Ants, Feet, and Ministry in Eswatini

Welcome back, everyone! This past week we hit the 1-month mark for this trip. We just completed our second full week of ministry here in Eswatini, and it has been incredibly encouraging to watch not only how much I have grown personally but the how the squad continues to grow and learn as a team. Let me tell you about some thrilling moments as well as the ministry our teams have been involved in.

John 13: Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

Before the Passover Festival, Jesus removes his outer clothing, sits in front of his disciples, and washes their feet. They are startled in awe and question why their Lord and Savior would kneel before them and wash the dustiest and dirtiest part of their body. When He was finished, Jesus returned to his seat and said, “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:14-16. This past Sunday, the squad followed Jesus’ example, kneeling in front of our brothers and sister and washing their feet. This experience allowed us to view each other the way Jesus does and realize that we are all children of God, equally loved and cherished. It was such a sweet moment and one that I and my teammates will carry with us for the rest of our lives. I want to live with the desire to wash the feet of God’s children, just like Jesus.

Canny Deep

On Mondays, the squad spends the first half of the day evangelizing throughout the busy city of Manzini. We break off into small teams and head in different directions that lead to a final destination. Last Monday, my team walked into a small storefront and found some unique pieces to purchase. While browsing, a young man (maybe middle 20s) started to chat with us and ask questions as about where we’re from and how we like the country (very common/happens all the time). After talking with the fella for a bit, he shares how he’s an artist and sings/makes music. I immediately as if he would sing one of his songs for us, and he breaks into a smooth rhythm in the middle of the shop. He had a beautiful voice and one that was easy to listen to. After the mini-concert, he points to his shirt and explains how he makes his own merch. The name of his brand is Canny Deep- I know Canny is his first name, but I don’t know where the Deep comes from. I, of course want to support him, so I ask if he has any shirts with him that I could buy. His face lights up, and he takes off running. A few minutes later, he returns with a handful of shirts; a few plain inside-out shirts that he would make for me or one super bright orange one in a plastic bag that was ready to be sold. Even though neon orange isn’t my color, I pick it and give him the money. It was such a cool moment to support a small creator who wants to make a difference but is experiencing a slow start. Once I had my shirt, the team took a few minutes to gather around him and pray. We prayed for his future, his health, and his family. When we finished, he continually thanked us, sharing how he had just prayed that morning for God to move and show His presence in Canny’s life. God opened a very cool door that day, and I’m so grateful I was the one to walk through it.

Ant Fiasco

If you have ever wondered if Africa has ants, I am here to tell you that it absolutely does. In all honesty, the bug and insect situation hasn’t bothered me too greatly over the month. However, the other night my housemates and I experienced a moment of whirlwind screaming. While getting ready for bed, we start to notice that there were more ants than normal on the wall by a window; all of a sudden, they start pouring out of the electrical outlet. Of course, we freak out and attempt to determine the source of their pursuit. I have a light bulb moment and remember the main house had a can of ant killer. After retrieving the can, I return to our bedroom to find hundreds of little dots spreading all over the wall. Once the can was empty and the screaming settled down, the ants were dead. We pulled the bunk bed away from the wall, put a long piece of gorilla tape over their outlet entrance, and were able to fall asleep even with the poison fumes in the air. After much prayer and cleaning, we haven’t had any more ants in the room. A few of the girls in the room sleep with bug nets on their heads, but I just put earplugs in (Mainly because of the snoring. It doesn’t do anything for the bugs because I totally sleep with my mouth open). In conclusion, Africa does have ants, just like the US. You’re welcome.

Care Point Ministry

While in Eswatini, our team ministry is working with a few different Care Points. These bases are small, neon green buildings where kids come after school to receive a meal and fellowship with other students. The majority of the children that attend the Care Points are added to a system where they get a sponsor from the United States who pay for the child every month. These past few weeks, our teams have been spending our days playing with and loving on these kids. They arrive at the Care Point after a long, hot walk and are ready to participate in dance circles, play catch with a ball, or even rest in one of our laps. At one particular Care Point, we have been working in a large side field, pulling weeds and grass- preparing a soccer field for the older kids. When we arrive for the day, a few teammates help the cooks prepare a giant pot of porridge. Later in the afternoon, the children receive a generous amount of a heavy corn and rice mix. Some of the sweetest moments have been holding up a little girl to do the monkey bars over and over, then to receive a double high five after each time, and then letting her fall asleep in my lap while I sing “Jesus Loves the Little Children”. One of the hardest loops for me to work around has been the language barrier. Once the kids move up to primary school, they learn English as their second language, but it’s still choppy. God has been revealing to me that I can show His abundant love by loving on these kids who haven’t experienced that type of relationship or didn’t know it was possible.

My morning prayer has the same opening line every day. “God, thank you for another day on your amazing creation and for waking me up in this beautiful country”. I am incredibly grateful that God has placed me here and for the growth that continues to take place in my life. This is the biggest journey of my life so far, and I couldn’t be more thankful to be here. Thanks for stopping by to catch up and for your support!

Until next time!

Suzy 🙂