You know how when you have your mind so set on something....its all you can think about.....but in the midst of the worrying "how am I going to be able to do this?" "how do I get there" "what if...", God keeps hinting at something else so totally different to what you think you want to and should be doing and then you ask yourself "have i just been wasting my time making my own plans when in the end it is God who directs my paths?" Well if not, it's okay....just wanted to put it as a rhetorical question because my English teacher says that it grabs the audiences attention. And you are the audience........is your attention grabbed?? lol.
Well that is exactly what has been going on with me lately. I thought I knew what I want to do and I can't really say it on my blog because in the odd chance that I really do end up doing it, everyone would know and then I'd have to kill ya! ;) Just kidding.
All my life God has been telling me that I'm supposed to be in Missions work and I thought well...now we're in Africa, being missionaries.....is this what He was talking about? Maybe now that I'm here, I'm doing what He's called me to do and then after school I can do what I want. Now that I go to a really good school, where doors and possibilities have been opened and maybe will be opened where before I would have never had them. e.g....getting a scholarship to a prestigious university after schooling here. These are thoughts that have been running through my head and honestly I have been so stressed lately because I know what I want to do, but I've been telling myself that I don't know what God wants me to do. But all along, He has been hinting it....missions, missions, missions.
I personally don't see myself in Africa in the future, after school, though if God specifically tells me to be here I will. The place that has always been on my heart is South America, maybe even Mexico. Every time I talk about it I get this feeling in my heart, I can't explain it, it's like a yearning, a desire to be there. Before we came to Africa, my dad had always wanted to go to South America for missions work, but God led him and our family to a totally different place, somewhere we never once imagined we'd be and I know His purposes for my parents, maybe even us, are at work every day here.
With the thing that I want to do , there is no yearning, I want to do it because it sounds exciting and I'd get to travel a lot and learn other cultures and ways of life, but with missions work, being an Ambassador for Christ, I would get all the excitement, though I know from experience, it isn't always fun or easy, plus the travel, plus learning other ways of life, while also taking part in the advancement of God's kingdom. That is the most important thing that could ever be done.
My mind is set on doing something....but my heart is yearning to be in South America. The Holy Spirit has confirmed this to me in so many ways.....through other people, through my journal entries that I have recently looked over from 3 years ago......and simply through the fact that I want to walk in His perfect will for my life. I feel Him pulling me one way, and yet I still try to pull another and I don't even know why. Maybe I'm stubborn, maybe afraid, maybe confused. I just pray that each day I become closer to Him and I pray that He will open doors where they need to be opened in order for His purposes to be put to work in my life. I don't want to do something without Him in the centre. I want to be where He wants me and though I do not know exactly where it is, He will show me in His timing.
Please pray for me. God has already opened doors for me to be able to go to South America on a missions trip, we know some really cool missionaries there. I need to raise support to be able to do it though. Please ask the Lord if He would use you to help support me.
God bless!!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Holidays with new adopted family members!
Jacci is officially a Rehmeyer. She has accepted and signed the terms of the Declaration of Initiation Contract of Dual Familyship last week and is now our adopted big sister. Seriously you should have seen the 'ceremony' HILARIOUS! We had it behind our house by the pool and Nathanael was playing the drum, Joelle was doing a weird chant like thing like on Finding Nemo, and Danielle was randomly floating around on a raft in the pool. My parents were standing there solemnly with a plastic sword and the declaration. Yeah right....we were all laughing so hard we couldn't even stand up straight. All that to say....she's been part of the family this Christmas, basically she is always at our house or I'm always at hers. But she lives all the way in Manzini so it's been cool to spend so much time with her because during school I can't really go to manzini.
Last week she put together, along with her Swazi friends, Ncobile, Zanele, Zwagele, and Cynthia, a Christmas party for the ladies that work at the AIM care points. They are wonderful women. They cook for the children and they also make beautiful purses which are sold as a means of making money so they can take care of their families since being a cook is voluntary. The two days before the party we went shopping for the food which was going to be made for the party as well as gifts for gift bags and then a few bigger ones to be raffled. The day of the party, the girls woke up really early , God bless 'em, and began cooking. They made chicken stew, coslaw, and beet root salad. It was all really good. There were about 40 women in total at the party. The best part, besides what Jacci shared with the women about being obedient to God like Mary was, was the game. What was the game?? Musical chairs. How was it played?? HILARIOUSLY! I was in charge of the music and most of the time I was laughing so hard I couldn't even stand up straight. So there is this lady, Ruby...she is the cutest old person I have ever seen in the whole world. She is 78, and she takes care of her 5 grandchildren as if they were her own. She is full of life and energy and the love of Christ and it is evident in everything she does and says. Her and another lady were the last ones in the game, with one chair left. When the music started, Make Ruby picked up the chair and walked away with it. It was funny. You just should have been there. So all went well and 40 ladies were blessed thanks to Jacci, Zwagele, Ncobile, Zanele, Cynthia, and of course God who made it all possible and a day to remember.
Our other adopted family member is a wonderful lady by the name of La Salet. (not sure if I'm spelling it right) She is Portuguese and has lived in Swaziland most of her life. She pastors a church in Tabenkhulu (the sugar cane company) and lives there as well, in the middle of the sugar cane fields. Her house is so nice and she has air conditioning.......an alien species in these parts. But that's not why we love her. We have known her for quite a few months now and each time we go to see her, we love her more and more. To describe her for all that she is is impossible. She's just too sweet, caring, loving, and Christ-like to explain. She is our adopted grandmother in Swaziland. Her husband passed away almost a year ago and her two sons are grown, one in England, and one married in South Africa, so she really enjoys it when we come see her. Its not just any old visit when we go. She does everything to the fullest and makes everything as nice and relaxing as it can be. She can cook.....and that is most definitely an understatement. You cannot say no to her, simply because she does not understand no. When she asks you if you want something more to eat.....you say yes because even though you are so full you feel like you are about to explode, she'll put it on your plate and then tell you to go for 3rds. She asks us to spend the night every time we go and Joelle has spent a week with her. She loves it, she gets spoiled and kissed, and hugged, and fed and boy does she take it all in. So anyways....summary.....she pastors a church there, and the church is BEAUTIFUL....another under statement. All of the people who work at the church have taken on her personality and it's so funny because in my experience, Swazi's aren't very emotional, huggy, kissy people. She is and she rubs off on everyone because that's just in her nature. SO when you go to her church you get hugged and kissed by everyone...only to walk to the front and get a big lipsticky smooch by La Salet herself....the chief kisser. lol. She has such a big heart and she dreams big.....really big.
We were able to see this yet again in the Christmas play the youth at her church put on a few days before Christmas. The set was beautiful, painted, colorful, just beautiful. The play was quite long, like 2 hours, but it sure didn't feel that long because it was so good and every moment of it you were either laughing, crying, or in awe of how amazingly put together, thought out and acted it was. They had only been preparing for two weeks, and it was seriously better than any play I have ever seen anywhere. We weren't expecting that because at most churches here, they don't have the resources, the set, the materials, and the people who are willing to give so much of their time to make it a success while also blessing the children in the process. It was The Christmas story from Zacharias in the temple all the way to Mary and Joseph heading to Egypt after Jesus was born.....but the African way. I think it is the closest thing I have ever seen to the real thing. I can definitely imagine it being just like they showed it. To fully appreciate it and feel the way myself and my family feel about it, you just have to come here for a few days and experience life here, the Swazi way. Then we'll show you the play and it will leave you speechless. I cannot explain it any more because I can't put into words how amazing it was and how amazing that church is. I thank God for La Salet's heart and for what He is doing through her in that community.
So anyways......we spent Christmas day with La Salet and then stayed 2 nights there with her. We were only planning to stay one night but, she talked us into it. Right as were about to leave, she would be like " Oh you need some coffee before you go" or " it's about to rain and you don
t want to drive in the rain". And the funny thing is....it started raining....STORMING. We were like " you prayed for that to happen huh?, it was always your plan to convince us to stay another night" She was like "Yup." I think she wants us to move in. My dad loves it down there, even though it is like 105 degrees in the daytime, because it is so relaxing and away from the city and all the stress that comes with it. He said he just wants to move down there and be a litchi farmer. ( a yummy fruit that grows here) Of course just joking, because the only litchi tree we saw was in La Salet's yard and I don't think he could make much profit from one tree. But hey! if he wants to try.......lol.
On Christmas my family, Jacci, Sandra, and Rajni went to her house and she had a HUGE meal set out. There was : prawns, prawn curry, rice, chicken, turkey, honey glazed ham, salad, samusas, apple turnovers, and cake. All delicious. Her son Sergio was there from England along with his friend, Justin from SA. That night we played a really fin game, Dutch Blitz, with everyone and then me, Jacci, and Rajni watched DeJaVu (spelling?) I love that movie. The rest of the time was spent relaxing, talking, eating, sleeping, and making necklaces. That's one of her many hobbies, and they are very pretty. Oh and another quick random story....the other day before the Christmas play we were driving to her house and we saw a black mamba on the road. My dad stopped and we all looked at it and he didn't pick it up, surprisingly because he always does, because they are really dangerous snakes. Then we saw a monitor lizard a little ways down the road....but it was dead. Tear tear.
So yea....we just came back from her house this morning....and she still wanted us to stay. We love her so much and I am so thankful that God has put her in our lives.
Last week she put together, along with her Swazi friends, Ncobile, Zanele, Zwagele, and Cynthia, a Christmas party for the ladies that work at the AIM care points. They are wonderful women. They cook for the children and they also make beautiful purses which are sold as a means of making money so they can take care of their families since being a cook is voluntary. The two days before the party we went shopping for the food which was going to be made for the party as well as gifts for gift bags and then a few bigger ones to be raffled. The day of the party, the girls woke up really early , God bless 'em, and began cooking. They made chicken stew, coslaw, and beet root salad. It was all really good. There were about 40 women in total at the party. The best part, besides what Jacci shared with the women about being obedient to God like Mary was, was the game. What was the game?? Musical chairs. How was it played?? HILARIOUSLY! I was in charge of the music and most of the time I was laughing so hard I couldn't even stand up straight. So there is this lady, Ruby...she is the cutest old person I have ever seen in the whole world. She is 78, and she takes care of her 5 grandchildren as if they were her own. She is full of life and energy and the love of Christ and it is evident in everything she does and says. Her and another lady were the last ones in the game, with one chair left. When the music started, Make Ruby picked up the chair and walked away with it. It was funny. You just should have been there. So all went well and 40 ladies were blessed thanks to Jacci, Zwagele, Ncobile, Zanele, Cynthia, and of course God who made it all possible and a day to remember.
Our other adopted family member is a wonderful lady by the name of La Salet. (not sure if I'm spelling it right) She is Portuguese and has lived in Swaziland most of her life. She pastors a church in Tabenkhulu (the sugar cane company) and lives there as well, in the middle of the sugar cane fields. Her house is so nice and she has air conditioning.......an alien species in these parts. But that's not why we love her. We have known her for quite a few months now and each time we go to see her, we love her more and more. To describe her for all that she is is impossible. She's just too sweet, caring, loving, and Christ-like to explain. She is our adopted grandmother in Swaziland. Her husband passed away almost a year ago and her two sons are grown, one in England, and one married in South Africa, so she really enjoys it when we come see her. Its not just any old visit when we go. She does everything to the fullest and makes everything as nice and relaxing as it can be. She can cook.....and that is most definitely an understatement. You cannot say no to her, simply because she does not understand no. When she asks you if you want something more to eat.....you say yes because even though you are so full you feel like you are about to explode, she'll put it on your plate and then tell you to go for 3rds. She asks us to spend the night every time we go and Joelle has spent a week with her. She loves it, she gets spoiled and kissed, and hugged, and fed and boy does she take it all in. So anyways....summary.....she pastors a church there, and the church is BEAUTIFUL....another under statement. All of the people who work at the church have taken on her personality and it's so funny because in my experience, Swazi's aren't very emotional, huggy, kissy people. She is and she rubs off on everyone because that's just in her nature. SO when you go to her church you get hugged and kissed by everyone...only to walk to the front and get a big lipsticky smooch by La Salet herself....the chief kisser. lol. She has such a big heart and she dreams big.....really big.
We were able to see this yet again in the Christmas play the youth at her church put on a few days before Christmas. The set was beautiful, painted, colorful, just beautiful. The play was quite long, like 2 hours, but it sure didn't feel that long because it was so good and every moment of it you were either laughing, crying, or in awe of how amazingly put together, thought out and acted it was. They had only been preparing for two weeks, and it was seriously better than any play I have ever seen anywhere. We weren't expecting that because at most churches here, they don't have the resources, the set, the materials, and the people who are willing to give so much of their time to make it a success while also blessing the children in the process. It was The Christmas story from Zacharias in the temple all the way to Mary and Joseph heading to Egypt after Jesus was born.....but the African way. I think it is the closest thing I have ever seen to the real thing. I can definitely imagine it being just like they showed it. To fully appreciate it and feel the way myself and my family feel about it, you just have to come here for a few days and experience life here, the Swazi way. Then we'll show you the play and it will leave you speechless. I cannot explain it any more because I can't put into words how amazing it was and how amazing that church is. I thank God for La Salet's heart and for what He is doing through her in that community.
So anyways......we spent Christmas day with La Salet and then stayed 2 nights there with her. We were only planning to stay one night but, she talked us into it. Right as were about to leave, she would be like " Oh you need some coffee before you go" or " it's about to rain and you don
t want to drive in the rain". And the funny thing is....it started raining....STORMING. We were like " you prayed for that to happen huh?, it was always your plan to convince us to stay another night" She was like "Yup." I think she wants us to move in. My dad loves it down there, even though it is like 105 degrees in the daytime, because it is so relaxing and away from the city and all the stress that comes with it. He said he just wants to move down there and be a litchi farmer. ( a yummy fruit that grows here) Of course just joking, because the only litchi tree we saw was in La Salet's yard and I don't think he could make much profit from one tree. But hey! if he wants to try.......lol.
On Christmas my family, Jacci, Sandra, and Rajni went to her house and she had a HUGE meal set out. There was : prawns, prawn curry, rice, chicken, turkey, honey glazed ham, salad, samusas, apple turnovers, and cake. All delicious. Her son Sergio was there from England along with his friend, Justin from SA. That night we played a really fin game, Dutch Blitz, with everyone and then me, Jacci, and Rajni watched DeJaVu (spelling?) I love that movie. The rest of the time was spent relaxing, talking, eating, sleeping, and making necklaces. That's one of her many hobbies, and they are very pretty. Oh and another quick random story....the other day before the Christmas play we were driving to her house and we saw a black mamba on the road. My dad stopped and we all looked at it and he didn't pick it up, surprisingly because he always does, because they are really dangerous snakes. Then we saw a monitor lizard a little ways down the road....but it was dead. Tear tear.
So yea....we just came back from her house this morning....and she still wanted us to stay. We love her so much and I am so thankful that God has put her in our lives.
Christmas Parties Etc....
Shelly,Jacci, Zinty, and me at the Mbabane Christmas PartyI know I know....I haven't kept my end of the deal up. I thought I would be able to just chill at home and be bored out of my mind these holidays....but actually timehas been flying by because we've been so busy and its really freaking me out!! I don't want to go back to school. Everytime I think about having to go back I get so sad...God please give me joy about school and endurance...emotionally.
So the first few weeks of December were the Childrens Cup Christmas parties. There are 11 carepoints in Manzini, 2 in Mbabane, 1 in Tabenkhulu and 1 in Mozambique. There were 4 parties in all....the one in Manzini being the largest with over 2000 kids. It was awesome because we rented a big field at a local school and their were kids EVERYWHERE! The buses just kept coming. A team from Celebration Church in Texas was here as well as a doctor from Arizona, Rajni. They helped with all of the parties and were just AMAZINGLY AWESOME people. I was so sad when the Texas team left because it's like really cool relationships start to develope and then they have to leave. But the cool thing is is that even though on earth , I may not have the chance to hang out with some of the people I meet....one day in heaven we will all be together. So these relationships God is creating are just getting us ready for eternity where all believers will be together. And Rajni......Wow she's just .....Rajni. No words are good enough to describe how awesome she is. The day she arrived here, she came to our house and she was totally different than what I expected her to be. She is so easy to be around and so fun to talk to. It is impossible to have a dull conversation with her. She is leaving tomorrow and we're all sad. I just hope that one day I'll get to see her again somewhere...either in the US, here, or in another continent since we both want to travel the world. Anyways....short update on cool people i've recently met and gotten to know.
So the parties all went well...
Manzini: It started off rainy and cold and we were worried because it was supposed to have the largest number of kids. The buses started rolling in and we stood on guard as they stampeded down the hill next to the field. I started out at the space walks....wow it was difficult because we had to make sure only 10 kids got on at a time and they were only on for 1 minute. Since I only know a few words in Siswati, it was rather difficult, but I picked up a few words that were necesary for this mission. Hamba!- Go. Puma!- Get out. Bambe- Hold on, wait. I know more than just that...not much more but a few phrases. ;) We served hot dogs, chips, and this weird soda drink that tasted like kids tylenol syrup. Lizette came and helped as well. There was also face painting, relay races, a worship tent, and other games here and there.
Tabenkhulu (Mapheveni): IT WAS SHISA-(hot)- wow. The sunburns were bad for all the malungus (white people) but it was really fun. This is the newest carepoint and the farthest away (in Swaziland). The community the carepoint is for is very p
oor and in need. Thabenkhulu is a sugarcane company, and mapheveni is a community where all the outcasts or rejects from the sugar cane company live. So they are in major need of food, love, and Jesus. One of the poorest areas of Swaziland. It is so cool to see all that God is doing there through childrens cup and Pastor La Salet...I'll talk about her later. Talking about how awesome she is could take up a whole blog in itself.
Mbabane: As far as orginization goes, this one ran the smoothest. I did facepainting for most of this one. We had it at a soccer field close to where we live. The kids were split into groups (they were at the other parties as well but at the manzini one, it was a little chaotic because of the weather and at the Mapheveni one the area was too small to proper
ly divide them into groups.) The Mbabane party was great because the area was huge and there wasn't an overwhelmingly large amount of kids. The kids did a christmas program that they had been working on and it was really good. Again...hot dogs....they were looking pretty funny by this party. And you know the funny thing?? We still have hundreds of them left....in our freezer....I'm telling you if I ever see, smell, taste, imagine, walk by, touch another hot dog I might just die. Not really because I usually really like them....but they have scarred me for life. I will never thoroughly enjoy another hot dog again.
I heard that the party in Mozambique went well...Thank you Jesus! Unfortunately I couldn't go, there wasn't enough room. Jacci, Patrick, Christy, and Zinty took the Texas team.
So all in all the parties went well....except for a few minor disputes and frustrations amongst the cooks and elders but I won't go into that because I don't fully understand it myself. All glory and thanks to God for being there with us and with the children and for blessing them and making it a success.
So the first few weeks of December were the Childrens Cup Christmas parties. There are 11 carepoints in Manzini, 2 in Mbabane, 1 in Tabenkhulu and 1 in Mozambique. There were 4 parties in all....the one in Manzini being the largest with over 2000 kids. It was awesome because we rented a big field at a local school and their were kids EVERYWHERE! The buses just kept coming. A team from Celebration Church in Texas was here as well as a doctor from Arizona, Rajni. They helped with all of the parties and were just AMAZINGLY AWESOME people. I was so sad when the Texas team left because it's like really cool relationships start to develope and then they have to leave. But the cool thing is is that even though on earth , I may not have the chance to hang out with some of the people I meet....one day in heaven we will all be together. So these relationships God is creating are just getting us ready for eternity where all believers will be together. And Rajni......Wow she's just .....Rajni. No words are good enough to describe how awesome she is. The day she arrived here, she came to our house and she was totally different than what I expected her to be. She is so easy to be around and so fun to talk to. It is impossible to have a dull conversation with her. She is leaving tomorrow and we're all sad. I just hope that one day I'll get to see her again somewhere...either in the US, here, or in another continent since we both want to travel the world. Anyways....short update on cool people i've recently met and gotten to know.
So the parties all went well...
Manzini: It started off rainy and cold and we were worried because it was supposed to have the largest number of kids. The buses started rolling in and we stood on guard as they stampeded down the hill next to the field. I started out at the space walks....wow it was difficult because we had to make sure only 10 kids got on at a time and they were only on for 1 minute. Since I only know a few words in Siswati, it was rather difficult, but I picked up a few words that were necesary for this mission. Hamba!- Go. Puma!- Get out. Bambe- Hold on, wait. I know more than just that...not much more but a few phrases. ;) We served hot dogs, chips, and this weird soda drink that tasted like kids tylenol syrup. Lizette came and helped as well. There was also face painting, relay races, a worship tent, and other games here and there.
Tabenkhulu (Mapheveni): IT WAS SHISA-(hot)- wow. The sunburns were bad for all the malungus (white people) but it was really fun. This is the newest carepoint and the farthest away (in Swaziland). The community the carepoint is for is very p
oor and in need. Thabenkhulu is a sugarcane company, and mapheveni is a community where all the outcasts or rejects from the sugar cane company live. So they are in major need of food, love, and Jesus. One of the poorest areas of Swaziland. It is so cool to see all that God is doing there through childrens cup and Pastor La Salet...I'll talk about her later. Talking about how awesome she is could take up a whole blog in itself.Mbabane: As far as orginization goes, this one ran the smoothest. I did facepainting for most of this one. We had it at a soccer field close to where we live. The kids were split into groups (they were at the other parties as well but at the manzini one, it was a little chaotic because of the weather and at the Mapheveni one the area was too small to proper
ly divide them into groups.) The Mbabane party was great because the area was huge and there wasn't an overwhelmingly large amount of kids. The kids did a christmas program that they had been working on and it was really good. Again...hot dogs....they were looking pretty funny by this party. And you know the funny thing?? We still have hundreds of them left....in our freezer....I'm telling you if I ever see, smell, taste, imagine, walk by, touch another hot dog I might just die. Not really because I usually really like them....but they have scarred me for life. I will never thoroughly enjoy another hot dog again.I heard that the party in Mozambique went well...Thank you Jesus! Unfortunately I couldn't go, there wasn't enough room. Jacci, Patrick, Christy, and Zinty took the Texas team.
So all in all the parties went well....except for a few minor disputes and frustrations amongst the cooks and elders but I won't go into that because I don't fully understand it myself. All glory and thanks to God for being there with us and with the children and for blessing them and making it a success.
Sac races at the mbabane christmas party. The kids had a blast!
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