Life in Africa is amazing. I’ve seen and experienced so many new things. More importantly, God has taught me so much.
Ministry has been great. Most of our time in ministry has been helping in a preschool and really just pouring into the kids at Ntabas Care Point.
We’ve also done some things I wasn’t expecting to do in Swazi. We were able to go on a home visit one day to a little old lady in the community. I was expecting to spend time with her and share the gospel, but we ended up moving ant infested wood to a fire pit and sweeping the ground with branches (yes, branches) in her back yard. But you know, TIA(This Is Africa) so expect the unexpected. One morning we got to the care point and was asked to gather fire wood to cook lunch. The process of gathering fire wood was kind of ridiculous. We had to walk a mile down this dirt road, climb down into a creepy valley, gather armfuls of wood, and walk the mile back. We also had to wash all the dishes that the kids eat off of everyday.
I was feeling a little discouraged in that I didn’t think we were making much of a difference in the community. But my teammate (s/o to Becca!) reminded me of the passage in Matthew 25.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'”
Matthew 25:40
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do. That means everything you do for these people, you’re doing for God. So I’m sweeping the ground for God. I’m gathering firewood for God. I’m cleaning these nasty dishes for God to eat off of.
With this perspective, I’ve decided to give full effort in everything I do. I mean, if you’re doing something directly for God then wouldn’t you do it with all your heart?
God has also taught me through our lifestyle in Swazi.
I’ll be honest, our living arrangements are kind of difficult. We sleep on flat mattresses on the floor, cook on a gas stove, use the bathroom in portapotties, and shower in a small shack outside. Our washing machine is a bucket and our dishwasher is two small bowls and a rag.
I love it, though! I’ve been stripped of all comforts and stability at home-family, friends, my bed, hot showers, wifi, unlimited food, etc. Now that I no longer have those things to comfort me, I have to rely completely on God. He is my comfort and He takes care of me.
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether in plenty of in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:12-13
In all the craziness of this trip, I’ve been able to find comfort and strength in God to carry me through. The intimacy and trust that has been created between us would have never happened without this trip.
God has seriously shown up in Swaziland. I could tell you all the awesome things that I’ve done, but it would be a lie. I’ve done nothing this month. It’s all been God and He’s done some incredible work.
