Wednesday, July 8, 2009

First day in Swaziland

One bag found (mine – not the bag for Durban). We'll get their gift to them one way or another.

Great first day. Matshapa Rotary at 7am. Wonderful people, great heart for their community and service. Exploring work together in the future. Very exciting prospects to talk about when home in Fresno.

Lunch with Corine and our friend Nomsa. Learned about all that has (and hasn’t) been happening in Herefords since last summer. Good time to encourage Nomsa. So faithful to serve her neighbors, even when very few will join her.

Sent Laura off to Tsanini with Nomsa and Corine. She is happy to see Courtney, Swazi friend from last year, and then tomorrow the ladies in the community.

Tomorrow a day with the director of Swaziland Youth for Christ. Anxious to learn about the ministry here and hopefully be an encouragement.

Friday to deliver special goodies to Tabitha at New Hope Children’s Home from Kenna Scott and have a chance to learn even a bit more about this ministry. Then on to Piet Retif to begin preparing for our team’s arrival next week.

So many good conversations. Learning that it is not enough just to have a desire to serve. It is very important to consider, analyze, evaluate and of course seek God’s guidance about our service, at home and abroad. Doing wrong things, even with the right motivation, are still wrong things.

Learning also that there isn't that much difference between Americans and Swazis. We're just all human, with the propensity for both great good, along with selfish and corrupt actions.

But thank God for the promise of Romans 8:28. Got will work all things together for good, to those who love Him and are called according to His will.

I'm so grateful that God can use even our mistakes and us - with selfish and sinful natures. Exciting week ahead.

Wendi

4 comments:

  1. I can see your wheels spinning! (: Miss you! Hope and pray things will continue to go well and that blessings will be in abundance for all! Much Love, Kendra

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  2. sounds like you are off to a great start, can't wait to be there too. Hope the other bag shows up.
    How cool is it there??
    Sandi

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  3. Thank you so much Wendi for carrying Kenna's gifts to Tabitha. She is waiting patiently(maybe not so patiently!)to hear news of how Tabitha is doing.
    Shera and Kenna

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  4. Hi Wendi. Thank you for setting up this blog so we can keep track of God's work on your trip. I was struck again of your paraphrase of Pastor VW: that we need to see where the most fruit is and focus there. I have recently received communication from a private Chinese school and that they would like to interview me for a high school teaching position. The way God is at work here is this: I recently met a young lady who worked in China (for ELIC, the mission group that your contact emailed me about), and before we met to speak generally about China, I told her about the Chinese school. It turns out, some of her team members worked at that school, and my new friend gave me emails of three people who could give me more information about the school, like who is a Christian on campus and what the environment is like. I sense that school would be a good place to be and join God in His work that is already taking place there. I will probably be interviewed early next week. I will keep you updated :). -Tracy V.

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