision is to help the children with spiritual, social, emotional, and mental growth, as well as prepare them for life on and off the field.
Our goal is to raise $3,000 USD so that Xolani and the other Sport Ministry Mentors have the funds to begin the Academy. They already have 25 boys selected for the program; they are simply waiting on God to provide the funds…
It is our prayer that through this Fundraising Blog, Team God’s Magnolias, Team Daughters of Grace, and Team Firebrand will be able to raise the $3,000 USD necessary to fund the Academy. God is here in Swaziland. God is moving in Swaziland. God is equipping these young boys to be leaders of tomorrow… will you help fund the program that will be the tool God will use to get them there?
*** Originally we were going to raise these funds through an App called “DonorSee,” which you may see in the future, but due to lack of wifi we weren’t able to do so. I have included the direct link to the Sports Ministry Department’s page through Adventures In Missions. The base we stayed at this month is one of A.I.M.’s largest bases! Please make sure to comment below so our three teams can keep up with how much has been raised for the Academy. Although we leave Swaziland in a few days, we are very confident God will provide for this ministry, Xolani’s passion, and want to see this fundraiser through. ***
Contact Xolani for further details: [email protected]
Donate at: www.swazileaders.com/sportforchrist
Love,
Kayce
