I am going back!

On a ridiculously hot African Summer morning in January 2010, I had the privilege to go to a church that Surprise Sithole, International Director of Iris Ministries, started a couple years earlier (In the past 10 years he has started 7,000 churches…I’m not sure how that is humanly possible). I piled into his giant Land Rover along with 3 of my teammates. I was squished (more like my hipbones were being tested to see how much pressure they could handle without snapping) to the side of the car since there were 2 prominent African preachers already in the row designed for 3…but this is Africa. (It’s normal to multiply the persons capacity of a car atleast 3 times. I’ve been in a regular truck with 40 total people. Yeah, not a flat bed. An Isuzu truck.) I didn’t really understand a lot of what the men around me were saying because of their thick accents, but I tried to laugh and nod whenever the timing seemed right. A lot of the ride was a blur, because of the discomfort and the beautiful scenery. During the drive, the scenery stopped all of a sudden as we entered the township of Barberton. We steered off the main road and a I saw this pretty glass building. It was clearly designed by a great architect for a wealthy man. In the front yard there was a sign that said how they were putting an end to poverty. (There is a very big separation of wealth in South Africa between the blacks and the whites.) After passing this sign and that beautiful building, I turned my head to the right and saw rows of rows of homes made of trash bags, and scrap wood and metal. Things took a turn for the worse after that. 

We proceeded further down this road and the Africans in the car were saying how much better this township looks now than when they were there before. It now had electricity for most homes, there were roads (not jungle), and most homes were actually houses and not squatters or scrap shacks.

As we entered the township where the church was I noticed somethings. This road has clearly not been used for driving in a long time. And, where is everyone?! There is usually people outside all the time- walking down the road, in front of their house, hanging out somewhere, something, anything. But here, there was none of that. I saw one child walking down the road, alone. And that was it.

We started to walk down that road to the church. We had no idea where we were going, but were luckily going the right direction. Eventually we began to hear lots of singing and clapping, and followed that. The church was small, like the size of a trailer. It was made of trees (not wood, TREES) and had no windows, aka no air circulation, aka passing out during church from not enough oxygen. It was really dark, too. And the only light bulb in the church didn’t work. As we entered the church, I couldn’t help but notice that there were hardly any adults, but the room was FILLED with children. I also recognized a woman in the back of the room. (A month earlier I was at a pastor’s conference and that lady was in front of me. She totally got slain in the spirit and fell on me. It was actually pretty funny because right before she fell I asked God to “hit me with Your Spirit.”) I went to the “Female” side of the church to sit and soon this little girl wearing an itchy- looking lime green dress suit came over and sat next to me (I had felt the Lord directing me to her). She was very sweet, but sometimes she would laugh this laugh that really frightened me and I wasn’t sure how to react to it because it made me feel really uncomfortable. Eventually the service ended…it felt longer because there was no translator. And because we were without water (a rule of thumb for Africa…if a stranger drinks your water bottle, that basically means it is contaminated and you shouldn’t drink anything out of it until it is washed thoroughly with bleach)! As always, when the service ended we went outside (TO BREATHE) and to play with some kids. Claire, Jenny, and I sang some popular siSwati church songs, And we played hand claps and other games with the kids of that community. While I was singing, I looked around at some of the kids as they danced along. I hated what I saw.

Here is my big news: I am going with AIM this summer to help lead a high school trip to Swaziland!!!

Although I didn’t do ministry in Swaziland, I was working with Swazis (the people of Swaziland) in South Africa. I am soo passionate about this tribe! Just the thought of working with 14 to 18 year olds to bring out a fire fueled passion is too much! I love that this generation believes that we can change the world together. That’s the kind of thinking that will get things accomplished. The kind of thinking that will bring heaven to earth!

So you are probably thinking than Swaziland is a made up place, like Candy Land. Swaziland is actually landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique in south eastern Africa. It is known as the Kingdom of Swaziland and it is ruled by King Mswati III.

Swaziland is dying. Really. A third of the country is infected with HIV/AIDS. The life expectancy is 32 years old, the lowest in the world. For most of you reading this, if you were a Swazi, you would likely be dead by now. In two years 200,000 Swazi children will be orphaned- that is a fifth of the population. If something doesn’t change, Swaziland will be off the map by the year 2050.

I am not saying these things to get attention or praise for myself that I am going to this place. This also isn’t one of those things you read and think “Oh, how sad” and go on with your life. There is something very much not right with this. This country needs hope, faith, love…they need Jesus! I am overjoyed to have the privilege to bring Jesus, who lives in me, there! To be the hands and feet of Him who sets the captives free!

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I’m going to need your help to do this. Please consider partnering with me financially as I embark on this next journey. I am in need of $1600 USD by June 2011. This covers my airfare, lodging, traveling, food, etc. If you are interested in supporting me and would like to talk more, please contact me at [email protected]. I am accepting one time donations, as well as monthly pledges. A monthly pledge is when ‘X’ amount of dollars is drafted out of your checking account into my support account every month.

Lets say you would like to donate $100 dollars to my trip, but don’t have all of that money right now. You can set up a monthly pledge where you send $20 a month for 5 months (February- June) and then you will have reached your goal!

Or, you can cut down on your “eating out” budget. You can eat out 2 times less a month, which will save you relatively $20. Within 5 months of that monthly pledge, you will have supported me $100!!!

1. If you go to the “Main Menu” below my Main Picture you will see a lot of cool options. To support me, click on “Support me here!” (circled).