Zodwa - Heaven's Gain

I join in with the celebration in Heaven at Zodwa's homecoming. She went to be with the Lord on  . Zodwa was a 16-year-old girl who lived at the orphan care center where I stay. With a wonderful sense of humor, big smile, and friendly personality she will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Though she had been living with the effects of a parasite on her brain, she was functioning well until her health suddenly declined drastically until she was bed-ridden and unable to speak, eat, or move on her own. During those final days some of her last words were "Jesus, I love you" and "thank you" to the house mothers who were caring for her. She was surrounded by many people who loved her deeply and cared for her sacrificially as she struggled with her illness.


Before Zodwa came under the care of the ministry here, she was living in a child-led home. This is common in Swaziland. Zodwa was a double orphan, having lost both of her parents. I praise God that she was welcomed into God's family as she welcomed Jesus into her heart. She was also part of the ministry family here where all of her needs were met. Though many of us grieve her death, we also rejoice that she is experiencing the fullness of joy in God's presence.

News article about Zodwa about her situation before she was brought under the care of the ministry

Zodwa at the care center where she lived

Zodwa wearing my glasses :)

Zodwa and I having fun during a fun night with the teenage girls at the care center in 2008

Preparing for the United Kingdom

Ministry's Choir during a recent performance in the church service

Practice with the ministry's choir

We're working to prepare the ministry's choir (above) for their missions trip to the United Kingdom Aug 28-Sept 18. They will be performing in churches with songs, dances, and testimonies.There are 25 people traveling, myself included. Most of the team is made up of the kids who are part of the orphan care center. May God use this team to shine forth His light, His truth, His hope and His love to the nations. We will be visiting England and Northern Ireland and I'm very excited about what God is going to do!

A few weeks ago we had a graduation for the men's Teen Challenge  (drug & life controlling habits rehabilitation center) and Teen Challenge Ministry Institute students. It was a joyful time of celebrating the transformation that has taken place in the lives of the students. The ministry institute (also known as Life Skills) trains students in the Bible and other vocational skills such as agriculture, computer, electrical, etc. Congratulations to the graduates! May God lead them every day as they seek to follow Him and His plans for their lives!

Teen Challenge Ministry Institute graduates

Teen Challenge Ministry Institute students Graduation

Lavumisa Women's Retreat June 2012

A team from my home church, CLC in Dayton, Ohio, came out June 7-18 to hold a women's retreat in Lavumisa, Swaziland. Lavumisa is in a rural part of Swaziland out in the bush. Working with the team was a blessing and I believe God brought life-long tansformation to the lives of the women. We saw God showering His love, forgiveness, mercy, hope and truth into the women's hearts. Many of these women are in polygamous marriages and some are deeply rooted in the culture of ancestor worship. Swaziland's predominant religion is Zionism which is a mixture of Christianity and ancestor worship. Many people go to traditional healers (witch doctors) when they are sick or need help. 

"The Mindset of a Christian Woman" was the topic of the teachings throughout the week and the women heard of God's love for them, His call to forgive, and that Jesus is the ONLY way to the Father - God the Creator of the universe. About 90 women were attendance for this week long retreat. Some received Christ for the first time, several who had strayed came back to the Lord, and many recommitted their lives to God.

Women's retreat at Lavumisa CLC

Women of Lavumisa dancing during praise & worship at the retreat

Terri, Waheedah & I helping with lunch distribution

The ladies in line for lunch at the retreat

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteers, children, and I in Lavumisa - we had 30+ kids join us daily during the women's retreat

Wedding at Hawane CLC

On Saturday April 21st we had the privilege of celebrating the wedding of the assistant pastor of Hawane CLC Church. It was a joyful ceremony filled with lots of dancing, singing, and celebrating for this lovely couple who are uniting themselves in the Lord.

Groom dancing down the aisle to meet his bride (Swazi tradition)

The wedding at Hawane CLC Church April 21st

Beautiful decor in Hawane CLC Church

The bride & groom (Sipho & Thobile) with Joy & I

Teaching Kids at Orphan Care Centre

The kids at the care center are on a school break and I wanted to take this opportunity to share God's love with them through using teaching and creative projects to discuss real life issues they are facing such as grief & loss and anger management. We had an amazing time learning about the process of grief, common feelings and experiences related to loss, their own personal experiences, etc. The younger kids made pictures of good memories they have of people close to them who have died. The kids then shared their pictures with the group and it was powerful to see some of them for the first time publicly sharing about their mother or father who has passed away. I was so proud of them all. For the grief & loss groups with the teenage boys and teenage girls, they created collages of either their experience with loss or good memories they have of a loved one who has passed away. Everyone did an awesome job and I believe God was bringing them healing from their losses through this forum.

Working on collages "My Experience With Grief & Loss" with the teenage girls

Teenage boys, with their grief & loss collages, me, and a volunteer Jess

one boy working on his picture of his mother & father who have passed away

one girl drawing her father who has passed away

group of the younger kids working on their pictures in the grief & loss class

The teenage girls with their collages, Jen a volunteer, and I

one boy sharing his picture with the group

The kids were so proud of their drawings!

Working with the youth and adults here in Swaziland blesses me tremendously. It's a privilege to be God's hands and feet to orphans, widows, and those in need. Truly, it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Swaziland is such a beautiful country. I often find myself driving from point A to point B and a sense of awe overwhelms me as I take in the landscape, God's very design. God really is the Master Artist, isn't He? I mean He created the sky, the land, the mountains... with so much care and skill. He is the Creator. He is the Designer. No one could ever be more creative.

I love the outdoors and I stand amazed at the beauty of God's creation. I can see His love on display through what He has made.

Sunrise over Hawane (where I live)

Regular part of my drive to the church
(don't worry I didnt' take this pic while driving!:)

Hawane scenery

Hawane farm, the orphan care center where I'm based

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20) The beauty of creation is meant to point all of us to God - for us to know Him personally and to be in relationship with Him. The only way we can come to this God is through Jesus Christ. This amazing God who created all of this has also sent His only Son Jesus into the world to die in our place. What I mean is - Jesus' death on the cross was payment for everything we have done wrong, our sins. Before Jesus we were separated from God as the things we have done wrong separate us from God. They put distance between us and Him. There was no way for us to draw close to God. When we put our trust in God and acknowledge that Jesus' death on the cross was payment for our sins- the mistakes we have made against God- then we are forgiven by God and can enjoy the relationship with Him we were always meant to have with Him. He is so good. His beautiful creation points to this fact. He's calling out to the world through His creation as He shines forth His power, love, care and majesty. Will we choose to draw near to God today?

Recent visit to the prisons
I went with a team of people from my home church in Swaziland, Potter's Wheel Church, to visit 3 prisons. We planned to visit the women's prison, the men's prison and the juvenile facility. We got to visit both the men's and the juvenile's facilities but the women's prison was not accepting visitors that day. (We plan to go back within the next 30 days to try again. I love ministering to the women so I'm looking forward to this:)

We got to share the gospel with all of the residents in the juvenile and adult male's facilities. About 65 people gave their hearts to God, accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They chose to trust God with their lives, begin a relationship with Him, and pursue His purposes for their lives. It's a joy for me to see people experiencing the hope that only God can bring.

The team (2 Swazis, a Zambian, a Finn & me, an American :)

My dear friend Joy, the Zambian, preaching
the message to the youth

The youth raising their hands to begin a personal
relationship with Jesus

The youth praying

The team at the youth facility
(The inmates do receive schooling here, though
they are sentenced & must remain here 24 hrs/day)

Pictures could not be taken in the adult male's facility. We had a great time there with the group of men gathered underneath the trees outside on a hot, sunny day. They listened to the message attentively and many responded by coming forward for prayer. We passed out Gideon Bibles at both prisons.


" '...I was in prison and you came to visit me.' ... The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me. ' " (Mathew 25: 36,40)

For the past month I had the privilege of having a dear friend, Heidi, from my home church in the USA come to serve here in Swaziland. It was a blessing to have her here and to see God using her as she interacted with the kids at the orphan care center, worked on important projects at the church, and formed relationships with the Swazi people wherever she went. She was a personal encouragement to me. It was nice to have a familiar friend around during what's ended up being a season of transition for me.

Heidi & I her last day in Swaziland

Teenage Girls & volunteers at the orphans care center
praying for Heidi as she prepared to fly back to the USA

At the orphan care center the teenage girls were invited to a special beauty night where they had the opportunity to get their nails painted, enjoy a foot spa, get a face mask, and make creative thank you cards to God for making them beautiful. The theme of the night was that we are each beautiful to God and Ephesians 2:10 was the focal Scripture "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance for us to walk in." Many of them come from abused backgrounds so it was awesome to see the healing that has taken place in their lives, how their self-image is changing for the better and their love for God.

Another long-term missionary friend & I encouraging the girls
as they made cards to God

Time for face masks!

Nails getting painted.
Each one is so beautiful, created in the image
of God!

God is amazing in the way He loves and cares about each one of His children. It's a privilege to remind people of God's love every day as He opens doors for me to do so. As we receive God's love and abide in His love, we bear much fruit for Him. We truly can do nothing without Him.

Did you know that no matter what you may have done, when you put your hope in Jesus Christ, God sees YOU as beautiful?