Swaziland On My Mind (announcement)

Today is international women’s day and I would like to share a few memories with you a few international women and little ladies (and of course Bhuti the only boy) who have stolen my heart.

When I signed up for the World Race I didn’t even know that Swaziland was a country or that it was in Africa.

I’m not quite to sure where your level of belief in visions and prophecy go, but during my time in Malaysia (July) the Lord gave me a vision. I was up in front of a group of young women sharing my story. My team at the time, our leaders, and God could attest to the discomfort and frustration this revelation brought me.

“LORD NO. I DON’T WANT TO.”

Working with women wasn’t my desire. It wasn’t something even on my list of “to-dos.” So why would the Lord give me a vision of working with women. 

Isn’t it the things that we desire the least and make us uncomfortable are the places that God is leading us. 

The Lord however was preparing for young women who needed the story that I possessed. The flower buds in my heart we’re about to bloom. During my time in  Swaziland I worked with an organization called Hosea’s Heart (visit website here). The organization provided job opportunities and training for women who would otherwise have none. They were also in charge of  a girls home for at-risk adolescents and young adults who have been abandoned/neglected or abused.

A Few Memories from Swaziland

(September 2015)

• My first day in Swaziland and Mary-kate (our host) turns on the music in the car and it was Lecrae. I said “Thank you Jesus.” Someone who listened to the music I listened to. I knew it was going to be a good month.

• The relationship that I had with Elena. The constant eye rolling and sassiness, but knowing it was just the way that we loved each other.

• All the times that I was there when the girls were going off to school. Just being there to tell them goodbye and to have a good day. Who could forget the slap on the forehead and me telling them “Blessings child.”

• All of the amazing dancing and singing. How they would get so into it. Who could ever forget good ole “Cotton Eye Joe” dance.

• Hearing one of the 12 year old girls speak so highly of the Lord and how much she actually loves the Lord. She gives God all the glory of her life.

•  Elena telling me that she heard from God that she must invite Him to live in her heart. She was going to get baptised at the end of the week. (Sadly we were leaving before that.) However, I told her that she didn’t have to wait till Sunday that she could invite the Holy Spirit to live within her. We said the prayer together and she invited the Holy Spirit to live in her. Two of the other girls saw her, “N” and “S” and they wanted to do it as well. The joy that it brought me to see them want to walk with the Lord. The Glory that God got that day 🙂

• Little Bhuti being a form of God for us all. The Jesus that little boy has is outrageous.

• Our last tearful goodbye at the George Hotel where the month began.

 

These are just a few moments that I’ve enjoyed during my time in Swaziland. I can say that the Lord not only used me to bring His light to this group of amazing women and young girls, but He also showed me that He has not only called but equipped me to work with women. 

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ANNOUNCEMENT:

With that being said, I want to announce that in May I will travel back to Swaziland to serve Hosea’s Heart for 3 weeks. The Lord has placed them on my heart continuously for the past couple weeks. As of right now my thought is to serve the ministry by doing a “Beauty for Ashes” (a ministry that assists women to walk in the freedom that God has called them into) and serving them in anyway that I can. I’m excited for what the Lord is doing in my life and how that can correlate to what He’s doing there. Please keep me in your prayers as I begin fundraising for that as well.