We’re in Swaziland! Finally, after two days of travelling during which we were completely upside down and inside out in time, we arrived at our homestead in Nsoko at about 8 PM on Wednesday. Our house in pretty simple. A big room, a kitchen, two bathrooms (just toilets no shower), and two bedrooms. I’d Google Earthed Nsoko before we came, and it looked like a really dry place with lots of red clay. That must have been before the rainy season though, because now everything is green. We live in a valley, and there are mountains all around us. It’s gorgeous.
We spent Thanksgiving with another AIM team that’s here. They’ve been here for almost 3 months and are about to go home. It was such a blessing to get to know them, even if just for a few days. Since then we’ve been resting a lot, getting to know the people here in Nsoko, and getting started with ministry. Pastor Gift is the pastor of the church here. He’s great. He loves God and has a huge heart for the people in this community, especially the youth. He gave us a list of the main ministry opportunities yesterday and we all chose one to be our “baby” as PG put it. We’re supposed to be focusing on the one thing, but helping each other at the same time. Women’s ministry, administration, community education, youth ministry, and care point minstry were the choices. Along with these, we’ll all be doing building projects, vision trip facilitation, and preaching on Sundays. Jon and B also do sport evangelism. They asked me to do it, but unfortunately it interferes with my olympic training, so I let those less athletically fortunate take over. Jokes aside though, I ended up chosing administration for my ministry. Weird, I know. I figured I would end up doing care point ministry because that’s basically playing with and teaching kids at the care points. (Care points are places where kids can get free food and basic education. There are about 9 of them in our area, and they’re vital to the community.) But when I prayed about it, God led me firmly towards administration. I’ll be doing a lot of organizing and paper work. It doesn’t really sound a lot like ministry I know, but if you could see the mess all their records are in you’d understand. PG doesn’t value organization it seems. At all. I started working on it today, and it just felt so right, I know that this is what God has for me to do. What’s really cool is that I get to work in a spare room at the clinic. The nurse there is named Wisdom. He’s from Zimbabwe and so cool. We’re going to be good friends. I’m hoping that he might let me help him out with patients sometimes.
In between all that we’ve been doing I’ve met some incredible kids. They all have intense Suswati names though, so it’s taking me a while to learn them. Abbigail is 15 and has a 2 week old baby. I can barely keep my hands off of her. Then there’s Ndutuzo. He thinks he’s spiderman. Mantize and Nokosile like to do my hair for me. Sabelo, Power, and Musa are three orphan boys. Their mom is/was dying of AIDS and dropped them off at PG’s house about two weeks ago. Now their staying with a gogo in the neighborhood, but they just really need a mom. Sometimes they come over and all the want to do is sit in your lap while the other boys play. It breaks my heart. These kids have such a need for love, I feel like I don’t have enough.
So, long story short, I’m in love with Swaziland so far.
PS. Here are links to my teammates and PG’s blogs. Check them out. Especially my teammates because I leave a lot out and they do a better job at writing about what actually happens. And.. I really like them, so you should too.
PPS. I can’t figure out how to post a link, so just click on the “Team Blog Page” link underneath “Links” on the left of the page and look for Katie Graves, Jessica Leonardi, Jonathan Melo, and Bryan Marsh.
We are so proud of you Bug, miss you tons but know that you are doing a good thing
xoxoxo lucy
Lila. So first, I want you to blog about the birthing the baby. Next, the administration job for you, may seem so weird on the surface, but seriously – it fits you perfectly. I can’t wait to find out what it does for you, and what you do for that office 🙂 Tell Wisdom I said Hey, and that I’m on my way through Nursing right now, and if he has any wisdom to pass on, that I would love to hear it! I want you to know that, I’m holding on, and that I’m okay. I have a couple of really simple finals next week- and then im outtaa here from december 11 to about Jan 6. A month of a break, and then when i come back- ill have MicroBiology Chem and Stats all waiting for me. I will be thinking of you most during those times. I’m not sure when we will have the Christmas party- but it’s AFRICAN style, so be excited :). It’s hard not to hear from you as much as before, but please keep blogging! It inspires me so, I can’t even imagine what your experincing there it all seems too amazing to be real life. You are my hero, my inspriation, and my best friend. I love you, and I miss you more than words can express. I’m praying for you. I love you.
Captain says hey.
I am so proud of you, and truely look up to you more than you’ll know. I went to visit Samford this weekend and while on my tour the girls that showed us around told me, Lindsey, Jessica, and Susan that if you have 3 or more people interested in learning a language Samford would hire a proffesor to teach you and that one of their friends got a group of people to learn Swahili and we told them about you and they thought it was so amazing what you were doing. I can’t wait to see you when you get home and talk about your time there. I’m always praying for you. I want to know if i’m allowed to send you something while your in Africa? A care package of some sorts?
On a more serious note; you have been changing people in foreign countries and have been able to see it however I don’t think you realize how much you’ve changed me and our youth group. There is a hole and a void now that you’re gone and though students have stepped up to a leadership role that hole and void can never be filled to shape the same way you were. We truely miss you and love you, God is working through you here in America too. I feel it everytime I walk into the church.
I love you and miss you. Keep striving forward to God’s plan!
Thanks so much for this Lila! You are rocking Nsoko 🙂
Hi Lila,
You don’t know me…I am friends with Jessica L. I have been seeing your pictures on Facebook (because she is tagged) and just read your blog. Thank you thank you!! I love Jess SO much and it has been amazing to see her through you. I am also deeply touched by your heart:) Would you mind just walking up to Jess and giving her a huge hug for me and saying “Brenda Johns sends you a great big hug!” God bless you as you continue to love and serve the Lord!!
Hey Bug – i,m so glad to hear you’re getting settled in and loving swazi. knowing you, you’ll have that office whipped into shape in no time and then be able to move on to other projects. are you getting enough baby time? what’sup with birthing babies in the backseat of a car? keep on blogging – its the highlight of my week to hear what you’re up to. its cold here – could possibly snow in okaloosa county tonight. saw the girls over t’giving – were going to have a kwanzaa celebration in your honor. love you lots and lots…..momma