God is continually looking for people who are willing to step out in faith and obey when He calls us into action. In Isaiah chapter 6, God is asking for some one to take a message to the people of Isreal. It was not an easy message to deliver and He needed some one who would display the courage, trust and confidence it would take to share the message with those who needed to hear it. In verse 8 of that chapter Isaiah steps out in faith and says, "Here I am Lord, send me!".
God still calls us today. He asks us to share His love; to deliver His message of hope and salvation. He asks us to be His hands and feet and to serve a lost and hurting world. And He assures us that if we respond to His call, He will guide and direct our path and provide us with all that we need to accomplish the task.
Megan returned home today after responding to God's call to serve in Swaziland. She spent six weeks providing medical care and spiritual support to many people through out the country. She will tell you that she felt the presence of God as she tended to the sick and needy during her time with the Luke Commission as well as with Nurse Jane in community outreach clinics. While Megan was a blessing to many, we also know that she was blessed in return.
Thanks to all who prayed for Megan and supported her before and during her time away. Now that she is home, be sure to get some time with her. Allow her to share her testimony and the stories of the people she encountered during her time in Swaziland. Then you too can be blessed!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Loving Lavumisa - An Update from Megan
I just spent the weekend in Lavumisa and I really enjoyed being a part of the first church service in the new church! As I arrived on Friday, Jane and a team were finishing up passing out 500 health packs throughout the community and inviting people to the church. Members of Jane’s home church donated the supplies and we put together 500 health packs for the people of Lavumisa. Each pack contained laundry soap, wash cloths, bar soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, vasoline, Tylenol, multivitamins, HIV educational information, and a gospel tract. Here is a picture of me with the packs after we finished putting them all together.
After the distribution of the health packs, and again on Saturday we worked on the building projects at Lavumisa. The sandbag walls of the church are almost done, and we began laying the foundations and first sandbags for what will be the pastor’s home and first children’s home.
I have to say that this weekend at Lavumisa was one of my favorite times in Swaziland so far. It was very encouraging to see how the community is really coming behind this church and the projects. The team of home based care workers that Jane has been training worked so hard and so diligently all week long and many people from the community came out to work with us on the buildings. On Sunday there were about 200 people who came to the church service. All of the seats were filled, and many people sat along the walls and stood in the back. The Holy Spirit is really moving!
Even though I was only there for a couple of days, I felt really sad to leave Lavumisa when the weekend was over. Something about that place just grabbed my heart. I think that God is really pouring out his Spirit and is blessing Pastor Sabelo and the church; and I was able to be blessed by the outpouring as well.
Last night some of the ministry leaders here got together for a time of worship, sharing Scripture, and prayer. We had a time of intercession for Swaziland and especially for the people of Lavumisa. One of the leaders felt led that we should pray Scripture from Isaiah chapters 1-4 over this nation. I thought I would share this with all of you so that you can join us in prayer!
“Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord
‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;
But if you resist and rebel you will be devoured by the sword.’
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:17-20
Oh, one last thing: I forgot to mention that it rained while we were in Lavumisa for the first time since April. The people were so excited and were praising God! What a blessing in a dry land!
After the distribution of the health packs, and again on Saturday we worked on the building projects at Lavumisa. The sandbag walls of the church are almost done, and we began laying the foundations and first sandbags for what will be the pastor’s home and first children’s home.
I have to say that this weekend at Lavumisa was one of my favorite times in Swaziland so far. It was very encouraging to see how the community is really coming behind this church and the projects. The team of home based care workers that Jane has been training worked so hard and so diligently all week long and many people from the community came out to work with us on the buildings. On Sunday there were about 200 people who came to the church service. All of the seats were filled, and many people sat along the walls and stood in the back. The Holy Spirit is really moving!
Even though I was only there for a couple of days, I felt really sad to leave Lavumisa when the weekend was over. Something about that place just grabbed my heart. I think that God is really pouring out his Spirit and is blessing Pastor Sabelo and the church; and I was able to be blessed by the outpouring as well.
Last night some of the ministry leaders here got together for a time of worship, sharing Scripture, and prayer. We had a time of intercession for Swaziland and especially for the people of Lavumisa. One of the leaders felt led that we should pray Scripture from Isaiah chapters 1-4 over this nation. I thought I would share this with all of you so that you can join us in prayer!
“Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!
Seek justice, encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
‘Come now, let us reason together,’ says the Lord
‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;
But if you resist and rebel you will be devoured by the sword.’
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Isaiah 1:17-20
Oh, one last thing: I forgot to mention that it rained while we were in Lavumisa for the first time since April. The people were so excited and were praising God! What a blessing in a dry land!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Doing more than just medical Care
While much of the work I have been doing here is related to medical care, I have also had the chance to serve in other ways. For instance, one day we met a woman while doing a home visit who was in poor health and needed some help fixing up her home. So we organized some of the kids from Hawane Farm to do a little community service and help her out! Check this out:
First we had to fill in holes where rocks were missing or had fallen out.
Then we had to mix up mud and put it over top of the rocks - almost like a plaster coating. We needed shovels and wheelbarrows to get the dirt mixed and moved.
And when all else fails, you mix mud with your boots on!
In addition to working on the woman's house, we also did a bit of work in her garden.
While the way of life here is simple, it is not always simple to accomplish things. We are thankful that God gave us the ability to do work and to do it in His name and for His glory. How awesome it it is to be Jesus' hands and feet!
Until next time..... Megan
First we had to fill in holes where rocks were missing or had fallen out.
Then we had to mix up mud and put it over top of the rocks - almost like a plaster coating. We needed shovels and wheelbarrows to get the dirt mixed and moved.
And when all else fails, you mix mud with your boots on!
In addition to working on the woman's house, we also did a bit of work in her garden.
While the way of life here is simple, it is not always simple to accomplish things. We are thankful that God gave us the ability to do work and to do it in His name and for His glory. How awesome it it is to be Jesus' hands and feet!
Until next time..... Megan
Outreach Work Continues
In my last post, I told you about the medical clinics we held at Lavumisa and Hawane. I also accompanied Nurse Jane in transporting a couple of our elderly Hawane neighbors to a medical clinic being held in Bulembu. A group of American and Canadian physicians were visiting Swaziland and were holding an outreach clinic at the Bulembu clinic. Here are some photos of that day:
The Clinic at Bulembu:
Neil, a clinic worker carrying our neighbor from Hawane into the clinic:
A young child undergoing a wound cleaning:
One of many dental extractions happening that day!
Thank you for your continued prayers on by behalf and on behalf of the people of Swaziland. They do make a difference.
~ Megan
The Clinic at Bulembu:
Neil, a clinic worker carrying our neighbor from Hawane into the clinic:
A young child undergoing a wound cleaning:
One of many dental extractions happening that day!
Thank you for your continued prayers on by behalf and on behalf of the people of Swaziland. They do make a difference.
~ Megan
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.... So Here are Several Thousand!
Hello, it’s Megan again. Another week has passed so quickly here in Swaziland! I thought I would share some pictures to give you an idea of what has been going on the past two weeks.
We held a medical clinic at Lavumisa, which we ran out of the church building currently on the site:
We also offered a clinic at Hawane. Sipho Roy, a member of the Teen Challenge Ministry program preached while people waited for care.
Jane assessing a child:
Me checking a sore throat:
We held a medical clinic at Lavumisa, which we ran out of the church building currently on the site:
We also offered a clinic at Hawane. Sipho Roy, a member of the Teen Challenge Ministry program preached while people waited for care.
Jane assessing a child:
Me checking a sore throat:
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Megan's Mission Field Moment
Hello from Swaziland! My name is Megan. I am a nurse and I came to Swaziland with the medical team in August to work with the Luke Commission. After the team left, I made my way over to Hawane where I am now working with Jane Bradshaw. Jane is a nurse from the UK who runs a clinic on the farm as well as clinic outreach into the local community. I have really enjoyed my time with Jane so far and I have been learning a lot. I am really thankful for God’s timing of bringing me to work with Jane, because she just returned from a month of leave. In fact, we both showed up at Hawane on the very same day! There is a lot of work to catch up on, and I am so glad to be able to lend a helping hand to such a driven and hardworking missionary.
So far we have done two community clinics, including one yesterday in Lavumisa. Around 90 patients came to the clinic at Lavumisa and all were able to sit down one-on-one with a nurse to be assessed and treated. We saw a lot of patients with respiratory, skin, and pain problems. In addition to giving basic medications and antibiotics, one of the most important things we do is provide individualized health advice and education. Jane, Jude, and I served as nurses while ten local home based care workers (more on that below) from Lavumisa helped as translators, checked patients in, measured blood pressures, and gave deworming tablets. Pastor Sabelo was also there to preach God’s Word and pray with the people who came. Sabelo is the pastor of CLC Lavumisa: a great man, very joyful, and such an encourager. It was great to meet him and many other members of the community as we held the clinic!
One of my favorite parts of Jane’s ministry is that she is training home based care workers within the communities of Hawane and Lavumisa who can help their neighbors when a clinic is unavailable. Jane is training these Swazis in many areas of care such as health and nutrition education and some basic medication administration. We met with two of these workers from Hawane on Saturday to do some teaching and also catch up on needs they had seen within the community. It was so humbling to listen to the needs they presented. I am used to attending campus Bible studies where the prayer requests are college students praying for help on exams. Here the first need and prayer request was for two children whose young father and only caregiver just passed away. These children now had nobody to take care of them. Many of the others were for medical needs that would be routinely treated in the US, or for people lacking basic necessities like food. We not only prayed for these needs, but discussed how we could help meet the needs through our ministry.
Thus, we have also spent a couple of days doing home visits in the local community of Hawane. We visit homes of people whom the home based care workers report as needing help but that are physically unable to come to community clinics. Many times these are very sick patients, and at times we lack the resources we need to truly meet their medical needs. But we are always able to pray with each family and present the gospel to those who have not heard. God is at work in many lives and it is both humbling and awesome to be a part!
In addition to the community outreach, we have also completed health checks for the children who live at Hawane CLC and across the street at Hawane Farm (The Teen Challenge project that initially drew CLC to Swaziland). Each child is seen once a month to be assessed by a nurse. It was encouraging to listen to Jane tell the stories of some of the children who came to the farm underweight or with various health problems, and then to see them now growing and healthy. It was also a good way to meet the kids on the farm.
Tomorrow we are doing another clinic in the community, and Friday we are taking some local patients to be seen by a team of visiting American doctors. Pray for the people who come to our clinics: that we would not overlook their medical needs, but even more importantly that they would be pointed to Christ and understand the gospel. The HIV/AIDS epidemic and the poverty caused by years of drought have caused so much destruction to families and communities in this nation. The transformation that God alone can bring to hearts, lives, and families is Swaziland’s greatest hope. Truly He is any nation’s greatest hope! Also pray for Jane, because she has been going non-stop since she returned from her break. She does so much, I pray for her that God will give her energy and focus as she serves.
So far we have done two community clinics, including one yesterday in Lavumisa. Around 90 patients came to the clinic at Lavumisa and all were able to sit down one-on-one with a nurse to be assessed and treated. We saw a lot of patients with respiratory, skin, and pain problems. In addition to giving basic medications and antibiotics, one of the most important things we do is provide individualized health advice and education. Jane, Jude, and I served as nurses while ten local home based care workers (more on that below) from Lavumisa helped as translators, checked patients in, measured blood pressures, and gave deworming tablets. Pastor Sabelo was also there to preach God’s Word and pray with the people who came. Sabelo is the pastor of CLC Lavumisa: a great man, very joyful, and such an encourager. It was great to meet him and many other members of the community as we held the clinic!
One of my favorite parts of Jane’s ministry is that she is training home based care workers within the communities of Hawane and Lavumisa who can help their neighbors when a clinic is unavailable. Jane is training these Swazis in many areas of care such as health and nutrition education and some basic medication administration. We met with two of these workers from Hawane on Saturday to do some teaching and also catch up on needs they had seen within the community. It was so humbling to listen to the needs they presented. I am used to attending campus Bible studies where the prayer requests are college students praying for help on exams. Here the first need and prayer request was for two children whose young father and only caregiver just passed away. These children now had nobody to take care of them. Many of the others were for medical needs that would be routinely treated in the US, or for people lacking basic necessities like food. We not only prayed for these needs, but discussed how we could help meet the needs through our ministry.
Thus, we have also spent a couple of days doing home visits in the local community of Hawane. We visit homes of people whom the home based care workers report as needing help but that are physically unable to come to community clinics. Many times these are very sick patients, and at times we lack the resources we need to truly meet their medical needs. But we are always able to pray with each family and present the gospel to those who have not heard. God is at work in many lives and it is both humbling and awesome to be a part!
In addition to the community outreach, we have also completed health checks for the children who live at Hawane CLC and across the street at Hawane Farm (The Teen Challenge project that initially drew CLC to Swaziland). Each child is seen once a month to be assessed by a nurse. It was encouraging to listen to Jane tell the stories of some of the children who came to the farm underweight or with various health problems, and then to see them now growing and healthy. It was also a good way to meet the kids on the farm.
Tomorrow we are doing another clinic in the community, and Friday we are taking some local patients to be seen by a team of visiting American doctors. Pray for the people who come to our clinics: that we would not overlook their medical needs, but even more importantly that they would be pointed to Christ and understand the gospel. The HIV/AIDS epidemic and the poverty caused by years of drought have caused so much destruction to families and communities in this nation. The transformation that God alone can bring to hearts, lives, and families is Swaziland’s greatest hope. Truly He is any nation’s greatest hope! Also pray for Jane, because she has been going non-stop since she returned from her break. She does so much, I pray for her that God will give her energy and focus as she serves.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
And Then There Was One
.JPG)
Even though the majority of our medical team returned home August 25th, one person was left behind..... intentionally.
Megan is remaining in Swaziland until the third week of September. She will finish out her work with The Luke Commission on Sunday, August 29th and then she will move out to Hawane where she will work with Nurses Jane Bradshaw and another short-term stay nurse, Jude, who is from England. We look forward to hearing what types of things Megan will be doing at Hawane.
Megan is not new to the world of international missions. As a high school student at CLC, Megan participated in mission trips to both El Salvador and Nicaragua. She also was active in Campus Crusade for Christ while attending Wright State University, where she received her degree in Nursing. Megan felt God calling her to serve in Swaziland. She believes she is to use her medical knowledge to help meet not only the physical needs, but the spiritual needs of the people in this impoverished place. Megan looks forward to putting her medical skills to use as she serves the people of Swaziland and spreads the Gospel for Christ.
Megan, her family and the entire Swaziland ministry covet your prayers in the coming weeks. May Megan have the chance to see what God sees, feel what God feels and love as God loves as she cares for the people of Hawane, Lavumisa and the whole of Swaziland.
2010 Medical Team is Back!
After two weeks of travel, including 4 bush medical trips where over a thousand people were treated, hundreds of teeth were pulled and the love and hope of Jesus Christ was shared with every person which whom they came in contact, our 2010 Medical Team returned safely to Dayton. It was so good to great them at the airport! Even after being on planes for close to 20 hours, they were radiant with joy and eager to begin sharing their stories. It became clear very quickly that the Luke Commission is a God-ordained organization and that Harry and Echo VanderWal are doing wonderful work with a servant's heart. Through their ministry, lives are being changed - physically as well as spiritually.
Even though our team has returned home, please continue to pray for The Luke Commission. What an honor it is to partner with them. You can learn more about The Luke Commission at www.lukecommission.org. You also have the opportunity to support their work by attending an annual fundraiser entitled "An Evening in Swaziland", which will held this year on Sunday, Nomember 7th. Check out the TLC website in the coming weeks for more details.
One of the best ways to catch the fire for missions is to talk with some one who has served. One of the best ways for travelers to process their experience is to talk about it. So why not invite a medical team member to visit your small group, next step class or ministry team meeting and talk about his/her experience. You'll be glad you did .
Thank you Lord for watching over our Medical Team members for using them to accomplish your purpose.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Medical Team shares chocolate mousse and fireside chats
How blessed we’ve been during our time here. This morning we gathered at Potter’s Wheel church for our final service alongside the Swazi’s, South African’s (that live here), and visiting team’s from Northern Ireland. With wonderful worship (Echo at the keyboard and Harry singing), a guest speaker from Ireland, and a-mazing donuts, coffee and tea, our Sunday morning was full of Christ, fellowship, and food! (These donuts are killer…you’ll just have to come over here to try ‘em!)
The remainder of the day was restful filled with a restaurant lunch as hippo’s, crocodiles, and roaming wharthogs hung out with us nearby.
Tonight we are all gathered at Harry and Echo’s home for our last night of fireside chat (minus the fireside.) Harry has made some of his much talked about chocolate mousse and we are all just sitting here sharing thoughts, prayers, stories and testimonies. One of our best moments will be this night. What a gift and honor it has been to work alongside The Luke Commission and share in the Lord’s mission. We are all so blessed. What the Lord has showed us I pray will move us to continue searching and seeking the Lord as He moves in our own lives. Harry and Echo shared with us some “wisdom notes” tonight I want to pass on to you:
“Stepping out on faith does not allow for earthly perfection and it does not make human sense.”
“Following God’s call, requires you to jump off a cliff. We must be completely vulnerable and fully trust Him in order to experience His matchless power.”
With these words we leave you tonight as we prepare for our last day of ministry in Swaziland tomorrow - our last clinic. Pray for God’s mercy and love to shine through our feeble ways and a healing of the Spirit to cover this land. Thank you for all your prayers and love you’ve sent our way. We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday and sharing with you our stories. To God be the Glory.
The remainder of the day was restful filled with a restaurant lunch as hippo’s, crocodiles, and roaming wharthogs hung out with us nearby.
Tonight we are all gathered at Harry and Echo’s home for our last night of fireside chat (minus the fireside.) Harry has made some of his much talked about chocolate mousse and we are all just sitting here sharing thoughts, prayers, stories and testimonies. One of our best moments will be this night. What a gift and honor it has been to work alongside The Luke Commission and share in the Lord’s mission. We are all so blessed. What the Lord has showed us I pray will move us to continue searching and seeking the Lord as He moves in our own lives. Harry and Echo shared with us some “wisdom notes” tonight I want to pass on to you:
“Stepping out on faith does not allow for earthly perfection and it does not make human sense.”
“Following God’s call, requires you to jump off a cliff. We must be completely vulnerable and fully trust Him in order to experience His matchless power.”
With these words we leave you tonight as we prepare for our last day of ministry in Swaziland tomorrow - our last clinic. Pray for God’s mercy and love to shine through our feeble ways and a healing of the Spirit to cover this land. Thank you for all your prayers and love you’ve sent our way. We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday and sharing with you our stories. To God be the Glory.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Medical Team Visits Malema
Since we last spoke with you through the wondrous world of cyberspace, our team has completed another successful bush clinic, a trip to the downtown Manzini market, and a walk through a fellow TLC staffer’s homestead. (For those of you wondering…Phyllis rested peacefully through her sedative and is now on onto naming the Vanderwal’s dog, BUT we love her dearly and she’s a great team leader!)
The third clinic was held on Friday and was located in Malema. While this trek wasn’t climbing up walls of mountain, it was about 2 hrs of riding in a child’s toy popper. (Picture the clear dome as the bus, and the little balls inside us…I’ll give you a minute…there ya go…be glad we walked off the bus as the hands and feet of Jesus…not ourselves yesterday.) Anyway, it turned out very well as God provided around 450 people for us to serve. We completed 205 HIV tests with 30 teeth pulled, and handed out clothing, shoes, and toys to all the youth. What a joy it was to cloth these children during their winter (and this day it was sweat-shirt cold). To provide brand-new clothing, shoes, and gently used toys to these much deserving kids was such a gift to us. Funny how the blessings we receive when we act as the hands and feet of Christ is often more than we feel we give…glad that joy is cyclical.
This afternoon we took a stroll through the Manzini downtown market. A myriad of wooden stands with plastic “roof’s” took up a corner block of the shopping area. It was a great time!
We ended the day by taking a walk around one of The Luke Commission’s staff’s homesteads. His sister died recently and this morning at dawn was the funeral…Harry and Echo took us with them to bring him and his family food and offer their love and support. It was another dose of reality for all of us, as often we begin to feel comfortable amongst a new culture and way of living, forgetting how blessed our USA is…thank you God for all that we’ve been given…we’ve done nothing to deserve our life.
Well, it is time for us to head in…Harry and Echo and the boys are needing rest as are we….until later…
The third clinic was held on Friday and was located in Malema. While this trek wasn’t climbing up walls of mountain, it was about 2 hrs of riding in a child’s toy popper. (Picture the clear dome as the bus, and the little balls inside us…I’ll give you a minute…there ya go…be glad we walked off the bus as the hands and feet of Jesus…not ourselves yesterday.) Anyway, it turned out very well as God provided around 450 people for us to serve. We completed 205 HIV tests with 30 teeth pulled, and handed out clothing, shoes, and toys to all the youth. What a joy it was to cloth these children during their winter (and this day it was sweat-shirt cold). To provide brand-new clothing, shoes, and gently used toys to these much deserving kids was such a gift to us. Funny how the blessings we receive when we act as the hands and feet of Christ is often more than we feel we give…glad that joy is cyclical.
This afternoon we took a stroll through the Manzini downtown market. A myriad of wooden stands with plastic “roof’s” took up a corner block of the shopping area. It was a great time!
We ended the day by taking a walk around one of The Luke Commission’s staff’s homesteads. His sister died recently and this morning at dawn was the funeral…Harry and Echo took us with them to bring him and his family food and offer their love and support. It was another dose of reality for all of us, as often we begin to feel comfortable amongst a new culture and way of living, forgetting how blessed our USA is…thank you God for all that we’ve been given…we’ve done nothing to deserve our life.
Well, it is time for us to head in…Harry and Echo and the boys are needing rest as are we….until later…
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Greetings Once Again from the Medical Mission Team
Since last we left you, our CLC team successfully held our 2nd clinic in Mphondla and God was graciously guiding us every pothole of the way! As is routine, we all gathered at Harry and Echo’s home @ 7:30am to pack the trailers, gather in song and prayer, and perform the traditional team huddle. (Yes-all hands piled into the center, “1-2-3-To The Work!”)
We then began our trek up, and down, and through, and around the mountain and crikey what a mountain it was! Praise God for the new vehicles and Phyllis’ enthusiasm along the way! With every steep, pothole filled incline we prayed up, Phyllis began her 20 questions to Harry as he drove. “Are you SURE there isn’t another way up?” “Can’t the people just come down to meet US?” With an obvious “no” returned by Harry’s silence and rev of the engine, Phyllis began to climb over the seat to the next row behind her. By the time we (praise God!) climbed to the top of what very well may be one of the steepest roads in all of Swaziland…Phyllis was outside of the bus holding on shouting “Harry No! Harry NO!!” It was completely embarrassing! Well…okay, okay…we should only report the truth. Phyllis wasn’t outside the bus holding on, but she had found her way crammed into the back seat...shaking her head in her hands in disbelief and writing her goodbyes. Cecil-you’ll be happy to know that Phyllis loves you very much!
We arrived around 10am to a group of local Swazi’s sitting patiently under a huge “African” tree. What a feeling of relief to see their beautiful faces smiling at us and knowing that this is why God has us here…on the top of the world. After set-up, we began with HIV education, Q & A, songs in SiSwati and English by the 4 Vanderwal boys (beautiful voices) and then group singing with everyone to “Amazing Grace” in SiSwati led by one of the local elders. On this day, our team was joined by 18 Team Challenge young adults from Ireland and the Schmelzenbach family from FL. Brian Schmelzenbach is an MK from Swaziland and his great-grandfather established the Church of the Nazarene in this country exactly 100 years ago. (Upon our arrival into Swaziland, we attended a small portion of this celebration).
Over the course of the day, the Team Challenge group presented clothes to all the children who came out to see us, our CLC team with The Luke Commission saw several patients, pulled 30 teeth and had a blast. Yes, this was a smaller crowd than our first clinic, but this is who God brought to us and His ways are perfect. By the time the trailers were loaded and we were ready to head home, the realization of “the roads” to return sank in and those nearest to Phyllis sedated her :)
Our team was separated into three vehicles and through heavy prayer, white knuckles and focused drivers with some serious skill…2 vehicles made it over the potholed wall of a road. (If you can rightly call 2 feet by 5 feet gashes in the earth potholes.) But was does Matthew 19:26 tell us? “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” That’s right…so with God as our strength, skill, and laughter…we managed to go back down and bring the third vehicle up! God IS good ALL the time! ALL the time God IS good! And with victory in our corner, we all did as missionaries at midnight experiencing God’s graces do…the can-can! Singing “The joy of the Lord is my strength!” and legs kicking high, we rejoiced in the dark for the Lord...and perhaps a few nearby locals who were woken up by our “spectacle”.
Today is the 19th of August and our team had a down day with no clinic, so we went on a safari. What an awesome experience seeing impalas’, warthog’s, rhino’s, giraffes, charging elephants, and yes…a sleeping male lion that we wakened as we drove next to him. (No worries...we just hung out with him for awhile…he posed, we took pictures…an enjoyable experience for all involved.) Tonight we are at Harry and Echo’s enjoying great food and fellowship. God has been SO GOOD to us! Coming alongside The Luke Commission is such an honor and a thrill. To be a part of the Kingdom work...meeting the physical and the spiritual needs of such a special, loving nation is difficult to put into words but our hearts are full. What a great God we serve!
Again, THANK YOU for your prayers. You all are just as much a part of this team and this mission as we are. Continue to keep us in your daily prayers as we are also praying for you. To God be the glory. Until next time…
We then began our trek up, and down, and through, and around the mountain and crikey what a mountain it was! Praise God for the new vehicles and Phyllis’ enthusiasm along the way! With every steep, pothole filled incline we prayed up, Phyllis began her 20 questions to Harry as he drove. “Are you SURE there isn’t another way up?” “Can’t the people just come down to meet US?” With an obvious “no” returned by Harry’s silence and rev of the engine, Phyllis began to climb over the seat to the next row behind her. By the time we (praise God!) climbed to the top of what very well may be one of the steepest roads in all of Swaziland…Phyllis was outside of the bus holding on shouting “Harry No! Harry NO!!” It was completely embarrassing! Well…okay, okay…we should only report the truth. Phyllis wasn’t outside the bus holding on, but she had found her way crammed into the back seat...shaking her head in her hands in disbelief and writing her goodbyes. Cecil-you’ll be happy to know that Phyllis loves you very much!
We arrived around 10am to a group of local Swazi’s sitting patiently under a huge “African” tree. What a feeling of relief to see their beautiful faces smiling at us and knowing that this is why God has us here…on the top of the world. After set-up, we began with HIV education, Q & A, songs in SiSwati and English by the 4 Vanderwal boys (beautiful voices) and then group singing with everyone to “Amazing Grace” in SiSwati led by one of the local elders. On this day, our team was joined by 18 Team Challenge young adults from Ireland and the Schmelzenbach family from FL. Brian Schmelzenbach is an MK from Swaziland and his great-grandfather established the Church of the Nazarene in this country exactly 100 years ago. (Upon our arrival into Swaziland, we attended a small portion of this celebration).
Over the course of the day, the Team Challenge group presented clothes to all the children who came out to see us, our CLC team with The Luke Commission saw several patients, pulled 30 teeth and had a blast. Yes, this was a smaller crowd than our first clinic, but this is who God brought to us and His ways are perfect. By the time the trailers were loaded and we were ready to head home, the realization of “the roads” to return sank in and those nearest to Phyllis sedated her :)
Our team was separated into three vehicles and through heavy prayer, white knuckles and focused drivers with some serious skill…2 vehicles made it over the potholed wall of a road. (If you can rightly call 2 feet by 5 feet gashes in the earth potholes.) But was does Matthew 19:26 tell us? “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” That’s right…so with God as our strength, skill, and laughter…we managed to go back down and bring the third vehicle up! God IS good ALL the time! ALL the time God IS good! And with victory in our corner, we all did as missionaries at midnight experiencing God’s graces do…the can-can! Singing “The joy of the Lord is my strength!” and legs kicking high, we rejoiced in the dark for the Lord...and perhaps a few nearby locals who were woken up by our “spectacle”.
Today is the 19th of August and our team had a down day with no clinic, so we went on a safari. What an awesome experience seeing impalas’, warthog’s, rhino’s, giraffes, charging elephants, and yes…a sleeping male lion that we wakened as we drove next to him. (No worries...we just hung out with him for awhile…he posed, we took pictures…an enjoyable experience for all involved.) Tonight we are at Harry and Echo’s enjoying great food and fellowship. God has been SO GOOD to us! Coming alongside The Luke Commission is such an honor and a thrill. To be a part of the Kingdom work...meeting the physical and the spiritual needs of such a special, loving nation is difficult to put into words but our hearts are full. What a great God we serve!
Again, THANK YOU for your prayers. You all are just as much a part of this team and this mission as we are. Continue to keep us in your daily prayers as we are also praying for you. To God be the glory. Until next time…
Friday, August 20, 2010
Safe in His Arms.... and Ours!
We were so happy to welcome our "boys" back home yesterday! Micah Hill was greeted by his brothers and some previous travelers after returning from a 6 weeks assignment in Swaziland. Micah did a variety of tasks during his time at Hawane and we look forward to hearing about them. Most importantly we long to hear the stories of the relationships he made and the lives that were touched as a result of his obedience to God's calling. We are grateful to have him safely back home.
A few hours after Micah arrived, our Seeds for Swaziland team touched down. They too were greeted by family and friends. During their time in Swaziland they held a men's discipleship retreat, led by Gary Miller. There are some amazing stories of the men who attended the retreat and the transformations that occurred. The team also planted gardens at 10 locations. A few were homesteads where gardens were planted during the 2009 trip. How great it was for Kevin and Gary to reunite with these families and learn how much having a garden meant to them.
How appreciative and joyful we are that all these men made a difference in people's lives, in Christ's name, over the past two weeks. And we're thrilled to have them back and safe in our arms.
May God be glorified though the service of these men.
A few hours after Micah arrived, our Seeds for Swaziland team touched down. They too were greeted by family and friends. During their time in Swaziland they held a men's discipleship retreat, led by Gary Miller. There are some amazing stories of the men who attended the retreat and the transformations that occurred. The team also planted gardens at 10 locations. A few were homesteads where gardens were planted during the 2009 trip. How great it was for Kevin and Gary to reunite with these families and learn how much having a garden meant to them.
How appreciative and joyful we are that all these men made a difference in people's lives, in Christ's name, over the past two weeks. And we're thrilled to have them back and safe in our arms.
May God be glorified though the service of these men.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Greetings from the Medical Mission Team
The following message is from the Medical Team. It arrived today, but was written on Tuesday.
We arrived safely in Manzini after 18 hours of air travel through Atlanta, GA and Johannesburg, S. Africa. Praise God all the luggage and medical supplies landed with us and on time! So far, we’ve really enjoyed our time with Harry and Echo Vanderwal and their 4 boys. It’s encouraging to learn of all the growth and blessings God has brought to The Luke Commission over the past year. After acclimating to the 6 hr time difference, we attended services at Potters Wheel and Hawane-what a wonderful worship experience with our Swazi brothers and sisters!
Yesterday, our CLC team joined Harry, Echo, and The Luke Commission on a full day medical clinic out to Shewula. (And “yes” it was a full day arriving back home at 2am, but full of Gods provisions and blessings!) The Luke Commission has several departments comprised of medical, dental, eye glasses, HIV, TB, pharmacy, disability, evangelism, and lab and all of these were fully present yesterday. If only you all could see what a well-oiled machine this organization is! From registration to results, every patient is treated with “genuine interest” while addressing their immediate needs physically, mentally, and spiritually. The Luke Commission’s goal is to treat the Swazi’s like God’s people-loving on them as Christ loves on us while building long-term relationships to continue bringing them aid in the future.
Yesterday, outside of presenting 6 new wheel chairs, treating over 800 patients, and praying over many more, we had the honor to present Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child boxes to 550 children. If one of God’s greatest gifts is the love and smile of a child…our team has been richly blessed.
Tomorrow, we head out to our second clinic in Mphondla. We are rested, healthy, and ready to see what God has in store! Please keep us all in your prayers and thank you for the prayers you’ve already given! God’s hand is truly at work all over Swaziland and we are honored to be a part of this mission. (Note: Quotes are from Echo Vanderwal)
We arrived safely in Manzini after 18 hours of air travel through Atlanta, GA and Johannesburg, S. Africa. Praise God all the luggage and medical supplies landed with us and on time! So far, we’ve really enjoyed our time with Harry and Echo Vanderwal and their 4 boys. It’s encouraging to learn of all the growth and blessings God has brought to The Luke Commission over the past year. After acclimating to the 6 hr time difference, we attended services at Potters Wheel and Hawane-what a wonderful worship experience with our Swazi brothers and sisters!
Yesterday, our CLC team joined Harry, Echo, and The Luke Commission on a full day medical clinic out to Shewula. (And “yes” it was a full day arriving back home at 2am, but full of Gods provisions and blessings!) The Luke Commission has several departments comprised of medical, dental, eye glasses, HIV, TB, pharmacy, disability, evangelism, and lab and all of these were fully present yesterday. If only you all could see what a well-oiled machine this organization is! From registration to results, every patient is treated with “genuine interest” while addressing their immediate needs physically, mentally, and spiritually. The Luke Commission’s goal is to treat the Swazi’s like God’s people-loving on them as Christ loves on us while building long-term relationships to continue bringing them aid in the future.
Yesterday, outside of presenting 6 new wheel chairs, treating over 800 patients, and praying over many more, we had the honor to present Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child boxes to 550 children. If one of God’s greatest gifts is the love and smile of a child…our team has been richly blessed.
Tomorrow, we head out to our second clinic in Mphondla. We are rested, healthy, and ready to see what God has in store! Please keep us all in your prayers and thank you for the prayers you’ve already given! God’s hand is truly at work all over Swaziland and we are honored to be a part of this mission. (Note: Quotes are from Echo Vanderwal)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Seeds for Swaziland Team Begins the Journey Home
Extended stay traveler Micah Hill and the four members of the Seeds 4 Swaziland team have begin their journey back to Dayton. They have been gone for 2 full weeks now and their families and friends are looking forward to having them home once again!
The final act of service of this team was to go to Lavumisa yesterday and do some work at the new Lavumisa Church site. As of today, all four walls of the church are up to within a couple feet of the roof line. Work has now begun on the building of the home for Pastor Sabelo.
These men have had a very busy couple of weeks. They provided a men's discipleship retreat for close to 50 men from the Hawane region. They planted 10 vegetable gardens at local homesteads, they partipated in a medical clinic with The Luke Commission and they assisted with construction at Lavumisa. We are grateful for their service and ask God's blessing on them.
We look forward to having them safely home 24 hours from now.
The final act of service of this team was to go to Lavumisa yesterday and do some work at the new Lavumisa Church site. As of today, all four walls of the church are up to within a couple feet of the roof line. Work has now begun on the building of the home for Pastor Sabelo.
These men have had a very busy couple of weeks. They provided a men's discipleship retreat for close to 50 men from the Hawane region. They planted 10 vegetable gardens at local homesteads, they partipated in a medical clinic with The Luke Commission and they assisted with construction at Lavumisa. We are grateful for their service and ask God's blessing on them.
We look forward to having them safely home 24 hours from now.
Medical Team and Seeds for Swaziland Team Join Forces
Our medical team participated in it's first Luke Commission bush clinic on Monday and they were joined by members of the Seeds for Swaziland Team. Everyone had to get up very early on Monday morning so that they could drive to the upper north-east corner of Swaziland. The clinic was being held east of the city of Mhlume, near the boarder with Mozambique. (see map below)
On the drive from Manzini to the clinic site, the team saw gazelles and giraffe. As they pulled into their destination they were greeted with cheers and waves from more than 250 people who were waiting to be treated. In addition to providing medical care and distributing glasses and wheelchairs, the team also had the opportunity to pass out gift boxes to all the children. The boxes were part of the Operation Christmas Child program sponsored by Samaritan's purse (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/). As people waited to be seen in the clinic, they were able to view "The Passion of the Christ". Team member set up a viewing tent and were on hand to answer questions and pray with people.
Many lives were impacted through that clinic. How humbling it is to be the hands and feet of Jesus; addressing the spiritual and physicial needs of our brothers and sisters in Swaziland. Please continue to pray for the medical team as they will most likely be conducting clinics again today and on Friday of this week.
On the drive from Manzini to the clinic site, the team saw gazelles and giraffe. As they pulled into their destination they were greeted with cheers and waves from more than 250 people who were waiting to be treated. In addition to providing medical care and distributing glasses and wheelchairs, the team also had the opportunity to pass out gift boxes to all the children. The boxes were part of the Operation Christmas Child program sponsored by Samaritan's purse (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/). As people waited to be seen in the clinic, they were able to view "The Passion of the Christ". Team member set up a viewing tent and were on hand to answer questions and pray with people.
Many lives were impacted through that clinic. How humbling it is to be the hands and feet of Jesus; addressing the spiritual and physicial needs of our brothers and sisters in Swaziland. Please continue to pray for the medical team as they will most likely be conducting clinics again today and on Friday of this week.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Safe Arrival
We received word this morning that our medical team arrived safely and on time in Swaziland. After a good nights rest in Johannesburg, the team took the 1 hour flight to Manzini, where they were met by members of the Luke Commission. They will spend today resting, fellowshipping with the local TLC team members and learning about how the bush clinics will run. We are grateful for the traveling mercies.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Welcome Home Chris
Yesterday morning - August 12, 2010- Chris Kavcsak returned from a 4-week stint in Africa. The first two weeks of his trip were spent at Hawane CLC where he helped tutor kids and worked on a construction project (the 3rd children's home?). He then traveled to the country of Namibia where he joined a group from Miami University to study the conservation of large cats. He camped at Etosha National Park and a Cheetah Conservation reserve. What a combination of activities. We trust that he had an awesome time and look forward to hearing about his adventures. He promised there are stories to share. Thank you God for watching over Chris while he was away and for allowing him to touch lives in Your name!
Sowing Seeds
In Matthew 13:1-9, Jesus tells the parable of the Sower and the seeds. Our Seeds for Swaziland (S4S) Team has been busy sewing seeds (real and spritual) this week. In fact on Wednesday, they planted 10.... that's right 10...... vegetable gardens. But wait, there is more! The tiller they were using broke, and so many of the plots had to be prepared by hand! Luckily, our guys have been joined by young men from the Swaziland Teen Challenge Life Skills School. This has been an immense help in getting the gardens planted. But more importantly, it has provided opportunities for our men to pour into the lives of the TCMI guys and model a servant's heart for them. These are the types of seeds that ultimately produce the greatest fruit. We ask for God's blessings on all the workers.
In addition to planting the gardens, our S4S teeam is leading a men's discipleship retreat. Last weekend there were 45 men who attended the first day of the retreat and 30 men (8 of them new) who attended on Sunday afternoon. The retreat will conclude this weekend. It is our hope that those who came last weekend will be able to return and that they will bring other men with them. What a blessing CLC Hawane has been to the community it serves. Lives are being changed. Praise God!
In addition to planting the gardens, our S4S teeam is leading a men's discipleship retreat. Last weekend there were 45 men who attended the first day of the retreat and 30 men (8 of them new) who attended on Sunday afternoon. The retreat will conclude this weekend. It is our hope that those who came last weekend will be able to return and that they will bring other men with them. What a blessing CLC Hawane has been to the community it serves. Lives are being changed. Praise God!
Medical Team Partners with The Luke Commission
.JPG)
On Thursday, August 12, a 7-member team from CLC departed Dayton, headed for Swaziland. The team will be working with The Luke Commission (www.lukecommission.org) as they conduct mobile medical clinics through out the bush of Swaziland. During their trip they will have the opportunity to provide free medical care, free medications, free HIV testing and counseling, free vision care, free eyeglasses, free wheelchairs/carts and free Bibles to people in remote villages in all parts of the country.
This mission team is unique in that all the members have participated in previous mission work.
Jodi is an RN who has done medical missions in Mozambique and Honduras.
Phyllis is an RN who traveled to Swaziland last year to work with TLC.
Clark is a dentist who has done mission work in Guyana, Zambia, Guatamala and South Africa.
Erica, is married to Clark and has served in Zambia, Guatemala, South Africa and most recently in El Salvador this June with the CLC Sr. High Mission team.
Andrew is an EMT. He was a part of the soccer camp team that went to Hawane in January of this year.
Sarah is returning to Swaziland for her second "tour of duty" with the Luke Commission, after traveling with our medical team in 2009.
Megan graduated this summer from Wright State University with a degree in Nursing. She successfully passed her RN licensing exam a couple weeks before leaving. Megan has served in misions in several parts of Central/South America.
At the writing of this post, the team is still enroute to Johannesburg, South Africa. They have been on the plane since about 7:30 last evening and should land about about 11:30 am (5:30 pm Johannesburg/Swaziland time). They will spend the night in Johannesburg on Friday night and will depart for Swaziland on Saturday morning. They should touch down about 11:00 am Swazi time.
We ask that you keep this team of people in your prayers in the coming days. Medical missions can be overwhelming as you see patients that present with extreme medical conditions. Further more, several hundred people will show up for a clinic, and the team is committed to staying until every one is seen. This makes for very long days. Yet, despite the challenges, God uses these situations to share His love for people and there is nothing more fulfilling then knowing you are being the hands and feet of Jesus.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Seeds for Swaziland Team Puts Down Roots
Danny Cain, Gary Miller, Kevin Rutledge and Kaleb Rutledge arrived in Swaziland this morning after leaving Dayton on Wednesday afternoon. They were greated at Hawane, by Pastor Augustine and his wife Elizabeth, as well as by Micah Hill, a CLC attender who is currently completing and extended stay assignment.
This team will spend the next 11 days at Hawane CLC. Monday through Friday of next week the team will plant gardens in neighboring homesteads. Saturday and Sunday of this weekend and next weekend, they will conduct a Men's Discipleship retreat at Hawane CLC, where more than 125 men have already registered for the event! On Monday, August 16th, they will travel to Lavumisa CLC where they hope to offer a 1/2 day workshop of what it means to be a man of God.
Please keep these men in your prayers as they set out to not only plant physical seeds that should yield produce to nurture physicial bodies, but more importantly, spiritual seeds that could lead to salvations and cultivation of the fruits of the spirit. May God bless their efforts.
We hope to have a few updates during this trip, so be sure to check back.
This team will spend the next 11 days at Hawane CLC. Monday through Friday of next week the team will plant gardens in neighboring homesteads. Saturday and Sunday of this weekend and next weekend, they will conduct a Men's Discipleship retreat at Hawane CLC, where more than 125 men have already registered for the event! On Monday, August 16th, they will travel to Lavumisa CLC where they hope to offer a 1/2 day workshop of what it means to be a man of God.
Please keep these men in your prayers as they set out to not only plant physical seeds that should yield produce to nurture physicial bodies, but more importantly, spiritual seeds that could lead to salvations and cultivation of the fruits of the spirit. May God bless their efforts.
We hope to have a few updates during this trip, so be sure to check back.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Home Sweet Home
Our Lavumisa safely touched down back in Dayton this morning. They were greeted at the airport by family and friends.
Team members had wonderful things to say about their trip. We invite you to hear updates from them during services the weekend of June 12 & 13.
On behalf of CLC's Swaziland Ministry, thank you for supporting these travelers and their familie during the past two weeks. Your prayers were appreciated.
Team members had wonderful things to say about their trip. We invite you to hear updates from them during services the weekend of June 12 & 13.
On behalf of CLC's Swaziland Ministry, thank you for supporting these travelers and their familie during the past two weeks. Your prayers were appreciated.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Heading for Home
Our Lavumisa masonry team left Swaziland today and is on their way home. They were delayed getting out of Johannesburg by about 1/2 hour, but hopefully can make up the time in the air.
It's been quite a journey for the team and we look forward to hearing all about their experiences. They have 18 1/2 hours of flying time ahead of them as well as 3 hours of lay over time. It can be a tiresome journey and it will take a few days for folks to adjust to the time difference.
The team is scheduled to arrive in Dayton at 9:49 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2. You are invited to join the welcome team at the airport!
We pray for God's protection and favor as they travel home.
It's been quite a journey for the team and we look forward to hearing all about their experiences. They have 18 1/2 hours of flying time ahead of them as well as 3 hours of lay over time. It can be a tiresome journey and it will take a few days for folks to adjust to the time difference.
The team is scheduled to arrive in Dayton at 9:49 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2. You are invited to join the welcome team at the airport!
We pray for God's protection and favor as they travel home.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Walls Go Up
Saturday was our team's last day for work at Lavumisa. As a result of their hard work, they were able to get the framing up and bags stacked for two complete walls of the church before running out of materials.
During the week, they also had the opportunity to make visits to 3 homesteads. The visits are very meaningful experiences as they give the travelers a first-hand glimpse of what it is like to live in Swaziland for a typical family. The dwellings are very modest and frequently sparsely appointed. Yet, the family takes great pride in their home and is honored that visitors would come. On each visit our teams took some of the rice meals CLC packaged back in December, and left them as gifts. Sharing testimonies and scriptures and praying with the family is frequently a part of the homestead visit; for this is when the good news of Jesus is actually spread and the real work is done. Acts 20:24 tells us:
"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."
On Sunday morning the team worshipped at Lavumisa with Pastor Sabelo and members of the Lavumisa community, then they headed back to Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland. There was quite a temperature change in moving from the low veld (where the high during the week got to 85 some days) and the upper veld (where the high temperature today is currently 64 and it will get down to freezing this evening). The team spent last evening at the Mountain Inn and today they headed back to Hawane CLC. Today is a "team day", so they will have some time to visit some local craft merchants to purchase souvenirs. The may also go to the government hospital where they will visit with patients (frequently children) and pray with them. This can be extrememly heart-breaking, yet the prayers are so very necessary! James 5:16 tells us "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
We are grateful to those who have been praying for this team. Thank you for interceding on their behalf. Very soon they will be back with us. We trust God to continue to guide and protect them. We pray as they prayed in days of old (Numbers 6:24-26)
The LORD bless you, and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.
During the week, they also had the opportunity to make visits to 3 homesteads. The visits are very meaningful experiences as they give the travelers a first-hand glimpse of what it is like to live in Swaziland for a typical family. The dwellings are very modest and frequently sparsely appointed. Yet, the family takes great pride in their home and is honored that visitors would come. On each visit our teams took some of the rice meals CLC packaged back in December, and left them as gifts. Sharing testimonies and scriptures and praying with the family is frequently a part of the homestead visit; for this is when the good news of Jesus is actually spread and the real work is done. Acts 20:24 tells us:
"But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God."
On Sunday morning the team worshipped at Lavumisa with Pastor Sabelo and members of the Lavumisa community, then they headed back to Mbabane, the capital city of Swaziland. There was quite a temperature change in moving from the low veld (where the high during the week got to 85 some days) and the upper veld (where the high temperature today is currently 64 and it will get down to freezing this evening). The team spent last evening at the Mountain Inn and today they headed back to Hawane CLC. Today is a "team day", so they will have some time to visit some local craft merchants to purchase souvenirs. The may also go to the government hospital where they will visit with patients (frequently children) and pray with them. This can be extrememly heart-breaking, yet the prayers are so very necessary! James 5:16 tells us "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
We are grateful to those who have been praying for this team. Thank you for interceding on their behalf. Very soon they will be back with us. We trust God to continue to guide and protect them. We pray as they prayed in days of old (Numbers 6:24-26)
The LORD bless you, and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine on you,
And be gracious to you;
The LORD lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Things are Going Well
One of our team members was able to get off a quick text message to home saying that "things are going well". When a loved one is half-way around the world, those can be very comforting words! We can also take comfort in knowing that God has them in His hands. There is a verse in Exodus that has become a cornerstone for our travel teams:
Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. - Exodus 23:20
As we continue to send teams and individuals to Swaziland, we have found God's promise in this verse to be true. He has been faithful in watching over our travelers. His plan for Swaziland and the miraculous work He is accomplishing there is evident.
Today will be the last full day of construction work in Lavumisa for the team. It has been a busy week and the team is certain to be physically tired from their labors. It can also be emotionally tiring work as the team deals with the realities of living in a third world country. Seeing first-hand the living conditions in which many Swazi families live can be overwhelming. Also, looking into the faces of the people there - adults and children- and knowing that almost every other person they meet is infected with the AIDS virus can be heartbreaking. Yet, while it might be hard physically and emotionally, our prayer is that this trip becomes life-changing from a spiritual perspective.
Galatians 5:13 tells us, "through love serve one another." In Mark 9:41, Jesus tells us that "anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded." When we serve in Jesus name, we earn an eternal reward. If our travelers are truly able to understand and comprehend that, this trip can become a spiritually transformational event for them. To know that you are exactly where God wants you to be, doing exactly what God wants you to be doing for Him, is a humbling yet amazing insight. It can take you to a new level of spiritual intimacy with God.
Many team members go on mission trips with the intent of helping others and making a difference in the lives of others. Frequently they return home realizing they have gained more than they have given away. May God continue to guide, direct, speak to and bless these travelers during their final days in Swaziland.
Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place which I have prepared. - Exodus 23:20
As we continue to send teams and individuals to Swaziland, we have found God's promise in this verse to be true. He has been faithful in watching over our travelers. His plan for Swaziland and the miraculous work He is accomplishing there is evident.
Today will be the last full day of construction work in Lavumisa for the team. It has been a busy week and the team is certain to be physically tired from their labors. It can also be emotionally tiring work as the team deals with the realities of living in a third world country. Seeing first-hand the living conditions in which many Swazi families live can be overwhelming. Also, looking into the faces of the people there - adults and children- and knowing that almost every other person they meet is infected with the AIDS virus can be heartbreaking. Yet, while it might be hard physically and emotionally, our prayer is that this trip becomes life-changing from a spiritual perspective.
Galatians 5:13 tells us, "through love serve one another." In Mark 9:41, Jesus tells us that "anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded." When we serve in Jesus name, we earn an eternal reward. If our travelers are truly able to understand and comprehend that, this trip can become a spiritually transformational event for them. To know that you are exactly where God wants you to be, doing exactly what God wants you to be doing for Him, is a humbling yet amazing insight. It can take you to a new level of spiritual intimacy with God.
Many team members go on mission trips with the intent of helping others and making a difference in the lives of others. Frequently they return home realizing they have gained more than they have given away. May God continue to guide, direct, speak to and bless these travelers during their final days in Swaziland.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
How Firm a Foundation
In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus encourages His followers to set the foundations
of their faith on "the rock" and not on sand. Lavumisa CLC is also setting it's foundation on the rock of our faith, Jesus Christ; but we're also using sand... literally! The walls of the church, the pastor's home and the children's homes will all be built using sandbags filled with sand and dirt.
Earlier this spring, some folks from Potter's Wheel church set the footers and foundations and erected the steel frames for the buidlings on our ICBC site.
When our team arrived, the next step was to put up the walls of the church. The general contractor/construction manager we are using for the project suggested using sandbags instead of soil block, which we had originally planned to use. While this "technology" has been used in other parts of Africa, it is new to Swaziland. We trialed using sandbags when building the 3rd children's home at Hawane CLC, and it appears to be a workable process. So,this entire week, the team will be hard a work filling, stacking and covering sandbags. Once the bags are stacked, they are wrapped with a fine wire mesh and then coveed with mud - a typical building material used for in homes in Swaziland. The photos below are an example of the "sandbag technology" (these are pictures from a third children's home that is being built at Hawane CLC)
It will be exciting to see the progress the team is able to make during the course of this week The goal is to get as much of the church completed as possible. Please pray that God will help them be efficient and quick and that they would build a quality place in which to worship our God.
of their faith on "the rock" and not on sand. Lavumisa CLC is also setting it's foundation on the rock of our faith, Jesus Christ; but we're also using sand... literally! The walls of the church, the pastor's home and the children's homes will all be built using sandbags filled with sand and dirt.
Earlier this spring, some folks from Potter's Wheel church set the footers and foundations and erected the steel frames for the buidlings on our ICBC site.
When our team arrived, the next step was to put up the walls of the church. The general contractor/construction manager we are using for the project suggested using sandbags instead of soil block, which we had originally planned to use. While this "technology" has been used in other parts of Africa, it is new to Swaziland. We trialed using sandbags when building the 3rd children's home at Hawane CLC, and it appears to be a workable process. So,this entire week, the team will be hard a work filling, stacking and covering sandbags. Once the bags are stacked, they are wrapped with a fine wire mesh and then coveed with mud - a typical building material used for in homes in Swaziland. The photos below are an example of the "sandbag technology" (these are pictures from a third children's home that is being built at Hawane CLC)
It will be exciting to see the progress the team is able to make during the course of this week The goal is to get as much of the church completed as possible. Please pray that God will help them be efficient and quick and that they would build a quality place in which to worship our God.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Ministers of our God
When the team met at the airport last Thursday, Stacey Weneck (a previous extended stay traveler to Swaziland) shared this passage of scripture with the group:
"They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,though they have been deserted for many generations.
Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God." Isaiah 61:4-6
While our team is not necessarily repairing ancient ruins, they are reviving an area that has been devestated for many years. While they are there to build "a" church, our greater prayer is that "the church" - the body of believers - grows by leaps and bounds. For those who have been following our blogs and team updates over the past couple of years, you know that God has been at work in Swaziland. Miraculous things are happening; things that can only be attributed to Him.
This morning, the team was greeted by some of the residents of the Lavumisa area. Some came to see the team from American; others came to assist with the work. Before any physical labor was initiated, a time of praise and prayer was held until 10:00 a.m. Then the work began. Our team members, Potter's Wheel team members and Lavumisa folks all joined together to begin putting up the walls for Lavumisa CLC. After several hours of work, the team broke for lunch. A simple meal as shared among all the workers. Pastor Sabelo also shared a brief message and team members were invited to share a testimony, a work of encouragement or a prayer. This time of fellowship is the most meaningful part of our missions work. It is a time when we connect as people, created in God's image, united in ministry. This is the time when friendships are formed and memories are made. Ask any of our previous travelers and they will tell you the names of the people who touched their lives during their mission experiences. They can close their eyes and see the faces. Their hearts swell with a love that's hard to explain and the desire to return is rekindled. It is this uniting of hearts that gives meaning to the work.
After lunch the team got back to work. They are sure to have worked up a sweat as the high today was in the upper 70's/low 80's. The plan was that they would work until late afternoon, then visit a local homestead before heading back for an evening meal and a good night's rest.
As they continue their work through out this week, my our team truly be "ministers of our God"
"They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago.
They will revive them,though they have been deserted for many generations.
Foreigners will be your servants. They will feed your flocks
and plow your fields and tend your vineyards.
You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God." Isaiah 61:4-6
While our team is not necessarily repairing ancient ruins, they are reviving an area that has been devestated for many years. While they are there to build "a" church, our greater prayer is that "the church" - the body of believers - grows by leaps and bounds. For those who have been following our blogs and team updates over the past couple of years, you know that God has been at work in Swaziland. Miraculous things are happening; things that can only be attributed to Him.
This morning, the team was greeted by some of the residents of the Lavumisa area. Some came to see the team from American; others came to assist with the work. Before any physical labor was initiated, a time of praise and prayer was held until 10:00 a.m. Then the work began. Our team members, Potter's Wheel team members and Lavumisa folks all joined together to begin putting up the walls for Lavumisa CLC. After several hours of work, the team broke for lunch. A simple meal as shared among all the workers. Pastor Sabelo also shared a brief message and team members were invited to share a testimony, a work of encouragement or a prayer. This time of fellowship is the most meaningful part of our missions work. It is a time when we connect as people, created in God's image, united in ministry. This is the time when friendships are formed and memories are made. Ask any of our previous travelers and they will tell you the names of the people who touched their lives during their mission experiences. They can close their eyes and see the faces. Their hearts swell with a love that's hard to explain and the desire to return is rekindled. It is this uniting of hearts that gives meaning to the work.
After lunch the team got back to work. They are sure to have worked up a sweat as the high today was in the upper 70's/low 80's. The plan was that they would work until late afternoon, then visit a local homestead before heading back for an evening meal and a good night's rest.
As they continue their work through out this week, my our team truly be "ministers of our God"
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Survivor Lavumisa?
As you know by know, Lavumisa CLC is being established in a rural area of Swaziland. Lavumisa lies in the south-east corner of the country in what is known as the "low-veld region". It lies approximately 650 ft. above sea-level. It is primarily an open plain, with gently undulating hills and a volcanic rock bed base with significant levels of erosion. The climate is semi-arid with summer drought often being a concern. Rainfall is frequently less than 21 inches a year. The average temperatures in the low-veld region range from 63 degrees F in the winter (our July) to 81 degrees F in the summer (our December), however it can get as high as 100 degrees. Grasses are the predominant plant life, with clusters of Acacia trees frequently seen. It is this environment that our team will call "home" for the next 7 days.
As you can see, there is no Holiday Inn; no Best Western; not even a Motel 6! Our team's accommodations will be a well apportioned campsite which has been set up under the roof of what will become Pastor Sabelo's house. The campsite includes:
* A dinning area with two 10 ft.tables and 12 plastic chairs. This area is secured by a shade cloth for privacy.
* A sitting area with 12 camping chairs and a fire pit area.
* The kitchen includes a gas fridge, gas freezer, gas cooker rings, two scuttle braais (barbecues?) utensils and dishes for 12. Bottled water (water coolers) will be available for drinking.
* In the evenings, the campsite will be lit by two gas lights, five battery lights, 12 battery torches, two electric generator lights.
* Showering will be done using two suspended bucket system showers.
* Two portable toilets have been brought to the site.
* The sleeping units are five tents. A shade cloth area surrounds the tents. The tents can each accomodate 4 people, but we will only house two people per tent. A ground covering has been spread beneath the tents and thick bed mattresses were put in each tent, on which a sleeping bag can be placed.
* A security guard is on duty twenty fours a day.
* Only the ten members of our CLC & Potter's Wheel teams will be allowed in the campsite area.
While these accomodations are a bit more rustic than the cabins at Hawane, they are much better that what would be available if this was Survivor Lavumisa. Better yet, no one will be voted off, no one will have to participate in challenges, there are no hidden immunity idols and ...... no one will be competing for 1 million dollars! Instead, there will be a greater reward made available to all of our team members as they serve with our brothers and sisters of Swaziland to build the church, stake a claim for Christ and store up their treasures in heaven.
May the ground on which they live and work be blessed by God. May He protect the team from the elements of nature and spiritual forces. Most importantly, may God be glorifed through out this week.
As you can see, there is no Holiday Inn; no Best Western; not even a Motel 6! Our team's accommodations will be a well apportioned campsite which has been set up under the roof of what will become Pastor Sabelo's house. The campsite includes:
* A dinning area with two 10 ft.tables and 12 plastic chairs. This area is secured by a shade cloth for privacy.
* A sitting area with 12 camping chairs and a fire pit area.
* The kitchen includes a gas fridge, gas freezer, gas cooker rings, two scuttle braais (barbecues?) utensils and dishes for 12. Bottled water (water coolers) will be available for drinking.
* In the evenings, the campsite will be lit by two gas lights, five battery lights, 12 battery torches, two electric generator lights.
* Showering will be done using two suspended bucket system showers.
* Two portable toilets have been brought to the site.
* The sleeping units are five tents. A shade cloth area surrounds the tents. The tents can each accomodate 4 people, but we will only house two people per tent. A ground covering has been spread beneath the tents and thick bed mattresses were put in each tent, on which a sleeping bag can be placed.
* A security guard is on duty twenty fours a day.
* Only the ten members of our CLC & Potter's Wheel teams will be allowed in the campsite area.
While these accomodations are a bit more rustic than the cabins at Hawane, they are much better that what would be available if this was Survivor Lavumisa. Better yet, no one will be voted off, no one will have to participate in challenges, there are no hidden immunity idols and ...... no one will be competing for 1 million dollars! Instead, there will be a greater reward made available to all of our team members as they serve with our brothers and sisters of Swaziland to build the church, stake a claim for Christ and store up their treasures in heaven.
May the ground on which they live and work be blessed by God. May He protect the team from the elements of nature and spiritual forces. Most importantly, may God be glorifed through out this week.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Swaziland Sweet Swaziland!
Well, the team finally set foot on Swaziland soil - approximately 38 hours after leaving Dayton! They had a full day and are settled in to spend the night in cabins at Hawane CLC.
Sunday morning, they will arise and head to Potter's Wheel Church to worship. Our ICBC partner, Pastor Kevin Ward, is the Senior Pastor at Potter's Wheel. The mission of Potter's Wheel is "To know God, be His people, value others and change our world" (sound familiar?). Their vision is to WIN-TRAIN-SEND:
"Winning the un-churched of Swaziland through partnering with like-minded individuals, churches and organizations, to preserve the future by Training up a remnant to become an accurate representation of Christianity, being lived out amongst a communit of believers and Sending out from a restored Swaziland to a world in need."
After worshipping at Potter's Wheel, the team will head off to Lavumisa. Five members of the Potter's Wheel congregation will join the team for the week-long construction project at Lavumisa. On the way to the site, the team will stop for dinner at Martie's home. This will allow them to fellowship with their new "teammates". Once the meal is finished, the team will continue the journey to Lavumisa - complete with a packed lunch so they won't have to worry about cooking at the campsite their first night.
Upon arriving at Lavumisa, Pastor Sabelo will greet them He is the current pastor of the small community church on the site and will be the pastor for CLC Lavumisa. He is very excited about what God is about to do in the Lavumisa region and we are thankful for his leadership.
As you lift this team up in prayer, please pray that they stay focused on the opportunity God as presented to them and for the amazing things God has in store for them. May they realize how blessed they are to have lives filled with hope, worship, thanksgiving and prayer! We also pray for health, rest and peace. Thank you for interceding on their behalf!
Sunday morning, they will arise and head to Potter's Wheel Church to worship. Our ICBC partner, Pastor Kevin Ward, is the Senior Pastor at Potter's Wheel. The mission of Potter's Wheel is "To know God, be His people, value others and change our world" (sound familiar?). Their vision is to WIN-TRAIN-SEND:
"Winning the un-churched of Swaziland through partnering with like-minded individuals, churches and organizations, to preserve the future by Training up a remnant to become an accurate representation of Christianity, being lived out amongst a communit of believers and Sending out from a restored Swaziland to a world in need."
After worshipping at Potter's Wheel, the team will head off to Lavumisa. Five members of the Potter's Wheel congregation will join the team for the week-long construction project at Lavumisa. On the way to the site, the team will stop for dinner at Martie's home. This will allow them to fellowship with their new "teammates". Once the meal is finished, the team will continue the journey to Lavumisa - complete with a packed lunch so they won't have to worry about cooking at the campsite their first night.
Upon arriving at Lavumisa, Pastor Sabelo will greet them He is the current pastor of the small community church on the site and will be the pastor for CLC Lavumisa. He is very excited about what God is about to do in the Lavumisa region and we are thankful for his leadership.
As you lift this team up in prayer, please pray that they stay focused on the opportunity God as presented to them and for the amazing things God has in store for them. May they realize how blessed they are to have lives filled with hope, worship, thanksgiving and prayer! We also pray for health, rest and peace. Thank you for interceding on their behalf!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)