Prep for GO Team

           For the last few weeks we have been busy, and I mean busy, getting ready for a GO Team from Bethany First Church of the Nazarene.  The team of 64 arrives on Friday July 23^rd.  Around 30 of the team members are youth, either high school or college age.  Many of the adult team members waited to come on a GO team until the youth came, so naturally the team kept growing.  This is the largest team that has come from Bethany First Church.  We are so excited for their arrival. We are extra excited because we have five family members coming (Cyndi, Jeremy, Laurie, Tate and Katelyn Lamb).

            Last week we picked up Barbi Moore and Pat Burton in Johannesburg.  They are the staff members at Bethany First Church working strictly on the Swaziland Partnership. In the last week we have driven all around Swaziland having meetings with different leaders and seeing many locations where the team will be working.  We stopped counting meetings after having 13 in two days.  Every meeting has significance in the success of the team visit.

            The team will be splitting into four groups: compassion, education, construction, and medical.  Andy is leading the construction team on completing a church that has been under construction for ten years. Amy will be a part of the compassion team and the educational team.  The compassion team will be going into the high schools to lead assemblies and a VBS.  The education team will be split into counselors and pastors, each group doing multiple trainings throughout the week. Lastly, the medical team will be spread out throughout the country in clinics and hospitals working alongside Swazi medical professionals.

            The week will be full, and we are excited! We pray that God will move in every team member and in each Swazi we come in contact with. 

Manzini Soup Kitchen

          Friday night we decided to join the youth from a local church (Living Waters) to go and feed the homeless. We showed up and did not know a single soul. We followed the group to a parking lot across from the Manzini Market (pictured in an earlier blog).  The parking lot was lined with women. Andy asked why there were only women.  Come to find out they women are all from out of town.  They come into Manzini to make a living for their families by selling different items at the market. Typically the man in the relationship stays and watches over the homestead.  So, these women are only homeless when they are working the market.  It was a sight to see: each covered with blanket, plastic bags, and their ‘items’ they sell tucked around them.

            The touching experience came from watching the youth.  Swazi’s taking care of Swazi’s.  They showed so much joy as they sang and served soup. Taking ownership in their community was and is a powerful thing.