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.
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On the plane home, the team wrote lists of learnings (10 typed pages!) from the time serving with you in Swaziland...here is a list of today's top 10.
ReplyDelete*confession and repentance are not only good for the soul, but I think necessary for the church and individuals like me to practice regularly. This world is broken and it continually infects us...good intentions or not, we are finite and imperfect. Jason Rowinski
*Bobcats are not reqired when the job is ordained and directed by God. GOD IS BIGGER THAN A BOBCAT. John Wally
*When teacher becomes the student and the student becomes the teacher then great things get accoplished in the Kingdom of God. John Wally
*Pre-conceived notions and qick judgments are usually horribly inaccurate. Elizabeth Newton
* Running around, Getting your dress muddy, and swating off the little make-up your have on is fun. Elizabeth Newton
*If you think it's important or necessary for life, it's probably not. God can accomplish so much more in less time when He has oour full attention. Meagan Still
*I hope the change from this trip is as apparent in my actions in 10 years as it is in my heart right now. David Auld
*We were created to be servers of God. Sarah Privott
*What is an awkward silence in the US is an eruption of song and sometimes dance amoung the Swazis...I LOVE that!!! Joy Auld
*We need to make certain that we are obeying God with our life and service choices. If not, it could be someone else we are serving. Matt Bunnell
*Hunger and thirst feels the same everywhere. Ellen Marsh
*The prosperity gospel has never looked more ridiculous to me. Some of the poorest people in the world are the richest in Christ. Greg White
*...for us in the US to SO VERY MUCH and yet still have staggering rates of depression...and the Swazis have HOPE...they have truly heartfelt SONGS..what a sad contrast. Marla Cole
*Music in Africa is as natural as speech. They have no need for written scores. Joy springs from their hearts, flows through their voices and radiates on their faces. And the result, to the listener, is the heartbeat of the African soul. Carol Jahn
*How spoiled we are with trivial things. The people of Swaziland have dreams and hopes just like all of us. Scot Jahn
*I loved seeing Elizabeth, Sarah and Jason with the children. Margaret Eaton
*Children who have nothing and have little hope for much more...have fun, smile a lot, are generous and kind and optimistic. Doug Eaton
Computer crashed, found Michaele on Facebook
ReplyDeleteto Brent: WE ARE THE ULTIMATE ALIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh all my transformers say hi
Dirge, my harrier jet deceptcon also says hi and inferno says hi
Oh are you two coming back to Mount Vernon when you return?
ReplyDeleteTime to count down till one year
ReplyDeleteamen to this post, amazing stuff
ReplyDeleteWell apparently about Facebook I got the answer from Mat and Michaele and Brent, WE ARE THE ULTIMATE ALLIANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! btw Mat Black is back.
ReplyDeleteDoug --
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've been able to spend enough time online to check out your comment. Thank you so much for sharing!! It excites us both to know and be reminded of the lasting work God did and is doing in our friends' lives! Praise God.
Jason/ Raptor --
Glad to see you back. :) Thanks for keeping us updated on West Side happenings. WE ARE THE ULTIMATE ALLIANCE!