Hey friends!
It’s hard to believe I’ll be back in the states in only three more weeks! Time has gone by so fast and I can’t even begin to explain all the growth the Father has walked me through as I got to experience a whole new culture and be surrounded by Godly community, daily serving alongside my incredible squad…
We’ve been here in Eswatini for nearly a month and I haven’t taken the time to update everyone with what ministry looks like here, but decided to write a short blog on what life looks like here for me and the rest of the team.
We are staying in a small house on our host family’s property outside of Manzini, It’s much smaller than anything I’ve ever lived in before and definitely does not have much more than the bare necessities, but it’s been such a good reminder of how the Father provides for our every need and how our happiness doesn’t lie in our earthly possessions or conveniences. (I will say I’m not going to mind having a washing machine again instead of hand washing all my laundry. Oh and hot showers will be nice too!)
We are partnered with A.I.M. and are split up in teams for ministry as they have over 50 care points here surrounding the Manzini area . The care points are basically just a small building used as a preschool, including a playground and another small building they build a fire in to make the rice we serve to the children.
My team has been such a joy to serve with at these care points! We have five on the team including myself.
We have Ren who is just so incredible with entertaining and organizing games for the children at the care point, they all love her so much.
Chiara has the most beautiful servant heart always bending to wipe tears out of the children’s eyes and making them laugh .
Kelly has the sweetest spirit and is always encouraging those around her! The children love spending time with her and braiding her hair.
Hanna has the most patient heart, she has led our team with so much joy and kindness and leads out of example always giving her all to everyone around her!
We as a team have been to 5 different care points and they are all pretty similar.We spend our days just loving on the children who come, teaching a Bible lesson and praying for them and their families.
The poverty we have seen here has been heartbreaking! Most of the children wear the same clothes all week and as you can imagine there’s holes in their clothes. Their shoes, if they can afford them are not in much better shape, usually tied with string trying to keep them from falling apart! Their skin is covered with ringworm and other sores and there’s many of them who bring younger baby brothers and sisters along to school because their Mom is at work. It breaks my heart seeing them having to grow up so fast due to all the expectations and responsibilities placed on their young shoulders. And as we help serve the rice that the shepherds (care point overseers) prepare for the children every day, we know that this could very well be the only meal that child is going to eat that day.
But even here the Lord is so faithful In tending to His children. Though they may be missing all the comforts of this world they still have the joy and the sweet smiles of the Father’s children. They are an example to all of us, daily teaching us that true contentment doesn’t come from your circumstances but from trusting that the Lord will always provide!
Well that’s the outline of what our time here in Eswatini has looked like so far! I’m hoping to write a more detailed blog of what a day at ministry looks like, and also what the Father has been teaching me through all these precious children very soon.
We only have cell service in town so communication is not easy here, my apologies to everyone!
Til next time- Anna
