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.
Monday, August 23, 2010
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.
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