Luke Commission and game drive

It’s been a great weekend and beginning to a new week. We had a wonderful time at church; beautiful music, wonderful message, gracious people. Monday we joined a Luke Commission rural clinic in a very remote area. It was dry and barren, and about 10 kilometers off the tar (paved) road. It was hard to believe that families were living in this area, much less children going to a school. It was great to see these people receive medical care. The highlight was handing out gift boxes from Samaritans Purse. Children leaped and yelped with joy as they open their boxes. Most didn’t have any idea what to do with the box, having never received a wrapped gift in their lives. The Youth for Christ dance and drama team joined us again and entertained the children and people who were waiting. It was wonderful to connect with YFC halfway across the world, committed as we are to reaching lost kids with the message of Jesus.

Yesterday a trip to the market and game drive. Gifted artisans making a living selling their craft. I love watching them work and having the opportunity to purchase items I know were made by Swazi people.

On the game drive we were able to spot giraffes, elephants, antelopes, rhinos, hippos, and a male lion out for an afternoon stroll. All beauties for sure, but that lion wandering around was the highlight.

Today we head to Herefords to visit our friends from previous years. We are very excited to see them and introduce them to new friends from America. At the same time, we visit them with bit of sadness because we’ve come to learn that some have taken advantage of our generosity in the past and have not maintained the work we tried to help them start. This experience, and working this summer with Swaziland Reformed Mission – Home Based Caring, has taught us many lessons about better ways to help people in Africa who are facing such terrible challenges. These lessons, and the friendships we’ve formed in Herefords may help us work there in a more effectively there sometime in the future. And Nomsa Mamba – Herefords shining star and tireless servant, is modeling servant leadership day after day. Bless her!!

Wendi