Maguga dam -- isn't it beautiful!
A member of the Endzigeni health comittee.
Talking over the construction plans of the clinic with Endzigeni locals and hospital staff.
Friday, May 29, 2009
More pictures
Maguga dam -- isn't it beautiful! A member of the Endzigeni health comittee. Talking over the construction plans of the clinic with Endzigeni locals and hospital staff.
The Lenexa Team Has Arrived!
*This post was supposed to go up over a week ago, but somehow that didn't happen. Thank you anyway for the continued prayers even without the specific prayer requests!
Today we traveled by plane up to Johannesburg, retracing our steps from last week. We met the team from Lenexa, Kansas City at the airport and will travel back with them to Swaziland by bus tomorrow. Through Monday we'll be staying in Manzini, and then the team will head up to Endzigeni to work on the clinic, the nurse's houses, and do a VBS for the local kids.
Please pray for our safety, for the unity of the team, and for a true revival to come to this first mission of Endzigeni. Recently there have been some difficult situations for this community, and there are a great many people praying for change, hope, and revival!
Today we traveled by plane up to Johannesburg, retracing our steps from last week. We met the team from Lenexa, Kansas City at the airport and will travel back with them to Swaziland by bus tomorrow. Through Monday we'll be staying in Manzini, and then the team will head up to Endzigeni to work on the clinic, the nurse's houses, and do a VBS for the local kids.
Please pray for our safety, for the unity of the team, and for a true revival to come to this first mission of Endzigeni. Recently there have been some difficult situations for this community, and there are a great many people praying for change, hope, and revival!
Pictures from Swaziland
Our first welcome. :)
Brent's first time driving -- he did great!
A view from the car -- lots of mountains -- and lots of these little shops too.
The view from Jim Copple's favorite hotel room outside of Mbabne, overlooking the valley.Tuesday, May 26, 2009
"Sanibonani!"
Every time we greet in siSwati,, we receive warm smiles and some chuckles. I think sometimes it means they are pleased, and sometimes it means they can tell we're butchering their language! But we are getting pretty good at saying hello to many people (the greeting in the title), and to one person -- "sawbona". We can also say thank you (gniyabonga/ siyabonga), how are you (unjani), and goodbye (hamba/ sale kahle [sounds like gashle]). You will be happy to know that Brent is also getting good at driving on the right side of the car, and the left side of the road! Karis and Will, he's only given us a windshield wiper twice, when he wanted to turn on the turn signal. :)
We have been quite busy this first week. Saturday, the day after our last post, we visited Endzigeni, near Piggs Peak. This was the first mission station of the Church of the Nazarene, started by Harmon and Lula Schmelzenbach in 1909 (or sometime near there). Each mission in Swaziland has a church, clinic, and at least one school altogether. This was to complete the initial, and ongoing vision to "preach, teach, and heal." Each clinic is run by several nurses who have been trained at the Nazarene College of Nursing here in Manzini. (I'm actually writing this from a computer in the college offices!) We were able to meet two of the four nurses who work at Endzigeni while we are there. They are some of the bravest and most sacrificial women I have ever met. Most of these clinics are in very rural areas, and their homes were built a long time ago. The nurses at Endzigeni have homes on the compound, next to the clinic, but they have neded a renovation a LONG time ago. As I was touring their living spaces, I was so humbled. They have such a desire to serve their people through these clinics that they have been living in a bug, rat, bat, even iguana-infested home! We were told by the construction crew that an entire ecosystem would need to be resettled after that home was redone.
The team coming this weekend will spend most of their time working in Endzigeni, working on those nurses' homes and the clinic, which also needs some work. They have also planned a big free clinic day on Friday June 4, and a week long vacation Bible school/ sports camp for the children.
While we were there on Saturday we also got to meet the leadership of the Endzigeni church and the district superintendent of the northern district, Rev. Philemon Dlamini. I was surprised but honored when he asked me (Michaele) to help give a workshop next week for the pastors on his district!
It is hard to describe the driving... when we are on "tarred" roads, as they call them, it is pretty good. However, a majority of the country's roads are not paved. Driving home from Endzigeni in the dark on Saturday night was therefore a memorable experience. There were people walking alongside the road, without flashlights, in the dark. There were also plenty of cows that roam freely through the land. In fact, we nearly ran into a black cow who was in the middle of the road. If not for his white legs, we would not have seen him until it was too late!
It is only Tuesday, but already this week has been full of very memorable events. We attended our first Swazi church service at Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene, here in Manzini. We ate lunch with the legendary Dr. Samuel Hynd and his daughter Dr. Elizabeth Hynd. Sanuel's father, David Hynd was the first missionary doctor to Swaziland, and the one who began the RFM hospital here in Manzini. Samuel has also served as a doctor here for his whole career, even delivering the current king! (Samuel told us the king's best speech was his first -- right after he smacked his bum!!) His daughter Elizabeth runs an innovative orphanage, which we will visit next week, called the New Hope Centre.
Monday we had a day full of meetings, getting food, transportation, and scheduling all completed for the team who arrives this weekend. Brent and I also had our first shopping experiences! We went to KFC, and also to the SuperStar grocery store. We were quite proud to come back with our purchases and show Barbi the first things we bought in Swaziland! :)
Today provided our first opportunity to have a bit of a safari. Although we only saw cows! We went with Mary Magagula, the director of the HIV/AIDS task force to visit potential garden sites for her HIV support groups to work in. We drove on dirt roads, and then we drove where there were no roads at all! In fact at one point Brent was instructed to follow the "footpath" down into a ravine where the cows were grazing. It was really an experience! But we did see some beautiful country and some good areas that were given to be used as gardens.
The HIV Task Force is kind of like a hospice group that provides care to AIDS victims in their homes. They have also rallied behind many HIV+ individuals, bring hope and encouragement, and empowerment. There are now many HIV+ support groups that have started up all over the area, due to this woman and her fellow workers. Recently they have worked to get each of these support groups their own land to garden, so that they form an agricultural co-op. The food is used to feed their own families and the excess is sold so that these individuals, mostly women, will have money for their families. Each garden (really like a small farm!) takes about $5,000 to start. This includes fencing, preparing the soil, and buying the starter seeds. Both of the sites we visited were great candidates for gardens, but we are not sure there are enough funds for both at the moment. I encourage any of you who want to be a part of the Swaziland partnership, that this would be a great way to give! I wish you could have seen the co-op members we met today, and the looks of anticipation on their faces.
This is by now at least the length of two postings. I will close with some requests for prayer:
--the group from Lenexa, KS that comes in May 30th - June 11, and all the preparation that still needs to be done
-- the workshop I will participate in June 3 with the local pastors of the northern district, and Rev. Rob Prince of Lenexa Central Church of the Nazarene
-- our continued health and safety as we travel all over the place!
-- that we will continue to find favor in the people that we meet -- this is a prayer request that continues to be answered, thank you and praise God!
--developing opportunities Brent and I have to speak with students about God and sexuality
--Sunday, June 14 -- I have already been asked to preach at Sharpe Memorial Church!!
Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers and encouragement. We love you all and are excited to share more of what God is doing here and what we are learning!
We have been quite busy this first week. Saturday, the day after our last post, we visited Endzigeni, near Piggs Peak. This was the first mission station of the Church of the Nazarene, started by Harmon and Lula Schmelzenbach in 1909 (or sometime near there). Each mission in Swaziland has a church, clinic, and at least one school altogether. This was to complete the initial, and ongoing vision to "preach, teach, and heal." Each clinic is run by several nurses who have been trained at the Nazarene College of Nursing here in Manzini. (I'm actually writing this from a computer in the college offices!) We were able to meet two of the four nurses who work at Endzigeni while we are there. They are some of the bravest and most sacrificial women I have ever met. Most of these clinics are in very rural areas, and their homes were built a long time ago. The nurses at Endzigeni have homes on the compound, next to the clinic, but they have neded a renovation a LONG time ago. As I was touring their living spaces, I was so humbled. They have such a desire to serve their people through these clinics that they have been living in a bug, rat, bat, even iguana-infested home! We were told by the construction crew that an entire ecosystem would need to be resettled after that home was redone.
The team coming this weekend will spend most of their time working in Endzigeni, working on those nurses' homes and the clinic, which also needs some work. They have also planned a big free clinic day on Friday June 4, and a week long vacation Bible school/ sports camp for the children.
While we were there on Saturday we also got to meet the leadership of the Endzigeni church and the district superintendent of the northern district, Rev. Philemon Dlamini. I was surprised but honored when he asked me (Michaele) to help give a workshop next week for the pastors on his district!
It is hard to describe the driving... when we are on "tarred" roads, as they call them, it is pretty good. However, a majority of the country's roads are not paved. Driving home from Endzigeni in the dark on Saturday night was therefore a memorable experience. There were people walking alongside the road, without flashlights, in the dark. There were also plenty of cows that roam freely through the land. In fact, we nearly ran into a black cow who was in the middle of the road. If not for his white legs, we would not have seen him until it was too late!
It is only Tuesday, but already this week has been full of very memorable events. We attended our first Swazi church service at Sharpe Memorial Church of the Nazarene, here in Manzini. We ate lunch with the legendary Dr. Samuel Hynd and his daughter Dr. Elizabeth Hynd. Sanuel's father, David Hynd was the first missionary doctor to Swaziland, and the one who began the RFM hospital here in Manzini. Samuel has also served as a doctor here for his whole career, even delivering the current king! (Samuel told us the king's best speech was his first -- right after he smacked his bum!!) His daughter Elizabeth runs an innovative orphanage, which we will visit next week, called the New Hope Centre.
Monday we had a day full of meetings, getting food, transportation, and scheduling all completed for the team who arrives this weekend. Brent and I also had our first shopping experiences! We went to KFC, and also to the SuperStar grocery store. We were quite proud to come back with our purchases and show Barbi the first things we bought in Swaziland! :)
Today provided our first opportunity to have a bit of a safari. Although we only saw cows! We went with Mary Magagula, the director of the HIV/AIDS task force to visit potential garden sites for her HIV support groups to work in. We drove on dirt roads, and then we drove where there were no roads at all! In fact at one point Brent was instructed to follow the "footpath" down into a ravine where the cows were grazing. It was really an experience! But we did see some beautiful country and some good areas that were given to be used as gardens.
The HIV Task Force is kind of like a hospice group that provides care to AIDS victims in their homes. They have also rallied behind many HIV+ individuals, bring hope and encouragement, and empowerment. There are now many HIV+ support groups that have started up all over the area, due to this woman and her fellow workers. Recently they have worked to get each of these support groups their own land to garden, so that they form an agricultural co-op. The food is used to feed their own families and the excess is sold so that these individuals, mostly women, will have money for their families. Each garden (really like a small farm!) takes about $5,000 to start. This includes fencing, preparing the soil, and buying the starter seeds. Both of the sites we visited were great candidates for gardens, but we are not sure there are enough funds for both at the moment. I encourage any of you who want to be a part of the Swaziland partnership, that this would be a great way to give! I wish you could have seen the co-op members we met today, and the looks of anticipation on their faces.
This is by now at least the length of two postings. I will close with some requests for prayer:
--the group from Lenexa, KS that comes in May 30th - June 11, and all the preparation that still needs to be done
-- the workshop I will participate in June 3 with the local pastors of the northern district, and Rev. Rob Prince of Lenexa Central Church of the Nazarene
-- our continued health and safety as we travel all over the place!
-- that we will continue to find favor in the people that we meet -- this is a prayer request that continues to be answered, thank you and praise God!
--developing opportunities Brent and I have to speak with students about God and sexuality
--Sunday, June 14 -- I have already been asked to preach at Sharpe Memorial Church!!
Thank you for all of your continued support and prayers and encouragement. We love you all and are excited to share more of what God is doing here and what we are learning!
Friday, May 22, 2009
From beautiful, mountainous Swaziland!
*This post was written on Wednesday, May 20th, the night we arrived in Johannesburg. I am just now been able to connect to the internet, and it is the evening of Friday the 20th here in Swaziland. We will be sure to bring an update as soon as possible regarding our most recent activities here. But just to say this much -- we are loving it! The country is beautiful, and every hour we are more excited about being here!
We Have Arrived!
Tuesday morning, May 19, we left for the Columbus airport. The ride was very tight, seeing as we had four large suitcases, a guitar, golf clubs, a carry-on suitcase, a backpack and a laptap computer bag! Brent’s sister, Bethany, drove us there, and Michaele’s brother Ben met us at the airport for one more hug. Everything went smoothly, and even though we were concerned our bags would be too heavy, all four of them were just under 50 lbs! We need to check a third piece of luggage for Brent because he was encouraged to bring his golf clubs. This did have an extra fee – BUT, praise God! – the day before we left, someone had given us a check for that exact amount! God knew what we needed even before we did!
From Columbus we flew into Atlanta and met up with Barbi Moore, the global outreach coordinator for Bethany First Church . The layover was pretty short, but it gave me (Michaele) one more chance to buy Starbucks, and both of us a chance to use our cell phones one last time to talk to our parents.
From Atlanta we flew to Dakar, Senegal, where we had a 2 hour layover, but did not exit the plane. As we followed the plane’s route on the screen in front of us, we were both reminded again just how huge Africa is! Our stop in Dakar, at the western-most point of Africa, was only the halfway point to Johannesburg. After plane refueled and we were engaged in some routine security checks, we left again for Johannesburg, South Africa. Our departure from Dakar was 6am local time, 2am Ohio time. We arrived in Johannesburg, after another 8+ hour flight at 4pm, local time, 10am Ohio time.
We were able to sleep a little bit on the plane, and the ride actually did not seem quite so long as it sounded. Customs and passport checks in Jo-burg were a breeze, and all of our luggage came out safely into our hands. We could not have asked for a better trip!!
After checking into our hotel tonight, we went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant with very good, authentic food. Japanese cuisine in South Africa! It never ceases to amaze me, how small the world is.
Tomorrow morning we will board one more flight on a much smaller plane for the hour-long flight into Manzini, Swaziland. Once there we hit the ground running! This next week will be spent in preparation for the GO Team from Lenexa, Kansas, which is coming in on the 29th.
We so appreciate all of the prayers that have been prayed on our behalf! The safety, ease, and swiftness of our trip is a testimony to God’s provision and care during our travel.
We Have Arrived!
Tuesday morning, May 19, we left for the Columbus airport. The ride was very tight, seeing as we had four large suitcases, a guitar, golf clubs, a carry-on suitcase, a backpack and a laptap computer bag! Brent’s sister, Bethany, drove us there, and Michaele’s brother Ben met us at the airport for one more hug. Everything went smoothly, and even though we were concerned our bags would be too heavy, all four of them were just under 50 lbs! We need to check a third piece of luggage for Brent because he was encouraged to bring his golf clubs. This did have an extra fee – BUT, praise God! – the day before we left, someone had given us a check for that exact amount! God knew what we needed even before we did!
From Columbus we flew into Atlanta and met up with Barbi Moore, the global outreach coordinator for Bethany First Church . The layover was pretty short, but it gave me (Michaele) one more chance to buy Starbucks, and both of us a chance to use our cell phones one last time to talk to our parents.
From Atlanta we flew to Dakar, Senegal, where we had a 2 hour layover, but did not exit the plane. As we followed the plane’s route on the screen in front of us, we were both reminded again just how huge Africa is! Our stop in Dakar, at the western-most point of Africa, was only the halfway point to Johannesburg. After plane refueled and we were engaged in some routine security checks, we left again for Johannesburg, South Africa. Our departure from Dakar was 6am local time, 2am Ohio time. We arrived in Johannesburg, after another 8+ hour flight at 4pm, local time, 10am Ohio time.
We were able to sleep a little bit on the plane, and the ride actually did not seem quite so long as it sounded. Customs and passport checks in Jo-burg were a breeze, and all of our luggage came out safely into our hands. We could not have asked for a better trip!!
After checking into our hotel tonight, we went to dinner at a Japanese restaurant with very good, authentic food. Japanese cuisine in South Africa! It never ceases to amaze me, how small the world is.
Tomorrow morning we will board one more flight on a much smaller plane for the hour-long flight into Manzini, Swaziland. Once there we hit the ground running! This next week will be spent in preparation for the GO Team from Lenexa, Kansas, which is coming in on the 29th.
We so appreciate all of the prayers that have been prayed on our behalf! The safety, ease, and swiftness of our trip is a testimony to God’s provision and care during our travel.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Two Weeks!
As you can tell, the last months have been very busy! Now we are down to a mere 14 days before we leave, and they promise to be quite full as well. Please join us in prayer in these areas as we make the final push toward Swaziland:
- Good health for Brent and Michaele, and Barbi Moore, who will be traveling with us
- Pray that the final packing, yard sale, and moving out of our apartment happen smoothly and quickly
- Begin to pray now for our safety as we travel on May 20-22
- Pray that God will give us favor with the people we will meet and work with in Swaziland, so that we can build good and strong relationships
- That somehow we would find time to study so that we are able to greet the people we meet in siSwati!
- The first GO Team from Lenexa, Kansas that will arrive a week after we do!
- That God will give peace and grace to us and our friends, families, and our church as we say goodbye
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Bethany First Church Comissioning
On Sunday, May 3, Pastor David Busic (furthest on the left), pastor of Bethany First Church of the Nazarene in Oklahoma City, commissioned us as on-site coordinators for the Swaziland Partnership. Wayne and Kay Rice, long time friends of Michaele's parents, joined us in prayer.This was such a special time! After each service, so many wonderful people introduced themselves to us, encouraged us, and told us how they'd been and will continue to pray for us.
We also were able to spend time with the church staff on Monday morning, which was again a time of blessing and encouragement. It is wonderful to know we are a part of such a great team!!
Kay and Wayne Rice, who stood in for our families in prayer that Sunday. We and our families (especially Michaele's dad!) are so grateful!
One of the highlights of the weekend was to meet Will and Karis Stemen, who have been the on-site coordinators in Swaziland for nine months. Their friendship, encouragement, and insight are more valuable than we can say. The baton has been passed! ...along with luggage straps, cell phones, pictures, and much important information... We talked for four hours one night, and I think we could have all kept going! We are blessed and privileged to be following in their footsteps as we go to Manzini, Swaziland. They have certainly paved the way for us, and the Swaziland partnership, in many, many ways.
Throughout the weekend we were hosted by the Eatons who are dear friends and have provided much guidance, prayer and direction throughout our marriage and this next step on the journey.
Our time in Oklahoma City wrapped up with a meeting with BFC Global Outreach Coordinator Barbi Moore who will be traveling with us and guiding us in our first few weeks in Swaziland. Please pray for her and her assistant (Pat Burton) as they make preparations for the June Team and the many things that need completed before we leave on the 20th.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)