Greetings from Swaziland to my awesome supporters!
After an awesome month in Malawi , we headed off to our next country, Swaziland. The bus we were on took us through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and finally to South Africa, where we stayed for a few days. Like all previous travel days, this 48-hour bus ride was a test of my patience and a check on my perspective. I think that when I get back to the States, public transportation will barely faze me.
Anyways, after a brief stop in South Africa, we left for Swaziland. I remember that when I imagined this country, I thought of a hot, barren wasteland and living in a mud hut riddled with mosquitos. Then I got to Swaziland and I realized how wrong my expectations were.
As we crossed the border into Swaziland, it started raining and the temperature started dropping precipitously. Soon we were bundling up in our jackets. Just to put this in perspective, I haven’t been cold in almost a year. All the countries we’ve been to on the Race have been hot and humid and air-conditioning has been almost non-existent. It was so weird and unusual to finally be cold. Anyways, as we drove through Swaziland, I began to look out the window in amazement. We started going up and down hills past dense forests with mist-covered mountains in the distance. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I was in Europe. So much for the hot, barren wasteland.
We finally reached our ministry location – El Shaddai Children’s Ministry. It turns out that this ministry is situated on the top of a mountain overlooking a beautiful valley. Every morning I walk out of my house and see the sun rise over the mountains and every night I watch it set with shadows lengthening in the valley. I’ve taken a bunch of pictures of it but none of them do it justice.
This month’s ministry is something that I’ve been looking forward to for a while – manual labor. I love working with my hands and be able to look at the end result. This month, we are working on repairs around the orphanage compound. El Shaddai is a ministry that provides housing, education, and skill training for children who have been orphaned by AIDs or abandoned by their parents. Almost all of the buildings and facilities there have been put up by missionaries who have come through. Since there are over 150 kids that live on the compound, there is a definite need for living space and repairs. We’re so blessed this month to be helping with that need.
It means that every morning, I get up to a gorgeous sunrise. Then, I put on my work clothes, grab my gloves, and go out to swing a pickaxe or shovel for a several hours. It gives a great workout and it’s awesome to push myself physically.
The more I reflect on it, the more I realize how much of a blessing this month is. I’m living on top of a mountain overlooking a valley, bundling up because of the frigid weather, and getting the opportunity to help build and repair things.
Throughout this, I’m learning about how God blesses us. Sometimes, it can be dramatic showings of his grace and love, such as bringing me around the world on this life-changing trip. Other times, it can be small things, such as a sunset or a bit of cold weather. As God continues to sanctify me, I find that I see the world differently. Whereas in the past, I would have just seen a sunset or a stroke of good luck that I get to see the world, now I can see the hand of God through it all. There’s a Phil Wickham song that starts like this,
The colors of the morning are inside your eyes.”
The more I experience God, the more I see him in the grand things and the small things. From a majestic mountain to swinging a shovel, God permeates this world and displays his glory. All we need are the eyes to see it.
