Week 4 2014

One of the boys that Mxolisi & I walk alongside paying for his school fees;
a couple of the boys that I met before they turned 1...walking into the center after their first day of school;
it finally got below 85 in my house so I decided to experiment with a chicken pot pie.

Praying with the new team as they begin their time of serving here in Nsoko;
the only way to keep a team of 16, a full time staff of 7, and 10 carepoints organized;
school calendars sent all over the country mixed up November & December for 2014.

Week 3 2014

Materials from Matata in our multi-purpose vehicle;
school uniforms for a couple of boys that Mxolisi & I are walking alongside on a child-led homestead;
new school shoes for a couple other good friends of Mxolisi & I that aren't anywhere that they can receive help.

Sanele & Smanga working hard (with an audience);
a couple of guys with water on a hot day;
Thandi teaching using one of my fast growing avocado trees as an example.

The first lunch for T, made with things I found at my house because I forgot until that morning;
D, T, & S showing their new school shoes & excited for the first day of school;
my roundest homemade pizza yet as we hosted a few of Mxolisi's friends for a great dinner;
the lines at the bank to pay school fees.

First Day Of School

I remember my first day of kindergarten in Colorado...standing outside in line waiting to go inside the classroom.  I would like to say it’s because I realized the unbelievable opportunity that I had in day 1 of a FREE, quality education in America.  But really, I remember it because the kid behind me in line was so nervous that he threw up into his brand new backpack.  I wish that I would have realized all of that time how privileged I was to have an opportunity to go to school, an opportunity to have teachers who cared to do a quality job teaching, who cared to invest in our lives, a blessing to have parents who pushed me to do my best,
It hits me in a different way every year, but as I help hundreds of kids prepare to start a new school year here in Swaziland, I realized again this morning another reason that these kids amaze me...  At their effort, their perseverance, their trust & dependence, and their hope...that through getting an education, their lives will be different than the generations who have gone before them.  Here is a glimpse into the reality that I was unaware of when I rode a school bus each way to school in Colorado.

~ Two of our best students at a carepoint get up at 4am each morning to do their chores (fetch water, cook over fire, take care of animals) so that they can leave by 5am to walk to school each morning.  They walk over 4 miles to school, go to school all day, and then walk 4 miles home in the afternoon to do more chores & study.

~ Many of our students walk 1-2 hours each way to school, often in really hot temperatures (it’s supposed to be over 100 this week), or not dressed warm enough for the cooler weather (in the 50’s).

~ One of our students failed first grade last year because she had to stay home so many days to take care of her half-brother who was about 6 months old while her mom worked.

~ One of our students left home for a month to see if he could find a job somewhere...he didn’t find a job, but after missing 20 days of school, he still was position 3 in his class!

~ One of our students is successfully working her way through high school...and last week a doctor told us that she is so blind she should probably have someone help her cross the road because she can’t see oncoming traffic far away.

~ One of our students failed in 2012, so because of our policy we couldn’t pay his school fees in 2013.  But his family compiled their resources so that he could go to school, and he passed & we are privileged to pay his school fees for the 2014 school year!

~ One of our students worked piece jobs in the farms over his summer break so that he can pay for the transport fees & uniforms for his child-led family.

~ One of our students stopped going to school last year because his mom is too sick to care, and he has been going back & forth between extended family members who don’t want to parent him but will give him a place to sleep.  He is back in school today...and he is 8 years old. 


In a country where far too many of the children drop out of school way too early, it is a blessing, a privilege, and a responsibility for those who do have the opportunity to get an education.  My prayer for them this morning is that through their education, they would grow to love the Lord with all of their minds, grow in wisdom to better understand the Lord’s will for their life, grow in hope for their future as they believe they can do the impossible because of their education, grow in their belief in God’s provision as they are able to go to school because of the donations of people across the world. 

The One

     I have to admit I was a bit hesitant when I saw her waiting to talk to me.  I had already had three people come and ask for help with things this morning & I had to say no to two of them.  So to see her standing there, I wanted to hide instead of having to say no again.  I have known her for a while and she is always asking for something, a ride for herself or someone, a job, school fees help, food for someone.  They are all legitimate things to ask for, but we can only help with so much.  

     So I continued what I was doing inside and waited until she asked to talk to me.  As I approached her & we talked a bit about Christmas, I was trying to think through my mind what else she could be asking for this time.  I was doing mental calculations to remember how much we have already spent out of our benevolence money this month to know if we would be able to help in any way.  And then she said it.  

“Thank you.”  

     She said she had just come to say thank you for the ways our ministry helped her family last month with a medical need.  It wasn’t even her medical need, it was her cousin’s.  Yet, here she was, making a special trip to come over and say thank you.  We don’t do what we do to hear a thank you, but it happens so rarely that it surprises me every time.  I remember the letter we got from a community thanking us for helping transport a person’s body to the mortuary.  I remember a husband talking to me at a carepoint, thanking us for getting his wife to the hospital for a blood transfusion.  And it made me wonder how Jesus did it, day in & day out.

“On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.  And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”  When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went they were cleansed.  Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.  Now he was a Samaritan.  Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed?  Where are the nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”  And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

     My experience with the woman who had come to say thank you made me ask myself two questions.  1.  Does Jesus ever feel like I do, knowing that most people are coming to him asking for help instead of coming to say thank you?  2.  Do I come to Jesus more like the one leper, thanking and praising God?  Or more like the other nine, asking God for things and then going on my way?

1. Does Jesus ever feel like I do, knowing that most people are coming to him asking for help instead of coming to say thank you? 
       We know that Jesus looked at people with compassion, saw them as sheep without a shepherd, and knew that he had come to heal and serve them.  He came for the sick, not the healthy, so it didn’t surprise him at all to have people ask him to heal them or help them.  But I wonder if the disciples ever got sick of it?  Thinking “oh, no, not this guy again.  He just came last week to ask for help for his mom, and now he is coming to ask for something again?”  I wonder if the disciples saw the one leper coming back to Jesus healed, and wondered if he was going to ask Jesus to do something else.  I have so much to learn about seeing people with compassion and loving each individual.  And I praise God that people have faith enough and trust enough to come and ask.  They know that there are resources and that God has provided a ministry through us to help them in the ways that we can.

2.  Do I come to Jesus more like the one leper, thanking and praising God or more like the other nine, asking God for things and then going on my way?
      I have to confess, I have learned so much from my friends here in Nsoko about thanking God in prayer.  Part of it is being in an impoverished area, realizing that shelter, food, family, health, school, employment, and life itself are all blessings from the Lord.  But part of it is just hearing them thank God continually.  I often have found that my prayers are more intercessory in nature, if not asking specific things for myself, then asking them for the people around me & in my life, lifting them up to the Lord.  Which God does desire for us to do in prayer - and he tells us to approach His throne of grace with confidence as we pray.  But far too often, when my prayer time is cut short, it’s the prayers of thanksgiving - for myself and others - that get left out.  And I am convicted to say that far too often, I am standing in the group of the nine, not the one who comes back to say thank you & praise Jesus. 

Lord, help me to be more like you - to see people as you do and to have compassion on them as they stand and live in the midst of so much need.  And Lord, help me to be more like the leper - quick to praise and thank you as I see you at work in so many areas in and around me!

Week 2 2014

Anchor Center tree doing well once it was found among the weeds;
Mxolisi at our Saturday lunch date;
Mxolisi helping Bhozongo clear the grass & weeds around his house.

The kids who served at the first ever Anchor Center community work day;
a couple of teenage boys cutting the waist high grass;
gogo keeping up with the teenagers cutting grass.

Speak What Is True

In a land where lies have been spoken for generations, it's hard to help people recognize the truth.  While it is the story of all humanity since that fateful day in the garden when the serpent lied to Adam and Eve, there are areas of the world where the Truth of Christ hasn't broken through to raise multiple generations walking in that truth.  So as I pray for God's truth to reign in Nsoko, and for the Swazi people to walk intimately with the Truth (John 14:6), a song from David Crowder resonated with the prayers of my heart for myself this year, but also the prayers for the people of Nsoko.

Here's my heart, Lord.

I surrender again to you, Lord, the most central part of who I am.

Lord, capture the hearts of the people of Nsoko.

Speak what is true.

Hide your truth deep in my heart.

Let your Truth be spoken in every heart and on every homestead.

Here's my heart, Lord.

I hand it to you again, every day, even when I am tempted to hide it,
guard it, or let it become numb.

Even in the midst of so much pain and hurt, allow the
Swazi people to quickly hand their hearts to be entrusted to You.

Speak what is true.

Speak to me, Lord, from Your word, louder than the voices around me.

Open the eyes of the Swazi people to see your Truth and your
Word for the living truth that is.  Speak louder than tradition.

Cause I am found,

Your eye is on each flower, each bird, and on me as You pursued
me and found me while I was running from You.

Lord, pursue Your people, and Holy Spirit,
draw them to the Father through Christ.

I am Yours,

You have bought me at a price...the price of Your Son dying on the cross.

You have many people in this area that You are drawing to Yourself
because You purchased them on the cross 2000 years ago.

I am loved,

You rejoice over me with singing.

Even those who have never experienced earthly parents love are loved
by You, Lord.  Let your love transform them from their innermost being.

I'm made pure.

Though I was like crimson, You have cleansed me as white as snow.

Let them trust in Your sacrifice that is the only thing that can
make us pure, not any actions of our own.

I have life,

 You are my daily breath, the Life living in me.

Let us be quick to acknowledge you as giver of life in a place
full of sickness and death.

I can breathe,

 Your mercies have given me new life again this morning.

Extend the people's lives in Nsoko until they can hear
the truth of the Gospel, Lord.

I am healed,

Your Spirit is transforming and healing me from the inside out.

Do a radical work in your people here in Nsoko, Lord.  Heal them from
their hurts, their sicknesses, their losses, their grief, their poverty.

I am free.

 Your Truth has set me free...from my sin, from myself,
from eternity apart from You.

Free the Swazi people from the strongholds
of satan, from the generational sins,
from the chains that bind them in addiction and abuse.

Here's my heart, Lord.

 I don't just ask You to be my Savior, but I submit my whole life
to Your Lordship.

Reign in Nsoko, Lord, starting in our hearts, our lives,
our homes, our communities, this country, this world.

Speak what is true.

 Keep my eyes focused on You & Your truth in the midst of so many
lies about You, about me, about this world. 

Holy Spirit, illuminate Your word so that people would be
quick to discern between truth and lies.

Cause You are strong,

 You speak stars into being, but can make a mountain crumble.

Lord, sustain Your people so they may live to praise You.

You are sure.

 When all else in this world is uncertain, You remain.

Lord, remind those who have lost so much that You are unchanging.

You are life,

 When I am surrounded by death every day, You are life within me
and around me.

Lord, revive our souls in the midst of pain and hurt and grief.

You endure.

 All else in this world will pass away, yet You endure
through every storm.

Lord, give your people in Nsoko the strength to persevere as
they fix their eyes on You and all that you endured.

You are good,

 You are pure, holy, lovely, righteous, and good.

Lord, may you be seen for who You truly are here in Nsoko,
not in the misunderstood ways of who You are and how you act.

Always true.

 In you there is no untruth, for You embody Truth in your very life.

Lord, may Your truth reign above all other beliefs here in Swaziland.

You are light,

 You are the Light of this world that shines brighter than the sun.

In the midst of the hot, bright sun, remind us that 

You are brighter and your light is eternal and 

You call us to embody that light in a dark world.

Breaking through.

 You don't just shine from afar but you break into our lives 

and our hearts to flood us with your light.

Lord, break through in Nsoko.  Let your light shine forth 

in the lives of people here so that you may see you in 

action regenerating people & working to radically transform 

their hearts so that they unashamedly live for You.

Here's my heart, Lord.

 I lay me down again today, Lord.

Lord, let us be quick to surrender to Your leading in our lives.

Speak what is true.

 Give me ears to hear.

Lord, speak through Your word in the lives and hearts of 

people in Nsoko.  Through your church, through audio Bibles, 

through Siswati Bibles, through your people 

who have memorized Your word.

Here's my life, Lord.

 I surrender my life to follow & walk with You.

May the people of Nsoko not live their lives for themselves, 

but surrender to Your Lordship.

Speak what is true.

 Let your Truth be heard from the mountaintops, speak in my heart 

and let my life speak to testify of your Truth. 

God, silence those in Swaziland who aren't speaking in accordance 

with your truth so that children may not be led astray.

You are more than enough,

 You satisfy more than anything or anyone this world has to offer.

For those who go to bed hungry tonight, remind them that 

You satisfy and give them peace in their stomachs. 

You are here.

 You are present in and around me all the time.

Lord, make yourself known and Your name famous in Nsoko.

You are Lord,

 Though countries and kingdoms come and go, 

You are Lord over the earth forever.

You reign over this place, over these homesteads, 

over these people's hearts.

You are hope,

 True, eternal hope is found only in You and found now, 

not just in the future.

In a community that the world calls hopeless, You Lord, 

are our hope, allowing us to rejoice in all circumstances.

You are grace,

 Your extravagance moves us to worship for all that 

You do for us that we can't earn & don't deserve.

Pour your grace out in the lives of your people here in Nsoko, 

that they would live in grace and trust in grace 

and accept the gift of your grace.

You're all I have,

 You alone are the only One who won't disappoint me, who is my life.

For those who feel alone today, Lord, remind them that they 

have You, the only One who truly matters in the universe.

You're everything.

 You are all I need and you satisfy my deepest needs continually.

In the midst of poverty and desire, fill our hearts with you to 

remind us that You satisfy more than any earthly thing or 

relationship or experience can.

Here's my heart, Lord.

 Here I am, take my heart and transform it as only You can.

Lord, transform your Church in Nsoko...that your Bride, 

the Church, would be quick to submit to your leadership as

 You wash her and lead her.

Speak what is true.

 Rid me of any lies, build the foundation of my life on Your Truth.

Break down the strongholds of lies and protect your people 

from the deception of satan.  Declare your truth to the 

hearts that are listening and hungry to hear.

Here's my life, Lord.

 I surrender all.

You are Lord of Nsoko. May your name be famous above all and 

may your kingdom come and your will be done here.

Speak what is true.

Light Broke In...

 On the longest flight in the world (literally) from Atlanta to Johannesburg, they try to convince us it is night the whole 17 hours.  We leave in the dark, and all of the windows are closed.  But the truth is, that the sun rises less than half way through the flight, but we don't know that because the windows stay closed. 

Yet, inevitably on every flight, there is the first curious person to crack up the window, revealing the light that is bright enough to light up an entire section of a plane.  The last time I flew this flight, there was a kid who continuously wanted to open the window every few hours.  But the thing that caught my attention, was the 50 something year old guy who was mesmerized by it every time the kid opened the window.  He sat all the way across the plane, a few rows in front of the kid, but every time the window even cracked & the light streamed in, this man was immediately on his feet searching to see if he could see anything out the window.  

As I reflected on the different people's reactions to the light in the plane, I realized there were three different types of people.  There were the ones (like the child and the man) who couldn't wait for the next chance that the light would break into the darkness so that they could enjoy it & see what they could see.  And there were those people who were absolutely against opening any window and wanted it as dark as possible.  You could hear their sighs of frustration as the windows were cracked open & they repositioned themselves & their pillows to cover their eyes and continue sleeping.  And the third type of the people were those who were ambivalent, not caring at all whether the windows were open or closed.

It's obvious, the comparison to the spiritual reality around us.  God used the metaphor of light and darkness all throughout the Bible to teach us spiritual truths from concrete lessons around us.  But it has hit me at a new level as I live in a spiritually dark area, where not a lot of Light has broken through.  

Yet that is the prayer that God keeps putting on my heart this year for Nsoko.  As I walked through the Christmas season...of the Light of the world breaking into the darkness of this world in a dirty stable.  And now, 2000 years later, we wait again for the Light to break in.  Some in hopeful anticipation, and some ambivalent to even care if Jesus will come back, and those adamantly opposed to anything of the Light. 

Whether we want to admit it or not, whether we are looking forward to it or not, the Light is coming, and dawn will break as He continues His reign on this earth and restores the people to Himself that He purchased on a cross 2000 years ago.  But my prayer for the Swazi people, specifically those of Nsoko this year is that Light would break in...into hard hearts, into hurting hearts, into young, orphaned hearts, into sick & dying hearts, into overburdened hearts, into impoverished hearts.

All This Glory
(David Crowder Band)

In the middle of our mess, there is Majesty.

In the middle of our chest, is the King of Kings.

While the world was waiting on a change to come along...

LIGHT BROKE IN...

coming like a song.

All this glory, all this glory, all this glory.

In the middle of the night all this light.

In the middle of the night You are Majesty.

To the middle of our plight came the King of Kings.

While we were waiting on Your love to come along...

LIGHT BROKE IN...

coming like a song.

In the middle of the night after all this quiet.

Jesus, God with us, Jesus Christ has come...

and I'm undone.

Week 1 2014

At Mission Rocks, St. Lucia; zebras & the Indian Ocean in my rearview mirror;
God's Christmas tree for me - the red flowers blooming on the Jacaranda trees.

The new fence at Mabantaneni 1; Kellinah with her new gifts;
Mxolisi & his grandfather leaving the hospital.