Greetings from Swaziland!
We made it safe and sound. I’m terribly sorry it’s been such a time since my last post–it’s not because I don’t care about you. Thanks for extending grace.
There’s plenty to share.
At present we are staying at one of the long term missions bases that Adventures in Missions (AIM) has in Swaziland. They have several around the world and two in Swaziland. This is a site where AIM sends missionaries from the States and also empowers natives to serve their community. Our ministry with them here has a couple different facets: we’ve been working at “care points” which are like schools for underprivileged children. It also includes a feeding and discipleship program. They’re been holding Christmas parties at each of the care points (all 32 of them!). Because there are so many, and they can’t hold multiple at once, they’ve had to start very early. We’ve gotten to help out with that. The parties are very different from American parties. There is a feast of food, fun (with an inflatable), cultural dances, and some gifts (food and hygiene materials). Our groups have also helped out at a local hospice ministry called the Hope House, and our planning to help out with a local sports ministry as well.
Additionally, you may have noticed that my team has changed. Because of some natural changes in leadership our squad has had to undergo team changes. As a part of this I have been invited to step into a process of being raised up as a squad leader. This means that, I am now on a team of leaders who help serve the rest of the squad. We help minister to the squad, help support/ encourage healthy community and serve as a contact with hosts and AIM. As squad leaders we’ll move from team to team for various amounts of time. It’s really a great honor to have the opportunity and I am very humbled. Please pray for me and the other leaders (Bethany, Chrissy, Jackelyn and Richelle). Thank you!
All that being said it’s so good to be in Africa.
It wasn’t at all what I expected. Swaziland is basically the first Christian nation we’ve been in which has been an incredible comfort. For one of the first times, on Sunday morning we had a choice of churches we could attend. There’s one thing that has really stuck out to me that I would like to share with you. Upon entering the church a short woman greeted me with a hug and said in a gentle voice
“You are welcome”.
And I thought it was funny because I hadn’t thanked her. We always and only say ‘You’re welcome’ after a ‘Thank you’. I continued to walk into the sanctuary with this really confused look on my face because I’d just been genuinely welcomed and I didn’t understand it.
In Asia we’d experienced a weird situation where people will invite you(to be polite) but they expect you to decline. If they really want you to come they will invite you three times. It seems like a lot of mixed signals to me and it makes it hard to know when people actually want you to be somewhere.
Here I was being welcomed, and it felt a bit awkward but great. Since that service I’ve been welcomed several times by the people here and it still makes me feel good. I have this hunch that everyone wants to be and feel welcomed–no matter who you are–and I don’t think a welcome mat does the trick. If you have a moment think of a time in your life when someone made you feel welcome. Write it down if you like. My challenge to you is this: make it a point this week (during this wonderful month of Thanksgiving) to make someone feel welcome. Welcome them! Let them know that they are welcomed. Know that it might be a little awkward, but remember how good it is to be welcomed.
No need to thank me. Just know that YOU are welcome.
Be blessed, friends. Much love from Manzini.
Sam
Please feel free to write any questions in the comments. I do read them(Thanks!) and I will try to respond when able.
