Thank you for all who prayed for us and the team during the last weeks. It was a wonderful ten days of service and learning and transformation. The two major projects were the finishing of a church building at Ndubazi, and the painting of a nearby school. The compassion team also led school assemblies and VBS’s for nearly 2,000 children by the end of the week. The medical team spent time at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital, visiting clients of the HIV/ AIDs Task Force, and at a clinic day with The Luke Commission.
Joy is a nurse who was a member of this team. She shared very honestly one night that the whole trip seemed like a roller coaster to her. Sometimes she felt like she had nothing to give, other times she was overjoyed that she was able to be present and serve. I think she spoke for all of us.
Some of the places we’ve been – both with the team and by ourselves – are so hard and heartbreaking that we feel overwhelmed with hopelessness. It is sometimes a struggle to see where God is working in the middle of so much pain and suffering and chaos. And it is intensely uncomfortable to watch it all and feel unable to fix it. Yet I firmly believe, and it has been confirmed in the past week, that until we are uncomfortable God is not able to change us.
I praise God for the Ndubazi Church of the Nazarene having a roof and plastered walls. I praise God for the Nyamane school having fresh paint, new school supplies, and a beautiful mural. I praise God that nearly 2,000 children saw His love in the songs, games, crafts and faces of ten Americans. I praise God for the encouragement brought to doctors, nurses and pastors of our Nazarene institutions.
But my heart swells with excitement and gratitude when I think about the unseen, but much longer-lasting, effects of this week. I was able to witness the transformation of hearts and minds. I was able to see people being broken and others being healed. I was able to watch God shape and mold his children to look more like Christ, and to see the world a little more like Christ sees it.
I know the Swazis are grateful for our presence and the work we’ve done. I know they feel they need us. However, I think our whole team has been reminded this past week that we desperately need our Swazi brothers and sisters. We need the lessons God teaches us through them. We need the opportunity to serve and see Jesus’ face in those who are sick, hungry and without clothes (Matthew 25:35-36). And we desperately need the experience of going to give, and coming back having received much more.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
BFC March GO Team
Tomorrow (Friday March 12) a team of 21 people arrive from Bethany First Church to spend 11 days in Swaziland. We have been working hard to get everything ready for them -- all the housing and transportation logistics, project plans and costs, and all the events the team will be a part of. This will be our third team since we've been in Swaziland, and it's nice to feel like we know a little bit about what we're doing this time! Although of course this past week has still had many unforeseen adventures and obstacles in leading up to this point. But hey, it's Africa! That's what makes it fun.
While the team is here, the majority of their time will be spent in the Shiselwini area, the South District of the Swaziland Church of the Nazarene. Outside a large southern town, in an area called Ndubazi, there is a small church of 36 people who have been meeting in a small structure made of something a little thicker than cardboard. Several years ago, a member of the church bought a kombi (mini-bus used for public transportation), and has used the profits of this small transport business to build a proper church building. With these funds and congregation coordination, the foundation and walls are finished.
Our team has the awesome privilege of helping this group of dedicated believers finish their church building! They will putting up the roof, finishing the floor inside, and helping with finishing of doors and windows. Their pastor is a retired woman minister who goes by Gogo (Grannie) Rebecca. She has a fiery spirit and a radiant smile bursting out of her small stature and aging features. She keeps saying we are a blessing for their church, but I know each of us will be blessed after working alongside her for one week.
Other members of the team will be doing painting at two local schools, school assemblies and Bible clubs. We will also spend a day visiting HIV positive clients from the Task Force. It's going to be a full, tiring, but wonderful week.
Please join us in prayer March 12 - 21:
- safe travels as the team goes throughout South Africa and Swaziland
- safety for the construction crew as they work on the roof
- pray that deep relationships will be made between Americans and Swazis
- pray for the Ndubazi community and church, that they will be reminded of God's great love for them this week
- pray that the Holy Spirit will have ultimate authority to move and change his people, even if it goes against our schedule
While the team is here, the majority of their time will be spent in the Shiselwini area, the South District of the Swaziland Church of the Nazarene. Outside a large southern town, in an area called Ndubazi, there is a small church of 36 people who have been meeting in a small structure made of something a little thicker than cardboard. Several years ago, a member of the church bought a kombi (mini-bus used for public transportation), and has used the profits of this small transport business to build a proper church building. With these funds and congregation coordination, the foundation and walls are finished.
Our team has the awesome privilege of helping this group of dedicated believers finish their church building! They will putting up the roof, finishing the floor inside, and helping with finishing of doors and windows. Their pastor is a retired woman minister who goes by Gogo (Grannie) Rebecca. She has a fiery spirit and a radiant smile bursting out of her small stature and aging features. She keeps saying we are a blessing for their church, but I know each of us will be blessed after working alongside her for one week.
Other members of the team will be doing painting at two local schools, school assemblies and Bible clubs. We will also spend a day visiting HIV positive clients from the Task Force. It's going to be a full, tiring, but wonderful week.
Please join us in prayer March 12 - 21:
- safe travels as the team goes throughout South Africa and Swaziland
- safety for the construction crew as they work on the roof
- pray that deep relationships will be made between Americans and Swazis
- pray for the Ndubazi community and church, that they will be reminded of God's great love for them this week
- pray that the Holy Spirit will have ultimate authority to move and change his people, even if it goes against our schedule
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