Dear Swaziland,
every encounter I had with one of your people started off with the biggest, warmest smile. and then, every conversation started off with me saying:
•”Sawubona?” (this is their greeting, in English it translates to “do you see me?”)
•And they’d reply with “YEBO” (my favorite word, which means “yes”)
•and I’d give the famous “Unjani?” (Which means “how are you?”)
•and they’d finish by saying “nigyaphila” (which means “I’m fine”)
Your people just want to be seen and known, as their greeting goes as far as “do you see me?” but truly, they made me feel so seen and known. I never met one person who didn’t greet me with kindness, and the out most joy.
Swaziland, you truly have been a gift from the Lord. It’s really strange to realize I left the place I called home for three months. You are the place I lived the longest outside of my home in America. It’s heartbreaking that I may never go back or see the friends I’ve made again, until we meet in heaven. But what a gift it is that I get to be sad to leave. I fell in love with your green scenery, your joyous culture, and your never ending love. A piece of my heart with always be with you. You were a time of growth, abandonment, and uncomfortability, and I’m walking away forever changed.
No internet, no electricity, no hot water, no way to talk to the people I love back home, sleeping in a room of 20 other girls, not even being able to be alone while doing your businesses because there’s no curtains, having 5 shirts, and eating the same thing everyday isn’t the most ideal situation to be in. You taught me I cannot do merely anything on my own. You showed me I’m prideful, and selfish, and I’m honestly a broken mess. It’s honestly kind of funny how human I am, and how badly I need Jesus. That no matter how together I think I am, I will always fall short. However, you taught me that he will take our mess, broken pieces scattered on the ground, and make a beautiful masterpiece.
Jesus met me in the quiet because there was no one or nothing else to turn to except the Lord. I grew so much in my intimacy with him. I can now say the Lord is my best friend, where before the race I probably would have described him as an acquaintance. You have been a time of boldness, and service. You taught me what it means to have a true “yes” in my spirit, which means dying to myself and bearing my cross everyday. I grew in being bold in my faith. Saying yes to go up to a stranger in a coffee shop when you said tell him the gospel was terrifying, sharing vulnerable parts of my testimony in front of all the girls on my squad because you said in order to walk in freedom you have to bring it to the light was mortifying, saying yes to give up things I idolized and held onto too tightly because you said that I have to give you my whole heart not just a portion was heartbreaking, and saying yes to speak truth over the 50 people on my squad with my heart beating out of my chest was nerve wrecking. Dancing when the Lord said dance, speaking when the Lord said speak, giving my last Oreo when the Lord said share, and praying when the Lord said pray was so hard. But I did it, not on my own strength, but on the Lords.
So thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, to the beautiful Kingdom of Eswatini, for you have put a forever “YEBO” in my spirit.
love,
Mak
