This month, Team God’s Magnolias, Team Daughters of Grace, and Team Firebrand stayed in a team house together in Manzini. There were 20 of us, so we all split up throughout the week for ministry. We were each assigned one ministry for the whole month, which varied from teaching, IT work, data entry, curriculum development, graphic design, manual labor, and medical care. Some ministries finished their work early so they were transitioned into other ministries, like teaching and IT. I was placed on the Manual Labor Ministry Team for the whole month and we worked along side our host, Xolani.
Every day looked different. Every day was challenging in its own way and every day God met us where we were and blessed us through community. We had some of the best conversations from defining righteousness to our worst first dates, spiritual gifts to bucket lists, discussing the Armor of God to “if you could be one animal – what would you be and why.” I woke up each day looking forward to ministry and the conversations it would consist of. I grew closer to the Father because of my ministry team this month. We became a little family.
We finished each other’s sentences, we laughed hysterically, we got some amazing tan lines ( … since we could never seem to remember sunscreen until 2:00), we sweated bullets, we pulled a car out a ditch, we survived a cyclone ( … and learned that when a Swazi says “run the rain is coming” – you RUN). We heard story after story from the sports ministry guys about how God transformed their life, we loved on children, we treated each other like a brother or sister would, and we were always given first dibs on the shower when we arrived home from ministry ( … for our housemates benefit, not our own). Swaziland will be hard to beat!
On our last day of ministry, we got into one of our standard, theological, light hearted conversations about the fruits of the Spirit while painting a building. We went around and called out one fruit of the Spirit that we felt as a group each team member embodied most and why. There was one stipulation: you couldn’t chose love because love covered us all.
I decided to take our conversation one step further and share the fruit of the Spirit each Swazi housemate embodies most and why, as well as share their Swazi name if they were given one. Swaziland was definitely a curveball when it came to my World Race expectations and I am PUMPED to share my amazing Swazi family with you. I hope through this blog you get a glimpse at how one-of-a-kind my Swazi housemates were! This month wouldn’t have been the same without them.
Galatians 5: 22 – 26 talks about the fruits of the Spirit …
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying of each other.”
Teaching Ministry:
Meet Amy…
Amy embodies the fruit of Faithfulness. The amount of devotion she puts into any task is inspiring. Her devotion to the Lord is constant – even when he is quiet, she still picks up her bible and sits at his feet in obedience. She invites the Holy Spirit into her decision-making processes so that she can continue to bear witness through the peace of Jesus Christ for all the good he has in store.
Meet Becky…
Becky embodies the fruit of Joy. Not only does she embody it, she radiates it! You can’t be around Becky without experiencing belly-rolling laughter. God has truly blessed the Magnolias with this sweet angel of Joy who “Shouts for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Who worships the Lord with gladness; coming before him with joyful songs” Psalm 100:1-2. My Race would not be the same without her joy, love, and genuine spirit.
Meet Christa…
Christa embodies the fruit of Kindness. A true Proverbs 31 Woman, she goes out of her way to make others feel appreciated and wanted. She serves her team and R-Squad tirelessly. She is gentle and motherly, she prays without ceasing, her kind spirit radiates through her words and in her deeds.
Meet Gabby…
Gabby embodies the fruit of Goodness. Have you ever met that person whose mere presence empowers you to be a better person? That’s my Gabs. Her team is stronger because of her, R-Squad is more equipped with her, and the world is a better place with her in it. Her heart is going to revolutionize the Kingdom!
Meet Katie Hurley…
Katie embodies the fruit of Peace. My heart leaps with joy to share this beautiful woman of God with you! Isaiah 26:3 says “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Katie trusts in the Lord with all things, she waits on him in all circumstances, her heart carries a peace that transcends throughout a room.
Meet Rebecca…
Rebecca embodies the fruit of Patience. Ephesians 4:2 says “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Rebecca reminds me of Paul, and it’s not because she could literally write Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon, but because she is patient before the Lord. When he says wait, she waits. When he says endure, she endures. She is not only patient before the Lord she is patient with everyone she encounters and because of this people trust in her, they confide in her, and her patience leads others into deeper intimacy with the Lord.
IT Ministry:
Meet Jessie…
Jessie embodies the fruit of Gentleness. There is nothing stronger than a gentle woman following the Lord’s call. She is gentle and delicate in the words she uses, in the embrace of her touch and through her presence. A precious diamond in the Lord’s crown, her gentleness could soften the hardest of hearts.
Data Entry Ministry:
Meet Alisha…
Alisha embodies to fruit of Self Control. My fearless leader lives out 2 Peter 1:5-8. “For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self control; and to self control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” After years of operating as an athlete in her sport, she is operating as an athlete for the Kingdom embodying the Self Control needed to be the effective leader God called her to be.
Meet Felicia…
Felicia embodies the fruit of Gentleness. She leads Daughters of Grace quietly and gently. She always puts her team’s needs above her own. She cares for them passionately and selflessly. She serves a loving God by meeting her team where they are and gently guiding them to the future God has for them.
Curriculum Development Ministry:
Meet Ariane…
Ariane embodies the fruit of Faithfulness. At the age of 4 she began going on “walks” with Jesus. Today, she continues to walk faithfully in his presence by his side, day by day. On her worst day, love and faithfulness never leave her. She exudes faithfulness, inner peace, and a happiness that allows her to experience the sweetness of life that only comes from intimately knowing the Father moment after moment, day after day, year after year.
Graphic Design Ministry:
Meet Jewels…
Jewels embodies the fruit of Joy. For Jewels life hasn’t always come easy. The difference in Jewels and the majority of the population is that when life gets hard she chooses Joy! When life knocks her down, she stands right back up and chooses Joy! When the odds are against her, she chooses Joy! Her strength in all circumstances is admirable. She is beautiful, she is strong, she is independent, she is a Daughter of Grace. Her inheritance will be so much sweeter because she chose JOY each and every time!
Manual Labor Ministry:
Meet Anna…
Anna embodies the fruit of Patience. She has this uncanny ability to relate and respond to multiple personalities in any given circumstance. When situations get under the skin of others, Anna is the constant, patiently listening and responding to the situation with rational Spirit-led knowledge and insight. Watching Anna live out her life waiting on the Lord has taught me that patience isn’t the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a positive attitude while waiting patiently at the feet of Jesus.
Meet Christian…
Christian embodies the fruit of Patience. CJ is patient in every interaction. When a group of 13 of us decide to form a worship band he patiently guides and directs us, believing in us and building us up with his words. In conflict, he waits to see how things turns out before forming a final consensus and when illness strikes he is patient in the healing process. He understands that God makes everything beautiful in its time, so he waits. (Ecclesiates 3:11)
Meet Dacey…
Dacey embodies the fruit of Self Control. She is our squad counselor, she is a safe place for people to come to seek Godly advice. In Proverbs Chapter 5 it says “The discerning heart seeks knowledge.” This verse never rings more true than when it is used to describe Dacey’s heart in combination with her God-given Self Control. While fasting, she is still and waits on the Lord. Each day she puts spending intentional alone time with the Lord above everything else.
Meet Greg…
Greg embodies the fruit of Joy. He has the ability to light up a room with his uplifting personality. He makes everyone feel wanted and included. God uses him as a vessel, giving him just the right words to lift up someone’s spirit. This month he has been my brother from another mother. Through him, God has blessed me with a little bit of home halfway across the world with the feeling of it’s-a-brother-and-a-sister-kind-of-thing. Everyone smiles a little bit bigger and laughs a little bit harder when Greg is around.
Medical Care Ministry:
Meet Katie Anderson…
Katie embodies the fruit of Faithfulness. Through Katie, God has truly blessed the Magnolias with a secret weapon. Talking to her you wouldn’t know all of the gifts that the Lord has blessed her with because she keeps them as tiny treasures between her and the Lord. You will only witness these gifts when God calls her to action. Her discerning spirit is fueled by her constant dedication to the time spent with the Lord on a daily basis. I am lucky to call this faithful woman of God my mentor and friend.
Meet Todd…
Todd embodies the fruit of Goodness. You don’t meet Men of God that operate in the spirit of goodness the way Todd does every day. In God’s eyes he is a 1 Corinthians 13 Man. He is patient, he is kind, he does not envy, he does not boast, he is not proud. He does not dishonor others, he is not self-seeking, he is not easily angered, he keeps no records of wrongs. He does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Todd’s embodiment of goodness and love feel one in the same. Todd’s life is a daily beacon for God’s love poured out over each of us.
Squad Leaders:
Meet SB…
Shelby embodies the fruit of Gentleness. When you are around her something about her makes you want to pour your heart out to her. I don’t think that there is a person out there who wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing their deepest darkest secrets with her. Through the fruit of gentleness she journeys with people through redemption in Jesus Christ. Whether that be in a 30 minute one to one or by walking someone, time and time again, through a shameful memory or a circumstance that has caused them years of pain, SB is there with a warm embrace to let you know everything is going to be okay. In God’s time!
Meet Tabitha…
Tabitha embodies the fruit of Peace. Tabitha has the ability to make people feel centered by simply being in their presence. She carries herself in boldness, confidence and love of the Spirit. God has blessed her with the gifts of music and of creativity. She uses a combination of watercolors, sketches, words and paintings to bring people peace and share messages from the Lord. Through these gifts God has given her the ability to transcend peace through her creative prowess and reach the unreachable.
Month 2 in Swaziland will be hard to beat! I love you Fam!
Love,
Kace
