This is the account of how God called two girls to love on the people of Swaziland, what He taught us as we prepared for the journey to go, and how He changed us forever through our week in Africa. Now, more team members are joining and we are returning for another week in Africa - August 2013!
No, we haven't forgotten you, and yes, we really did return from Africa.
I have been putting off writing on this blog, not from lack of desire, but fear that I cannot really communicate well all that is in my heart. After a week home, we are still processing, pondering, and reflecting over the week we spent in Swaziland. Yesterday when Alli and I were talking, I said that every time someone asks me to share something about the time we spent there, God reveals another aspect of the trip to me that I had yet to put into words. I am sure there will be many posts to come, but for now, here are a few initial thoughts:
- Our time spent in Africa was all that we could have prayed it would be. We laughed, cried, experienced so much of the culture, and loved on lots of children.
- The trip also contained surprises we hadn't expected. We had extremely limited internet and felt very removed from our families and the rest of the world. We were given great encouragement, when we planned to go to encourage others. We saw personal flaws we need to work on and God revealed attitudes He needs to change in us.
- We are compelled to make a lasting difference in the lives of the Swazi people and are praying that God will reveal His plan and guide our steps. We pray that we will be able to convey the great need to others, who will respond as they are led.
We are so grateful for the many of you who financially gave so this trip was a reality, for the encouraging words, and precious reminders that you were praying while we were gone (even if we couldn't see the Facebook posts!). We still are amazed every day that the Lord allowed us these experiences and look forward to sharing more with you soon.
We are leaving this afternoon for Swaziland. I have nothing profound to say except that we are so excited, and ready to be there, and cannot wait to share with you how God works and continues to grow us through our traveling and the time we spend there. Please keep praying for us, and we will update as soon and often as possible. Facebook may be easier to post on, so check our page Support for Swaziland for updates too.
We love you and are grateful that many of you have consistently prayed for us for the past four months and reminded us of that fact. It has strengthened us when we needed it most, and our hearts are so very full.
The last few days have been full of some ups and downs. The reality of our leaving has hit our kids and some adults as well. Going sounds awesome, till we realize that means leaving! There have been some emotional moments on the part of multiple folks in both of our families. We know this is normal, and I'm honestly thankful we are struggling with mixed emotions, because it just means we care a lot about our families and hate to leave them for over a week. We also feel very determined to keep our commitment to go on this trip and do the best we can while in Swaziland, in giving of ourselves and serving, and working to gain information to share with others to hopefully lead to long-term support.
I think I need to remember how simple our calling (to love) is right now, when the details of packing, childcare arranging, and concerns about how it all will work out threaten to steal the joy of going on this trip. There is a simple reason we are going and there is a powerful God who has provided and will strengthen us to serve, and who will comfort and care for our families in our absence. His Love is so overwhelming that I realize all of my inadequacies will be nothing compared to His goodness, and will only make others more aware of how good HE is. I feel so very weak, so unworthy, so incapable of any good that will really matter. Doubts that we don't know what we are doing, that we shouldn't leave our families, or that God would be able to do more with others, keep running through my thoughts. Then, I recalled Paul's encouragement today and am striving to apply this Truth to my life.
2 Corinthians 2:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
This song below has been on my mind since my recent post, telling of the
love Alli and I have received, which spurs us on to love others. Our
precious students from our homeschool co-op were taught this song by our
dear friend Casey Tatum and they performed it at the end-of-year
program a few weeks ago. The words and music are beautiful, and the passion and visible
love on these kiddos' faces just made Alli and me both cry. You'll hear
us near the end as we realized the surprise Casey had included in the
slides. :-) I needed to read these words again tonight, and am again grateful for how the Lord works and brings encouragement through His Word and dear friends as well. I hope this encourages someone else tonight!
Lyrics to "Love":
When our hope is hard to find
And our faith is in decline
We need a cause to stand behind - love
We all want the way it feels
Time it comes and time it steals
What remains, what is real - love
[Chorus:]
There is love
There is forgiveness
There is love in times of need
When life is cold there is a promise
You will never go without...
There is love
It heals the sick Comforts the weak Breaks the proud Raises the meek In this life no guarantees...
Love is the answer
Love will find a way
When we love one another
It's a brighter day
These past few weeks have been full of times where I couldn't help but think of this passage, over and over.
Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus
to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
That's because He has done so much more than we did ask or ever imagine He would in preparing us, showing us His peace, and providing for our needs for our trip to Swaziland. In so many ways He has blown our minds and people have generously provided.
My goal for selling strawberries at Valentine's was to make the initial money for passport and I made over double that.
We hoped to take 30 dresses to the little girls of Swaziland, and asked folks to contribute if they could make them. We were given 138.
We specifically prayed for airline tickets to Africa to drop below $1800. They did, to an unheard of price of under $1500.
We said that we estimated expenses to be around $3000 each, and explained how we wanted to leave part of that money with the missionaries there, to use as they see fit for their ministry and to cover our food and lodging while there. God provided so much more that we will be able to leave a large amount of money with Allison and Amy, and are so grateful!!
We have asked for the process to be one that grew and stretched us and it has. It still is! Our faith has grown, our assurance that He is responsible for allowing and guiding us to go has clearly been shown, and our hearts have been so touched by the love we've received from believers who have helped us in many ways from asking how they can pray to giving sacrificially of their time and resources.
This trip is about Him.
He has called us, He is providing so we can go,
and He is due all glory and credit. Please pray that we honor Him with every word and action.
When we first started praying about this trip, I could not wait to actually go to Swaziland and it felt like we'd be waiting forever. Now it is almost here and I still can't wait, but am amazed at how quickly the trip seems to have approached. We have just ten days left before leaving. SO exciting!
Last night, Alli said something I told her I had to mention on the blog. We have smiled as people have asked many times what exactly we plan to do in Swaziland. We know their point is asking why we are motivated to go, and what type work we are going to accomplish, and what our goals are. We do have a reason to go and a goal, and it is all pretty simple.
Why? We were asked to go, so we are.
What? We are going to love on people and show them the hope and love of Christ.
We do not consider ourselves gifted missionary material or ladies who have something to offer that others cannot. We really just are obeying a clear call, right now, to go and visit people who need encouragement. Alli said it well last night, "I am just so full of love and have to share it!" I feel the same way. That was why we initially became friends I think - our mutual love of people and sharing connections led to discussion and laughing and bonding very quickly. We also have been loved on so well, through many precious friends and family throughout our lives. When you are this full of love, it spills over, Alli says. I think she's right. :-)
We are just people-people.
We love people from all over, every age range; of different heritage, beliefs, personality, and interests. We are those folks who annoy others with our large number of friends, with whom we really do keep up and communicate regularly. The purpose is not to merely have a lot of friends on Facebook (though we do have a LOT). We just genuinely can't get enough of sharing life with people. I cannot tell you the diverse group of friends Alli and I have between us, who we dearly love. It is a blessing to be able to share life with people who enable us to grow and stretch, because we are not all the same.
One of my favorite things in the world is to make friends, to get to know new people, and really connect in how we are the same or different, and to remember what they share. {Seriously, ya'll, I have bonded with folks I met and maintain a friendship with today, just because we clicked and we would've never met if they hadn't offered a fishpond on Craigslist! I love it when things like that happen!!}
So, this time, we will get to do that in another country, across an ocean, on a huge continent we have never seen. We just stay amazed and awed that we get to go do this.
Please pray that we will really be able to love on the McAdams and Clyburns and refresh them while we are there.
Please ask God to help us show joy and hope to these precious children and the women who care for them.
Please remember to pray for the many children in the local hospital who are hurting and alone, and that we can bring a little happiness to them when we visit.
We are so grateful for your prayers and know that the Lord really hears and answers.
