Hello everyone back in the U.S.A.
We made it to Swaziland and things are going well. I am with all 40 of my squad mates. Travel has been safe, and everyone is alive and well. We are staying at an orphanage called El Shaddai. This orphanage is located on the top of a mountain!! The view up there are incredible. We will not have have internet access the entire month, today is a special case, a group of us went on search for internet. We were brought to a hotel/casino.
The work being done here is incredible. We got to hear the history of this place and we met Charmain. She is one incredible lady. She has a passion for God and has followed Him up this mountain, obediently trusting Him with everything. She opened an orphanage and opened her arms to God’s children. It is awesome to have the opportunity to come and walk alongside her this month.
I have a few things that I’d like prayer for:
When we first got here, I noticed Charmain’s spirit. She looks very tired. She has worked very hard and everything she does for these kids, it is incredible. To see her with the kids, brings a smile to my face, she loves these kids. There are so many of them and only one her. I ask for your prayers for her. Pray for help to come her way. Pray for encouragement for her. Pray for rest for her and weight lifted from her.
There are two fantastic women here to help Charmain. One, Rachel, she is a previous World Racer, she has answered the call God placed on her heart to come back to Swaziland. She is an encouragement to me, just the passion and the love she has for the people and children here, and the courage she has. She came here all by herself. I am excited to surround her and welcome her into X squad. She is feeling ill at the moment, so pray for healing.
The other women is Katie. She is a volunteer from the Peace Corps. She is also an inspiration to me. The impact she has on the young girls at El Shaddai is incredible. She is here to empower them. Pray for her to be encouraged. She is so sweet and her smile lights up this place. She is also not feeling well, pray for healing from illness.
Please pray for these children at the orphanage. God has rescued these children from the hands of evil. There is a lot of sexual abuse done to the young girls here. It breaks my heart. The things these girls have had to endure in the past no one should have to go through that. But God has a plan for these girls. He has great plans for each and everyone of these children. It gives me a unexplainable joy in my heart to know God has called these children to greatness. He has already anointed them. I am so glad to be apart of His kingdom building here. Please pray for these kids. There are 65 children in total at this facility. God has a plan for each one. I don’t have the names of each one, but God knows. Please pray for them, all of them.
As X squad we believe we were called here to El Shaddai for a purpose. It is awesome the physical change we have been able to make here. We got to clean up the place and we have finished a lot of odds and ends projects that include painting buildings and roofs. But we know there are bigger things God has for us to do here. Last night we all gathered together and had a time of prayer. We asked for God to reveal the work for us to do here, I specifically asked for direction. Through prayer we came up with some big prayers.
“For if you had faith even a small as a tiny mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move!’ and it would go far away. Nothing would be impossible.”
Matthew 17:20
With God there is NOTHING that he can not do. My prayer is for all the children at El Shaddai to be sponsored. I am not sure what a sponsorship looks like at the moment. We just got this “vision” last night and I wanted to jump on it and pray into it right away. I guess there are a few children that are sponsored, but not all of them. I am praying for them all to be sponsored. Pray for hearts to be open. Pray for sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring, thank you, I don’t have the details yet, but as soon as I figure out that information I will get it to you through my blog.
I am so excited for the work God is doing.
Last thing I ask prayer for is our squad. We can feel a darkness around us. The enemy is not happy about the work going on here. He is trying to stop it. Pray for continued unity in our team, pray for bounds to be lifted, pray for strength for us. There are also a few on the team that are not feeling well, pray for continued healing.
I am thanking God for all of you back home. Know that God hears your prayers, and you are a large part of what is going on here. Each and everyone of you. You are a key to the kingdom building. Thank you.
I love you all!
Mom, I got to run a half marathon in Africa!! It was the greatest thing, I ran the first kilometer for you. It was very hilly, actually the whole first half was up a mountain. Then we got to turn around and run down the mountain. God is so good, he allowed me to “race” on the race.
Love,
Paiger
Is baby here yet?! I have been praying for you Samantha and Baby Stanton. I am anxious to finally get the news.
