Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

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 I am just throwing this out there… don’t stereotype places. I envisioned Swaziland to be a God-forsaken land full of huts and pain and struggle because of the HIV/Aids epidemic. I envisioned a land with no KFCs or malls or western amenities. That is not the case. I imagined uncomfortable bus rides over pothole filled roads. Once again not the case… so a brief message to Kevin… don’t think you know things about things you don’t know anything about.

Realities of Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland is the last true monarchy in the world. Future Monarchs grow up and are educated in either the States or the UK and then the future monarch is brought over to Swaziland when the current monarch gets sick. The King is high respected by the Swazi people even though it seems like he shouldn’t be as the king is known to squander his own wealth while many citizens live in poverty. The king also currently has 13 wives and citizens say that there is still the potential that he takes more women to be his wife.  Some startling statistics are the avergae life expecteny is about 35 years, unemployment is between 60-70%, and the population has gone from 1.2 million to 925,000 since 2005.
The Lessons Learned

I walked into land with a distorted view of what the land and people would be like.  We as humans have a lot of expectations. In relationships we often step into a conversation wanting somebody to understand us while we fail to understand them first. God has made us uniquely beautiful and when we only try to see people through our own eyes we limit our ability to love. 

 “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you(John 13:34).”  Do perceptions of people or circumstance keep you from loving?  What keeps you from radically loving others? Is it being stuck in comparison to others? Does regret or bitterness keep you from love? 

Ask yourself these questions and don’t be afraid to go to God for answers. For He is full or grace! AND LOVE!